Q. The Bears traded their No. 4 pick in the draft last April to move down and select quarterback Rex Grossman and defensive end Michael Haynes. Do you think the Bears made the right move?
A. That evaluation cannot be determined until we see how Grossman and Haynes turn out for the Bears, and also how the No. 4 pick overall–New York Jets defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson–performs throughout his career.
I spoke with former San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh about the often-bureaucratic process that goes into making such key NFL draft decisions. In 1979, Walsh took over a team that went 2-14 the previous season and transformed it into a Super Bowl champion in just three seasons.
“Well, I am a consultant for the 49ers now, so we can sit here and pontificate,” he said. “But one person has to be accountable for the draft. There is always somebody in charge with the final answer. You can have a CEO or general manager who really hasn’t studied the game, then he comes into the room. And now everybody has been arguing for their player [to be drafted]. The GM sits there and decides who he likes the most. Of course, it can’t be done that way. But it is in the NFL. What you need is someone who really knows football and has a history and knowledge of the game and has done this before and has expertise, someone with an innate ability to judge talent who has the responsibility.”
Q. With NFL training camps opening this week, will there be increased awareness of heat-related illnesses?
A. The death of former Minnesota Vikings lineman Korey Stringer on the practice field was a tragic reminder that proper monitoring of players in the summer heat is a necessity. The days of coaches chasing the players away from the water hose during summer football practices are over. And that goes for high school and college coaches as well.
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E-mail: AskFred@tribune.com
