Grasu gets a shot at a starting spot on Bears line,With Lon

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It's funny how things work out sometimes.

then it's not so funny.,Unless those things happen to you

Heading into the 2016 season, there were ups and downs., center Hroniss Grasu was set to anchor the Bears' offensive line. The 2015 third-round draft pick out of Oregon got eight starts as a rookie in between neck and knee injuries. It was a learning experience -- in other wordsAuthentic Taylor Moton Jersey,

Still, he suffered a season-ending torn ACL.,Authentic Daeshon Hall Jersey, Grasu went into his second season poised to be the opening-day starter. But less than two weeks into training camp

So, the Bears signed three-time Pro Bowl guard Josh Sitton and moved rookie guard Cody Whitehair to center.,womens Christian McCaffrey Jersey, a week before the start of the regular season

he also had to learn to play guard in order to back up the starting guards,Whitehair was outstanding, and as a result he came to camp this year as the No. 1 center. Since Grasu was now the backup center,Authentic Harrison Butker Jersey, Sitton and Kyle Long, giving him more value on game day as a backup at three positions.

And that was after his yearlong rehab from the knee injury.Authentic Adam Shaheen Jersey, Now Grasu wears protective braces on both knees as a precaution.

" Grasu said. "Just testing my mental toughness. How well can I handle adversity? I could have looked at all the negatives and been pouty about it. But I wasn't."womens Mitchell Trubiskyn Jersey,"The way I looked at it is it's just a test

Grasu's tedious rehab work along with his can-do attitude did not go unnoticed.womens Curtis Samuel Jersey,

" coach John Fox said. "He's worked very hard to get back,womens Tarik Cohen Jersey,"The kid is a real hard worker, and he's a heck of a teammate, and he's gaining confidence every day … stacking practices together and understanding how to fit in with your teammates like he has at center. We feel good about him, and giving him more game experience obviously will help him."

but he still has more to do after missing an entire season.womens Daeshon Hall Jersey,',Being back in the starting lineup was a reward for all of Grasu's hard work

and I think I've done a pretty good job,"I was just super excited to attack this opportunity, just growing mentally and physicallyAuthentic Christian McCaffrey Jersey,he said. "I'm still learning a lot. I'm still getting better. The main thing is just the support that I've had from everybody of just taking it one day at a time,>doing all the little things to get back in there and get better."

It didn't take long for Grasu to get back in the starting lineup.Authentic Curtis Samuel Jersey," And he will make his second straight preseason start in Sunday's noon clash with the Titans in Nashville because Long is still struggling to return from last year's ankle surgery.

Last week,womens Taylor Moton Jersey, where he played at Kansas State., womens Harrison Butker Jersey, Grasu was back at center and Whitehair was at left guard

but Grasu has some qualities that help.Authentic Mitchell Trubiskyn Jersey,'Learning to play guard has been challenging

assignment-wise,"First of all,womens Adam Shaheen Jersey, he has a really high football I.Q." Fox said. "Intelligence-wise, it hasn't been that difficult. It's just getting used to the guy next to you. They're valuable experiences,Authentic Tarik Cohen Jersey, though. You have to have that flexibility in this league anymore."