This Doesn't Say Much for Atlanta's SB Prospects Does It?...............

March 29, 2012 Chance to win lured Weems to Bears

By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 3/29/2012 2:42 PM



The national football pundits who’ve elevated the Bears in their offseason power rankings aren’t the only ones who envision a bright future for the team.


A main reason that wide receiver/kick returner Eric Weems signed with the Bears as a free agent March 14 was because he felt that they’re in position to contend for a championship.

http://www.chicagobears.com/userfile...side032912.jpg Eric Weems

“I was looking for a team with the best chance to win and I felt like this was the best place I could be,” said Weems, who spent his first five NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons from 2007-11.

Weems heard positive things about coach Lovie Smith and the situation in Chicago from Bears defensive end Chauncey Davis, a former teammate with the Falcons.
“He told me it’s a great coaching staff,” Weems said. “Guys want to come in and work for Lovie. He said guys work hard there. It’s all about business. It’s a football city, so you can’t come in and play around.”


Working hard has never been an issue with Weems, who developed into a Pro Bowl special teams player after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent from Bethune-Cookman University.


“When you work hard, it shows on Sundays,” Weems said. “You’ve got to come to work every day. That was my big thing coming in. I’m going to work every day and do everything the coaches ask me to do.”


In 55 career games with the Falcons, Weems recorded 41 special-teams tackles and averaged 25.6 yards on 113 kickoff returns with one touchdown and 10.6 yards on 77 punt returns with one TD. The 5-9, 195-pounder also returned a kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown in a 2011 playoff game against the Packers.


Weems, who was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2010 as the NFC’s special teams representative, is eager to team with Bears star Devin Hester, the NFL’s all-time leader with 17 kick return touchdowns.


“It’s going to be great to work with a guy like him,” Weems said. “I’ll learn a few things from him, see how he works every day and why he’s such a great player. He’s a future Hall of Famer, so I’m looking forward to interacting with him and picking his brain a little bit.”



Weems, who caught 24 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns with the Falcons, also hopes to contribute “as much as I can” as a receiver with the Bears.


“Wherever they want me to be and wherever they need me to be, I’m here to fill in,” he said. “I want to go out there and show them why they signed me as a free agent.”

I think this kid is gonna be a great pickup. He may not be as dazzling as Hester but he's not all that far behind him as a return specialist. He's a nice hedge against Devin getting injured as he was already hampered a bit last year.

As an all around ST guy and potential role player I see him as an upgrade over Corey Graham. Graham was a great ST Gunner but he couldn't contribute offensively on ST the way Weems can. We get more bang for the buck here and Weems wasn't an expensive catch.

So, Offensive line is below backup kick-returner in terms of strengthening?

No there wasn't any OT worth the price in FA. Let just wait and see what happens in the draft. And then again we might not do anything in regards to the O line

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Originally Posted by Henry Burris

So, Offensive line is below backup kick-returner in terms of strengthening?

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Originally Posted by soulman

I think this kid is gonna be a great pickup. He may not be as dazzling as Hester but he's not all that far behind him as a return specialist. He's a nice hedge against Devin getting injured as he was already hampered a bit last year.

As an all around ST guy and potential role player I see him as an upgrade over Corey Graham. Graham was a great ST Gunner but he couldn't contribute offensively on ST the way Weems can. We get more bang for the buck here and Weems wasn't an expensive catch.

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I agree with you Soul. I mean how many guys measure up to Hester to begin with? Only one even close is that CB...what's his name, what's his name...from Arizona??? If he runs back another 5 this season, then I'll remember him.

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Originally Posted by Henry Burris

So, Offensive line is below backup kick-returner in terms of strengthening?

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That goes to show you how much Emery likes this group of lineman. I predict this group will improve tremdnosuly this year with everyone healthy and playing in their rightful positions. Besides, these guys are all going to benefit from the upcoming minicamps which they didn't have last year. I think too many fans downplay just how hurtful the lockout was to young players or players learning new positions.

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Originally Posted by BigBadPapaBear

I think too many fans downplay just how hurtful the lockout was to young players or players learning new positions.

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Just don't forget how hurtful the line was to Cutler.

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Originally Posted by bearsinhouston

Just don't forget how hurtful the line was to Cutler.

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Just don't forget how well that O-line played during that 5 game winning streak when Lovie pulled Martz by the collar and told him to cut the crap with his reckless game plan. Seems a lot of you Bears fans are paying attention to all of the WRONG GAMES that the O-line played in. I'm paying attention to all the games where the line played better as the season went on, until Cutler was injured. And I'm sure that's what Emery sees in this O-line, along with a healthy Carimi returning to RT for a full season.

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Originally Posted by BigBadPapaBear

That goes to show you how much Emery likes this group of lineman. I predict this group will improve tremdnosuly this year with everyone healthy and playing in their rightful positions. Besides, these guys are all going to benefit from the upcoming minicamps which they didn't have last year. I think too many fans downplay just how hurtful the lockout was to young players or players learning new positions.

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I dont know about "tremendously," but with Carimi healthy, Omiyale gone, and another year together, its possible they may improve "somewhat."

Still need to Address the OL long term though.

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Originally Posted by Jimmors

I dont know about "tremendously," but with Carimi healthy, Omiyale gone, and another year together, its possible they may improve "somewhat."

Still need to Address the OL long term though.

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I don't see it that way at all. Louis has the talent to be a Pro Bowler at Guard. Webb is still learning all the details of playing LT. And Carimi is going to be an anchor at that RT spot. The whole line was whack last year because of injuries. We had so many young guys get valuable game day expereince which was seriously lacking in this group. The critics have been very harsh on the Bears' O-line and they have assesed it poorly. Some of the main pieces on that line are young, but the talent is there. A crappy line doesn't help a team run for over 2000yds on the ground and that's an accomplishment that continues to be minimized by many. I will be saying "I told you so" later on this year.