News
First-rounder Carimi signs contract
01 Aug 11
Chicago Bears
By: Larry Mayer
The Bears on Friday signed first-round draft pick Gabe Carimi to a four-year contract. The Bears selected Gabe Carimi with the 29th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Carimi started all 49 games he played at Wisconsin after stepping in as a freshman at left tackle to replace Joe Thomas, the third overall pick in the 2007 draft. Carimi won the Outland Trophy last season as the nation’s best interior lineman. Carimi performed well in Big Ten action against three defensive ends who were also selected in the first-round of the draft: Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan, Iowa’s Adrian Clayborn and Ohio State’s Cameron Heyward. In addition, Carimi honed his skills in practice versus another first-round pick, Wisconsin’s J.J. Watt.
“I think the kid is a plug-and-play right tackle,” NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock wrote before the draft. “Throw him in there and he’s a starter on Day 1. And he’s a starter for the next 10 years. He’s got a little attitude and there’s something tough about him. He’s a good football player.”
All five of the Bears’ 2011 draft picks are now under contract.
