On Time with an Important Decision: Chris Williams is a man who cashes in on his vows, a man who you can take his word to the bank - count on it! In this case, he came through like he said he would this afternoon, as he agreed to a five-year deal. Williams was chosen to come to the Windy City with the 14th selection in past April’s draft. The move-making, roster shaking Bears now have all 12 draft choices ready to go and awaiting to suit for Wednesday’s start of Training Camp. The 6-foot 6, 315-pound offensive tackle put on the pads and helmet in 36 contests at left tackle and left guard while attending Vanderbilt, as he finalized his collegiate stay with an impressive 33 consecutive starts. Williams garnered first team all-SEC congrats while manning the left tackle spot as a senior. According to NFL sources, the deal is believed to be worth $16 million, including $10 million guaranteed.

LT for the Next Decade? The hopeful answer to the Bears hole at left tackle surrendered just two sacks over his final two seasons in College Football’s toughest conference. Bears fans everywhere can now take a sigh of relief (could be the last time before the offense takes the field) - assuming they don’t look over to overanalyze the overblown, overhyped, overtalked about QB situation/controversy (hold your breath), an on-going battle between two incumbent signal callers that will have spectators and reporters alike going nuts during the next 3-4 weeks at Bourbonnais.

The Giants moved Jeremy Shockey Monday, and today made a minor headline as reports say they have come to terms with first round pick safety Kenny Phillips. The rookie could be a starter right away, as the team needs help in the secondary with the departure via free agency of Gibril Wilson, who left to go play for the Raiders this offseason.

Phillips was selected with the 31st pick of the draft out of the Univ of Miami. He comes to the team at 6-2, 210 pounds. He was the first safety chosen, and while director of college scouting Marc Ross refused to categorize him as a “need pick,” general manager Jerry Reese and head coach Tom Coughlin did so. He is a big and strong safety looked at to play the free safety position, although according to Ross he has played strong safety and even some cornerback.

He’ll compete with Sammy Knight, who was signed in the offseason, at the strong safety spot, though long-term he is penciled in as the starter, and if he can impress his coaches, he may be able to be the opening day starter vs the Redskins.

2nd overall pick in April’s draft Chris Long said from day one that he wanted to have a deal done to be able to report to Rams training camp on time. It appears he is true to his word. The St.Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that on Saturday Long and the Rams agreed to a deal that will get him in on time and will pay him well over the five years of the deal.

The terms of the deal were not known according to the Dispatch, but word is Long’s agreement is likely similar to those signed by Jake Long, the number one pick and No. 3 pick Matt Ryan. Jake Long received a five-year, $57.75 million deal from the Miami Dolphins, while Ryan signed a six-year, $72 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons.

Long will be with the Rams when they report to Concordia University in Mequon, Wis., on Thursday the 25th for their first practice of the summer.

Today the Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Bears are close to signing offensive tackle Chris Williams, their first-round draft pick. The paper quotes Williams’ agent Bill Johnson as saying “we have exchanged dialogue and proposals. I respect the Bears’ diligence in working toward a timely resolution, particularly with training camp right around the corner.”

Word is Williams, who was the 14th overall pick, is set to sign a five-year deal that will pay him up to $9 mil guaranteed. The Bears roster is at 80 right now with their new big man still waiting to finish up the deal. Williams was a four-year letter winner at Vanderbilt, and appeared in 36 games at left tackle and left guard. He wrapped up his college career with 33 straight start, 24 over his college and senior year.

The deal for Ravens QB Joe Flacco appears to be done, as sources are reporting that the first-round pick has inked a deal with Baltimore that will pay him nearly $30 million over five years. Flacco has maintained from the start that he wanted a deal done so that he could report to camp on time, and he got his wish.

Flacco’s deal includes Brady Quinn-style escalators according to ProFootballTalk.com. Those escalators will depend on how much playing time Flacco sees in the 2008 season. Now that he’s in the fold from day one of camp, it will be interesting to see if the rookie has enough to overtake Kyle Boller and Troy Smith for the starting QB job.

The 18th overall pick in April’s draft is also due to make $8.75 million is guaranteed money according to sources.

