Thomas Jones traded...

[Pariah]

Then why is this the 4th team to dump him?

Well, the Bears certainly didn't dump him because he wasn't a good starting RB. He tore it up for Chicago. I'll bet that's why the Jets traded for him, too.

 

[red desert]

K9, you just don't get it, do you? When ASFN still had press access, we told you time and again that Jones was a surly loner. The Bears "just loved him."

Then why is this the 4th team to dump him? Thomas Jones is a perpetual victim, always unhappy with his pay and his role.

Thank you, Skkorp. That said, I think he is going to be very productive in the big apple.

 

[Pariah]

I think he is going to be very productive in the big apple.

Yeah, but he'll be surly about it. Look out, Gotham!

 

[Rivercard]

Well, the Bears certainly didn't dump him because he wasn't a good starting RB. He tore it up for Chicago. I'll bet that's why the Jets traded for him, too.

"Tore it up" may be generous term. In the games I watched he looked competent and got the appropriate yardage given to him - certainly not an elite back though who can create magic.

 

[Pariah]

"Tore it up" may be generous term. In the games I watched he looked competent and got the appropriate yardage given to him - certainly not an elite back though who can create magic.

I saw most of the Bears' games. He got a lot more than what was given to him.

This isn't the same TJ that fell over at first contact--he broke a lot of tackles and made a lot of people miss all together.

 

[kerouac9]

K9, you just don't get it, do you? When ASFN still had press access, we told you time and again that Jones was a surly loner. The Bears "just loved him."

Then why is this the 4th team to dump him? Thomas Jones is a perpetual victim, always unhappy with his pay and his role.

Maybe you weren't paying attention to the preseason when the Bears lockerroom outed Benson for leaving a preseason game before it was over and sulking in the lockerroom. Maybe you weren't paying attention to all the reports early in the season that the Bears' players were pissed that Benson was given the starting job heading into training camp.

The Bears brass were embarrassed that they drafted Benson and Jones immediately took off, and continue to be embarassed by the fact that Benson hasn't earned the starting job and immediately turtled when the spotlight was upon him in the Super Bowl.

You can continue to slander Thomas Jones here if you want to. It's your board. But he's not the same player now that he was in Arizona and the horrible coaching staff and front office allowed him to be in Arizona. He excelled on the Bucs roster and performed to a level that they couldn't afford him anymore. He outperformed his contract in Chicago and has become one of the most solid backs in the NFL. You can believe that, or not, but I think if you asked the average national fan to choose between Thomas Jones and Marcel Shipp, the verdict would be pretty one-sided that Rod Graves chose the wrong guy.

 

[HoodieBets]

Let's not get carried away. It's only Thomas Jones were talking about. The Pats have gotten TE Kyle Brady (Jaguars), LB Adalius Thomas (Ravens), and RB Sammy Morris (Dolphins) in FA so far.

The Pats are gonna be hurting at RB. Sammy is anything special, and Maroney really broke down at the end of the year, he couldnt cross the LOS against the colts. Kyle Brady? Old and a downgrade from fauria and graham. Noone knows the staus of Chad Jackson, he got hurt in the AFC championship and will miss extended time. They have no WR's. Can there defense get any older at LB? They got noone besides thomas. The O-Line is also extremely inconsistant.

So those are the reasons the Jets jump the Pats. The only problem the jets had was at RB, those problems are solved.

 

[HoodieBets]

Maybe you weren't paying attention to the preseason when the Bears lockerroom outed Benson for leaving a preseason game before it was over and sulking in the lockerroom. Maybe you weren't paying attention to all the reports early in the season that the Bears' players were pissed that Benson was given the starting job heading into training camp.

The Bears brass were embarrassed that they drafted Benson and Jones immediately took off, and continue to be embarassed by the fact that Benson hasn't earned the starting job and immediately turtled when the spotlight was upon him in the Super Bowl.

