Earl Bennett wasn’t alone in having a hard time digesting an NFL playbook as a rookie. Tight end Kellen Davis knows exactly how Bennett felt.
Davis, a promising second-year player, said absorbing the playbook was a problem for him as well during his rookie campaign.
“It was a little bit of a hard transition for me,” Davis said. “I felt like about halfway through the season, I was good with the playbook.
“For me, the main things were the hot routes and the different protections. The protections in this offense are a lot different than when I was in college, where I wasn’t responsible for many hot routes. So reading blitzes wasn’t that big of deal for me then. But now, in this offense, the tight end does so much. It’s a big jump.”
Davis, who was a regular on special teams last season, has to make a big leap if he hopes to maintain a roster spot. The Bears turned up the pressure, signing free agent Michael Gaines to compete with Davis behind Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark.
“I’m not quite sure where I stand,” Davis said. “I mean, I feel real comfortable about my spring, my summer, my off-season. … I feel comfortable. I’m just trying to get better.”
Gaines made a reputation for himself as a blocker, while the 6-foot-7-inch Davis showed glimpses of his pass-catching ability last season. But that’s not necessarily what the Bears need from Davis now.
“Blocking, that has to be his role,” offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. “We have two guys (Olsen and Davis) who are pass-catching tight ends. The other guys have to do that when called upon, but they have to block first and foremost.”
Extra points: An estimated crowd of 9,000, including one Packer fan, showed up at Olivet Nazarene’s football stadium to see the first practice in pads. … Josh Beekman worked with the first team at left guard for the second consecutive day with newcomer Frank Omiyale working behind him. … Defensive tackle Tommie Harris and defensive backs Danieal Manning and Trumaine McBride had full participation in Saturday’s night practice. Manning missed a good part of Friday with cramping in his calf.
———
vxmcclure@tribune.com