ESPN Draft Expert Analyst Todd McShay’s 2009 Mock Draft

1. Atlanta Falcons — Fili Moala, DT, USC

Atlanta finally gets its playmaking interior defensive lineman. Moala has flown under the radar to this point but he should emerge from the shadow of 2008 No. 7 overall pick Sedrick Ellis and become one of the elite defenders in college football this fall.

2. Detroit Lions — Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech

Coach Rod Marinelli’s defense is predicated on speed up front, and Johnson is blessed with plenty of that. Johnson was overlooked while playing in a rotation last season, but it won’t take long for the rangy edge-rusher to make his mark in 2008.

3. Kansas City Chiefs — Matt Stafford*, QB, Georgia

Another injury-plagued and disappointing season out of fragile QB Brodie Croyle will force the Chiefs to address the position with this high draft pick in 2009. If the supremely talented Stafford continues to progress as he did last fall, he could easily emerge as a top-five pick next April.

4. Miami Dolphins — Al Woods, DT, LSU

At 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, Woods is a physically imposing defensive tackle with enough size and strength to anchor the middle of a 3-4 defense.

5. Cincinnati Bengals — Sen’Derrick Marks*, DT, Auburn

The Bengals got shut out in their pursuit of an elite defensive tackle in this year’s draft, but 2009 will be more kind. Marks is an undersized playmaker with the first-step quickness to disrupt as a 3-technique tackle, which is exactly what Marvin Lewis’ defense needs along its front.

6. Oakland Raiders — Andre Smith*, OT, Alabama

Smith stepped in immediately as the Tide’s starting left tackle and continues to improve with more coaching and game experience. The Raiders could enlist a player with his kind of skills to take care of their most recent first-round investments in QB JaMarcus Russell and RB Darren McFadden.

7. Chicago Bears — Tim Tebow*, QB, Florida

It’s almost certain that the Bears will need a quarterback come next offseason. Unfortunately, next year’s crop of signal-callers does not look promising at this point. Bears fans won’t be thrilled if the team uses a high pick on another Gators quarterback following the failed Rex Grossman experiment, but Tebow’s unique blend of skills and rare intangibles might be too good to pass up. Should Tebow elect to leave school early, however, his uncommon skill set could make him the most difficult prospect at any position to grade.

8. San Francisco 49ers — Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi

Oher, who possesses the size and athletic ability to develop into an upper-echelon starting tackle in the NFL, would make an ideal bookend opposite 2007 first-rounder Joe Staley.

9. St. Louis Rams — Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC

Maualuga is the top senior prospect on my 2009 draft board at this insanely early point in the process, although he wouldn’t be the first senior off the board. I’ve never seen a defensive player take over a game the way Maualuga did versus Illinois in the Rose Bowl, and his recognition skills are clearly catching up with his rare physical tools.

10. New York Jets — Knowshon Moreno*, RB, Georgia

Moreno burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2007 and he should build on that momentum as a first-year starter behind a more mature offensive line during the upcoming season. The Jets were not able to land McFadden in this year’s draft but Moreno would be worth the wait if he’s available in 2009.

11. Tennessee Titans — Michael Crabtree*, WR, Texas Tech

Do not pigeonhole Crabtree; he’s not just a product of coach Mike Leach’s pass-crazy offense. The tall, long-armed receiver could be the go-to-target QB Vince Young so desperately needs.

12. Houston Texans — Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

Jenkins made a wise decision to return as a senior. He needs to improve his footwork and overall man-to-man cover skills to prove to scouts he’s capable of playing corner in any scheme at the next level. Regardless, the Texans could use his ball-hawking skills in their secondary, no matter whether it’s at cornerback or safety.

13. Denver Broncos — James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State

Laurinaitis surprised many NFL scouts when he elected to return to Columbus for his senior season. Assuming he continues to make progress in 2008, there’s no reason to believe he will fall out of the top 20 picks in next year’s draft. The instinctive, high-motor inside linebacker would be a nice addition to a Denver defense in search of more stout defenders up the middle.

14. Baltimore Ravens — Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

The Ravens need an upgrade at corner and a young playmaker like Davis, who possesses rare athleticism for his size, would be an ideal fit.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (from CAR) — Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

The Eagles failed to land a go-to-receiver in the 2008 draft (no, DeSean Jackson does not qualify). Instead of going the free-agent route to land a weapon for veteran QB Donovan McNabb, they might as well use one of two first-round picks in ‘09 on a future primary target for future QB Kevin Kolb.

