[CBFF] CB - Wofle the 1st NFL Pick to sign

[Kenny Claxton]

4 years $2.3 million  with a $623,000 bonus.

On 5/16/07, Jerry Madsen <jerrywm at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> May 15, 2007
>
> Bears sign rookie running back to four-year deal
> By Larry Mayer
>
> LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears rookie running back Garrett Wolfe enjoyed a
> profitable day at Halas Hall Tuesday, working with his veteran
> teammates for the first time and signing a four-year contract.
>
> The third-round pick from Northern Illinois is the NFL's first 2007
> draft choice to put his name on the dotted line.
>
> "I'm not a numbers guy, so I wouldn't have been too worried about it
> anyway," Wolfe said. "But it's a great opportunity for me with the
> Chicago Bears.
>
> "The one thing that I'm excited about is that I'm here and I'm working
> out with the guys. I get to get a feel for what's going on and that's
> just going to put me that much more ahead. Going into training camp,
> I'll be ahead of the learning curve."
>
> To Wolfe, who grew up in Chicago cheering for the Bears, signing his
> first NFL contract wasn't nearly as monumental an experience as being
> drafted by his hometown team April 28.
>
> "That contract is only what I make of it," he said. "I have to make
> that contract work for me as opposed to getting caught up in the
> figures and not producing or not playing. If you don't play and you
> don't produce, the contract's not important anyway."
>
> After signing his contract Tuesday, Wolfe insisted that he wasn't
> going to make any extravagant purchases.
>
> "I plan to save my money and watch it grow," he said.
>
> Wolfe begins his NFL career as a situational running back who will
> complement starter Cedric Benson and backup Adrian Peterson. The 5-7,
> 186-pounder could eventually be elevated to the No. 2 spot on the
> depth chart, which would enable Peterson to continue to play all four
> phases on special teams.
>
> Wolfe impressed Bears coaches with his speed, elusiveness and
> pass-catching ability during the team's rookie minicamp May 4-6 at
> Halas Hall.
>
> He joined the Bears after being named the MAC Offensive Player of the
> Year in his final two seasons at Northern Illinois, leading the nation
> in rushing last year as a senior with 1,928 yards and 18 touchdowns on
> 309 carries.
>
> A three-year letterwinner at Northern Illinois, Wolfe finished 11th
> all-time in NCAA Division I-A history with a school-record 5,164
> rushing yards. He completed his collegiate career ranked fourth
> all-time in Division I-A annals with a rushing average of 156.5 yards
> per game, surpassed only by Ed Marinaro, O.J. Simpson and Herschel
> Walker.
>
> Wolfe also ranks seventh in NCAA history in career points per game
> (10.4) and career all-purpose yards per game (181.3). His career
> average of 6.4 yards per rushing attempt set an NCAA Division I-A
> record (minimum 780 carries), while he also set NIU marks for career
> touchdown runs (52), total touchdowns (57), 100-yard rushing
> performances (22) and 200-yard rushing performances (10), while
> ranking second in all-purpose yards (5,983) and points scored (344).
>
> Tuesday marked the first day that NFL rookies were permitted to return
> to their team's facility since the rookie minicamps ended (providing
> that they had completed final exams or graduated), and Wolfe took full
> advantage of the opportunity.
>
> "It was good to get around those guys and get a feel for the other
> running backs, and it was just good to be out here competing again,"
> Wolfe said. "Those guys are all very talented football players. The
> one thing that was good to see is that they're excited to help us
> learn and help us get better and in turn help the football team get
> better."
>
> --
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>
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