Chicago Bears Countdown to Kickoff: 69 Days with Henry Melton

Henry Melton becomes a Pro Bowler with the Chicago Bears

In his first season as a bonafide roster member, Melton was used sparingly, appearing in all 16 of the team's games with only 16 tackles, with 2.5 sacks, on the year. Nonetheless, an opportunity presented itself in 2011, and Melton became a full-time starter thanks to some turnover in the position group. In his first season as a starter, the interior lineman was efficient and added seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss in 15 games.

By 2012, Melton was a key factor in a great defense and earned recognition for his greatness as a pro. Starting on a unit that included the likes of Charles Tillman, Brian Urlacher, and Lance Briggs, Melton racked up six sacks and nine tackles for loss in 14 games en route to earning his first and only Pro Bowl selection, where he went with his running mate Julius Peppers.

Unfortunately, after missing the playoffs for the second straight season, head coach Lovie Smith was fired following the end of the year. Smith was the coach who drafted Melton and was the only one he had played for in the pros, serving as an integral part up front in Smith's iconic Tampa-2 defense.

Instead of hitting the ensuing summer as a free agent, the Chicago Bears placed the franchise tag on Melton following what was perhaps the best season of his career. Unfortunately, the highly anticipated season was interrupted by an ACL tear during Week 3, and Melton was forced to finish the year on injured reserve. He was not resigned from the team the following summer.