Next week after the Chicago Bears return from a Monday off, recently acquired defensive tackle Brian Price will begin trying to prove he can fit in their system.
Chances are a different young defensive tackle could impress this season whether or not Price does. Stephen Paea begins his second season completely healthy and far ahead of where he was when he suffered through the effects of a knee injury in a rookie camp he took on without benefit of an offseason program.
"The difference is I can hold double-teams this year even better than before," he said. "I can take those. Even though I'm only at 285, 290, I can play like I'm 315."
Strength is Paea's game on the nose, as he proved with the existing combine record of 49 reps at 225 pounds in the bench press. He didn't get to show it when his base was weakened last year by injury. Paea never got to 100 percent health throughout the season.
"I just got to rehab my knee almost every week, getting ready for practice, and then when it cam to game time I was tired from practice," he said. "This year there shouldn't be any excuses."
Paea wants to be known for succeeding on the football field, not just the weight room. The fame is a little more lasting. Already, there is talk his combine record won't last long after Alabama's Jesse Williams was reported to have bench-pressed 600 pounds.
"The thing is, he's about to break the record," Paea said. "I've heard rumors from him. I watched him when he came over from Australia. He's a big kid."
Paea can play nose or the three-technique DT spots, but for now the Bears appear to have settled on using him at the nose because Price is an ideal three-technique.
Follow Bears reporter Gene Chamberlain on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLCHI.
