The Bear's Den: August 29, 2016

Ken's Note: You guys know me, you know that I am a fan first when it comes to the Chicago Bears. I was an active member of this site for nearly 7 years before I became a contributor. I'm also a journalist. I have worked in the newspaper and television industry on the local level off-and-on for over 30 years.

In preparing today's Den, I have become exceedingly frustrated by the lack of understanding of one overwhelming basic fact by much if not most of our local newspaper, television and radio "traditional" sports media about this year's Chicago Bears football team.

That fact is this: The 2016 Chicago Bears will be one of the youngest teams in the league (if not the youngest), and it will certainly be the youngest team we have fielded in 20 or so years. They seem to know it on some level, but that knowledge stops somewhere between their memory and their keyboards.

To understand the 2016 Bears, you have to wrap your head around the fact that young players do not play like older players. Young players take time to learn things, and they improve as the season goes on... whereas a 6-8 year vet hits the ground running day 1 of camp.

What this means in terms of wins or losses, of the level of frustration we will feel, and of finding out if they are young GOOD players or young BAD players... we just will have to wait and see, and roll with it.

I don't know what the season will bring, but I do know that expecting performance out of a rookie or second year guy who's moving up the depth chart that you got out of 6-7 year veterans when the Bears were last a playoff team is just isn't going to happen. Some may be better, some will be worse. Some will be happy surprises, and many will not.

I am not making excuses or being a homer, I am simply stating a fact. We are very, very young and we are going to play like a team that is very, very young, warts and all. It is what it is. There are times it's not going to be pleasant to watch, just like the Cubs were recently. Is Pace the football equivalent of Theo Epstein? We don't know right now, and won't for a while.

My advice is to relax and keep in mind that the goal today is to be better than yesterday, to work hard and to keep trying to improve.

End of rant. Let me know in the comments if you agree or if you think I am wrong.

BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS, BEAR DOWN!!!!

CUTS TO 75 MAN ROSTER LIMIT

Stites: Tracking all the 2016 NFL roster cuts for the 75-man deadline - SBNation.com - NFL teams have until Aug. 30 to cut rosters down to 75 players. Former Bears on other teams cut so far include Major Wright at Tampa, Al Louis-Jean at Miami & TE Bear Pascoe at New England.

BEARRRSSSS

Hub Arkush: Ugly performance from Chicago Bears' offense in 'all-important' third preseason game - Pro Football Weekly - Bears better hope that preseason struggles won't carry on into Houston

Mayer: Meredith still ascending as receiver - ChicagoBears.com - Quarterback-turned-receiver Cameron Meredith continues to become more proficient at his new position—as evidenced by his impressive performance in Saturday’s preseason loss to the Chiefs.

Mayer: Bears pare roster to 80 with 10 cuts - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears on Sunday reduced their roster to 80 by cutting 10 players, including running back Senorise Perry.

CaliforniaBrownBear: Head, shoulders, knees and injury woes - Knee Injuries - Windy City Gridiron - In this installment I will be going over common knee injuries, treatments and recovery times. I am not a medical professional. Any estimates on my part regarding recovery time are purely...

Perez: What Connor Shaw’s injury means to the Chicago Bears’ quarterback situation - Bears Wire - Chicago Bears QB Connor Shaw sustained a serious leg injury against the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving the backup job to journeyman Brian Hoyer

Cox: Four players who stood out in the Bears’ preseason loss to the Chiefs - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears really struggled against the Kansas City Chiefs, but they still had a few players who stood out with big performances.

Cox: Grasu, Shaw likely headed to IR for first round of cuts - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears have to cut their 90-man roster to 75 by Tuesday afternoon, and they can start by shutting down their injured players.

Morrissey: Bad offensive performance, not Bears' record causing concern - Chicago Sun-Times - If you didn’t know any better, Saturday’s 23-7 loss to the Chiefs might lead you to believe that the receivers can’t receive and the quarterback can’t quarterback. And don’t even start with the offensive line.

Finley: Jay Cutler's preseason ends bleakly, but 'we still have time' - Chicago Sun-Times - After his offense spent Saturday afternoon taking two steps backward, one yard at time, Jay Cutler was asked why anyone should be upbeat

Potash: Tracy Porter injury could put young secondary on the spot - Chicago Sun-Times - With Kyle Fuller already out after arthroscopic knee surgery, the Bears would be virtually devoid of experienced NFL cornerbacks with Porter out.

Jahns: Bears side with caution, sit Leonard Floyd vs. the Chiefs - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears weren't going to risk their first-round pick.

Jahns: Kevin White hasn't produced in preseason, but what does it mean? - Chicago Sun-Times - Kevin White has only three catches for 12 yards in the preseason.

