RealGM

It's easy to see why the Bears drafted Juaquin Iglesias out of Oklahoma.

He's displayed good hands and looks great running routes. He did, however, slip on the wet field and nearly twisted both knee.

The only thing he had close to a drop was an over-thrown ball off his fingertips. About the only drawback with Iglesias appears to be his quickness. He's a little slow out of the blocks. But this is Day 1, on a wet field no less.

Draft pick Johnny Knox is as fast as advertised and seems to have solid hands, too, despite one drop.

Probably the most impressive physical specimen in terms of the receivers is Maurice Covington, an undrafted rookie from Virginia who is in for a workout. He stands 6 feet, 4 inches and weighs 215 pounds. He's catching the ball with ease, when he's not slipping on the grass.

Rod Marinelli, the Bears' new assistant head coach, got his first look at draftees Jarron Gilbert and Henry Melton during Friday's first session of a three-day rookie mini-camp and came away impressed.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 288-pound Gilbert, the team's first draft pick, is expected to start his career at defensive tackle but is capable of playing end.

"You like to see some position flexibility," Marinelli said. "He's an 'under' tackle right now. He's got the movement, the power and the hands to be a left end. He can do some of that. But you don't want to give him too much."

The Bears hope Melton (6-3, 260) can develop into the same type of disruptive force Mark Anderson was as a rookie.
"These guys are very talented athletes," Marinelli said. "When I talk about talent, I mean short-space quickness. Then I look at them being tall and being able to bend. A guy like [Gilbert], if you can jump out of a pool, you're in pretty good shape to bend.

"If you can bend and your feet are quick, that means you can play with a good base. They run extremely well. They're coordinated. Now I have to coordinate them into a rush mode."

First impressions: Wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias, a third-rounder from Oklahoma, displayed soft hands and excellent route-running skills. He even had the savvy to ask reporters how his feet looked after a catch.

Receivers coach Darryl Drake was impressed.

"He's got a chance," Drake said. "Really good hands, just like we thought. We'll see where that takes him."

Drake wasn't bothered by Iglesias slipping out of his breaks a few times.

"It's been raining for 40 days and 40 nights around this place," Drake said. "That's good for him. He needs to learn how to deal with that."

On the move: When the Bears drafted Lance Louis in the seventh round, the San Diego State product was announced as a tight end. Louis is 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, and he lined up at left tackle and right guard during Friday's session.

"We don't know for sure," Bears coach Lovie Smith said of Louis' position. "We brought him here as a lineman. Him working with us will tell us where we need to put him."

Extra points: Johnny Knox and Derek Kinder, the other two drafted receivers, looked solid, although Knox screamed at himself after dropping a pass. ... Of the 25 players in for a tryout, ex-Missouri quarterback Chase Patton and former Virginia receiver Maurice Covington stood out. Covington's size (6-4, 215) should earn him a closer look. ... Smith on ex-Northwestern players C.J. Bacher and Eric Peterman: "I've had a chance to see them, being local guys. C.J. is good friends with one of my sons. They're good players. Just let them do their thing this weekend."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Even without pads, Bears third-round draft pick Jarron Gilbert looked the part while participating in his first NFL practice Friday afternoon at Halas Hall.

The 6-5, 288-pound defensive lineman from San Jose State displayed quickness and athleticism in individual drills as the Bears opened their rookie minicamp with the first of three non-contact workouts.


Bears defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert runs through a drill during rookie minicamp. “It’s kind of what we saw through the evaluation process,” said veteran defensive line coach Rod Marinelli.

“For a guy that tall, he can bend, and that’s the key; you’ve got to be able to bend your knees. If you’re tall and stiff, you can’t bend down and you play tall and you have no power.”
One of 43 rookies on the practice field, Gilbert was ecstatic about donning a Bears uniform for the first time. The 22-year-old was selected by Chicago last Sunday with the 68th pick in the draft.

“It’s great to be out here,” Gilbert said. “I’m real happy to be with the Bears and real happy to learn from coach Marinelli. It sunk in today that I’m a Chicago Bear. It’s a good feeling. This is the first big step of realizing that I’m part of the NFL and I’m a Chicago Bear.”

Gilbert feels very fortunate to be able to join a veteran group and be tutored by Marinelli, who’s considered one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL.

“I can’t wait to learn more from him and give him the chance to really mold me as a player,” Gilbert said. “I’m coming into a great defense and I want to fit in where I can and contribute the best I can.”

