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maybe, but Chicago has confidence in Adrian Peterson as well, and he's performed when given the opportunity. They have a glut of talented backs and the loss of Jones probably wouldn't hurt them too much.
Good posting on the Jones thing. Guy is about thirty and is in the last year of his 4 year deal which has proved to be a relative bargain for the Bears. Guy probably DOES deserve an extension. I can see him saying show me the money or trade me.
You mean somebody other then the Giants or Jets? Not sure what the question is?Just for fun (and of course for the sake of arguement), what is fair the over/under for TJ if the Bears did trade him? I am saying a 3rd would get him.
Alexander and Edge couldn't pull a 2nd, Chicago should be content with a 3rd. It makes too much sense to trade Jones this off season, IMO more sense for the Jets to go after him than Turner for the assumed asking prices. With TJ, the Jets would return to the playoffs.
As someone else said, AP is more then capable. Easily the best 3rd string RB in the league, and I'm not even sure Benson was that far ahead of AP most of the year. If TJ leaves, AP is still a top 8-10 backup, great for RBBC. And they gave him an extension already, so both Benson/AP are locked up for awhile. Benson finally showed enough where I can see them letting TJ go.
Alexander and Edge couldn't pull a 2nd rd pick because teams knew their contract demands would be unreasoanbly high. T Jones, while likely looking for an extension, won't want $9M per year. Thus, he could in fact be in greater demand than SA and Edge, relative to his total cost.
really ?Without TJ this team wouldn't be in the Super Bowl.Benson has shown that he is an average RB, at best.I couldn't disagree more.
They wouldn't? Based on what? Benson/AP is no worse then TJ/Benson. I actually like Benson/AP better. More physical, more punishing runners. TJ is a nice RB. But calling him the key to the Bears being in the SB is a little much.
I don't know, 4 TDs in his last 2 playoff games ?2 TDs in an overtime win against the Seahawks.When Benson struggled in the game vs the Saints,TJ came in and single-handedly marched down the fieldfor 8 rushes / 69 yards and the TD.To say that AP will come in and automaticallyfill the shoes of TJ is short-sighted, imo.I personally see a substantial drop off from TJ/Benson to AP/Benson.This is coming from a NON-TJ owner.billyjoe said:
I think the Bears need to make a decision now because both players are going to be very frustrated next season. Benson thinks that he should be the starter and TJ won't be happy playing out the last year of his contract at age 29. Things could get very ugly in Chicago.
How can you say that Benson has shown that he is an average RB "at best"? Both he and Jones have the same YPC average (4.1). How do we know we've seen his best since he's been used so chaotically in the Bears' line-up? Early in the season he'd go from 10 carries, to zero carries to 11 carries, etc. In his first 8 games he averaged 3.3 YPC. In his final 8 games he was used much more consistently (>10 carries in all but 2 games) and his YPC improved to 4.7. Some RBs tend to do better when they know they will get to bear a significant load--and those tend to be the bigger backs. All we know is that Benson performed about as well as Jones over the course of the season, but he significantly improved as his role in the offense became more significant and more predictable. The logical conclusion here is that Benson is an average back "at worst", but there is a good amount of evidence that his production will improve with a larger role in the Bears' offense. As far as Jones v Benson against the Saints, the Saints have done well against bruisng style backs this year and struggled against the speedier backs that can cut it outside. I wouldn't base any conclusions on that game.Ron_Mexico said:
Dude, the last 7 games of the regular season, CEDRIC BENSON was the spark in the Bears offense. No other offensive player played as big a role in sparking the offense as Benson down the stretch. He was their only bright spot in a couple games and was the brightest spot in more than a few others. In the last 7 games of the reg season, Benson had 88 carries, 432 yards, 62 YPG, 3 TDs, and had a very awesome 4.9 YPC, including a monsterous 8.4 YPC in the last game of the reg season. All of this production out of Benson was because the team finally realized how talented he was and how much he could help if he was more involved in the offense. Once he finally started to get carries (almost 13 per game avg) he produced Nicely! So IMO Thomas Jones is NOT the reason why the Bears are in the Super Bowl, Cedric Benson is the reason why this team did not fade down the stretch and locked up homefield advantage.
There are forty Dominic Rhodes' in the league. He is a complimentary back, and an average one at that.I simply can't wait for the next thread like this... Jamal Lewis to the Jets, Thomas Jones to the Jets, D Rhodes to the Jets, etc, etc, etc. The Jets are gonna havta start RB's on the O line soon.
To what "losses" might you be referring?
To what "losses" might you be referring?
