The Weekend Bears Den: April 26, 2014 - Chicago Bears offseason news & notes

Team Report - The SportsXchange runs down the Bears' team needs: They can virtually draft any position on the defensive side of the ball and still address a need.

Bears schedule - Moon Mullin: Why this year's Bears will go 11-5.

Follow WCG on Twitter; like us on Facebook (& click on 'Subscribed to'). Check out David "OSS" Taylor's CheekyMonkeyArt prints and t-shirts. Jiggle test in hi-res.

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Dan Pompei Q&As - Why Bears' schedule could be favorable for them ... Why did Shea McClellin look out of shape in those photos?

Forecasting one pivotal game on NFL schedule for all 32 teams - Nate Davis: A Bears defense that finished dead last against the run in 2013 will face a major test against the ground-pounding 49ers on Sept. 14 (a game bracketed by matchups with the run-reliant Bills and Jets).

Photos - ChicagoBears.com shows the Bears at offseason workouts.  And more.

2013 QBs: True Sack Rate - Football Outsiders does some calculations and finds the Bears' QBs were pretty good at not getting sacked last season.

Stats & Info - PFF's Run Stop Rate for LBs sees Lance Briggs sitting pretty.

Stats & Info - PFF looks at O-Line pass blocking by time to throw: Yay, Garza!

Draft preview - Bob LeGere: Will Bears grab a No. 3 receiver in NFL Draft? How about a QB project? Rich Campbell: Given needs, Bears likely will be bottom feeders at QB.

Draft preview: Cornerback - Jeff Dickerson: With veteran two-time Pro Bowler Charles Tillman back in the fold on just a one-year deal, the clock is ticking for the Bears to find a future starting CB.

Draft profile: Florida State DT Timmy Jernigan - #10 on Adam Hoge’s Bears Big Board: A dominating run-stuffer who stacks and sheds blockers with ease, he won’t be around in the second round, so the Bears would have to use their first-round pick on him.

Draft profile: Lindenwood CB Pierre Desir - A bit of a project at this point, but Desir's upside and size (as well as his instincts) could make him a stellar fit in the Bears' defense.

Mock Draft - Some guy named Kev H has the Bears taking Louis Nix at No. 51 in the SBNation mock.  Quel coincidence, we have a Kev H, too!

Bears history - James Neveau's Top 30 Bears draft picks reaches #17 (1984 10th rounder Shaun Gayle) and #16 (2002 4th rounder Alex Brown).

Bears history - Larry Mayer selects the 1983 draft, which produced Hall of Famer Richard Dent and six other starters on the 1985 Super Bowl team, as the best class in franchise history.

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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X&Os - Matt Bowen breaks down the basics of the Cover-2 defense, and the ways in which offenses attack it.

Stats & Info - Football Outsiders takes an analytic look at the impact of the NFL's kickoff rule change.

Dispelling dans' NFL Draft misconceptions - Greg Gabriel: What fans think happens in NFL draft rooms on draft day and what really happens are two different things.

Jack Bechta: The Agent's Journal - Why are mock drafts so misleading? With all the exposure draftees are getting, there is vital intel that draftniks overlook or don't have access to.

Draft analysis - Tony Villiotti: How often and how quickly do draft picks pan out?

Draft preview - Greg Gabriel breaks down the best outside linebackers in the 2014 draft.

Know thy enemy: Packers - Sports Xchange: A roster that has been in flux the last two months is far from settled.  Jay Hilgenberg's brother sabotages Packers by resigning as their asst OL coach.

Know thy enemy: Lions - SportsXchange: For a team that had limited salary-cap space going into free agency, the Lions managed to get a fair amount done.

Know thy enemy: Lions - Michael C. Wright: Jerry Angelo critical of Ndamukong Suh's absence and seemed to take a shot at Detroit's defense, too. Josh Katzowitz: Lions have looked into trading Suh. Kevin Patra: Should they?

Know thy enemy: Vikings - SportsXchange: Vikings believe they have enough intriguing prospects to prevent them from passing up BPA to Ponder things up again. Jim Brown: AP could break rushing mark.

As if being a Bills fan wasn't bad enough - Bryan Rose: Days after five former Buffalo Bills cheerleaders filed a lawsuit against the organization, the franchise has suspended operations on the Buffalo Jills. Josh Katzowitz: Could be penalised for failing to pass "the jiggle test" ... more from the rulebook.

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