Chicago Bears’ Rookies to Watch
Published by Brett Solesky on August 2, 2009
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears’ OTAs came and went rather quickly with little fanfare. We all know the main glut of the coverage and excitement was going to come from the start of training camp.
With Bears training camp kicked off and entering day two, it’s fair to mention again two rookies who were catching eyes.
The first player to step up and show a lot of promise, much to the delight of everyone, is wide receiver Johnny Knox. Knox had arguably some of the best workouts (and rookie mini-camp) of any of the receivers on the roster. He showed off not only his exceptional speed that everyone has heard about, but also some great hands.
Based on Knox’s production alone, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise, but it is because he played at a lower level of competition coming from Abilene Christian. This automatically is a knock on him even though it wasn’t a knock on Steve McNair or Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie coming out of Tennessee State.
But Knox has been better than predicted, out-playing Juaquin Iglesias, who has struggled in his route running and ability to get open.
Knox is definitely a player who could come in and surprise a lot of people during camp, and will certainly have a lot of eyes on him during preseason games. Even if he doesn’t line up with Cutler and the starters, Caleb Hanie has a strong enough arm to get Knox the ball down the field.
Speed is great at any level, but it’s how you use your speed that is the best way to be productive. A player is a lot more likely to be wide open if he runs a precise route that is combined with speed. Then it’s about making the catch, and with Knox, early on, that hasn’t been a problem.
Another player who caught some attention briefly, and by briefly, I mean because he wasn’t around for a lot of OTAs thanks to school commitments, was safety Al Afalava. He showed he has the speed, size, and aggressiveness to be a successful safety.
Afalava is a gap-filler and hole-plugger who can come up and make a tackle. This is the primary priority the Bears require out of their safeties with the style of defense they run.
Afalava didn’t play a lot of free safety at Oregon State due to his ability to come up and play in the box. However, he has the speed and athleticism to get the job done as a free safety. He won’t need to be the ideal centerfielder that so many Bears fans have desired, because that is not what the Bears require.
Both Knox and Afalava being productive for the Bears in 2009 would be a great benefit to the team, especially when you consider they play at a major position of need on both sides of the ball.
Afalava has the ability to come up and hit, and he has the measurables you desire out of a safety. How he performs once the pads are on is going to be something we’ll keep an eye on moving forward.
