The Bear's Den: June 20, 2016

BEAR DOWN!!!!

BEARRRSSSS

Jahns: Much expected from Ryan Pace's first draft class - Chicago Sun-Times - Expectations are sky-high for Pace’s first draft class in Year 2, sophomore slumps be damned.

SportsTalk Live: Idonije talks Bears offseason moves - CSN Chicago - Former Bear Israel Idonije talks about the team's offseason moves and how he thinks the Bears will fare in 2016.

Perez: Kyle Long says his father has been the ‘most influential person’ in his life - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears' starting right guard Kyle Long said his father, Howie Long, is the most influential person in his life

Cox: Kevin White draws on family for strength, motivation - Bears Wire - Chicago Bears wide receiver Kevin White is very close with his family that he communicates with daily to stay connected.

Easterling: 2017 draft prospects with NFL dads - The Draft Wire - These five talented prospects have impressive NFL bloodlines

Perez: Highlights from Chicago Bears minicamp - Bears Wire - See players like Alshon Jeffery, Kevin White and more going through reps at the Chicago Bears' 2016 minicamp.

Wiederer: Bears offense still a work in progress as training camp approaches - Chicago Tribune - Maybe a Bears offense that ranked 21st last season in yards per game and yards per play will experience a major breakthrough in 2016. Then again, maybe it won't.

Gerardi: Jeremy Langford set to lead Chicago Bears rushing attack - isportsweb - Jeremy Langford and Jordan Howard will be the new leaders for the Chicago Bears backfield.

Jahns: Standouts at Bears OTAs - CSN Chicago - Sun-Times beat writer Adam Jahns talks about who stood out the most at Bears OTAs.

Silva: Bears fantasy preview & offseason low down - Rotoworld.com - With their playmakers back healthy, might the Bears open up the offense? Evan Silva explores in his latest team Fantasy Preview.

Jones-Quartey, Amos and Bush discuss Bears safety depth - CSN Chicago - Harold Jones-Quartey, Adrian Amos, and Deon Bush talk about the Bears' depth at satefy heading into the 2016 season.

Infante: Five early Bears 2017 NFL Draft targets - Cover32 - We're a little over a month away from 2016 training camp, and the Chicago Bears will be entering Bourbonnais with a new look.

Mayer: Bears share stories about their dads - ChicagoBears.com - With Father's Day on Sunday, we asked Bears guard Kyle Long and some of his teammates to describe how instrumental their dads have been in their lives.

Cox: Bears players are excited about improving defense - Bears Wire - Every Chicago Bears player that has been asked about the new defense has gushed about the improvement they are seeing on the field.

Perez: Kyle Long says his father has been the ‘most influential person’ in his life - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears' starting right guard Kyle Long said his father, Howie Long, is the most influential person in his life

POLISH SAUSAGE

Alper: Charles Tillman says Panthers only team he really wants to play for - ProFootballTalk - Cornerback Charles Tillman joined the Panthers last April as a free agent, marking the first time that he was part of a team other than the Bears since entering the NFL in 2003. Tillman wasn't able to make it all the way to the Super Bowl with Carolina, however.

Florio: Miller, Wilkerson the only two non-busts from 2011 to not get paid - ProFootballTalk - The 2011 first-round draft class became the first that was subject to the rules of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, creating an intriguing case study.

Smith: Jim McMahon thinks marijuana can help retired players - ProFootballTalk - Jim McMahon, the quarterback of the Super Bowl XX-winning Chicago Bears, had an injury-plagued career and has suffered with a host of injuries in retirement. But he says he has found something that really helps: marijuana.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Vrentas: The Lasting Legacy of Lombardi - The MMQB - Every year NFL fans flock to the grave of Green Bay Packers' legendary coach Vince Lombardi

Oberle: Patterson is Looking Better, Hype or Hope? - Vikings Journal - Driving to Vikings mini-camp Day 2 on Wednesday morning, I heard general manager Rick Spielman on KFAN radio sing the praises of Patterson as one of the players who has stuck out at camp.

Lions' Caldwell expects bounce-back season from Ngata - theScore.com - Haloti Ngata's first year in Detroit didn't exactly go as planned. The veteran defensive tackle, acquired in a trade from the Baltimore Ravens last March, struggled with injuries throughout a season in which the Lions' defense fell from second to 18th in average yards allowed.

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