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| 2008 NFL Draft - Chicago Bears | ||||||
| Round | Pick # | Overall | Player | Pos. | Class | School |
| 1 | 14 | 14 | Chris Williams | T | Sr | Vanderbilt |
| 2 | 13 | 44 | Matt Forte | RB | Sr | Tulane |
| 3 | 7 | 70 | Earl Bennett | WR | Jr | Vanderbilt |
| 3 | 27 | 90 | Marcus Harrison | DT | Sr | Arkansas |
| 4 | 21 | 120 | Craig Steltz | S | Sr | LSU |
| 5 | 7 | 142 | Zackary Bowman | CB | Sr | Nebraska |
| 5 | 23 | 158 | Kellen Davis | TE | Sr | Michigan State |
| 7 | 1 | 208 | Ervin Baldwin | DE | Sr | Michigan State |
| 7 | 15 | 222 | Chester Adams | G | Sr | Georgia |
| 7 | 36 | 243 | Joey LaRocque | LB | Sr | Oregon State |
| 7 | 40 | 247 | Kirk Barton | T | Sr | Ohio State |
| 7 | 41 | 248 | Marcus Monk | WR | Sr | Arkansas |
2007 RECORD: 7-9
LAST SEASON: A complete mess. Quarterback Rex Grossman got benched early and returned for five games before injuring his left knee. Running back Cedric Benson went nowhere behind an aging offensive line, then had a season-ending ankle injury. LB Brian Urlacher acknowledged during the season he has an arthritic back and underwent minor neck surgery after the season. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris played with a bad left knee, and that's just the short list of injuries.
THEY NEED: Help just about everywhere on offense, particularly the line and running back.
THEY DON'T NEED: A return specialist. Devin Hester has 11 touchdowns in just 32 games.
POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: Otah; Clady; Mendenhall.
OUTLOOK: The offense will be a huge question mark heading into next season. Benson's time to prove himself is ticking away, if it hasn't already expired, and the Bears made it clear their patience with Grossman is all but gone when they signed him to a one-year contract. He and Kyle Orton will have new targets, with Bernard Berrian and Muhsin Muhammad out, Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd in. An aging offensive line needs some youth along with replacements for departed veterans Fred Miller and Ruben Brown. The defense could be closer to the dominant level of recent seasons if it stays healthy.
| New York Life Protection Index Analysis | ||||||
| Chicago Bears | ||||||
| Season | Rank | Protection Index | Previous Protection Index | Change | Offensive Linemen Drafted | |
| 2010 | 32 | 33.1 | 59.6 | -26.5 | J'Marcus Webb (T) - West Texas A&M | |
| 2009 | 15 | 59.6 | 66.8 | -7.2 | ||
| 2008 | 14 | 66.8 | 54.9 | 11.9 | Chris Williams (T) - Vanderbilt, Kirk Barton (T) - Ohio State | |
| 2007 | 23 | 54.9 | 64.2 | -9.3 | Josh Beekman (G) - Boston College | |
| 2006 | 10 | 64.2 | 48.6 | 15.6 | ||
| 2005 | 22 | 48.6 | 21.2 | 27.4 | ||
| 2004 | 32 | 21.2 | 44.2 | -23.0 | ||
| 2003 | 24 | 44.2 | 50.9 | -6.7 | ||
| 2002 | 21 | 50.9 | 67.5 | -16.6 | Marc Colombo (T) - Boston College, Terrence Metcalf (G) - Mississippi | |
| 2001 | 6 | 67.5 | 62.3 | 5.2 | ||
| 2000 | 7 | 62.3 | 66.9 | -4.6 | ||
| 1999 | 2 | 66.9 | 60.6 | 6.3 | Rex Tucker (G) - Texas A&M, Jerry Wisne (T) - Notre Dame | |
| 1998 | 5 | 60.6 | 57.7 | 2.9 | Olin Kreutz (C) - Washington, Patrick Mannelly (C) - Duke | |
| 1997 | 7 | 57.7 | 70.8 | -13.1 | ||
| 1996 | 2 | 70.8 | 80.5 | -9.7 | Chris Villarrial (G) - Indiana (PA), Jon Clark (T) - Temple | |
| 1995 | 1 | 80.5 | 67.5 | 13.0 | ||
| 1994 | 9 | 67.5 | 33.3 | 34.2 | ||
| 1993 | 27 | 33.3 | N/A | N/A | Todd Perry (G) - Kentucky | |
