:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49426503/usa-today-8544770.0.jpg)
BEAR DOWN!!!!
DRAFT
Hub Arkush: Ryan Pace has big opportunity in NFL Draft to continue impressing as GM - Pro Football Weekly - Pace has Bears in prime position to make the team better on Thursday.
Biggs: For Bears top pick in NFL draft, all signs point to defense - Chicago Tribune - No matter if the Bears trade up or down, or stay at No. 11, their greatest need with the best supply is in the defensive front seven.
Haugh: Defense, not Ezekiel Elliott, is the answer for Bears at No. 11 - Chicago Tribune - With his first pick in the 2016 NFL draft, Bears GM Ryan Pace should select an impact player on defense instead of the Ohio State running back.
Shaq Lawson ready to be NFL edge rusher; Will it be with Chicago Bears? | Pro Football Weekly - Lawson talked about his contact with the Bears the day before the NFL Draft
Guide to NFL Draft activities in Grant Park - Chicago Tribune - Lots of pictures of happenings in Grant Park.
Ottochain: 2016 NFL Draft Ranking the top-5 3-4 defensive ends - Bears Wire
The five-technique defensive end is an overlooked position, but this draft is very deep on defensive linemen. Here are the top five.
Florio: Late word emerges of a Paxton Lynch free fall -ProFootballTalk - Some have quarterback Paxton Lynch going in the top 10 of the draft. As the draft approaches, some have him not going in round one at all. (Maybe Lynch wasn't able to whip up a sufficiently impressive soufflé.
Biggs: For Bears top pick in NFL draft, all signs point to defense - Chicago Tribune - No matter if the Bears trade up or down, or stay at No. 11, their greatest need with the best supply is in the defensive front seven.
NFL draft 2016: cheat sheet, analysis, reaction - ESPN - Need a last-minute crash course on the 2016 draft now that it's finally here? Don't worry; Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay, Louis Riddick and the rest of our draft experts have you covered.
Cox (audio): Cornerback prospects who best fit the Bears defense - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears are expected to take a cornerback in the 2016 NFL draft. Bears Wire discusses the prospects who fit their defense best.
Perez: Bears, Cowboys worked out the most QB prospects - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears trailed only the Dallas Cowboys for the most QB prospects worked out by one team before the 2016 NFL Draft.
Ottochain (audio): Previewing the first round of the 2016 NFL draft for the Bears - Bears Wire - The Bears Wire staff offers their predictions for the pick and more. Join in the conversation and vote on who you think Ryan Pace will take.
Sharp: Where are franchise quarterbacks found in the draft? - FOX Sports - Where are franchise quarterbacks found? If a NFL team thinks they have the answer, they're wrong. That's a question that the entire NFL can't answer, because no team knows. If you want to know what is a "franchise" quarterback, that's an easier question. If you're the Chicago Bears, apparently it's Jay Cutler and his seven-year, $126M contract. If you're the Falcons, It's Matt Ryan and his $23.75M cap hit the next several seasons.
Top 12 NFL Draft prospects according to a 12-year-old - CSN Chicago - Twelve-year-old Camden Robbins provided CSN with his Top 12 NFL Draft prospects leading up to Thursday's first round.
NFL Draft is here, time to over-think and re-guess Bears' plans at No. 11 - CSN Chicago - With the NFL Draft upon us, it's now time to over-think and re-guess the Bears' plans at No. 11.
Bahr: Will the Browns trade down again as Ezekiel Elliott's draft stock surges? - FOX Sports - The Cleveland Browns traded the No. 2 overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles last week, and they might not be done dealing. Included in the package of picks the Browns received from the Eagles is the eighth pick in the first round. But Cleveland reportedly is dangling that pick.
Is Mississippi State DL Chris Jones on Bears' radar? - Chicago Sun-Times - Chris Jones was flying to Chicago when the Bears called. They wanted to make sure they had the right number for the Mississippi State defensive lineman, presumably, in case they draft him.