Potash: Until Bears stink it up for real, hold your fire - Chicago Sun-Times - You have to go all the way back to 2010 — the Barack Obama administration — to find a Bears team that looked like

Emma: Bears Leaving Real Reasons For Concern - CBS Chicago - The Bears lost 23-7 to the Chiefs and fell to 0-3 in the preseason. When a long game was done, the realities set in for the Bears. There’s work to be done.

Pompei: Observations From Bears-Chiefs - CBS Chicago - It’s difficult to comprehend that these Bears beat these Chiefs, 18-17, last October. The Chiefs appear to be better than the Bears on every level, as shown in Saturday’s convincing preseason win.

Mullen: Best thing about Bears’ preseason loss to Chiefs: 'It wasn’t all bad' - CSN Chicago - Despite coach John Fox believing it wasn't "all bad," the Bears offered little hope in their third preseason game, a 23-7 preseason loss to the Chiefs.

Mullen: For the Bears, defense can’t pick up all the pieces from broken offense - CSN Chicago - The Bears' lackluster offense on Saturday masked some of the issues Vic Fangio's defense also dealt with in their preseason loss to the Chiefs.

LeGere: Will Bears be ready for regular season? - Daily Herald - Based on their putrid offensive showing in Saturday's horror matinee at Soldier Field, the Bears are not ready for prime time or for the start of the regular season on Sept. 11.

Imrem: Bears sure do look like they're going to be awfully awful - Daily Herald - Chicago Bears will be awfully awful if Week 3 of preseason is any indication

Haugh: What a waste of a Saturday at Soldier Field watching Bears - Chicago Tribune - Ineptitude a good word to sum up the Bears' play on both sides of the ball in lopsided exhibition embarrassment against the Chiefs. Ken's Note: Perhaps Mr. Haugh should find another profession, one where he doesn't feel like his time at work is wasted by getting paid to watch a ball game. I support his decision to leave sports journalism if that's what he chooses.

Campbell: Bears defense remains optimistic as it shoulders offense's burden - Chicago Tribune - After Saturday's dismal offensive performance one thing seemed certain: the defense is going to have to carry the Bears until further notice.

Biggs: If Bears' play in practice games is any sign, look out when it's for real - Chicago Tribune - After lifeless 23-7 exhibition loss to Chiefs, there's reason to be concerned Bears are heading aimlessly down a path to nowhere.

Campbell: Bears cut 10 ahead of Tuesday's roster deadline - Chicago Tribune - The Chicago Bears began their first round of roster cuts Sunday morning ahead of Tuesday's 3 p.m. deadline limiting teams to 75 active players.

Kue: Bears kicker Robbie Gould working on 'finding that rhythm' - Chicago Tribune - Like pretty much everything else about the Bears’ effort against the Chiefs on Saturday, kicker Robbie Gould was ready to forget about his missed field goal

Biggs: 10 thoughts on the Bears' 23-7 exhibition loss to the Chiefs - Chicago Tribune - Ten thoughts after the Bears were defeated 23-7 by the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday at Soldier Field, dropping them to 0-3 in the preseason.

Campbell: Bears make too many mistakes in another ugly exhibition loss - Chicago Tribune - Rich Campbell's three-phase review shows that Jeremy Langford, Tracy Porter and John Timu were among the few bright spots for the Bears vs. the Chiefs

Schweickert: Bears Lose 23-7 as Cutler, Jeffery Struggle; Porter, Shaw Injured - Windy City Gridiron - Well... That happened. The Bears fell to 0-3 on the preseason as nothing clicked until the fourth quarter.

Noble: Connor Shaw injury update - Bears QB suffers nasty leg injury vs Chiefs - Windy City Gridiron - The Bears lost a key depth player Saturday, when QB Connor Shaw suffered a gruesome leg injury.

Noble: Jay Cutler on Kevin White route, after Bears loss to Chiefs: "It can't happen again" - Windy City Gridiron - Jay Cutler had some poignant feedback for Kevin White after the loss to the Chiefs.

Schweickert: Bears Vs. Chiefs Notes, Scribbles, and Things Jotted Down - Windy City Gridiron - The third preseason game didn't go quite as planned. We're going over our notes from yesterday afternoon's game.

Wiltfong: The Chicago Bears have started cutting players - Windy City Gridiron - With the first official cut down day coming up on Tuesday, with teams required to go from 90 to 75 players, the Chicago Bear have sliced 10 players just moments ago (when published)

FANPOSTS

FanPosts - Recent - Windy City Gridiron - Here's a link to our FanPost section, where YOU have the opportunity to contribute to Windy City Gridiron. Take a few minutes and write a post about what you are thinking about regarding the Chicago Bears, and there'a chance it will be linked right here in the Den.

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