Chris Conte Looks for Redemption at Bears Camp

Conte has a chance to prove himself as the Bears safety position is an open audition

Redemption is on Chris Conte's mind.

"I got a list of a lot of things I want to do and a lot of people I want to prove wrong," the fourth year safety told reporters after his first day of practice in Bears camp.

Conte was the goat in Aaron Rodgers storybook return from injury in Week 17 last year. With :38 seconds left and the Bears leading and looking for a return to the post season, Rodgers found Randall Cobb for a 48-yard game winning touchdown to end the Bears season.

"I'm not even thinking about last season, I'm thinking about this year," Conte said reporters Sunday. "I don't even know what happened last season."

Conte certainly didn't know the defense the Bears were in on that fateful play and fans took it out on him on social media. He shut down his twitter account and shut down for the offseason before having shoulder surgery.

"I learned to keep people close to me that I care about and to always know that the people that support me are the only people that matter," Conte said. "A lot of soul searching, a lot of time focusing on myself physically and mentally. It was a good time for me to get better in a lot of different areas. Hopefully I'm a better person and a better football player."

Conte has a chance to prove it as the Bears safety position is an open audition.

Offseason signings of Ryan Mundy, Danny McCray, Adrian Wilson and M.D. Jennings along with the drafting of Brock Vereen makes it the fiercest battle in training camp. Bears head coach Marc Trestman says Conte's experience and athleticism puts him right in the mix too, it's just a matter of making the right calls and getting everyone lined up correctly.

"His speed, his experience, I've seen him make plays at the line of scrimmage, I've seen him make plays at the perimeter," Trestman said. "We've seen him do very good things, he's got to do it consistently."

Conte can't wait for redemption, and there's a long line of Bears fans that want to be put on that list.

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