Can these two Chicago Bears bounce back this season?
Alshon Jeffery is the Bears' most obvious example of a player seeking redemption after a subpar 2015 season, but he's not alone.
At least two other Bears have come to a crossroads in their NFL careers. Defensive lineman Ego Ferguson and wide receiver Eddie Royal are coming off unproductive seasons. They'll be looking to turn things around when training camp starts July 27.
Ferguson was the Bears' second-round draft choice (51st overall) in 2014, and he played in all 16 games as a rookie but didn't make a big impact, finishing with 24 tackles. Last year, when he was being counted on to take a another step forward, he suffered a torn patella tendon in his right knee, ending his season after four games with 3 tackles and one start.
Adding insult to injury, Ferguson failed a test for performance enhancing drugs in November. Although he was already on injured reserve, the four-game suspension without pay cost him $142,815.
"Just going through adversity, understanding what you can and can't do," Ferguson said of the expensive learning experience. "Taking more responsibility in myself."
Because he's a holdover from the Phil Emery-Marc Trestman era, Ferguson has no special connection to the Ryan Pace-John Fox regime, so this is his make-or-break season in Chicago. He's focused on showing the coaching staff what he can offer when camp rolls around.
"Just becoming a consistent player," he said. "Making it happen every play, not just once in a blue moon. Realizing my role in the defense and running with it. Just contribute to as many wins as possible."
Nose tackle Eddie Goldman and end Akiem Hicks will be two of the Bears' D-line starters heading into camp. Mitch Unrein is penciled in as the starter at the other end spot but competition is expected from Ferguson, third-round pick Jonathan Bullard and 2014 third-round choice Will Sutton.
Ferguson, a 6-foot-2, 300-pound LSU product, has flashed ability in the past, but never on a consistent basis. With a better understanding of what it takes to be an NFL player, the 24-year-old defensive lineman is poised to live up to his unfulfilled potential.
"As a rookie, you don't know what to expect," he said. "You come in, and you just get thrown in the fire. You're trying to find yourself. I feel that now, going into my third season, I understand the ropes in terms of what we're doing, and understand how to push yourself in the off-season."
Royal has had a successful career, but he's 30 years old and coming off arguably the worst of his eight seasons.
After signing a three-year, $15 million deal with the Bears, Royal was hobbled by ankle and knee injuries that limited him to nine games in 2015. He caught just 37 passes with 1 touchdown and averaged an embarrassing 6.4 yards per catch. That was less than half what the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Royal averaged in his two previous seasons with the San Diego Chargers, when he caught a combined 109 passes for 1,409 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Royal is healthy now, full speed at practices and ready to revert to his typical form.
"I always come into the year with a lot of confidence," he said. "I know what I can do. Sometimes injuries happen, and it's the bad part of the game that you hate dealing with. I've been around enough to know that. I just busted my butt in the off-season to make sure I'm ready to go."
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