Redemption

[BearFan2000]

As we all know or at least are convinced Jerry let the wrong RB go after the 2006 Super Bowl run. Benson didn't pan out in 2007 and ended up injured. The run game was non-existent last year. In 2006 we enjoyed a 1-2 punch of Jones and Benson. IMHO Benson's only good season in chicago.

 

Entering the Draft we had Benson, Wolfe, and AP. Not long after drafting Forte Benson is let go. Leaving us with Forte expected to be the feature back along with AP as backup and Wolfe in spot duty. Then comes the signing of Kevin Jones at a very reasonable one year deal. Let's suppose for a moment that Jones and Forte become a 1-2 punch that's as good or better than the Jones/Benson one we had in 2006 season. Jones will no doubt be looking for a more long term deal and if he proves he's back he would deserve it. The more I think about it, this could present Jerry Angelo a second chance to make the right decision and give Jones the extension and we would have a good 1-2 punch for several years. Both Backs are young and could really solidify the backfield. It may even help people forget about Jerry cutting the wrong back after the 2006 season.

[AZ54]

First Jones has to start practicing.

[nfoligno]

Who knows how things will play out, but you are getting WAY ahead of yourself.

 

If both have good seasons, it may prove difficult to keep KJ. Health is the main thing that has held him back in his career. If he stays healthy this year and has a good season, he would likely have starting role offers. We can only offer RBBC.

 

A good recent example is Julius Jones. How many Jones RBs are there? Anyway, in Dallas, he didn't have the most productive season of his career, but did well and the team had success w/ the 1-2 combo of him and Barber. Dallas wanted to keep the two together, but Jones wanted to be "the man". So he bolted for Seattle, and Dallas drafted another Jones (felix) to replace Julius.

 

Anyway, the point is that even if the two do well this year, and we want to keep KJ, it may not be so easy. If, like Julius, he wants to be "the man", he may not want to stay in Chicago, where he is going to be part of a RBBC.

[BearFan PHX]

As we all know or at least are convinced Jerry let the wrong RB go after the 2006 Super Bowl run. Benson didn't pan out in 2007 and ended up injured. The run game was non-existent last year. In 2006 we enjoyed a 1-2 punch of Jones and Benson. IMHO Benson's only good season in chicago.

 

This is almost right. I'll bet that after 2006, if Jerry Angelo had a straight up decicion he would have kept Jones and dumped Benson too. But he was way past that decision point. Angelo made the decision the year he drafted Benson. Once he had done that, and committed those cap dollars, he couldn't cut Benson and afford to keep Jones. At that point, Jones hadn't shown what he could do yet.

 

So yes, Angelo's crystal ball didn't work way back when, but let's not confuse that with making a bonehead decision in 2006, when resigning Jones and keeping or cutting Benson was impossible cap-wise. Let's instead give Angelo credit for quietly negotiating a way for Jones to stay and not hold out for the previous season which brought us to the Super Bowl.