HOLLYWOOD -- The Chicago Bears have found themselves a motivated understudy to Matt Forte.
Rookie running back Ka'Deem Carey told Around The League on Friday that he expects to see plenty of carries out of the gate in Marc Trestman's offense.
"They expect me to go out there and play as my first time behind Matt Forte, and go out there and do what I do best," Carey said at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere.
Carey projects as a good inside runner and quality receiver in space. It makes plenty of sense that he'd see time in a Chicago backfield with names like Michael Ford and Shaun Draughn behind the 28-year-old Forte.
Carey isn't the only rookie running back we caught up with Friday:
»Tre Mason confirmed to Around The League that Rams coaches, indeed, promised that he'd be given a chance to start for St. Louis as early as Week 1.
"Of course. That's what coach told me," Mason said. "You know, everybody's drafted to make a difference, and I haven't met one person who runs a race trying to lose. I'm there to compete for the starting job and I hold myself to high standards."
With his locker adjacent to second-year runner Zac Stacy's, Mason said the competition hasn't caused any tension:
"Us playing together, we're going to try to turn that program around," said Mason, who told us teams will regret skipping him in the draft. "I feel like I was overlooked and now it's time for me to prove why. I feel like I landed in the right spot."
»Chiefs running back De'Anthony Thomas has been seen as a Dexter McCluster replacement in Kansas City. Thomas told us he fits the profile of the veteran all-purpose man.
"Yes, yes, absolutely," Thomas said. "Whatever they want me to do, I'm going to go out there and perform and change the game."
The latest "Around The League Podcast"Â breaks down the news and examines developments from the first week of OTAs.