I don't think the two can co-exist another year and still have team harmony. Whoever isn't starting next year will throw a fit, and that can't be good for the team. Benson is more than capable of handling the load, and I predict stardom as soon as TJ is out of there.Edit - Yes, I'm a proud Benson owner
Why not? If they run the ball 500 times, each will still see between 200-300 carries a piece. There doesn't have to be one set starter. Based on the defense, one or the other will shine.I don't think the two can co-exist another year and still have team harmony. Whoever isn't starting next year will throw a fit, and that can't be good for the team. Benson is more than capable of handling the load, and I predict stardom as soon as TJ is out of there.Edit - Yes, I'm a proud Benson owner
Neither of them wants to split time - Benson because he's already been doing it for 2 years and TJ because he knows he only has one more chance at a big contract and doesn't want to be a 30 year old free agent in 2008.Why not? If they run the ball 500 times, each will still see between 200-300 carries a piece. There doesn't have to be one set starter. Based on the defense, one or the other will shine.I don't think the two can co-exist another year and still have team harmony. Whoever isn't starting next year will throw a fit, and that can't be good for the team. Benson is more than capable of handling the load, and I predict stardom as soon as TJ is out of there.Edit - Yes, I'm a proud Benson owner
They didn't want to split time this year either. Both guys are under contract next year.Neither of them wants to split time - Benson because he's already been doing it for 2 years and TJ because he knows he only has one more chance at a big contract and doesn't want to be a 30 year old free agent in 2008.Why not? If they run the ball 500 times, each will still see between 200-300 carries a piece. There doesn't have to be one set starter. Based on the defense, one or the other will shine.I don't think the two can co-exist another year and still have team harmony. Whoever isn't starting next year will throw a fit, and that can't be good for the team. Benson is more than capable of handling the load, and I predict stardom as soon as TJ is out of there.Edit - Yes, I'm a proud Benson owner
TJ wasn't in the last year of his contract either. I wouldn't blame TJ if he demands to be traded since he did get screwed over by the Bears when they drafted Benson a year after signing him to a free agent deal.They didn't want to split time this year either. Both guys are under contract next year.Neither of them wants to split time - Benson because he's already been doing it for 2 years and TJ because he knows he only has one more chance at a big contract and doesn't want to be a 30 year old free agent in 2008.Why not? If they run the ball 500 times, each will still see between 200-300 carries a piece. There doesn't have to be one set starter. Based on the defense, one or the other will shine.I don't think the two can co-exist another year and still have team harmony. Whoever isn't starting next year will throw a fit, and that can't be good for the team. Benson is more than capable of handling the load, and I predict stardom as soon as TJ is out of there.Edit - Yes, I'm a proud Benson owner
Jones held out of voluntary workouts last year and if anything his incentive to push for a contract or trade is greater since he's had another good year and he's another year closer to 30.They didn't want to split time this year either. Both guys are under contract next year.Neither of them wants to split time - Benson because he's already been doing it for 2 years and TJ because he knows he only has one more chance at a big contract and doesn't want to be a 30 year old free agent in 2008.Why not? If they run the ball 500 times, each will still see between 200-300 carries a piece. There doesn't have to be one set starter. Based on the defense, one or the other will shine.I don't think the two can co-exist another year and still have team harmony. Whoever isn't starting next year will throw a fit, and that can't be good for the team. Benson is more than capable of handling the load, and I predict stardom as soon as TJ is out of there.Edit - Yes, I'm a proud Benson owner
He can demand all he wants but if the Bears want to keep him do you think he sits out and loses 2.5 million dollars. He's not going to get a big payday anyways at his age and ability.TJ wasn't in the last year of his contract either. I wouldn't blame TJ if he demands to be traded since he did get screwed over by the Bears when they drafted Benson a year after signing him to a free agent deal.They didn't want to split time this year either. Both guys are under contract next year.Neither of them wants to split time - Benson because he's already been doing it for 2 years and TJ because he knows he only has one more chance at a big contract and doesn't want to be a 30 year old free agent in 2008.Why not? If they run the ball 500 times, each will still see between 200-300 carries a piece. There doesn't have to be one set starter. Based on the defense, one or the other will shine.I don't think the two can co-exist another year and still have team harmony. Whoever isn't starting next year will throw a fit, and that can't be good for the team. Benson is more than capable of handling the load, and I predict stardom as soon as TJ is out of there.Edit - Yes, I'm a proud Benson owner
Yep he held out but still ended up playing. If the Bears want to keep him they will. His pissing and moaning will have little influence on that.Jones held out of voluntary workouts last year and if anything his incentive to push for a contract or trade is greater since he's had another good year and he's another year closer to 30.They didn't want to split time this year either. Both guys are under contract next year.Neither of them wants to split time - Benson because he's already been doing it for 2 years and TJ because he knows he only has one more chance at a big contract and doesn't want to be a 30 year old free agent in 2008.Why not? If they run the ball 500 times, each will still see between 200-300 carries a piece. There doesn't have to be one set starter. Based on the defense, one or the other will shine.I don't think the two can co-exist another year and still have team harmony. Whoever isn't starting next year will throw a fit, and that can't be good for the team. Benson is more than capable of handling the load, and I predict stardom as soon as TJ is out of there.Edit - Yes, I'm a proud Benson owner
), what is fair the over/under for TJ if the Bears did trade him?