Originally a walk-on at San Jose State, Gilbert developed into a four-year contributor who really blossomed as a senior. He was named WAC co-defensive player of the year in 2008 after registering 52 tackles and 9½ sacks and leading the nation with 22 tackles-for-loss.

His infectious smile and articulate tone make rookie Marcus Freeman a logical comparison to another Bears linebacker.

"I remember my first meeting I had with them at the Senior Bowl, the Bears said I reminded them of Lance Briggs," Freeman said. "That's a huge compliment. Hopefully on the field, I can be half the player he is."

The Bears expect big things from Freeman, who they never anticipated would be available in the fifth round. Minor injuries (ankle, knee) probably knocked the former Ohio State player down a few rounds. Freeman is likely to have an immediate impact on special teams. He is capable of playing all three linebacker spots, although the strong-side position might be the only one up for competition.

"Marcus enjoys life, and he has talent," coach Lovie Smith said. "Good speed and good athletic ability. If you do a little research on him off the field, you like everything you hear from people. Seems like he may be a good addition to our team."

Freeman is sure to learn some valuable lessons behind Briggs at weak-side linebacker. He spent some time Friday dissecting film of the Pro Bowl player.

t seems reasonable for Devin Hester to get less work on special teams as he continues to evolve into a No. 1 receiver. Of the 32 receivers with 60-plus catches last season, only four -- Wes Welker (Patriots), Steve Breaston (Cardinals), Eddie Royal (Broncos) and DeSean Jackson (Eagles) -- doubled as primary punt returners.

But even with a couple of capable rookies at the Bears' disposal, coach Lovie Smith has no plans to give Hester a break from punt-return duties. "No way," he said. "Devin has the chance to score every time. If one of those [rookies] is a better returner than Devin, then we will put them back there.

"Devin can be a full-time receiver and handle one other return."

Regardless, don't count out Juaquin Iglesias, Johnny Knox and D.J. Moore contributing on special teams. All three saw action in the return game during rookie mini-camp, which concluded Sunday.
"D.J. Moore is probably the most polished [punt returner] right now," special teams coordinator Dave Toub said. "Johnny Knox's got potential. Obviously, the speed is there. He just has to catch more punts. It takes a lot of work. And then Juaquin, he's really a kick returner. He's really a good kick returner, when you go back and watch his college tape."

Maybe the plan is to rest kick returner Danieal Manning more so he can settle into his role on defense -- nickel back or free safety.

Offensive coordinator Ron Turner breaks down drafted receivers
By Vaughn McClure

After the Bears' three-day rookie mini-camp, offensive coordinator Ron Turner saw enough of drafted receivers Juaquin Iglesias, Johnny Knox, and Derek Kinder to feel optimistic about their futures. Here's what Turner had to say about them.

Iglesias: "What did I like about him? Everything. He caught the ball really well. Runs good routes. Comes off the ball pretty well. He still has to pick up on that a little bit, but he learned well. He's just a good kid. He's driven to be great.

Knox: "I don't know about him as a slot receiver. We'll look at it and see. If he can learn it fast enough, which I think he could, we'll zero him into one position. He's got speed. He's got quickness. He's got good hands. The speed that we saw on film and the kind of speed that he has is legitimate. He plays that fast. The biggest thing he needs to work on is consistency with route running.''

Kinder: "Great hands. Great hands. Good route-runner. Tough kid, and a great competitor. I like him. I like all three of these guys. I think all three of them can come in and help us.''

Bears' defensive backfield in motion: CB Graham could move to safety, rookies Moore, Afalava in the mix:

Rookies Moore, Afalava may play key roles in shaping of secondary

May 4, 2009
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com

The Bears wrapped up rookie minicamp Sunday at Halas Hall with a better feeling for what they have.

Whether it brought them any closer to determining how the defensive backfield will be shaped remains to be seen.

Kevin Payne, the projected starter at strong safety, is coming off shoulder surgery and should be ready for OTA's beginning May 20 but he's not locked in.

Cornerback D.J. Moore, a fourth-round draft pick, and safety Al Afalava, a sixth-rounder, have an opportunity to be in the mix given the Bears' history of playing rookies, especially in the secondary.

But asked how the free safety job will shake out, coach Lovie Smith said both safety spots are unsettled and open for competition. Kevin Payne, the projected starter at strong safety, is coming off shoulder surgery and should be ready for organized team activities beginning May 20, but he's not locked in.

''I see a couple of positions open,'' Smith said. ''Our safety position is a position that I can see could possibly be a cause for concern. Going in, very few teams can say they have a seasoned guy that has played at every position. We have possibilities that we feel comfortable with.''

