Rookie Sewell ‘grateful and blessed’ to join Bears

As a Bears rookie, Sewell intends to learn from veteran free-agent additions Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. Edmunds played his first five NFL seasons with the Bills, recording at least 100 tackles every year and being selected to two Pro Bowls. Edwards spent his first four seasons with the Eagles, leading last year’s NFC champions with 159 tackles, the second most in franchise history.

Asked what he wants to glean from Edmunds and Edwards, Sewell said: “Their mentality; just the way they carry themselves on the field. I just want to learn; I mean pick their brains and see how they move with the game.”

Sewell brings versatility to the Bears. At Oregon, he played middle linebacker, but also saw action at edge rusher and lined up in the slot in pass coverage.

“They thought they could utilize me in every aspect: from the middle, the edge,” Sewell said. “They thought it could grow my game to a whole other level.”

Smith makes immediate impact

Fifth-round pick Terell Smith, a cornerback from Minnesota, demonstrated his athleticism and ball skills in his first NFL practice during rookie minicamp last Friday, leaping high to intercept a 50/50 ball.

“It felt good,” Smith said. “We were in cover-two. We got a slot fade by No. 2, so I had to just jam [the No. 1 receiver], sink into the hole and go up for the ball.”

The 6-1, 204-pounder said he takes “great pride just going up there and high-pointing the ball. Just showing everyone what I can do out there felt good.”

Smith appeared in 37 games over five seasons at Minnesota, compiling 109 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss, four interceptions and 16 pass breakups. Last year he produced 38 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions and five pass breakups.

A four-time All-Big Ten Academic Team honoree, Smith displayed athleticism and physicality for the Golden Gophers, excelling as an open-field tackler.

“I played in the Big Ten, so playing physical is all we know,” Smith said. “So just coming in here and having that same brand of football is something I take pride in.”