By Bryan Bloodworth
BLOOMINGTON – Former Illinois State wide receiver Cameron Meredith grew up in Chicago, so you can imagine the thrill he got when the Bears offered him a free agent workout after the NFL draft.
“I’m a hometown kid, so I love my Bears,” Meredith told WJBC this week from the Bears’ practice facility. “It’s a honor to have a chance to play for them.”
PODCAST: Listen to interview here.
Meredith wasn’t sure what was in store for him when he had his free agent tryout. And now to be playing for them is a dream come to true.
“It’s the way things worked out,” he said. “The Bears gave me a workout and they liked what they saw, so things just kind of worked out for the best. I just had to go in with the mentality ‘of working hard for what you want and if you put in the time and work it will come to you.’
“That’s pretty much what I’ve been trying to live by. I just try to come out to work every day and earn every little thing that comes my way.”
Meredith didn’t play wide receiver until his junior year at ISU. He came to campus as a quarterback, but with All-American Matt Brown ahead of him, he made the switch.
“One day in spring camp, Coach Spack asked me if I wanted to try some receiver for a couple of days,” said Meredith. “I didn’t think much of it at the time. I tried it out and was pretty good at it. At the end of the day, I was like I could stay here or go back to quarterback.
“The decision was left up to me. I thought long and hard about it, talked to some family and friends, and figured this (wide receiver) was the best option long-term.”
So what’s it like to be a Bear?
“It’s awesome,” said Meredith. “I’m really at a loss for words. It’s great to be here. I just have to continue to come to work every day because you never know when it could be your last.”
Meredith admits he was nervous on cut day when rosters had to be trimmed to 53. And when did he feel safe?
“3:01 p.m. on the last day of cuts,” he said. “That was about the cutoff time and I figured I was still here on the team. I was restless before, but the fact I got no calls, I just came to work the next day and acted like nothing ever happened.”
Meredith didn’t play in the season opener, but had three receptions for 36 yards last week against Arizona.
“They called my number and I had to go in there and do what I was called to do,” he said. “I’m just glad I was able to go out there and do my job the way they wanted me to do it.”
His only disappointment was that he didn’t keep the ball from his first catch.
“I wished I did, but somehow it got lost in the mix,” he added. “But I’m going to find a way to get my hands on it.”
Meredith added that all his teammates have been very good to him.
We’re just trying to be closer and build a relationship with each other, so that we’re better on the field,” he said. “(Matt Forte) is awesome. He’s not really a talkative person, but he’s a cool guy. He’s real down-to-earth. It’s been good to get a connection with him and learn from him and the older guys. He’s one of the quieter leaders we have. He leads by example most of the time.”
And what about quarterback Jay Cutler?
“He’s a cool guy,” said Meredith. “He’s just a laid-back guy. He makes jokes. He’s just like all the other guys.”
Meredith said he follows ISU and offered this advice to them.
“They have a good team and they need to continue to grow with each other,” he said. “They need to have each other’s backs, keep fighting and never fault anyone. They just need to keep their heads up and keep grinding. That’s the one thing that will lift them up above everyone else – who’s going to keep fighting the longest.”
Bryan Bloodworth can be reached at [email protected]
