LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Rashied Davis figured there’s not much more he could do to solidify his role and, for that matter, a spot on the Chicago Bears’ roster.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Rashied Davis figured there’s not much more he could do to solidify his role and, for that matter, a spot on the Chicago Bears’ roster. Devin Aromashodu had an idea. "I sent flowers to all the coaches, to keep me in mind," he said Tuesday. More important is staying in sight. With one preseason game left against Cleveland on Thursday, these are uncertain times for many Bears players. Particularly at wide receiver, one of the biggest question marks on a team with playoff aspirations – and where the third slot is open. Now that Jay Cutler is behind center, the Bears finally have a franchise quarterback to go with one of the game’s top young running backs in Matt Forte and two solid tight ends in Gregg Olsen and Desmond Clark. But those wide receivers? In Denver, Cutler had Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal. In Chicago, only two of the eight receivers on the roster has more than seven receptions and one of them (Devin Hester) had trouble grasping the offense while the other (Davis) had trouble grasping the ball last season. Earl Bennett did not even catch a pass as a rookie, so it wasn’t hard to see why the calls for an upgrade were loud. The big move, of course, was at quarterback. If there’s a big improvement at receiver, it will likely have to be from within. "They’ve got a lot to prove," Cutler said. "They’re hungry. They’re excited. They want to go out there and do well. They’re going to come to practice each and every day and work hard and listen to exactly what the coaches are saying, exactly what I’m saying, make sure everyone gets on the same page." Although the Bears could still bring in a veteran, Cutler doesn’t expect that to happen. So for now, Hester and Bennett, Cutler’s college teammate, appear to have the top two spots locked in with the third spot hanging there like a high pass for Davis, Aromashodu and Brandon Rideau. With three receptions each, they’re about even statistically in the preseason although Aromashodu has a slight edge in yards (46) thanks to a 38-yarder from Cutler in the second preseason game against the New York Giants. He also has drawn praise from the quarterback. Davis has 28 yards so far, not to mention the most experience and a role on special teams. Rideau (25 yards) has looked good in practice, but that hasn’t translated to success during games. "They told me early in camp that I’ve got an opportunity and they want to see me make big plays and this is pretty much what I’ve tried to do," said Rideau. But he hasn’t had many chances since he entered the league with Cleveland in 2005. He has appeared in just two games, both with the Bears last season, and Aromashodu spent most of his first three seasons on the sideline. Has he done enough to make the team? "In my position, you can never do enough," said Aromashodu, who appeared in six games for Indianapolis in 2007. Davis, meanwhile, isn’t sure he could do more. "I’ve done what I could with the reps I’ve been given," he said. "That’s all I could say." A year ago, Davis made 12 starts and finished with 455 yards, but drops were a big problem. This after four seasons in the AFL. When he landed with the Bears in 2005, he was a cornerback. The move to receiver didn’t come until the following season, and he’s managed to hang on even though he was working at Best Buy at one point before he got to Chicago. "I’ve always had to fight for my job since walking onto this field," said Davis. "It’s no more difficult than any other time for me." Last year, he admitted, he was distracted. His daughter was born and there were some other non-football issues diverting his attention. He also was playing a big role on special teams, and it might have been a little too much for him. "I felt honored to have all that responsibility, but at some point, it was a little overwhelming," Davis said. "I wore down a little bit, playing a lot on offense and a lot of special teams. That probably wore me down a little bit more than I would have hoped." ______ Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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