Chicago Bears land rare praise with not one but two linebackers named among the Top-5 draft values of the millennium
The Chicago Bears have always prided themselves in building in-house talent through the draft and turning those players into franchise greats.Legends such as Walter Payton, Gale Sayers, and Dick Butkus all started and ended their Hall of Fame careers in Chicago and now two other life-long Bears' legends have been recognized as some of the […]
The Chicago Bears have always prided themselves in building in-house talent through the draft and turning those players into franchise greats.
Legends such as Walter Payton, Gale Sayers, and Dick Butkus all started and ended their Hall of Fame careers in Chicago and now two other life-long Bears' legends have been recognized as some of the top draft values the league has seen.
Over the last few weeks, NFL.com has been listing the top draft values at each position going back to 2000. The purpose was to recognized players that over-performed their draft status, although that doesn't fully exclude players who were top picks.
On Tuesday, the latest Top-5 list focused solely on off-ball linebackers, and not one but two former Bears' standouts made the list.
Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs named as top draft values since 2000
Coming in at #4 on the list was Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher. Even though he was the ninth overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, Eric Edholm still included him on the list simply because he was the best player to come out of that class not named Tom Brady, and currently the only Hall of Famer (until Brady inevitably gets in).
"Some had their doubts about Urlacher, a college safety for a 4-7 New Mexico team in the Mountain West Conference, and he was not an immediate hit, coming off the bench his first two pro games. But from that point on, he looked like nothing short of a star. Urlacher was the Defensive Rookie of the Year, was named a first-team All-Pro four times, won the 2005 Defensive Player of the Year award and also led the Bears to Super Bowl XLI." – NFL.com's Eric Edholm
Not only was Urlacher one of the best linebackers of all-time, he also spent all 13 NFL seasons with the Bears, more than giving the team a return on the Top-10 investment.
At #5 on the list, Urlacher was joined by his long-time teammate and right-hand man in Lance Briggs. Briggs was selected 68th overall in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft and like Urlacher spent every season of his career with the Bears.
"Like Urlacher, Briggs was an ideal fit in Lovie Smith's Tampa-2 defense, unleashing his speed and rare instincts to rack up tackles (1,181 in his career), tackles for loss (97), interceptions (16, including an eyebrow-raising five pick-sixes) and forced fumbles (16). It's no shock he was first- or second-team All-Pro three times and was named to seven straight Pro Bowls." – NFL.com's Eric Edholm
Briggs has yet to be recognized as a Hall of Famer, but he certainly earns his flowers for the consistency he provided at the position next to Urlacher.
Urlacher and Briggs rank first and second respectively in franchise history for solo tackles and tackles for a loss. This duo tormented opposing offenses for a decade playing together in the middle of the Bears' defense.
Urlacher and Briggs weren't the only Bears' draft picks to receive the recognition as a top draft value since 2000. Running back Matt Forte, drafted 44th overall in 2008, came in at #5 on the RB list a few days back. With the defensive line and secondary still to be released, perhaps a few more Bears' legends can join the list.
Forte, Urlacher, and Briggs were each named to our A to Z Sports Chicago All Quarter Century team which can be found below.
Chicago Bears All Quarter Century team headlined by a controversial QB pick, versatile weapons, and a daunting defensive presence
Plenty of dominant players to choose from.