Campbell: How a GM like Ryan Pace manages different opinions on a draft prospect - Chicago Tribune - If you wonder why some NFL teams are more successful in the draft than others, consider how differently two ESPN analysts recently evaluated Clemson edge rusher...
BEARRRSSSS
"With the 11th overall selection...", a retrospective: ChicagoBears.com - With the Bears holding the No. 11 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, we take a look at the last 35 players to be selected in that spot.
BEARRRSSSS FOR LIFE
Dickerson: Walter Payton is best draft pick in Chicago Bears' history - ESPN - Running back Walter Payton, the No. 4 overall pick in 1975, played 13 seasons in Chicago, retired with 16,726 rushing yards and 125 total TDs.
POLISH SAUSAGE
Katz: Ranking the best and worst drafting teams in Round 1 - Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans top the list - ESPN - Which teams have cashed in the most with their first-round picks over the past 10 years? Sharon Katz ranks them from 1-32, as Round 1 of the 2016 NFL draft approaches Thursday night.
Tores: Ranking the 10 best NFL Draft classes ever from one school - FOX Sports - Ohio State could set draft records this weekend. Here are the best draft classes, from one school, ever.
Atkins & Arther Arkush: What would be the dream first round for each team? - Pro Football Weekly - One of the driving forces behind the mock draft craze is a fan's desire to dream about that perfect player slipping. They look to mocks to tell them how it could feasibly happen. They get angry when it isn't as feasible as they'd like.
KNOW THY ENEMY
Gates: Your Final 2016 Daily Norseman Big Board - Daily Norseman - All 100 spots on our board have been filled, ladies and gentlemen. Here is the final list.
Western: Packers Draft Needs 2016, DL edges out ILB in APC community vote - Acme Packing Company - The top two needs for Green Bay's roster in our survey are no surprise, but it was impressive to see just how close the community sees those positions.
Reisman: Mallory's full seven-round mock draft for the Lions - Pride Of Detroit - Jerry Mallory gives his final seven-round mock draft.
LATEST MOCKS
Wiltfong: Kiper and McShay both have the Chicago Bears drafting Clemson's Shaq Lawson at 11 - Windy City Gridiron - Mock Draft season is nearly over as the real deal kicks off in just a few hours. We've been all over numerous mock drafts these last few months at Windy City Gridiron and here are the final two we'll ask you to mock.
Ottochain (video): Final Bears Wire 7-round mock draft - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears currently have nine picks in the 2016 NFL draft with extra fourth and sixth rounders. They’re a team that is preparing to win now, and it’s unlikely that all nine picks are going to be able to contribute in the immediate future.
Cox: Bears add pass rusher in Dan Pompei’s mock draft - Bears Wire - The former Chicago Tribune reporter has the Bears taking Clemson edge rusher Shaq Lawson with the 11th overall pick.
2016 NFL Mock Draft 7.0: Bears "choose" OLB - NFL.com - Goff & Wentz are unsurprisingly the first two off the board, but in what order? There's a surprise pick in the top 5. The Bears go with D at 11.
2016 NFL Mock Draft v2.0 - ProFootballRumors.com - Pro Football Rumors' second 2016 NFL mock draft.
Brad Biggs' NFL mock draft, version 3.0 - Chicago Tribune - As the NFL draft's first round unfolds Thursday, how many up and down moves will alter the landscape?
Hub Arkush NFL Mock Draft - Pro Football Weekly - Updated NFL Mock Drafts from the staff of ProFootballWeekly.com.
NEW CONTENT ADDED LATER IN THE DAY
Goodbread: Ex-Alabama LB Reggie Ragland flagged with enlarged aorta - NFL.com - Alabama LB Reggie Ragland has an enlarged aorta, according to NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport. Will the condition affect where he goes in the draft?
Perez: 5 questions facing the Bears in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft - Bears Wire - Congratulations. You've made it. After all the mock drafts, scouting reports, big boards, twitter fights and Gruden-isms, the reward of draft night is finally here. The Chicago Bears 2016 NFL Draft will officially get underway at the No.