The Bear’s Den: April 25, 2017

IN MEMORIUM

Finley: Eddie Macon, Bears' first African-American player, dies at 90 - Chicago Sun-Times - Eddie Macon, the Bears’ first African-American player, died Wednesday at 90 after a short illness.

BEARRRSSSS DRAFT

Biggs: 13 reasons the Bears should draft a quarterback at No. 3 - Chicago Tribune - For Bears, North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky, Clemson's Deshaun Watson, Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes and Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer all offer upside.

Mullin's Bears NFL Draft Preview: Franchise-QB search expected to continue sooner rather than later - CSN Chicago - The Bears have done extensive research on quarterbacks, and few envision a scenario where they don't strike for one in the first few rounds.

Mullin's Bears NFL Draft Preview: Creating WR depth while waiting for Kevin White's emergence - CSN Chicago - The Bears are still waiting for Kevin White to truly emerge, but in the meantime, they've added some talent to the receiver pool ahead of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Finley's Podcast: Should the Bears take a QB in the first round? - Chicago Sun-Times - In the latest episode of Halas Intrigue, the Chicago Sun-Times' Patrick Finley and CBS Sports' Rob Rang debate whether the Bears should draft a QB

Mayer: Ranking the top drafts in Bears history - ChicagoBears.com - With the NFL Draft just a few days away, senior writer Larry Mayer ranks the top draft classes in Bears history.

GENERAL DRAFT

Da Bears Brothers Entire Staff Mock Draft 4.0 - Da Bears Brothers (Da Bears Brothers) - With less than a handful of days before the 2017 NFL Draft, Da Bears Brothers all take their final stab at predicting each of the Bears' picks.

Shuck: The Origin of the NFL Draft - Dawgs By Nature - When the four teams for the 2015 college football playoff were announced, every sports writer and blog site had their opinion on the matchups. With the Clemson Tigers – Oklahoma Sooners game, print...

Campbell: Corey Davis drives himself from Wheaton to first-round draft prospect - Chicago Tribune - The fact that Corey Davis is nearing the NFL in any capacity, to say nothing of being a first-round pick, is reason enough not to doubt the wide receiver.

Finley: From Chicago-area high schoolers to likely NFL picks: A list - Chicago Sun-Times - A look the Chicago-area high school players most likely to be drafted next week:

Jahns: Family business - Lemont's Ethan Pocic is best center in NFL draft - Chicago Sun-Times - Pocic was a highly recruited player in high school with offers from all powerhouses.

Jahns: Nigeria to Northwestern to the NFL: the Ifeadi Odenigbo story - Chicago Sun-Times - Odenigbo was a star recruit for Northwestern, choosing the Wildcats over national powers.

Kevin Fishbain's NFL Mock Draft 2.0 - Pro Football Weekly - Five quarterbacks in the first and a corner to the Bears at No. 3

Kadar: 2017 NFL mock draft: We still don’t know where the quarterbacks will go - SBNation.com- The long wait for the draft is finally almost over.

Schefter: Warren Sapp doesn't think Myles Garrett should be No. 1 pick - ESPN - Hall of Fame lineman Warren Sapp doesn't think Myles Garrett is deserving of going No. 1 in the draft.

Gantt: Plenty of teams looking to trade down this week - ProFootballTalk - The draft boards are set, the visits are all completed. This is the week for making phone calls, and it appears many teams are willing to make a deal. According to Peter King of TheMMQB.com, each of the non-Cleveland teams picking in the top seven of this year’s draft are “interested” in trading down. If…

BEARSSSSS

Ranking the 2017 Chicago Bears schedule, Games 1 through 16 - Pro Football Weekly - Going best to worst in our 'watchability' rankings of this year's Bears games

POLISH SAUSAGE

Ravens TE Konrad Reuland donates heart to Hall of Famer Rod Carew after Reuland died of a brain aneurysm - The Comeback - When Konrad Reuland died of a brain aneurysm, he donated his organs. It was discovered that Reuland's heart and kidney went to Hall of Famer Rod Carew.

