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Larry Mayer's Chalk Talk - Larry discusses the likelihood of Kyle Long moving to tackle, why Cornelius Washington didn't get much playing time as a rookie, and the Bears' strength of schedule in 2014.
Bears announce key offseason dates - Larry Mayer: The Bears will conduct their rookie minicamp May 16-18 and their mandatory full-squad minicamp June 17-19, and begin OTA workouts May 27.
Follow WCG on Twitter; like us on Facebook (& click on 'Subscribed to'). Check out David "OSS" Taylor's CheekyMonkeyArt prints and t-shirts. Bear laying wood on a Packer in hi-res.
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Bearsss
2013 FA review: James Anderson - Jeff Dickerson: Veteran led the team in tackles but, due to lack of familiarity within this particular defensive scheme, was unable to offer much assistance to the struggling rookie LBs.
Roster analysis - Dan Durkin's step-by-step, player-by-player look at the offseason script for the Bears to follow. Which of the team's own free agents are must-haves?
Tillman needs to return - Steve Silverman: Charles Tillman still has enough left in the tank to justify his re-signing in Chicago.
Who will be the next cap casualties? - Steven Ruiz: Chicago is in desperate need of talent all across its defense, and concentrating a sixth of their cap space on Julius Peppers would not be an efficient use of money.
Ranking all 32 teams by offseason outlook - Chris Burke & Doug Farrar: Phil Emery will have to use every bit of his Moneyball acumen to repair what ailed the Bears in 2013.
Free Agency Primer: NFC North - Doug Farrar: For Emery to make the moves he needs to make to vault the Bears into the league’s upper echelon, one of Cutler's or Peppers' cap hits will have to go, and it won’t be Cutler’s.
'Ninja' Bears in line with martial-arts trend in NFL - Moon Mullin thinks martial arts are interchangeable, as are all oriental cultures.
[Video] CSNChicago discussion - Bears make coaching moves. Will they have an impact? [KAPCON: 5]
NFL offensive players who will emerge in 2014 - Andy Benoit has two - TWO - of this year's Bears rookies as potential stars for next season. That doesn't include Kyle Long.
Bennett coping with brother's death - Larry Mayer: A piece of Earl Bennett's heart was taken away Dec. 23. But he's able to smile through the pain when remembering older brother Prentice's larger-than-life personality.
Sun-Times Bears section here.
Check WCGer Sackman's selection of Bears-themed tops here, or some t-shirt designs here.
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Polish sausage
Younger QBs eclipsing older vets - Gil Brandt ponders "the QB wall" -- and wonders whether Peyton Manning and the older generation of signal-callers will soon be eclipsed by Russell Wilson and his younger peers.
Know thy enemy: Vikings - Ben Goessling: GM Rick Spielman's fate could hang on QB decision, with the team appearing to acknowledge that the decision to pick Christian Ponder 12th overall in 2011 was a mistake.
Know thy enemy: Lions - Chris Burke: Lions cut Louis Delmas, Nate Burleson; the money saved may take the sting off losing two key veteran locker room presences, no small hit given the Lions’ issues with a lack of discipline during the Jim Schwartz era.
Know thy enemy: Lions - Michael Rothstein: Barely able to practice during the week due to knee problems, Louis Delmas' release makes sense for Lions. A tough ending for Burleson in Detroit.
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It's Valentine's Day... and if you tolerate this, then your children really will be next!