DeKalb, Illinois-Former NIU receiver Willie Clark has been invited to the Bears rookie camp next week in Lake Forest.
Clark had 18 receptions and four touchdowns for the Huskies last season. He was undrafted last week.
Clark grew up a fan of the Bears in Roselle in suburban Chicago. He knows the Bears could use some help at receiver despite trading for Brandon Marshall and drafting Alshon Jeffery.
Clark plans to show up next week and show what he can do.
"I've always liked the Bears, so the fact that they want to give me a shot really means a lot to me, so now I just have to continue to do what I know I can do, and hope for the best," said Clark to WTVO.
http://mystateline.com/fulltext?nxd_id=332922
Good luck to him.
(05-04-2012 12:26 PM)HuskieMD Wrote: [ -> ]DeKalb, Illinois-Former NIU receiver Willie Clark has been invited to the Bears rookie camp next week in Lake Forest.
Clark had 18 receptions and four touchdowns for the Huskies last season. He was undrafted last week.
Clark grew up a fan of the Bears in Roselle in suburban Chicago. He knows the Bears could use some help at receiver despite trading for Brandon Marshall and drafting Alshon Jeffery.
Clark plans to show up next week and show what he can do.
"I've always liked the Bears, so the fact that they want to give me a shot really means a lot to me, so now I just have to continue to do what I know I can do, and hope for the best," said Clark to WTVO.
http://mystateline.com/fulltext?nxd_id=332922
Good luck to him.
Hope he also likes the Bears' special teams.
Because we have so many quality recievers, no one was ever the "go to" guy. Depending on the team we were playing and who they thought they wanted to pay special attention to, it rotated.
(05-04-2012 12:29 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ] (05-04-2012 12:26 PM)HuskieMD Wrote: [ -> ]DeKalb, Illinois-Former NIU receiver Willie Clark has been invited to the Bears rookie camp next week in Lake Forest.
Clark had 18 receptions and four touchdowns for the Huskies last season. He was undrafted last week.
Clark grew up a fan of the Bears in Roselle in suburban Chicago. He knows the Bears could use some help at receiver despite trading for Brandon Marshall and drafting Alshon Jeffery.
Clark plans to show up next week and show what he can do.
"I've always liked the Bears, so the fact that they want to give me a shot really means a lot to me, so now I just have to continue to do what I know I can do, and hope for the best," said Clark to WTVO.
http://mystateline.com/fulltext?nxd_id=332922
Good luck to him.
Hope he also likes the Bears' special teams.
I am actually glad the Bears are still taking a look at NIU players after Wolfe and especially Hurd.
I hope he likes special teams too. Make it to the league, get at least the minimum salary and play the game you love. You guys act like an undrafted rookie should be starting.
(05-04-2012 01:04 PM)BleedsHuskieRed Wrote: [ -> ]I hope he likes special teams too. Make it to the league, get at least the minimum salary and play the game you love. You guys act like an undrafted rookie should be starting.
No, he should NOT be starting. But, realistically, we are talking about the Bears here. Does he have a chance to go anywhere in an organization that would not know talent if it bit them in the face?
(05-04-2012 01:07 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ] (05-04-2012 01:04 PM)BleedsHuskieRed Wrote: [ -> ]I hope he likes special teams too. Make it to the league, get at least the minimum salary and play the game you love. You guys act like an undrafted rookie should be starting.
No, he should NOT be starting. But, realistically, we are talking about the Bears here. Does he have a chance to go anywhere in an organization that would not know talent if it bit them in the face?
He's getting a shot to play in the NFL. That's awesome. If he's talented he will catch on somewhere.
I have always said that kid is good. He is clutch and has an NFL type body. He is an excellent blocker, and I am not surprised he is getting a shot. I know he doesn't have the 40 times that would make NFL scouts drool, but really, other than that, he has all the tools. And for a slot receiver, not everyone need to run in the 4.3's.
(05-04-2012 01:13 PM)BleedsHuskieRed Wrote: [ -> ] (05-04-2012 01:07 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ] (05-04-2012 01:04 PM)BleedsHuskieRed Wrote: [ -> ]I hope he likes special teams too. Make it to the league, get at least the minimum salary and play the game you love. You guys act like an undrafted rookie should be starting.
No, he should NOT be starting. But, realistically, we are talking about the Bears here. Does he have a chance to go anywhere in an organization that would not know talent if it bit them in the face?
He's getting a shot to play in the NFL. That's awesome. If he's talented he will catch on somewhere.
Agree. Definitely great for him. And I think we often lose track of what a big gap there is between the NFL and college.
I think 99/100 when a guy doesn't make it, or can't go past the practice squad or break through to start, it's because that level isn't in them. No shame in that.
(05-04-2012 01:47 PM)DogTracks Wrote: [ -> ] (05-04-2012 01:13 PM)BleedsHuskieRed Wrote: [ -> ] (05-04-2012 01:07 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ] (05-04-2012 01:04 PM)BleedsHuskieRed Wrote: [ -> ]I hope he likes special teams too. Make it to the league, get at least the minimum salary and play the game you love. You guys act like an undrafted rookie should be starting.
No, he should NOT be starting. But, realistically, we are talking about the Bears here. Does he have a chance to go anywhere in an organization that would not know talent if it bit them in the face?
He's getting a shot to play in the NFL. That's awesome. If he's talented he will catch on somewhere.
Agree. Definitely great for him. And I think we often lose track of what a big gap there is between the NFL and college.
I think 99/100 when a guy doesn't make it, or can't go past the practice squad or break through to start, it's because that level isn't in them. No shame in that.
I bet it's not 99% of the time. I bet it's more like around 70%. I think there are a lot of guys that could make it in the league in the right situation, but they aren't in that situation.
See, I think the nature of NFL rosters doesn't leave much room for guys with ability to end up blocked. There's such an emphasis on younger and cheaper, and cap rules make it possible for even guys with big contracts to get released, that it would be difficult for guys to get blocked from rising to their ability level. Even when guys are blocked (Turner, Schaub) their opportunities come.
I also don't think there are big gaps in the quality of coaching from one team to the next, most are fungible, a small number are freakishly good. Just like we're talking about players at the far extreme of the ability curve, we're talking about coaches at the far end of that curve.
(05-04-2012 01:24 PM)chihuskie Wrote: [ -> ]I have always said that kid is good. He is clutch and has an NFL type body. He is an excellent blocker, and I am not surprised he is getting a shot. I know he doesn't have the 40 times that would make NFL scouts drool, but really, other than that, he has all the tools. And for a slot receiver, not everyone need to run in the 4.3's.
Yea, I was surprised he didn't get more touches last year, even with the deep WR corps. Good hands, good size, good blocker. Best of luck to him.
(05-04-2012 01:24 PM)chihuskie Wrote: [ -> ]I have always said that kid is good. He is clutch and has an NFL type body. He is an excellent blocker, and I am not surprised he is getting a shot. I know he doesn't have the 40 times that would make NFL scouts drool, but really, other than that, he has all the tools. And for a slot receiver, not everyone need to run in the 4.3's.
+1.... Always been a Willie Clark fan. Good luck. Willie.
For the first time in a long time, the Bears have a very solid WR corp, so Willie is definitely facing a huge uphill battle. He needs to catch the eye of Dave Toub on ST, but with the signings of Devin Thomas and Eric Weems this offseason, it will still be hard to make the team.
(05-06-2012 08:00 PM)HuskieRak Wrote: [ -> ]For the first time in a long time, the Bears have a very solid WR corp, so Willie is definitely facing a huge uphill battle. He needs to catch the eye of Dave Toub on ST, but with the signings of Devin Thomas and Eric Weems this offseason, it will still be hard to make the team.
They do but I just have this uneasy feeling they are like a bad injury and one bad week of police beat away from being super thin again. Hopefully people can stay out of jail and stay healthy.
Olson has been dropped by Tampa
Unfortunately, Willie was not one of the 7 invitees the Bears just signed
Sad, I hope Willie gets a shot with another team bc the kid can play! the Bears did however sign Brandon Venson who was at NIU for a year or 2 before transferring to COD then ISU.
Always gotta show love for the Glenbard West kids
(05-08-2012 09:45 AM)NIUSAE Wrote: [ -> ]Olson has been dropped by Tampa
That was quick
(05-13-2012 07:36 PM)bikechuck Wrote: [ -> ] (05-08-2012 09:45 AM)NIUSAE Wrote: [ -> ]Olson has been dropped by Tampa
That was quick
Bears dropped like 20 guys today, teams this week bring in a ton of bodies, and like the Bears, keep a few that show promise to fill a spot. Any word on the guys who went to the 9ers?