Finally, the Bears–and everyone else–will find out the truth about David Terrell.
Terrell’s first three seasons have been a collective disappointment, marred by injury, inconsistency and the inability to hold down a starting job.
Is he destined to be an ordinary receiver? Or was he a victim of an overly conservative offense–brought to you by former head coach Dick Jauron and offensive coordinator John Shoop–that stifled his ability in his first three seasons?
With receiver Marty Booker gone to Miami in Saturday’s trade for defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, the Bears need Terrell to play beyond his age (25) and production so far (86 catches, eight TDs).
Rex Grossman believes offensive coordinator Terry Shea’s scheme can bring out more in the man who was the eighth pick of the 2001 draft.
“In this offense, he’s going to be able to catch more passes and be more productive,” the Bears quarterback said. “I think he may have been pressing in the system before, trying to do too much. In this offense, he’s going to get a chance to be patient and let things come to him.”
Last year Dez White beat out Terrell for a starting job, though Terrell wound up with eight starts when Booker and White were injured. When the ball was thrown his way, it was often on short, quick routes. His average gain on 43 catches was just 8.4 yards, down from 14.1 in 2002 and 12.1 his rookie year.
“This year there should be more opportunities for the ball to go his way,” Grossman said. “We have some routes he’s better at this year compared to last year, when we had a lot of short passes to the fullbacks and tight ends. Plus, he’s starting now.”
Terrell has made quite a comeback since the end of last season. With the emergence of rookie Justin Gage and the presence of Booker, it looked like Terrell would be fighting for a roster spot in training camp, even though the Bears let White depart for Atlanta via free agency.
Now, Terrell is the senior member of a young receiver corps.
“David Terrell stepped it up in training camp and we’re putting the onus on David,” general manager Jerry Angelo said. “David was a premium pick and he has high expectations for himself, and we’ve seen [no reason to think] he can’t answer the bell for us.
“Are we going to immediately replace Marty Booker? No, I’m not saying that. He was an excellent football player and a great leader for us as well. But we have good young receivers.”
The trade was good for Terrell, as was the change in coaching staffs. If Jauron and Shoop were still here, Terrell might not be.
“[The new coaches] have total confidence in me,” Terrell said. “I have coaches who believe in me . . . who want me here, that’s all it is.”
To Terrell, the coaching change was huge.
“They’ve given us something that no other coaches since I’ve been here have, and that’s trust and love,” Terrell said. “These are people who I can go out and lay it on the line for.”
The Bears could jump-start this new phase of Terrell’s career by making a point of getting him the ball near the goal line. Of his 43 catches in his first 21 NFL games, seven were for TDs. Then, five games into his second season, he broke his foot. By the time he came back last season, White had moved ahead of him.
Now, circumstances have put him in position to finally produce a big season.
“It’s better because I’m out there playing,” he said. “I’m running up the field, trying to make plays.”
