Larry Mayer Strikes Again

Larry Mayer has done it again. Not to be outdone by Larry Miller or the L-Man, the original "Mr. Bear" has brought it again with another gem from his "Chalk Talk with Larry Mayer" segment on www.chicagobears.com.

Seriously, this is a really great point that anyone who follows the Bears or the draft needs to consider when it comes to the value of draft picks, especially first day picks.

Larry: I would like to know your opinion on the three picks that the Bears received for the No. 37 draft pick they had picked up from the Jets in the Thomas Jones trade. I was originally disappointed in the trade, but Dan Bazuin, Garrett Wolfe and Kevin Payne seem like great compensation for Thomas Jones, not to mention a third-round pick next year.
Larry S.

Larry: I agree with you completely about the compensation the Bears ultimately received for Thomas Jones, and that seems to be one storyline that has been overlooked in all of the draft coverage. With their shrewd trade, the Bears were able to parlay the pick they received for Jones into a defensive end, running back and safety who all could contribute as rookies.

Personally I was not dissapointed when Thomas Jones was traded because I understood why he had to go. It did seem interesting that we had to swap picks to complete the deal, but I trust Jerry Angelo so I had no problems with it.

What is amazing to me is how these things snowball and how forward thinking teams like the Bears manipulate their draft picks in order to ensure long term success.

The typical meatball fan never realizes the importance of these deals and will inevitably spend their time next year farting and complaining that 2007's running backs are nothing like the immortal Thomas Jones. At the same time they'll be cheering their mustaches off while Wolfe runs, Bazuin sacks, and Payne eats wide receivers faces.