[CBFF] CT - Top pick manning different position

[NEWS ARTICLE]

Top pick manning different position
Newcomer learning the finer points of playing free
safety
By John Mullin
Tribune staff reporter

May 6, 2006, 9:18 PM CDT

It may have been only a mini-camp, but that didn't
stop rookie safety Danieal Manning from a little
wishful thinking.

The Bears' top draft choice is making a position
change from strong to free safety before his NFL
career is even a week old.

His chief observation so far, however, is that the
Bears value their safeties drafted in recent second
rounds, Tony Parrish to Mike Brown.

"[The position change] sounds simple, but it is
definitely not. I have to read the quarterback, check
my receivers, and the quarterback is checking me too,"
said Manning, who then looked back to the practice
field and smiled. "But if we would have had pads on, I
would have had some big shots on some people."

Manning is the draft choice believed to have the best
chance of cracking the Bears' starting lineup. Brown
ended the last two seasons injured and Chris Harris
became a starter when Mike Green lost the job the
first week of last season.

Manning must learn the intricacies of a new position
and must change his mind-set. He spent much of his
time at Abilene Christian as a strong safety providing
run support pitted against tight ends.

In the Bears' cover-2 scheme, Manning's free safety
assignments are deeper in the secondary and sometimes
less defined.

"In college I was always in there making calls and
checks and I knew everything that was going on,"
Manning said. "At free safety it's harder because I'm
playing deep, not really covering anybody directly. I
don't want to say I was wasting energy, but I have to
just relax and let it come to me."

Good adviser

Cornerback/returner Devin Hester is intent on becoming
an impact returner and a dominant cornerback. Toward
that end, he has an excellent mentor in Deion Sanders.

Sanders befriended Hester after seeing the University
of Miami rookie interviewed on television and he has
become a figurative big brother.

He sends Hester a text message or voice mail every
day, frequently a Bible quote, always a message to
live by whether related to football or not.

"Whenever I need advice, I call him," Hester said. "We
don't even talk about things on the field. We talk
about life in general, how to manage money, marketing,
things like that."

Sanders' advice before Hester traveled to Halas Hall
for the start of his pro career?

"Just be relaxed and do what you know got you here,"
Hester recalled. "Listen to your coaches. They're here
for a reason and they know what they're doing. Take
what you can, be a sponge and go from there."

Duly noted

Tight ends remain a Bears focus.

"Seems like people really like talking about our tight
ends these days," coach Lovie Smith said Saturday.

One of those being evaluated is Auburn rookie Cooper
Wallace, an undrafted free agent who had several teams
seeking to sign him.

Wallace, however, has been watching film on Bears
tight ends and observed, "they're good. I don't know
what everybody's talking about."

jmullin at tribune.com

Copyright © 2006, The Chicago Tribune 

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