[CBFF] [Fwd: Bears heading in to check out WR Thomas]

[Tom Shannon]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Bears heading in to check out WR Thomas
Date: 	Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:32:32 GMT
From: 	<Brad Biggs>



As the plot thickens so does the smoke.

Or is it real interest?

Profootballtalk.com reported this morning that the Bears will get 
together with Michigan State wide receiver Devin Thomas Friday 
<http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/04/24/bears-planning-friday-visit-with-thomas/>. 
Wide receivers coach *Darryl Drake* will travel to Michigan to meet with 
him and it could lead to a possible last-minute workout. We’ve confirmed 
the information with a source close to the player.

Talk about a turn of events.

No one has strongly considered the possibility the Bears will look at a 
receiver in the first round. The bust factor is as high at receiver as 
any other position in the first round. Just look at how nabbing 
receivers at the top of the first round has worked out for the Detroit 
Lions. *Roy Williams* is a bona fide playmaker. *Charles Rogers* and 
*Mike Williams* are long gone. *Calvin Johnson* is still dealing with 
back issues that plagued him as a rookie.

Thomas <http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/profile.php?pyid=67905> is 
projected by many at this point to go to the Buffalo Bills, who are 
drafting 11th. Most consider him the best receiver in the class after 
Malcolm Kelly 
<http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/malcolm-kelly?id=1028> ran through 
quick sand at Oklahoma in a couple of workouts. It is believed Kelly 
was, at least at one point, the top-rated receiver on the Bears’ board. 
He could still be in that position. Thomas has dynamic ability to go 
with terrific size at 6-2, 215 pounds. He has to fight the perception he 
was a one-year wonder for the Spartans. He set a school record with 79 
catches for 1,260 yards and eight touchdowns.

He’s represented by agent *Drew Rosenhaus*, no stranger to the Bears, 
and that strikes as curious as well. Rosenhaus has another client in 
Central Florida running back Kevin Smith 
<http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/kevin-smith?id=947> that figures to 
be a better fit for the Bears. General manager *Jerry Angelo* went to 
visit him after attending the owners meetings.

Quarterback remains a real issue for the Bears and one thinking is the 
team will wait to really invest in a receiver until the situation with 
the man throwing the ball is resolved. Why go gangbusters for a target 
you’re not convinced can get the ball on a regular basis? The Bears 
trumpet themselves as a running team and have two holes on the offensive 
line and a major-league question mark in *Cedric Benson.
*
Perhaps the Bears really want to check Thomas out one more time. Perhaps 
Drake is eyeing some vacation property on the other side of Lake 
Michigan. Heck, maybe it's both.

Stay tuned.