16. Arizona Cardinals — LeSean McCoy*, RB, Pittsburgh

After Arizona failed to find a complement for Edgerrin James in this year’s draft, the Cardinals’ need at running back will be far more pressing in the spring of ‘09. McCoy is a supremely talented sophomore who is draft eligible after spending a year in prep school, and he is reportedly already eyeing the 2009 draft.

17. Buffalo Bills — Travis Beckum, TE, Wisconsin

Beckum could emerge as a top-20 pick if he can add 10-15 pounds to his frame while maintaining his big-play ability as a receiver during his senior season.

18. Philadelphia Eagles — Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma

After failing to land one of the record-setting seven offensive tackles selected in the first round of this year’s draft, coach Andy Reid will be craving a big fella like Loadholt in 2009.

19. Washington Redskins — Greg Hardy*, DE, Mississippi

Hardy is flying under the radar right now despite notching 10 solo sacks the past two seasons, and the Redskins will be looking for a young pass-rushing threat after failing to land one during the latest draft.

20. Minnesota Vikings — Percy Harvin*, WR/RS, Florida

Staying healthy for a full season would all but guarantee Harvin a spot in the first round of the NFL draft, either next year or in 2010.

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Ciron Black, OT, LSU

The Bucs will be looking to enlist the services of a talented left tackle prospect such as Black, who displays quick feet for a 6-5, 315-pounder.

22. Green Bay Packers — Max Unger, OT, Oregon

Unger, who projects as a first-day pick in next year’s draft, is the type of versatile lineman the Packers typically covet.

23. Cleveland Browns — Ricky Sapp, DE/OLB, Clemson

Sapp is an up-and-coming talent with outstanding speed and pass-rushing potential. He should fit perfectly as a rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme like the one employed in Cleveland.

24. Seattle Seahawks — Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma

The Seahawks are still looking for a long-term solution at left guard, so why not use this pick on the player who is at this point the top prospect at that position.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers — Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

Jackson is among the elite senior defensive prospects right now but that might not hold up for 12 full months, as he’s simply not a great fit for every team’s defensive scheme. At 6-5 and 290, Jackson is best suited to play defensive end in a three-man front like the one employed in Pittsburgh.

26. New Orleans Saints — Gerald McRath, OLB, Southern Miss

The Saints will be looking for an injection of youth and athleticism at linebacker and the speedy, undersized McRath falls in line with that objective.

27. New York Giants — Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida

The Giants could use a quick and powerful tackling machine like Spikes after failing to address that need early in the 2008 draft.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars — William Moore, S, Missouri

Moore emerged as a playmaking machine in 2007, when he notched 114 tackles and eight interceptions. At 6-1 and 215 pounds he could be the versatile strong safety Jacksonville needs opposite FS Reggie Nelson.

29. Indianapolis Colts — Vance Walker, DT/DE, Georgia Tech

Walker has the right blend of tools to provide depth along the interior of Indianapolis’ quick-but-undersized defensive line.

30. San Diego Chargers — Auston English, DE/OLB, Oklahoma

English is an instinctive, high-motor player with very good speed and fluid hips for a young defensive end. He already has experience dropping into coverage on zone-blitz looks within Oklahoma’s complex defensive scheme.

31. Dallas Cowboys — Demetrius Byrd, WR, LSU

Wide receiver is the one area Dallas did not address during an otherwise promising 2008 draft. Byrd has a lot to prove as a senior but he certainly has the blend of size and deep speed it takes to emerge as a first-round draft pick.

32. New England Patriots — Brian Cushing, OLB, USC

The Patriots continue a recent trend of drafting linebackers by using this selection on the versatile Cushing. The 6-5, 248-pounder has experience on the strong side and as a rush linebacker, which will be attractive to a New England coaching staff that likes versatility in its linebackers.

It looks as if the John Harbaugh era in Baltimore may be complete with a rookie QB under center come opening day.  At least that is how it looks if you read into the fact that Joe Flacco is taking quite a few snaps during practice, including most of the snaps on Wednesday according to the Carroll County Times.