He proceeded to rattle off the names of the safeties on the roster -- Payne, Craig Steltz, Josh Bullocks, Glenn Earl and Afalava -- before adding two more players who figured to have roles elsewhere.

''We have all of those guys in the mix, and we still have Danieal Manning,'' Smith said. ''Look at other players. We have Corey Graham.''

While Charles Tillman was rumored to be the cornerback on the move after last season, it could be Graham trading places in an effort to get the best four defensive backs on the field. He started nine games at cornerback last season, but the Bears are hoping former Pro Bowl corner Nathan Vasher rounds back into form, and they have high hopes for Moore.

If one of them steps up, Graham has earned a chance to start, and sliding the 6-foot, 193-pounder into the middle would add someone with range to cover the deep post. He has proved to be a willing participant in run support.

''We have a lot of different options,'' Smith said. ''[Tillman] is ruled out. But the rest of it, it will work itself out. We're trying to get as many athletes as we can and give ourselves as many options as possible. We're going to be fine.''

Afalava is aware that Bears rookies get a long look if they deserve it. Chris Harris started at safety as a sixth-round pick in 2005. Manning, who is likely to remain at nickel back, started at safety as a second-round pick the next season.

Afalava has described his strength coaches at Oregon State -- Bryan Miller, Tim Rabas and Clete McLeod -- as die-hard Bears fans. They predicted he would be drafted by the Bears and have filled him in on Smith's willingness to go young at the position. He worked at strong safety in minicamp, but the Bears believe he has the ability to play both positions.

His immediate obstacle will be learning on his own. Rookies can return for the offseason program beginning May 16 if they have a degree or their school has held its graduation. Oregon State's graduation isn't until June 13, meaning Afalava will miss almost all of the OTAs.

''I am going to ask them for some homework,'' Afalava said. ''Whatever they give me, I am going to do my best. I love to study football and I catch on fast, but it's the NFL and hopefully I don't get too behind.''

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears concluded their three-day rookie minicamp with their third and final non-contact practice on a sunny and mild Sunday at Halas Hall.

The rookies then scattered across the country, heading home following their first taste of the NFL. They are not permitted to return to Halas Hall until May 16, with organized team activity (OTA) workouts beginning May 20.


Seventh-round draft pick Derek Kinder caught the ball well throughout Bears rookie minicamp. “We know a lot more about our players now,” said coach Lovie Smith. “You have a feeling what type of players they are, but we got a chance to see them.”
Non-contact camps are designed for skill-position players to shine, and the three wide receivers the Bears selected in the draft last weekend didn’t disappoint. Third-rounder Juaquin Iglesias, fifth-rounder Johnny Knox and seventh-rounder Derek Kinder all impressed coaches.

“I thought they had three good days,” said offensive coordinator Ron Turner. “I was very pleased with all three of them. I thought they caught the ball very well, No. 1.

“Obviously they all have some work to do on their route-running, to run [routes] the way we run and all that and play the game at the speed it has to be played at here. That’s the thing we tried to get them to understand all week, is that the game speed’s going to be a little different than it was in college. We want them to play fast. But I was pleased with all of them; how they learned and what they did.”

Out of 24 plays in 7-on-7 drills Sunday, Iglesias caught eight passes, Kinder snared two and Knox hauled in one. Defensive highlights were provided by cornerback D.J. Moore, who caused an incompletion by stripping the ball away from George Smith; cornerback Derek Pegues, who broke up a pass intended for Kinder; and safety Al Afalava, who nearly had an interception after making a good break on the ball.

The greatest challenge for the rookies was stepping on the practice field for the first time Friday less than 24 hours after receiving their playbooks.

“It was pretty tough,” Kinder said. “But once you get to studying and you get to learn it a little bit, everything starts to click. These past three days we learned a lot and we’re going to grow.”

“It was pretty hard, but we learned through college,” Afalava said. “I was just amazed. We put in just one coverage and there are so many concepts that we had to learn. It was just a good opportunity to learn something different.”

Afalava, a sixth-round pick from Oregon State, felt that the rookie minicamp was a positive first step.

“It went pretty well,” he said. “You’ve just got to be coachable out there; listen to the coaches and do what they [say]. All I could do is just go out there and execute. I think I did OK. It’s just a matter of learning the plays and just getting the mental part. The physical part will always be there. But it’s just learning the plays and learning the defense, and it went well.”


Safety Al Afalava broke up a pass he nearly intercepted during 7-on-7 drills Sunday. Kinder agreed with his new teammate.