Florio: Time of testing a factor in assessing credibility of diluted sample excuse - ProFootballTalk - Every player who attends the Scouting Combine must submit to drug testing. With two of the players who were tested at the Scouting Combine in 2017 generating positive tests via diluted samples, there’s an important point to keep in mind when deciding whether the explanation for the failed drug test passes the smell test. The…

Goodbread: Father of draft prospect Rudolph killed in accidental shooting - NFL.com - The father of Florida State WR Travis Rudolph was killed Friday morning in an accidental shooting, according to police.

Rapoport: Nerve in Jaylon Smith's knee regenerating; LB can lift his toes - NFL.com - The nerve in Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith's knee has started regenerating again, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports. There is still a long way to go, but he's slowly regaining muscle control.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Burke: Will the Packers rue letting T.J. Lang walk? - Acme Packing Company - Also: will the Packers draft a quarterback?

Gates: Report: Adrian Peterson Nearing Deal With Saints - Daily Norseman - In a move that just about anyone should have been able to see coming. Stevie Wonder probably could have seen this coming.

Reisman: Matt Millen didn’t want to draft Joey Harrington - Pride Of Detroit - The former Lions GM tried—and failed—to move out of the third overall pick in 2002.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Snyder's Chicago Bears Draftwatch: 2016 Draft Predictions Report Card - Windy City Gridiron - What did last year’s draft teach us that we can use this year?

Zeglinski: Windy City Gridiron draft roundtable - The player the Bears will actually take at No. 3 overall - Windy City Gridiron - No more speculation needed. Who will be the guy the Bears invest the franchise in with their first-round pick?

Wiltfong: Chicago Bears 7 Round Mock Draft - Windy City Gridiron (Windy City Gridiron) - In Lester’s latest T Formation Conversation Podcast, he’s joined by WCGs lead draft analyst, EJ Snyder, to discuss the NFL Draft. They run through all 7 rounds of a Chicago Bears’ Mock Draft.

Wiltfong: What is your Chicago Bears’ dream draft scenario? - Windy City Gridiron - The NFL Draft is always unpredictable, so what would be your dream Chicago Bears’ scenario?

Sunderbruch: Is Deshaun Watson going to beat projections? - Windy City Gridiron - The crew at Football Outsiders is not impressed by Deshaun Watson, the man many think will be taken by the Bears at #3.

Wiltfong: The odds say no quarterbacks will be picked in the top 10 of the 2017 NFL Draft - Windy City Gridiron - The oddsmakers are predicting that no quarterbacks will be drafted in the top 10 of the 2017 NFL Draft.

FANPOSTS

Mr_IrreleVince: This year's Bears schedule versus last - Windy City Gridiron - The schedule is out. Let's do a quick comparison of the 2017 schedule with the 2016 schedule, looking only at each opponent's final weighted DVOA from the previous season. In other words, let's...

BearBlitz: Mock Draft 3.0 - Windy City Gridiron - With the NFL draft only a week away, these are my opinions on who I think the Bears should draft based on the film I have seen. Round 1: Malik Hooker (Safety, Ohio State) Even though many...

With the NFL draft only a week away, these are my opinions on who I think the Bears should draft based on the film I have seen.

EricSoderholm'sBat: My final 2017 mock draft + 53-man roster projection - Windy City Gridiron- Draft: Alabama TE O.J. Howard @ #12, after trading #3 to the Browns for #12 + the Browns first-rounder in 2018.

Han Alister: My last mock of the offseason!! - Windy City Gridiron - Ok so i figured i would post at least 1 mock before the draft and i liked how this one turned out so why not!! First off i traded out of number 3 with the panthers for 8,40 and 64 i know a few of...

TCampbell14Winona: 2017 NFL Mock Draft - Windy City Gridiron - 2017 NFL Mock Draft 1st Round, the time has come. The NFL Draft is this Thursday and new names will surface the NFL fanbases. #1 Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, TEXAS A&M DE. 1-15...

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.

THE RULES

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