The Bear's Den: Monday, April 18, 2016

BEAR DOWN!!!!

KEVIN WHITE

Florio: Kevin White is back to full speed, and more - ProFootballTalk - Last month, Bears G.M. Ryan Pace said that former West Virginia receiver Kevin White, the 2015 seventh overall pick who missed all of his rookie season after having a titanium rod inserted in his tibia, needed only the "mental confidence to go full speed.

Perez: Wide receiver Kevin White to Bears fans: ‘Count on Me’ - Bears Wire - Wide receiver Kevin White, the Bears 2015 first-round pick, is healthy and ready to fully participate in the team's offseason workouts.

Campbell: Bears' Kevin White (all the way) back in the running - Chicago Tribune - "Count on me." Patience, confidence and determination guide wide receiver Kevin White's return to Bears after grueling rehab while missing rookie season.

DRAFT / FREE AGENCY

Perez: Chicago Bears 2016 NFL Draft countdown: 12 days – center - Bears Wire - With 12 days left (at the time the article was posted) before the 2016 NFL Draft, it's time to look at the center position for the Chicago Bears.

Perez: Updated list of 2016 NFL Draft prospects who have met with the Chicago Bears - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears have met with several talented NFL Draft prospects in advance of the 2016 NFL Draft

Biggs: Joey Bosa keeps focus on field as he prepares to be high NFL draft pick - Chicago Tribune - Joey Bosa is a likely top-10 NFL draft pick, maybe top-five. While he might not have the speed to be a pure edge rusher, his all-around game draws raves.

Weiderer: NFL draft preview - Quarterbacks - Chicago Tribune - It would not be a shock if the Bears cast a hook into the draft waters for either a potential future starter or a higher quality backup.

Perez: Is Duke safety Jeremy Cash a potential 2016 NFL Draft target for the Bears? - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears will draft a safety in the 2016 NFL Draft. Is Duke's Jeremy Cash a potential target?

Jahns: Don't overlook Notre Dame WR Chris Brown - Chicago Sun-Times - Part 6 of a 10-part series previewing the NFL draft, which begins April 28 at the Auditorium Theatre.

LeGere: Bears' defense could get the upgrade it needs - Daily Herald - If the The Bears go looking for impact defensive backs in this year's draft, they'll find a familiar name near the top of the list -- Virginia Tech's Kendall Fuller, the youngest brother of cornerback Kyle Fuller, their first-round pick two years ago. The Bears' defense suffered last season from a dearth of big plays and play-makers in the secondary, which accounted for just 4 interceptions, 2 of which came from Fuller.

Wiederer: NFL draft preview, Quarterbacks - Chicago Tribune - It would not be a shock if the Bears cast a hook into the draft waters for either a potential future starter or a higher quality backup.

Campbell: NFL draft preview, tight ends - Chicago Tribune - Bears have high need at tight end but there are none available in NFL draft worth No. 11 pick so expect them to look for one on the second and third days.

BEARRRSSSS

Breiter: The bad news 2011 draft class - Cover32 - Now we can safely begin to impose some judgments on the 2011 NFL draft. The Bears had five picks in 2011 and it could have been worse.

Weaver: Chicago Bears Predictions, prospects - Cover32 - The Chicago Bears full regular season schedule was released on Thursday, and we are confident enough to project an 8-8 record...

Perez: 2016 NFL Schedule: Bears to have major advantage in Week 5 versus Colts - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears should be heavy favorites to defeat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5 of the 2016 season.

BEARRRSSSS FOR LIFE

Chicago Bears in the Hall - Bill George - During the 1950's and 1960's, the Chicago Bears were famed for their ferocious, highly effective defensive teams that made the Bears perennial championship contenders in the National Football League. During most of these years, the Bears' defensive wheelhorse was middle linebacker Bill George, a 6-2, 230-pound Wake Forest product who stepped into a new position evolving in pro football in the early 50s and who did the job so well that few have ever matched his proficiency.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Long: Jaguars have little to show for run near top of NFL Draft - DailyHerald AP - The Jacksonville Jaguars have been a mainstay near the top of the NFL Draft for nearly a decade

Farmer: NFL's schedule-making team and its 255 computers sift through trillions of options - Chicago Tribune
Theirs is the NFL's most secretive room. It's on the fifth floor of the league's Park Avenue headquarters, has glass that's frosted opaque, soundproof walls,

KNOW THY ENEMY

Noonan: The Packers (and the rest of the NFL) are already using Moneyball strategies - Acme Packing Company - Cleveland's recent public embrace of "analytics" seems like a big deal, but in truth, front offices around the NFL (including the one in Green Bay) have been implementing them for years.

Birkett: Five things to know about the Detroit Lions' 2016 schedule - Detroit Free Press - On paper, the Lions have an easier schedule and just one cold-weather game down the stretch

Carlson: Minnesota Vikings: Should the team be done in free agency? - TheVIkingAge.com - The Minnesota Vikings were active during free agency this year, but should the team be happy with the players they acquired or should they continue spending

DRAFT PROSPECTS OF INTEREST TO BEARS FANS

NFL Draft Profile: Ohio State WR Braxton Miller | CSN Chicago

NFL Draft Profile: Clemson DB Mackensie Alexander | CSN Chicago

NFL Draft Profile: Indiana OL Jason Spriggs | CSN Chicago

NFL Draft Profile: Clemson DL Kevin Dodd | CSN Chicago

NFL Draft Profile: Eastern Kentucky DL/LB Noah Spence | CSN Chicago

NFL Draft Profile: Arizona State OL Christian Westerman | CSN Chicago

NFL Draft Profile: Nebraska DL Maliek Collins | CSN Chicago