Anybody catch Benson's comments this weekend that he projects a 1700 yard season for himself? Of course, I'd rather have my guys be confident rather than timid, but assuming he is the starter throughout the year, I'm expecting more like the 1100 to 1400 range.

Yea, Ced must be smoking the wacky. On a side note, what are your thoughts on this whole Thomas Jones thing? The guy is in amazing shape from the pictures I saw of him. He only had the second most rushing yards ever in a season in Bears history. I feel like the Bears are just pushing him aside ever since he got upset about the bears rumored to trade him. How can you not be somewhat slightly pissed at this organization if your Jones?

The Jones controversy is odd to me. He seems to be angling for playing time, not a new contract (still has 2 years left on a 4 year deal). I realize they gave Benson a big signing bonus as a top 5 pick, but this team has a small window to make a run for a title. The OL isn't exactly young and economically, they'll never be able to keep that defense together. Personally, I don't give a shit if Benson's feelings are hurt or if Angelo looks foolish for having the most expensive 2nd string back in the league. The best man should get the job. If it's Jones, so be it.

Surprised? No. Pissed? Yes. For the most part, teams rarely get good value in return for veteran players. They'd probably get offers in the neighborhood of a 3rd rd pick. If the Bears were shitty right now, that might not be such a bad deal. But they are contenders and Jones is a vital part of their team. If the situation escalates into ugliness and a move needs to be made, I'd rather see Angelo go after a proven WR instead of an extra selection in the middle of the draft.

Damn. I thought this was a thread about the 48 hour Benson marathon on TV Land this weekend. I would've loved to discuss favorite episodes.

_________________
I don't mean to sound bitter, cold, or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out. - Bill Hicks

Let's do it for Johnny!

Not surprising given that he said last August that he'd beat Jones out for the starting RB spot by game 2--and this was after missing all of training camp.

I like confidence, too, but Benson seems like the kind of guy whose swagger isn't justified because he doesn't understand what needs to be done to succeed in the NFL.

Maybe he's learned since last season, but I have little faith in him. I hope I'm wrong.

I personally think the Bears have treated Thomas Jones like shit. Its really pathetic by that organization to do that considering what he did last year. Something no one except Walter did.

That is as great an example of armchair quarterbacking as I have ever seen. Even if you happened to have your medical degree you would have no idea about the severity of the injury.

Nas, you forgot Merrill Hoge and Raymont Harris.

_________________
CSFMB: Home of the small minded

Or it could be a case of the Cubs medical personel at work. A misdiagnosis, maybe? As dolphin said, none of us know how severe an injury is and if we havent learned anything from the lies and bs that come from Wrigley, I dont know what to tell you.

I like Jones, but I disagree with the contract issue. He's not that good. He's good but really, just not that good. Benson is a potential great back.... Hasn't really doone much, but Jones has a career year and now wants a raise? He signed that 4 year deal, and with a number 1 pick in the wings the best thing for him is not to turn this into a dispute.

OK, I think you and Coach are missing my point. I'm not comparing him to Walter. What I'm saying is he's the next best thing the Bears have ever had in a single season on pure rushing yards. That's not saying a whole hell of a lot. And now this is how the Bears treat this guy? Its damn stupid. Coach i think you didn't really get my point. This was in no way to compare the two, but at the same time all I was stating is who is #1 in rush yards in a season and who is number 2...just so happened to be the same sentence i guess. I'm sorry the Baers have only one other guy that high on rush yards in a seaon.

Today on the Mourning Show Fred said that an "inside source" told him the Bears will trade Thomas Jones either to Indianapolis or Kansas City in the next two weeks.

I'm guessing Fred's source is Joniak (the two are reputedly pretty good friends), who gives bad information pretty frequently.

The K.C. possibility seems pretty unlikely to me, but we all know Indy is interested in Jones.

Seems to me that making a phone call to the Jets might be in order as well.

As a Colts fan, I'd be shocked to see them go after Thomas after they just drafted Joseph Addai. They're very comfortable with Dominic Rhodes and now with the addition of Addai it would not seem like a move the Colts would make looking at their history with Polian at the helm. I think them wanting Jones is old news and personally think those two teams would be two of the last I would think of that would want Jones.

For all of you Thomas Jones lovers he is not an elite back. 1300 yards and he only played 14 games. Yes that's good. But I beleive he was a product of some excellent blocking. He has absolutely no break away speed. I've seen safeteys run him down when he has a 2 step advantage. Also, he looks like a greek god but man is he easy to bring down once engaged. Is Benson an elite back? I don't know but he has to be the main back this year. Too much of the Bears cap is invested in him.

