Chicago Bears General Manager Phil Emery continued to work quickly on Tuesday as he attempts to get all of his 2014 NFL Draft picks under contract with the team. After signing offensive tackle Charles Leno Jr to a four-year contract, Emery also inked running back Ka’Deem Carey to a four-year deal.
The running back, whom the Bears took in the fourth round of the draft on Saturday, is a product of the University of Arizona, where he started 24 games in his three year career with the Wildcats. He rushed for a school record 4,239 yards and 48 touchdowns in his career, and also caught 77 passes during his tenure with the team. His touchdown mark is the second most by any running back in FBS history, trailing only Montee Ball.
Carey was also a consensus All-American in 2013, and he was the top-rated running back on numerous draft boards and in the eyes of many draft experts. In his 2013 campaign, Carey solidified his status as a back to watch with an eye-popping 157.1 rushing yards per game for the Wildcats, and he scored 19 times.
With running back Matt Forte already firmly established as the team’s primary back, the Bears will likely use Carey in numerous ways. He could well end up being the short-yardage back that the team hoped they had in Michael Bush, and they could also use him in goal line situations to take some of the pressure off the incumbent Forte. His beefy frame and soft hands make him an ideal fit for Trestman’s system, and he gives the Bears even more versatility out of the backfield.
Carey will don a Bears jersey for the first time this weekend when the Bears hold their rookie mini-camp at Halas Hall.