The paper stated that Flacco is getting more than the normal 10 reps, and even guided the offense well during red-zone drills and looked sharp on crossing patterns and a few rollouts.  Flacco is not being shy about gunning the ball downfield when getting the chances, and he looks as if he has the confidence to take the regins as the QB from day one.

“I’ve just got to stay in shape, get stronger, get faster and learn the offense better,” he said. “It’s going to take a lot of hard work. It should be fun getting ready to go into the next month.”  We’ll see just how good Flacco really is come next month when training camp opens and things get turned up a few notches, but if he performs as well as he is now, it seems certain he’ll be the man under center in the opener.

The Bears are in a for sure flux at the running back spot now that Cedric Benson is gone, and that means rookie Matt Forte looks as if he’ll be the starter in 2008.  That does not seem to intimidate Forte, who was the MVP of the 2007 Senior Bowl with 59 yards on the ground and 38 yards receiving.  Last season he ran for 2,127 yards and 23 touchdowns, but some are still questioning if he has the breakaway speed to be a big time back in the NFL.

“I’m not going to sit here and doubt myself or my talent or anything,” said the 6-foot-2, 216-pound Forte. “I believe I can come in and play. I have the ability, (but) it’s going to take a lot of work.”  GM Jerry Angelo likes what he has seen from Forte, and had enough confidence to simply dump the bust that was Benson.  “He gives us a big back, a three-down back,” Angelo said.  “He’s got enough speed to get to the outside, and has the ability to make people miss at the second level.”

This does not mean that the team won’t at least look at players on the market come July and August.  Look for the Bears to at least take a look at the market, but if it comes down to Forte having to carry the load on opening day vs the Colts, it appears the team will be just fine with that as well.

There seems to be a growing resolve as of late around the league to try and put into place some sort of rookie salary cap, much like what is already done in the NBA. While some vets are getting paid, most are watching as young players who have never taken an NFL snap are coming in and just by signing are becoming the highest paid player on the team. Bottom line - the system is flawed.

Sure, you can blame the owners and clubs for outdoing one another when it comes to signing draft picks, but the bottom line is some franchises are in dire need to new, young players, and if a first-round pick holds them hostage for more money, usually it’s the team that gives in. Take last years #1 pick - JaMarcus Russell. He eventually got what he wanted and came to terms with the Raiders, but only after the team gave in a little to his wants that his agent likely put in his head. Russell’s rookie year was basically a waste due to the greed that has become so obvious in the NFL today.

This year has already gotten off to a fast start with rookies, as Jake Long of the Dolphins broke the bank before draft day, signing a five-year mega-deal worth $60 mil, $30 mil guaranteed. The real deal that is sending the league in a frenzy right now is Falcons QB Matt Ryan’s deal. The QB, who again, has yet to take an NFL snap, signed a six-year deal worth $72 million, $34.5 mil of which is guaranteed. Anyone bother to make sure that Ryan is not going to be a bust? I thought so.

Ryan’s deal will push up the ante on the rest of the first round (minus Jake Long of course), and teams around the league that wanted to try and be somewhat reasonable with their high first round picks had to cringe when they saw the money involved in the Ryan deal. Sure he’s a QB, and they usually make more, but $72 mil with $34.5 guaranteed? The Falcons may end up regretting that one if Ryan is not the next Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.

The salary cap this year is $116 million, and league commissioner Roger Goodell says that by around 2011 or 2012 he can see a cap worth $160 mil. While normal inflation has something to do with that, a lot of the blame also has to be put on the fact that rookies are walking into the league and making more money year in and year out. It’s just not right.

The NBA has a basic system for rookies in which they are slotted, the top pick gets the most highest pay, and so on and so forth. A simple system that does not throw the league in an uproar like the rookie salary system that is hurting the NFL. This is a situation that the league had better get straight soon, or they are going to have chaos for years to come as unproven players make more and more money year after year.

Check Out The Freshest Edition Of Bears Banter Featuring Columnists Eric Cook & Ron Norman. Site Editor Russ Loede Leads The Bears Gab Staff Through 7 Sure-Fire Questions In The 1st Of 3 Segments Inside Volume 6 Of Bears Banter. Acquire The Most Reliable Bears Insight/Knowledge On The Web As You Read The 1st Part Of This Newest Issue - Bears Banter Volume 6: Post-Draft Edition