The Bears Den: March 24, 2016

BEAR DOWN!!!!

DRAFT / FREE AGENCY

PFF: Grades for every team in the NFC North - So far, so good for the Chicago Bears

Mullen: Patterns say Bears got just what they wanted in free agency - CSN Chicago - It's natural for a general manager to say "We got the guys we were targeting," in NFL free agency, but signs indicate the Bears actually did get who they wanted at the prices they wanted.

Cox: Bears hint at adding pass rusher in 2016 NFL Draft - Bears Wire - John Fox told the media that the Bears are looking at the pass rush talent in the upcoming NFL Draft.

BEARRRSSSS.......

Biggs: Ryan Pace turning over every stone in effort to rebuild Bears - Chicago Tribune - Bears general manager Ryan Pace didn't want to roll the dice on one big-ticket free agent. For $37.25 million guaranteed, the Bears got six starters.

Hub Arkush: Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace has an 'air of confidence' in Year Two - Chicago Football - Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace is a different man than he was a year ago. He doesn’t look, sound or act any different than he did when he arrived in Chicago in January 2015 as the youngest general manager in the National Football League, and it’s not as if he wasn’t ready for the job then. He actually had a pretty good rookie year.

Dickerson: Chicago Bears' offense not likely to change much under Dowell Loggains - ESPN - Coordinator Adam Gase and some veteran talent departed after the season, but the Bears expect to feature a similar offensive scheme this season.

Hub Arkush: John Fox's Chicago Bears are younger, ready to keep improving in 2016 - Chicago Football - Fox discussed the state of the Bears with reporters at the NFL owners meetings

Ottochian: Charles Leno could be the long-term answer for the Bears at left tackle - Bears Wire - The Bears' young tackle finally found his best position, as the blindside protector.

Jahns: Bears still figuring out cornerback Kyle Fuller - Chicago Sun-Times - Cornerback Kyle Fuller’s 2015 season left the Bears encouraged, but also unfulfilled. His play was just too erratic for their full liking. The Bears still will turn to Kyle Fuller at cornerback in 2016.

Jahns: Bears are Jay Cutler's team now more than ever - Chicago Sun-Times - Jay Cutler has won over John Fox and Ryan Pace.

Hub Arkush: Chairman George McCaskey pleased with 'energy' surrounding Chicago Bears | Chicago Football - McCaskey discussed John Fox, Ryan Pace, Soldier Field and more at the NFL owners meetings

Dickerson: Chicago Bears' offense not likely to change much under Dowell Loggains - ESPN - Coordinator Adam Gase and some veteran talent departed after the season, but the Bears expect to feature a similar offensive scheme this season.

Mullen: Bears hope they aren't a part of 2018 NFL game in China - CSN Chicago - The NFL is going to play a game in China in 2018, but count the Bears among the teams who hope they won't have to travel overseas.

Biggs: Familiarity guides Bears in building defense and culture - Chicago Tribune - In allocating millions of free-agent dollars to Danny Trevathan, Akiem Hicks and Tracy Porter, the Bears' institutional knowledge of each put Ryan Pace at ease.

Hub Arkush: Chairman George McCaskey pleased with 'energy' surrounding Chicago Bears | Chicago Football - McCaskey discussed John Fox, Ryan Pace, Soldier Field and more at the NFL owners meetings

Mullen: Bears need to replace 'old' Jay Cutler? Don't tell that to John Fox - CSN Chicago - Jay Cutler is turning 33 soon, but Bears head coach John Fox thinks the veteran quarterback looks more like he's 28, so don't be on the lookout for a replacement in the near future.

Wiederer: As NFL expands into China, Bears not volunteering to play overseas - Chicago Tribune - The NFL's continued push to expand its global reach took another big step forward this week. The league has confirmed that it will indeed play a regular season game in China in 2018 with the Los Angeles Rams as the likely host team.

Campbell: Highlights of John Fox's comprehensive Bears media session - Chicago Tribune - Chicago Bears coach John Fox chatted with reporters for an hour Wednesday at the NFC coaches' breakfast at the annual league meetings. Here are some highlights from his first media session since free agency began.

Jahns: Bears didn't sign Shea McClellin, but they believe in him - Chicago Sun-Times - John Fox believes the Patriots are getting a young player on the rise in linebacker Shea McClellin.

BEARRRSSSS FOR LIFE......

Wiltfong: Matt Forte upset the Bears never offered him a contract - Windy City - There may be some lingering hurt feelings over the Chicago Bears decision to allow Matt Forte to leave via free agency.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Biggs: NFL votes to move touchbacks to 25-yard line - Chicago Tribune - NFL owners voted to move touchbacks up to the 25-yard line on a one-year trial basis and that doesn't come as a surprise considering the recommendation came from the influential competition committee.

What would you be if you weren't a coach? - NFL.com - If Ron Rivera wasn't a coach in the NFL, he says that he would be in the military or a police officer. See what other coaches in the NFC would be doing if they never fell in love with the game.

Maske: NFL changes rules for unsportsmanlike ejections, touchbacks - NFL owners approved proposals Wednesday to automatically eject any player penalized twice for unsportsmanlike conduct in the same game and to move the spot of the football to the 25-yard line for touchbacks on kickoffs.

Florio: Touchback rule is resurrected, passed for a year - ProFootballTalk - As of Tuesday, the proposal to change the touchback point was dead. As of Wednesday morning, it's not only revived but also the law of the land. For one season.

Los Angeles Rams will be featured on 'Hard Knocks' - NFL.com - Hard Knocks is going Hollywood. The league announced Wednesday that the Los Angeles Rams will be the focus in the 11th season of HBO's acclaimed documentary series that delves into one NFL team's training camp. The first episode will air Aug. 9.

Widerer: New NFL rule will deliver strict punishment for unsportsmanlike fouls - Chicago Tribune - The new rule, proposed by Commissioner Roger Goodell in broader form at the Super Bowl, is the NFL's latest effort in its ongoing push to emphasize sportsmanship.

KNOW THY ENEMY

No one's ready to accept that Calvin Johnson retired - Pride Of Detroit - The "Megatron should return and join the Patriots" talk reads like bad fan-fiction.

Norse Code Podcast Episode 125: Talking Wide Receivers with NFL.com's Matt Harmon - Daily Norseman - We bring NFL.com's Matt Harmon to talk wide receivers—from the Vikings' own corps to players they may want to acquire in the draft. We also briefly talk other NFL happenings... as much as you can in this dead time.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy has some thoughts on Eddie Lacy's weight - FOX Sports - Wasting away to nothing? Not really.

DRAFT PROFILES OF INTEREST

NFL Draft Profile: Ohio St. DL/LB Joey Bosa - CSN Chicago

NFL Draft Profile: Illinois WR Geronimo Allison - CSN Chicago

NFL Draft Profile: Maryland CB Sean Davis - CSN Chicago

NOTE: Due to a traveling work schedule, links after 5:00 PM Central Wednesday will not appear in this Den, and hopefully should appear on Friday's Den along with what Thursday brings us. Friday's Den may be a bit light on links depending on if I have a chance collect them on Thursday evening. Plans call for a Weekend Den as well, so we will get caught back up... any way it falls, you should have your Den's Friday and the weekend to at least some extent.