Actually, it is saying a hell of a lot!

Let's see, just off the top of my head the Bears have had guys like Sayers, Payton, Anderson and Nagurski at the RB position. I could take a look and probably find a few more RB's that would rate no lower than Pro Bowl caliber. The beloved have a history of not just good, not just great, but timeless players from the RB position.

Neal Anderson was a hell of a player that doesn't get that respect. For a 3 or 4 year span he was one of the best RB's in the game. He just never had staying power and hit the RB wall quickly like so many in this game. Anderson was also a great receiver who would run go route's on a regular basis. He wasn't just the dump it to the back guy. I'd take Neal Anderson in his prime over Thomas Jones any day of the week. I don't give a shit if Jones is number 2 to Payton in yards for a season.

GD did you just put Anderson's name in with Sayers and Walter and Nagurski? And then call him timeless??? I mean the guy was good but c'mon now.

TJ was a great back coming out of Va Tech (pretty sure the Bear were looking at him at the time) but has never proven himself in the NFL outside of last year. He just doesn't have the speed to seperate from NFL defenses. The couple games we saw of Ced last year (N.O. game particularly) he broke some runs that TJ would have been tracked down after 10 yards. Like Beardown said, we've got too much of our cap invested in Benson to not give him a shot. I hope he goes out and proves himself right.

Bears fans are by the funniest of the Chicago fans. You guys crack me up with how defensive you get about your beloved team. Obviously Jones didn't have the #2 best single seaosn of all-time. When guys like Sayers didn't get the chance to play in that many games in a year, plus all the the other things your other backs offered (yes, anderson could catch pretty well and in my mind is one of the most underrated Bears of all-time). Let me just say this. You guys have one hell of a rb depth chart right now. Lets just say Thomas Jones demands for a trade in the mext month or so because he thinks he's been disrespected one too many (lets realize this, it doesn't take much for today's players to feel disrespected whether you think the temporary demotion is a big deal or not. I guarantee you a guy like Jones feels disrespected). I just feel Jones is an important part of this team and his playshouldn't be brushed off as, well the o-line did it all. Yes, your o-line was outstanding, but if I was a Bears fan I'd want all three of my backs and let the best back win in training camp. I just get the feeling a lot of you think just because the money was put into Benson that no matter if Jones is better or way better than Benson, Ced should start nonetheless. I think that would be a mistake to pick Benson #1 on that logic.

The Benson pick might have been a mistake. But as a Bears fan I have to deal in reality and yes that means I must look at the cap. They gave him 17 million. He must play. My eyes don't deceive me. I know an elite back when I see one and Thomas Jones is not an elite back. Several backs would have gained what he did last year. .

Yep, that's pretty much all I'm saying. I was just using the stat to make you weary of what you wish for.

Yep, good call. Its nice to get some football discussion going (Can you tell I'm a Cubs fan or what, ha). Beardown, you really think the fact that because Benson counts that much against the cap that he should get the starting job even if he isn't the best back out of camp? You guys are TOO close to a Superbowl to be thinking like that. You need yor best players getting the most touches.

He couldn't out run safety's with a head start and he can't break tackles. If he couldn't do that last year then he won't do it after aging a year. Thus he will never be an elite back. He got the yards that he was supposed to get. He has a good first move to make the first guy miss but not the second guy. He's tough and dedicated but I have to see if Benson is better. If I had to guess I would say he will be equal to Jones in production with a different style.

Right. I'm not saying trade Jones. Whatever you get in return won't equal the value of having him as a back up. Hey if Benson isn't what they want then you can go back to him. Plus RB's will always miss a game or two or more due to injury. So yeah keep them both. Jones won't like being a back up but so what. He'll play hard when he gets a chance I think. I don't think he would tank it. He still wants another contract when this one expires.

Yea, whatever it takes for you guys to get to the Superbowl I think that'd be your best bet. Can you imagine Benson in the 4th quarter of games after maybe getting only like 7 carries in the first three quarters? He'd be your closer. Thats what I loved about Edge. The fourth quarter first downs he'd get when it looked like a 2 yard loss and then he'd get 8 sometimes. A good fourth quarter back can take you a long way

Zing! I knew that was coming. Well, uhh, it will get you a lot of regular season wins. We're were never really in position for Edge to be a closer in the playoffs all that much. You guys got a hell of a defense and just feel that if one of those backs has pretty close to fresh legs with only 7-8 carries going into the fourth, you could really control the game. Bears are my #2 team