Finally cleared, Chicago Bears' third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie can focus on figuring into the offensive line

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - If you ask Kiran Amegadije when he was ready to get back on the field, he won't hesitate to tell you how eager he's been.

"I'll tell you since I've since surgery, just because it's kind of how I am," the Hinsdale native said. "I've always just wanted to be back on the field."

But, his quad surgery required time. Much more time than he wanted, obviously.

Especially as the Bears used a third-round pick on the Yale product to improve their offensive line. 

"I remember when I got here I told them, yeah, like, I'm ready, I'm fine," Amegadije said. "But I wasn't, clearly, so I think I wanted to play as soon as possible."

Now, Amegdaije has been finally cleared.

The Bears announced he had been activated off the non-football injury list on Sunday, and he made his practice debut on Monday.

Getting out to practice has been a long time coming for Amegadije. Luckily, he's had plenty of help in the offensive line room. He credited Bears offensive line coach Chris Morgan for making sure he understands the playbook and the rest of the Bears offensive linemen for working with him.

It wasn't just that Amegadije couldn't play. He had to undergo rehab, too.

That took time.

"When you have a surgery and you're in bed for a long, long time, your legs immobilized, just kind of teaching your body what to do again," he said. "That came over time. It came naturally and so I feel great now and everything's feeling ready."

Now, the third-round selection is ready.

The Bears have taken note of where Amegadije is, even just watching how he progresses through his rehab and healing process.

"We feel real positive where he is in terms of his level of where he is at individually, and then kind of working in from there," Eberflus said. "We'll see how it progresses."

He's ready to figure into the Bears' offensive line, which has plenty of room for depth even though the starting rotation is mainly set aside from the center and right guard position. 

Even still, those two positions are down to a combination of three players: Nate Davis and Ryan Bates are competing at right guard, while Bates and Coleman Shelton are competing at center.

Amegadije might not be competing for a starting job now. But, he could in future seasons with a year of acclimation to the NFL under his belt.

"I've always trained on both sides, coming up in college and high school," Amegadije said. "I'm prepared if that's the answer or that's what I need to do."

That might be the answer, especially after roster cuts next Tuesday. Amegadije could be in line for a back up position to start Week 1.

However, the Bears lineman who grew up a Bears fan is ready.

Not just because he recalls Devin Hester's kickoff return touchdown to start Super Bowl XLI as the start of his love for football, because of how he mentally adjusted during his recovery. 

During that time, he learned how much he loved the game of football in all its aspects.

"I appreciate playing the game, the chess match of it, and really just being physical, hitting, playing everything that is football," Amegadije said. "I appreciate it more than I ever knew I did."

Now, he gets to show that appreciation on the field as the future of the Bears' offensive line.