“I think it went real well,” he said. “I think we improved every day. Our main goal was to learn the playbook and get accustomed to everything, and I think we did that.”
Smith knows that all of the rookies have special skills and ability. The biggest adjustment, the coach believes, is convincing them that they belong in the NFL and trying to get them caught up mentally so they can play fast and show what type of players they truly are.

“That’s why we try to wean them into it and bring them in by themselves first,” Smith said. “When they do come back, they will have a chance to put their best foot forward.”

The Bears could sign a few of the players who participated in minicamp on a tryout basis like they did a year ago when they inked punter Zacrey Atterberry, defensive end Gerard Lee, guard Ryan Poles and tight end Marcus Stone following impressive performances.

“Some of the tryout guys made an impression on us,” Smith said. “We’ll go back as a staff, evaluate some of them and see if we should bring some of them back. I’m not going to talk numbers or names or anything like that, but there are a couple guys we do need to consider. The next time our rookies come back, they’ll be with our veterans and really start the work of trying to make the ballclub.”

Smith was asked whether general manager Jerry Angelo’s assertion last weekend that six of the Bears' nine draft picks could make the 53-man roster seemed accurate following the rookie minicamp.

“I’m trying to figure out what three Jerry didn’t like,” Smith joked. “Really, as you look at our draft, it was a good draft. All of the players we drafted I think bring something to the table. They have a chance.

"You look at our history, and tryout players have started for us. [Safety] Brandon McGowan started for us. We’ve had free agents [start], so I think most of the draft picks along with a couple of the free agents will have a chance. You’re trying to get great competition and it seems like every year we get more based on the kind of players we have.”

Speedy Knox excels on Day 2 of Bears rookie minicamp

By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 5/2/2009 8:27 AM



LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Fifth-round draft pick Johnny Knox, a wide receiver from Abilene Christian, stood out on Day 2 of Bears rookie minicamp, catching four passes during 7-on-7 drills Saturday.


Rookie wide receiver Johnny Knox performed well in Saturday's practice. Knox snared throws from Drew Weatherford in the right flat, over the middle and near the right sideline. The 5-11, 185-pounder also caught a pass from C.J. Bacher on a quick out along the left sideline.
Like Knox, other skill position players looked sharper on Saturday than they did on Friday.

“Day 2 was a lot better than Day 1,” said coach Lovie Smith. “You always want it to be that way. Some of the guys are starting to stand out a little bit. You normally notice some of the skill players. The quarterbacks threw the ball fairly well, the receivers caught some balls and we’re making progress with our secondary. Camp is set up more for the skill guys, so it’s good to see them do some good things.”

Defensively, cornerback Marquis Hundley, a tryout player from Arizona, intercepted a Bacher pass and returned it for what would have been a touchdown. Safety Al Afalava, a sixth-round pick from Oregon State, broke up a pass intended for tight end Kenneth Zacharie, a tryout player from Louisiana-Monroe.

Learning curve: Mastering a playbook they just received on Thursday no doubt is the greatest challenge for the Bears rookies.

“I was actually telling everybody that was texting me [asking] how it’s going, I was like, ‘Man, that playbook, that’s the only thing I can talk about,’” said wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias, a third-round pick from Oklahoma. “But I think I’m picking it up well. I’m starting to get more of an understanding.”

Iglesias knows that practicing at full speed without a firm grasp of the offense isn’t easy.

“It’s hard, especially being in front of these coaches for the first time and just being in front of everybody for the first time,” he said “You’ve got a lot of things going through your mind, but that’s just trying to be a professional and going out there and trying to perform.”

Special guests: Bears quarterbacks Jay Cutler and Caleb Hanie watched Friday’s practice, and wide receiver Devin Hester viewed Saturday’s session.

“Of course, the door’s always open for them to stop by,” Smith said. “They want to see what some of their possible teammates look like. Jay is blending in and has become one of the guys, just showing support as much as anything for some of the guys, and Devin’s a gym rat. He got a good workout in on his own. This is a day that the [veteran] players are off, and he’s out here working out trying to get better.”

Internet sensation: When third-round pick Jarron Gilbert posted a video on YouTube of himself jumping out of the shallow end of a swimming pool, he never dreamed that he would become such an Internet sensation. The video has garnered more than one million views.

“I put it on film so people would understand exactly what I meant about jumping out of the pool,” said the rookie defensive lineman. “I really put it up so my mom and some of my teammates [could see]. I had no idea people were going to get their hands on it the way they did.”