You can continue to slander Thomas Jones here if you want to. It's your board. But he's not the same player now that he was in Arizona and the horrible coaching staff and front office allowed him to be in Arizona. He excelled on the Bucs roster and performed to a level that they couldn't afford him anymore. He outperformed his contract in Chicago and has become one of the most solid backs in the NFL. You can believe that, or not, but I think if you asked the average national fan to choose between Thomas Jones and Marcel Shipp, the verdict would be pretty one-sided that Rod Graves chose the wrong guy.

Couldnt agree more. Jones can do everything, he can catch, run, and block. I dont know who watched the SB or not but TJ was extremely vocal and cheering on his team even though Lovie wouldnt play him (Huge Mistake!).

 

[Pariah]

I dont know who watched the SB or not but TJ was extremely vocal and cheering on his team even though Lovie wouldnt play him (Huge Mistake!).

Benson was hurt early and Jones played the whole game...right?

 

[HoodieBets]

Benson was hurt early and Jones played the whole game...right?

They were playing benson most the game IIRC, i thought benson had more carries. Can my memory really be that bad? I hope not. I do remember TJ on the sidelines though.

 

[Renz]

The Bears were going to lose Jones after next season anyway. His contract is up and they weren't going to give a RB of Jones's age an extension.

 

[Pariah]

They were playing benson most the game IIRC, i thought benson had more carries. Can my memory really be that bad? I hope not. I do remember TJ on the sidelines though.

Jones had 15 carries
































...Benson had 2.

 

[Rivercard]

The Pats are gonna be hurting at RB. Sammy is anything special, and Maroney really broke down at the end of the year, he couldnt cross the LOS against the colts. Kyle Brady? Old and a downgrade from fauria and graham. Noone knows the staus of Chad Jackson, he got hurt in the AFC championship and will miss extended time. They have no WR's. Can there defense get any older at LB? They got noone besides thomas. The O-Line is also extremely inconsistant.

So those are the reasons the Jets jump the Pats. The only problem the jets had was at RB, those problems are solved.

We'll just have to see. Maroney is the real deal. Adalius Thomas is a beast. Plus, recent history suggests the Pats will manage to achieve excellence somehow. The Jets were vastly improved, but will they be just a 1 year wonder???

 

[40yearfan]

Maybe you weren't paying attention to the preseason when the Bears lockerroom outed Benson for leaving a preseason game before it was over and sulking in the lockerroom. Maybe you weren't paying attention to all the reports early in the season that the Bears' players were pissed that Benson was given the starting job heading into training camp.

The Bears brass were embarrassed that they drafted Benson and Jones immediately took off, and continue to be embarassed by the fact that Benson hasn't earned the starting job and immediately turtled when the spotlight was upon him in the Super Bowl.

You can continue to slander Thomas Jones here if you want to. It's your board. But he's not the same player now that he was in Arizona and the horrible coaching staff and front office allowed him to be in Arizona. He excelled on the Bucs roster and performed to a level that they couldn't afford him anymore. He outperformed his contract in Chicago and has become one of the most solid backs in the NFL. You can believe that, or not, but I think if you asked the average national fan to choose between Thomas Jones and Marcel Shipp, the verdict would be pretty one-sided that Rod Graves chose the wrong guy.

From the Bears official message board:

http://boards.chicagobears.com/forums/thread/394153.aspx

http://boards.chicagobears.com/forums/thread/393993.aspx

 

[Duckjake]

Wow. That's interesting. Who thinks that TJ racks up more yards than Benson next season?

He might because the Jets have proven to be rather good at running the football in the past. On the other hand almost every starting RB the Bears have had for the past 30 years has had a 1000 yard season so Benson, IF he can stay healthy, should go over a 1000 minimum this fall.

 

[AZCB34]

An interesting trade to say the least. Bears move up 26 spots in the second round and given how well Jerry Angelo has done drafting, I think he will get a decent player there.

Clearly, however, this seems below value for Jones given how he played the past two years. Like Jason said, this wasn't the same Jones who fell over when hit with a stiff breeze. He broke tackles and did everything that was asked and more.

He may have been surly here but in Chicago he was a voacl lockerroom leader...very well respected by his teammates. The Bears took benson and there comes a time when it is so hard to justify having a top 5 bonus baby on the bench no matter how good the starter is playing.

