St. Viator Connection for the Bears

Cole Kmet's former high school teammate Sal Cannella agrees to come in for a minicamp tryout after playing in The Spring League.

The Bears have agreed to bring in two players from The Spring League on a tryout basis at this week's minicamp and one of them is extremely familiar with Bears tight end Cole Kmet.

During this week's minicamp the Bears will give tryouts to former Auburn wide receiver Sal Cannella and former Michigan and Stony Brook player T.J. Wheatley, the son of former Michigan running back great Tyrone Wheatley.

Cannella played high school football alongside Kmet at St. Viator in the northwest Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights.  He is from Schaumburg.

Later, Cannella played tight end at Scottsdale Community College, and wide receiver for Auburn. He has since added 20 pounds and is projected to be a tight end prospect in the NFL. He was playing tight end for the Generals in The Spring League, a small developmental loop for players trying to get a chance at an NFL career or to resurrect failed NFL careers.

Touchdown Auburn!!!!! What a catch by TE Sal Cannella 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vbWxasWide

— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) September 1, 2018

Cannella, who is 6-foot-5, 243 pounds, had a tryout with the Colts earlier this spring after making 25 catches for 330 yards in his Auburn career. He was a strong red-zone target for Auburn with five touchdowns among his 25 receptions. 

Sal Cannella. Bo Nix.
This is pretty much a perfect play. pic.twitter.com/gaOrcGaoJn

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 30, 2019

Tyrone Wheatley Jr. is the son of Morgan State's head coach Tyrone Wheatley, Michigan's fifth all-time leading rusher who ran for 4,187 yards and then played for the Giants and Raiders. 

The younger Wheatley was a Michigan tight end who left the school after three years and six receptions for 61 yards. He went to Stony Brook for one year and made a 6-yard reception, then went into The Spring League. Wheatley, who is 6-foot-6, added 30 pounds and played tackle for the Blues in the Spring League. 

These two are heading to @chicagobears camp this week! Congrats to @salnells and TJ Wheatley. #TSLinNFL pic.twitter.com/viNG4LVJ0V

— The Spring League 🏈 (@TheSpringLeague) June 14, 2021

The Bears have a roster spot open after cutting tight end Darion Clark and there had been much speculation about signing Moses Morgan, the free agent tackle who formerly played for the Washington Football Team. Morgan had visited the Bears two weeks ago.

The Bears also hosted free agent inside linebacker Brandon Marshall for a visit, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Marshall, a former teammate of Danny Trevathan's with Denver in 2015, hasn't played in an NFL game since 2018.

Marshall, who will be 32 years old this season, was cut by the Oakland Raiders before the 2019 season, brought back by the Raiders but then was on the roster without playing. 

No one signed him last season.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven