http://www.chicagobears.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=9159

Fifth-round pick Currie signs five-year contract
By Larry Mayer
July 20, 2005




Airese Currie was an all-ACC performer in football and track at Clemson.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. - The Bears on Wednesday signed fifth-round draft pick Airese Currie to a five-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.
The speedy wide receiver emerged as Clemson's go-to receiver last season as a senior, catching 61 passes for 868 yards and 2 touchdowns.

"It's a sigh of relief," Currie said after inking the deal. "It was a long process, but I was patient. I just kept working on what I was doing and I knew it would come around sooner or later.

"When you sign on the dotted line, that's when you know that it's for real and you really made it. Now it's time to do what you do."

Currie was an All-American track star at Clemson, where he ran personal-best times of 6.79 in the 60, 10.27 in the 100 and 20.65 in the 200.

On the football field, the 5-10, 186-pounder was named first-team all-ACC last season after catching 14 passes of at least 20 yards and averaging 14.2 yards per reception.

Currie may have slipped in the draft due to a stress fracture in his left foot that ultimately would require surgery. He had the procedure performed in late March and was later examined by Bears doctors, who provided their stamp of approval.

Because he will be unable to practice when training camp workouts begin Sunday, Currie will open camp on the Active/Non-Football Injury list.

Currie is the fourth Bears draft pick to sign with the team following second-round receiver Mark Bradley, sixth-round safety Chris Harris and seventh-round linebacker Rod Wilson.

With the Bears due to report to training camp on Saturday, only first-round running back Cedric Benson and fourth-round quarterback Kyle Orton remain unsigned. League-wide, just 64 of 255 draft picks have signed contracts.