What can the Bears expect from Gabe Carimi?

What do we really know about Gabe Carimi? He played about a game and a half last year before going down with a knee injury. Since that time he's had a couple of procedures done on his surgically repaired right knee. It's been reported that he'll be ready to go before the June 12-14 veteran mini-camp, but it looks like he won't be participating at any OTAs until that point. The Chicago Bears seem content with him staying at right tackle. And they are obviously very high on him, as they didn't bother drafting any of the umpteen right tackles that were available in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Most fans have him penciled in as a 10 year fixture at RT, but is that realistic? He definitely has the pedigree. He was the 2010 Oultand Trophy winner from the University of Wisconsin, a school that has produced some good o-linemen. He was the 29th player selected in the 2011 NFL Draft, and the scouting reports painted him in a very good light. Athletic and nasty are two of my favorite adjectives that were used in describing the 6'7" 316 pound Carimi.

The Bears are prepared to go into the 2012 season with pretty much the same cast of characters on the o-line. They are putting a lot of faith that Carimi will live up to his promise, and that he'll be 100% recovered from the knee injury that stole most of his rookie year. Some scouts saw Pro Bowl potential in Carimi, and the Bears will need that kind of play to take some pressure of the starting five.

What kind of player are you expecting Gabe Carimi to be in 2012?