Trade #30 for Thomas Jones?

[Mikefive]

I’m a Bears fan from a completely different board and I have the Colts in our mock draft. It’s no surprise that you guys need a RB, having just waved goodbye to Edge. It occurs to me that this deal makes sense for both teams.

Here’s why it makes sense for you:

1. Thomas Jones was a Pro Bowl alternate last year, rushing for 1335 yards on a team with a rookie QB and consequently, the worst passing game in the league.
2. He also was a capable receiver out of the backfield, underutilized with only 26 catches in 2005.
3. Jones had 340 touches and fumbled only twice all year.
4. He will turn 28 during the preseason. However, he has low miles on him. He didn’t play for long stretches in Arizona and was only a part-time player in Tampa before coming to Chicago as the starter 2 years ago.
5. He has been an ultimate professional in Chicago. He is always in shape. (I’ve seen him up close at Bears TC. The guy is RIPPED.) He doesn’t say much, but lets his play do the talking. Even when put in a difficult position when we drafted Cedric Benson #4 last year, he mostly avoided the media instead of publicly venting.
6. He’s not as talented as edge and a bit different type of player, but he is a good back without Edge’s quirkiness. He’s serviceable as a 3 yards and a cloud of dust back and lacks the 5th gear to break off 80-yard runs. Still, he’s a consistent player who will average close to 5 YPC in your offense. He’s also a capable pass blocker that will make teams pay who stack up the point of attack by cutting back the other way for big gainers. And he costs vastly less than Edge.
7. Whatever back you get in round 1 or 2 will have some uncertainty attached as with any draft pick. How will he adapt to your offense? Will he be shell shocked by NFL competition? Thomas Jones is a known quantity. With your team at the cusp of making it to the big dance, it makes sense for you to go with a lower risk and likely higher reward player, even if may be for a shorter term.
8. Thomas Jones has 2 years left on his contract at roughly $2.2M a season. Bonus doesn’t come into play with traded players. That’s a salary cap bargain for you guys, really. And there’s nothing that says you can’t extend his contract. Remember too, low miles.

Here’s why it makes sense for the Bears:

1. The Bears are log jammed at RB. We used a top 5 pick on Cedric Benson last year. He was the longest 2005 round 1 holdout and consequently started the season having to play catch up. He played in spots and showed flashes at times, but nothing to unseat Jones in the middle of a playoff run, especially with another rookie starting at QB. Benson got hurt later in the year, which ended his season just as he was starting to look better. Still, you don’t draft a guy #4 overall to ride pine, especially at an easy to learn position like RB. He will be healthy and in camp from the beginning this year.
2. Our #3 RB is Adrian Peterson, who is a capable back in his own right. With one start and 76 rushes in 2005, he averaged 5.1 per carry. He’s the best #3 RB in the NFL by a mile, IMO.
3. When you have needs, sometimes you should trade from your deepest position and shore up another area. This makes as much sense as anything.

What do you guys think of the deal? Laurence Maroney or Thomas Jones?

[Colton]

A 1st round choice seems way too high for him, even though i really like him and think that he would fit our scheme. If it were a 3rd or 4th rounder instead, id jump all over it

[stallyns]

I'd consider a 3rd for Jones at the highest only because we've got no 4th, we couldn't get a second for James last year so no way we would give up a 2 for Jones

otherwise I have nothing against him, and would like to get him

[Colton]

I keep forgetting that we traded the 4th rounder away this year. But ya, id take him for a 3rd if it was all that they would take.

[coltsfreak6095]

thomas jones is a good runnningback and i think they would accept for a 3rd rounder...then we could get an inside linebacker in the first round
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[Mikefive]

What you guys are forgetting is the cost. It has a lot of value. Why wouldn't anybody give more than a 2nd for perennial Pro Bowler Shaun Alexander or Edge for that matter when he was supposedly on the market? Because the tradee would have to cough up $7M+ per year to sign him to a new contract, not even counting the big bonus. That cap cost lowers his trade value. Jones gets you a bit less talent, but close for $4.8M less per year. You can do a whole heck of a lot with an extra $4.8M in your hip pocket.

The reason the Bears wouldn't accept a third rounder is for the same reason. We don't HAVE to get rid of him to save his cap cost. For $2.2M, it wouldn't kill us to have him on the bench if that's what it came down to. If he was making $5M, you would have a good argument. But with a salary less than half of that, we're far better off to just hang onto him than to settle for a measly 3rd rounder.

Money is a HUGE factor in any trade.

[stallyns]

Like I said, for Thomas Jones most I'd give up is a 3rd, only because we don't have a 4th rounder.

Jones has only had 1- 1000 yd season and 1 that was very close, 948
9 TD's last year, most previously was 7
28 years old when the season starts, not the kind of RB worth a 2nd rounder, sorry

[Mikefive]

[J-E-T-S]

coltsfreak your sig isn't the regulation size...they're really lockin down on that kinda stuff, lately, so I'd change it if I were you.
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[IndyColt#88]