Zach Miller’s leadership role won’t change with Martellus Bennett gone.
Truth be told, he said, he began assuming the mantle when the mercurial tight end — who was later traded to the Patriots — was placed on Injured Reserve last December.
“Late in the season, it kinda started then,” Miller said Tuesday. “It’s just going to continue, how we finished the end of the year, and hopefully improve.”
If Tuesday is any indication, he’s on the right track. His fellow tight ends sat in the back of a Halas Hall ballroom as Miller was presented with one of two Brian Piccolo Awards, voted on by Bears teammates to recognize courage, teamwork, loyalty, dedication and good humor.
Safety Adrian Amos received the rookie award, which has been distributed since 1970, the year of the former player’s death, to cancer, at 26.
Miller was appreciative of the moment; injuries prevented from him catching a pass in any of the previous three seasons before he recorded 34 receptions for 439 yards last year.
Leading comes easy, Miller said, given that he played quarterback at Nebraska-Omaha.
“For me, it’s been something that I’ve done from an early age,” he said.
Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains teased Miller about exploring free agency; he visited the Rams before signing a two-year deal with the Bears.
“He did get a little cocky and wanted to test free agency,” Loggains said. “But he came back home to where he needed to be.”
Smiling, Miller said he considered a new team for “like 18 hours — and I had no fun.”
Amos coy
Amos, drafted in the fifth round last year, said he puts little stock in when players are selected.
“I feel like the NFL draft is mostly a guess,” he said. “You don’t know what people are going to do at the next level. You don’t know, you’ve got people that don’t get drafted that are better than guys who went in the first round.
“Now that it’s over, I don’t even think about the draft.”
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said earlier Tuesday that Amos had offseason surgery. The safety admitted as much, but wouldn’t so much as confirm the body part. Amos, who was on the Week 17 injury report with a shoulder problem, said he’s been healthy enough to participate in voluntary workouts without issue.
This and that
• Loggains, in his first public comments since being promoted from quarterbacks coach, said Miller’s “role is obviously going to continue to grow. He’s earned that.”
• Asked by the Dan Patrick Show to name one team that was “in love” with him, Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott singled out the Bears.
