The Bear's Den: May 11, 2016

BEAR DOWN!!!!

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Renner: PFF's best & worst 2016 draft picks for each NFL Team - Pro Football Focus - Renner spills the beans & gives PFF's take on the 2016 best & worst picks.

WGN Radio (audio): Performance coach Tommy Christian on prepping NFL draft prospects - WGN Radio - Adam Hoge, Mark Carman and Jarrett Payton talk with Tommy Christian, founder and director of training at TCBOOST. Christian talks about the TCBOOST philosophy and developing programs for every level of athlete and trainee, the problem of specialization among young athletes and the challenge of transitioning NFL draft prospects from ‘student’ to ‘professional’ programs.

Dullea: Chicago Bears praised for Jordan Howard pick - Cover32 - Did the Chicago Bears snag the biggest steal of the fifth round of this year's NFL Draft in Indiana running back Jordan Howard?

Dickerson: No love for the Bears in ESPN's post-draft NFL Power Rankings - ESPN - In ranking the Chicago Bears 25th in the latest power rankings, ESPN's table of experts are skeptical about how much the team has actually improved.

BEARRRSSSS

Holmes: Backup QBs Still Crucial In NFL, Which Bears Know - CBS Chicago - Chicago's recent signing of backup quarterback Brian Hoyer was smart.

Emma: Competition Will Be Steady In Bears’ Backfield - CBS Chicago - Jordan Howard proved to be the final piece to the Bears' backfield puzzle.

ITB (video): Leno on backup to starter - ChicagoBears.com - Bears offensive lineman Charles Leno Jr. talks to Lauren Screeden about going from backup to starter.

Ottochain: Jordan Howard brings power, balance to Bears backfield - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears' fifth-round pick adds an element of power that was missing from the team's backfield, but he'll have to earn every carry.

Perez: ESPN’s NFL Power Ranking has Bears as one of league’s worst - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears continue to be ranked as one of the NFL's worst teams.

Jahns Twitter Q&A: Could rookie Jordan Howard be Bears' starting RB? - Chicago Sun-Times - Bears writer Adam L. Jahns answers questions from readers, plus a question on Young & Houston and more.

Campbell: Bears Q&A, Jordan Howard's position coach at Indiana - Chicago Tribune - The running back showed the traits — power, intelligence, production — that enticed the Chicago Bears to select him in the fifth round of last month's NFL draft.

Sunderbrunch: Will Jeremy Langford step up? - Windy City Gridiron - Can Langford carry (and catch) the load next season?

BEARRRSSSS FOR LIFE

Wittenmyer: Pa. natives Ditka, Maddon claim common ground - Chicago Sun-Times - Dinner conversation between the legendary Bears coach and popular Cubs manager range from 46 defenses, 162-game vision quests and fine wines.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Patra: Brandon Browner to play hybrid safety for Seahawks - NFL.com - Brandon Browner will get a chance to find his niche again in Seattle. Instead of playing cornerback, the veteran defensive back will play a hybrid safety role in 2016, Pete Carroll said.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Rodgers: How LB Jon Bostic fits with Detroit Lions- MLive.com - For the second time in as many years, Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn targeted linebacker Jon Bostic in a trade. The first came last September, three games into the regular season, when Quinn was serving as the pro scouting director in New England . At that time, Quinn was only offering roster recommendations, but they were heeded as the Patriots paid pennies on the dollar for the former second-round pick who no longer fit in Chicago with the Bears flipping defensive schemes was just not a very good linebacker.

Graf: The Vikings are putting down turf at their new Chicago Ave. stadium - FOX Sports - After two years of construction, the team's new home is almost ready for its August debut.

Wilde: For Packers' Kyler Fackrell, faith-family-football is perfect fit - ESPN - Green Bay Packers linebacker Kyler Fackrell enters the NFL with a young family, a strong work ethic and a rare level of maturity for a rookie.

BEARS BY THE NUMBER

In 2011, WCG's Sam Householder did an outstanding "Bears By The Number" series that a lot of folks with us today haven't read. With Sam's permission, I am sharing some of the info with you folks over the couple of weeks as it appeared in 2011, plus the link to the original post that contains more information.

For the most part, little has changed, but there are some numbers that may well be transforming from one "greatest Bear" to a new one. The last 5 years definitely raises the debate on Numbers 6 and 9, as Jay Cutler has reset just about every Bears passing record while Robbie Gould has surpassed Kevin Butler's all-time points record.

Here's Sam:

Let's continue our look at the greatest Chicago Bears of all-time by jersey number. This one might cause some controversy because some numbers, while having lots of options, have had many lackluster players donning that jersey. Make the jump and see who lands where...

Number 8 proved to be a real tough choice. With the likes of Vince Evans, Cade McNown and Rex Grossman wearing it, it was really a 'who is less worse' contest. Then there was Maury Buford, who had a short stint with the Bears but isn't entirely forgettable. However, I was able to dig up a Pro-Bowler who donned number 8 to fill the slot! Number 9, on the other hand, has been good to us, giving us two championship QBs and one great kicker. My pick for 6 is likely to cause a bit of controversy but I think I used sound reasoning. After passing over two good kickers in my first post (at numbers 1 and 2) it was time to give a kicker some love.

5 - George McAfee, HB (1940-41, '45-50) - It's retired for him for a reason. He's on the 1940's All-Decade Team. He was Devin Hester before Devin Hester and Gale Sayers before Gale Sayers.

6 - Kevin Butler, K (1985-1995) Honorable Mention - Jay Cutler, QB (2009-present) - Sorry I'm going with the all-time leading scorer over Cutler. I love Cutler and when he wins a Super Bowl, he'll be the best no. 6 of all time.

7 - George Halas, E (1920-1927) Honorable mention - Ed Sprinkle, E (1944-1955) - Actually this is tougher than it looks. Well, no, actually. Halas founded the team and was instrumental in starting the NFL. But Ed Sprinkle was a guy Halas called "The greatest pass rusher I ever saw." He was also known as the meanest man in pro football and played guard, tight end, defensive end and linebacker during his career. Had sacks been a stat I imagine he'd be in the HOF  but as it is, he was on the 1940s All-Decade Team.

8 - Hugh Gallaneau, HB (1941-42, '45-47) - Who? Yup, a one-time Pro-Bowl selection in 1941, this guy rushed for 1,421 career yards and 26 TDs, while adding another 794 yards and 7 TDs receiving for his career. In his Pro-Bowl season of 1941 he had 8 rushing TDs for the World Champion Bears. Honorable Mention - Rex Grossman (Career record: 19-12 and a Super Bowl appearance)

9 - Jim McMahon, QB (1982-1987) Had to be the Punky QB. He'll forever live in the hearts of Bear fans, as well as anyone who admires his "It's my way" mentality. Honorable Mentions - Robbie Gould, K (2005-present), Bill Wade, QB (1961-66)

Householder (2011 original story): The Greatest Bears by Number (5-9) - Windy City Gridiron - The second installment of our series looking at the best Bears players by jersey number.

Ken's 2016 question: Have Cutler (6) and Gould (9) surpassed Butler (6) and McMahon (9)? Discuss.

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