May 07--Bears general manager Ryan Pace closed the books on last week's NFL draft with two prevailing thoughts. First, Pace was certain he had found ways to strengthen the roster with a draft that landed six players total, each the best available on the Bears' board at the time of the pick.
But along with such predictable optimism came the GM's admission that there was much more work to be done, a lot more talent to be procured.
So as fast as Pace could wrap up his post-draft press conference Saturday night, he was back working the phones at Halas Hall to finalize signings with undrafted free agents while also extending tryout invitations to dozens of other rookies.
This weekend, the Bears hold their rookie minicamp in Lake Forest, a minor event in the grand scheme. As much as anything, it's a valuable orientation for the drafted rookies. But there still will be several storylines to follow. Here are three.
1. Just how dynamic can first-round pick Kevin White be?
Pace was sincerely giddy after drafting White, bounding into the Halas Hall press room April 30 like a puppy let out of the backseat at the park.
"This is good, guys," Pace beamed. "(This is a) big-play weapon for us, a competitive, tough player. We couldn't be more thrilled to have him."
Such enthusiasm is understandable. White is an imposing kid -- 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds with an engine that helped him run a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. The most glowing pre-draft assessments compared him to Larry Fitzgerald, who was drafted third overall in 2004 and has since recorded more than 12,000 receiving yards while earning invitations to eight Pro Bowls.
White's highlight tape certainly shows glimpses of Fitzgerald with the way he routinely makes contested grabs and the way he covers ground with his smooth strides. He's also a fierce competitor driven to maximize his potential.
But must we not also balance such praise with a side of caution? And if you're looking for a more guarded parallel, we'll offer up Cordarrelle Patterson.
Like White, Patterson's academic deficiencies detoured him down the junior college path out of high school. And like White, Patterson enjoyed just one standout season in Division I (his at Tennessee in 2012), establishing himself as a legitimate first-round pick.
But since the Vikings drafted Patterson with the 29th selection in 2013, his development has featured as many headaches as highlights. In one breath, he'll deliver a big-play blast with his explosion and agility. But then Patterson will disappear from the offense for weeks on end. Which would explain his per-game averages over two seasons of 2.4 catches for 26.7 yards with five total receiving touchdowns.
The biggest obstacle to sustained success? Patterson's route running. In need of polish coming out of Tennessee, the explosive receiver still hasn't added the precision to his game that it takes to be a regular big-play threat. Too often, he'll break routes off based on feel, veering from the path where his quarterback expects him to be. And in the NFL, every step, every fraction of a second proves critical.
So it's not unfair for White to face similar questions about his route running, an area even the eager rookie offered as one of his key weaknesses.
White has drawn raves for his inherent desire to learn and for his overall football aptitude. He'll have to quickly put both to use to meet the growing expectations from Bears fans. White's first practice comes Friday.
2. What does fifth-round pick Adrian Amos bring?
The Bears used only two of their six selections on defense and are hopeful they got a steal in Amos, a Penn State safety who arrives with obvious versatility. After spending the first part of his college career at cornerback, Amos took a leap forward in a strong safety role last season and was a reliable contributor against both the run and the pass.
After playing in three systems under three coordinators at Penn State, Amos is adept at starting anew. His football IQ has been lauded going back to high school. And his perseverance at Penn State amid all the program's extreme turbulence during his time there should not go underappreciated.
Rather than jump ship when the Jerry Sandusky scandal rocked the program in 2011, Amos dug in and developed into a trusted leader.
Said Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Bob Shoop: "He could have easily packed up and moved on. Anywhere. Without penalty. But he wanted to stay true to it. And there was a core group of friends who stuck with one another. .... They've seen the good, the bad and the ugly, not just in athletics but of life. And they were a mature group and stuck together with a strength to handle it all."
3. Any undrafted long shots to watch?
A year ago, the Bears signed nine undrafted free agents with four eventually seeing regular-season action with the team: linebackers Christian Jones and DeDe Lattimore, defensive tackle Brandon Dunn and guard Ryan Groy.
Last weekend, Pace signed 15 undrafted rookies, ranging from East Carolina quarterback Shane Carden to Qumain Black, a defensive back from East Central University (a Division II school in Oklahoma).
So who on the list has a solid chance of sticking around?
Coastal Carolina guard Chad Hamilton, Central Florida defensive back Jacoby Glenn and Baylor receiver Levi Norwood all have potential. And don't count Carden out of making a run at the No. 3 quarterback job.
dwiederer@tribpub.com