Benson is the better runner but Jones is better at everything else AND the way Benson runs...well he will be injured alot IMO.

My guess is, Angelo isn't done dealing but right now, the Jets sure seem to have gotten the best of the Bears.

 

[PrescottLooie]

TJ will not do in New York much more than he did here and in TB (if that's where he went after us). His childhood dream was to play for the Brars, this I heard him say. He will not have the heart ! You heard it here first.

 

[Ed Burmila]

What an idiotic move. Thomas Jones WAS the Bears offense in 2005, and even in 2006 he put the offense on his back once Grossman started to return to his natural level (i.e. total crap).

Awful, awful move. All my bears friends from back home in Chicago are lighting up my email inbox with profanity. Benson is a punk, his teammates (and the fans) can't stand him, and TJ was very highly regarded by the city and team. Oh, and Benson isn't nearly as good either.

And the worst part is, if you're gonna trade the guy, at least get something for him. They didn't even get much back. Jones AND a pick for a #2? Worst trade ever, I think.

 

[Pariah]

Jones AND a pick for a #2? Worst trade ever, I think.

Are you kidding? I'd have killed for that deal! We got stuck with Walker.

 

[Skkorpion]

Well, the Bears certainly didn't dump him because he wasn't a good starting RB. He tore it up for Chicago. I'll bet that's why the Jets traded for him, too.

Ok. You know more than I do. I concede. Why did the Bears dump him and give up the 37th overall pick for the 67th to make it work?

 

[Ed Burmila]

In defense of K9 for a minute - and no offense to Skkorp - I don't blame Jones for what happened here. The coaching staff he had to deal with was beyond pathetic and amateurish, and the line in front of him was horrible. The offensive scheme didn't suit him, the team was in chaos (remember that 2003 training camp, Jim? It was like a bunch of strangers wandering around a country club, with Joe Greene lounging around in a golf cart swearing at them) and he was not really given a chance to succeed.

TJ was not "run out" of Tampa. They simply didn't want to give him a big contract. They preferred making a committment to Pittman. No bad blood.

And if he has been "run out" of Chicago, I'm comfortable saying that Jones has the high ground in this situation. The guy has been Chicago's entire damn offense for three years, they are cheap SOBs (McCaskey makes Bidwill look like Dan Snyder), and they didn't want to pay him. So they traded him (for next to nothing) because he'd walk at the end of the year.

The man they chose to invest in, Benson, is a fumbling, injury-prone jerk with a prima donna complex. He will be eaten alive in Chicago, and Jones will help lead the Jets into the playoffs again.

TJ may have been a surly loner in AZ, but as horrendously amateurish as the Cardinals were under McGinnis I probably would have been surly too. Can't exactly get mad at the guy for not wanting to bond with the likes of Jeff Blake and Fred Brock.

 

[Skkorpion]

Yup, Ed, all these teams are stupid. They keep giving away Thomas Jones. Why?

 

[Ed Burmila]

Ok. You know more than I do. I concede. Why did the Bears dump him and give up the 37th overall pick for the 67th to make it work?

I'm pretty sure that the specifics of the trade are best explained by the fact that Jerry Angelo isn't terribly bright. The Jets broke it off in the Bears' cornhole on this one. A competent GM could have gotten far more (or at least avoided throwing in the 3rd rounder) for a RB of his production.

 

[TheCardFan]

Those two got nearly 2000 yards...

Can we get Ruben Brown in AZ?

 

[Pariah]

Ok. You know more than I do. I concede. Why did the Bears dump him and give up the 37th overall pick for the 67th to make it work?

You don't have to make false surrenders, Skkorp.

There's a couple of reasons they may have. Maybe they indeed didn't like his attitude, or maybe they felt like Benson turned the corner and they wanted to get something for him rather than cut him (They also have a very capable back in "the other" Adrian Peterson).

Whatever the reason, I'll bet the house it wasn't because they weren't happy with his production.

EDIT: BTW, Chicago isn't exactly getting high grades from anyone on how they handle players these days.