McClellin looks comfortable at outside linebacker

BOURBONNAIS — Early indications are that Shea McClellin will be more effective at his new inside linebacker position than he was at defensive end and outside linebacker.

The 2012 first-round pick out of Boise State was expected to augment the pass rush, but he has just 7.5 career sacks in 20 starts over three seasons. McClellin never looked comfortable bulking up to 265 to play end, as he sacrificed agility for size. And, even after he cut back to 245, he did not possess the quickness at linebacker to make an impact as an edge rusher, although he was fourth on the team with 84 tackles last year.

Now it appears he may have found a home. Through the first week of camp, though, McClellin is calling defensive signals while starting at inside linebacker with Christian Jones.

“He's learning, just like everybody out there,” coach John Fox said. “He's got the skill set to do it. If I had to defend the guy in some fashion, (I'd say) ‘He's been in a lot of different positions and been with a lot of different coaches.'

“Sometimes that can thwart a guy's development. He's done a good job, and we're evaluating. He's getting an opportunity to perform and compete every day, so we'll see where it takes us.”

Need for speed:

In an effort to regain the 4.47 speed he possessed coming out of Tulane in 2008, when the Bears drafted him in the second round (44th overall), running back Matt Forte focused more on speed training in the off-season.

“Obviously, when I came out of college, I had speed, but I didn't know to emphasize that speed, or accentuate it,” Forte said. “Last year I didn't do (the speed training), and I felt like toward the middle and end of the season I didn't have that first burst, or that quick burst of acceleration when I saw holes.”

Although he had 266 carries last season, Forte had just one run longer of 20 yards or longer, and his 3.9-yard average per carry was his lowest in five years.

“So I went back … this off-season and did a lot of the stuff I did before going through (the Scouting Combine). When I reversed through the hole (at practice last week) I felt better than I did the previous year.”

The other side:

Critics have bad-rapped second-round pick Eddie Goldman for his girth (332 pounds) and his lack of conditioning (he left a practice early because of dehydration).

But the 6-foot-4 nose tackle has flashed the ability to dominate inside.

“Eddie needs to just keep doing what he's been doing,” said veteran Jeremiah Ratliff, who was a Pro Bowl selection at nose tackle for four straight years (2008-11) with the Cowboys. “He's been playing hard, (with) great leverage, great hands. He's a strong guy; powerful.

“He can eat up two, sometimes three blockers. You see how big he is, and he'll be good.”

Like riding a bike:

For the first time in his 12-year professional life, Jared Allen will be a linebacker instead of a defensive end in the new base defense, a 3-4. But he'll still play some D-end when the Bears shift to a 4-3 on passing downs. Allen is confident he hasn't lost the ability to rush the passer from a three-point stance.

“If I can't remember how to rush out of a 3-point, then I'm just a dumb-dumb,” Allen said. I've been doing it for a while. That muscle memory stuck. I need to work on some other muscle memory.”

• Follow Bob's Bears and NFL reports on Twitter@BobLeGere.