The Bear’s Den: July 13, 2017

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

BEARRRSSSS

Thompson: Bears' Charles Leno doesn't put much stock in preseason grades - Chicago Tribune - Bears left tackle Charles Leno Jr. talked to Inc. about recent critiques of his and his teammates' play and other subjects while participating in a kids camp at Halas Hall.

Zeglinski: QB battle will define 2017 Bears - The Rock River Times - We’re just about two weeks away from the sweltering heat of Bourbonnais as the Chicago Bears will begin training camp to get prepared for the 2017 season.

Sankevitz Bears training camp preview: 3 burning questions for the cornerbacks - CSN Chicago - Was turning over the cornerback unit with veterans the right call, or should the Bears have addressed that need through a deep draft?

Talander: After Cubs’ success, Bears, Sox, Bulls are following tanking blueprint - Chicago Sun-Times - That wondrous Cubs ‘‘plan’’ presented a blueprint for building a pro sports team from ashes to the highest level.

Dallas Cowboys named most valuable franchise; Bears top local at 16th - Chicago Sun-Times - The Dallas Cowboys are worth $4.2 billion, making them the most valuable sports franchise for the second straight year, according to Forbes. That wondrous Cubs ‘‘plan’’ presented a blueprint for building a pro sports team from ashes to the highest level.

Mayer: Howard leads deep group of running backs - ChicagoBears.com - Running back Jordan Howard will head to training camp in Bourbonnais in two weeks looking to build on one of the best rookie seasons in Bears history.

2017 Chicago Bears training camp preview: Wide Receivers - Pro Football Weekly - Newcomers Wheaton, Wright, Cruz join White, Meredith in Bears receiving corps

Benjamin: PFF ranks Bears as fifth worst defensive front 7 - Pro Football Focus - PFF's Louie Benjamin and Cam Mellor examine PFF's front seven rankings for every NFL team, heading into the 2017 season. He doesn't think much of Chicago, though.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Hanzus: Takeaways from J.J. Watt's new menswear collection - NFL.com - J.J. Watt has debuted a new clothing line. Want to know what to expect from the Houston Texans' star defensive end when it comes to the clothing aisle? Dan Hanzus takes a look.

Reno: 2017 NFL Supplemental Mock Draft - Pride Of Detroit
It’s that time. The Supplemental NFL Draft is here. Don’t go burning any couches.

Goodbread: No players selected in 2017 NFL Supplemental Draft - NFL.com - As expected, no players were selected in the 2017 NFL Supplemental Draft on Wednesday. The two eligible players are now free to sign with any team.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Silver: Clay Matthews will miss Jay Cutler as Bears QB - Chicago Sun-Times - Clay Matthews won’t have Jay Cutler to knock around anymore.

Eisen: Clay Matthews says QBs getting so much protection should be changed - NFL Videos - Packers linebacker Clay Matthews calls into the "Rich Eisen Show" and talks about which NFL rule he would like to see change and the change to the touchdown celebration rule. Matthews also mouths off about Jay Cutler.

Smith: Ex-Lion Dan Orlovsky sides with Megatron in latest dust-up - ProFootballTalk - A year and a half after Calvin Johnson decided to retire from the Lions, the team's relationship with its all-time greatest receiver seems to be growing more strained. And one former teammate is siding with Megatron.

Meyer: Aaron Rodgers says 'I'm starting back nine of my career' - NFL.com - It's hard to believe that Aaron Rodgers is entering his 13th NFL season. The Green Bay Packers quarterback, who turns 34 in December, knows he's far removed from being a spring chicken.

Barnett's Packers Training Camp Preview: Wide Receivers Return In Strength - Acme Packing Company - With seven returning wide receivers on this team, there is not a lot of room for new faces. Still, a few rookies look to make some noise.

Gates: Vikings Given Middling Outlook In ESPN Future Power Rankings - Daily Norseman - Really not sure why, to be honest

Reisman: PFF’s ridiculous ‘foundation draft’ picks Patrick Mahomes II over Matthew Stafford - Pride Of Detroit - According to PFF analysts, Matthew Stafford isn’t a top 10 player to build a team around.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Silverstein: Jason McKie - Team Player - Windy City Gridiron - Jason McKie talks about locker room games, playcalling in Super Bowl XLI, and how the team’s dynamics shifted upon Jay Cutler’s arrival.

Wiltfong: Who would the Chicago Bears pick if every QB was available in a draft? - Windy City Gridiron - SB Nation recently went through a quarterback only mock draft and the Chicago Bears picked a Detroit Lion.

Wiltfong: WCG Radio, Episode 6 - Previewing the Lions - Windy City Gridiron - Pride of Detroit senior editor Ryan Mathews joins the show to discuss Matthew Stafford's contract and drama with Calvin Johnson, as we dive deep into the rival Lions.

Sunderbruch: NFC North Roster Comparisons - Cornerback - Windy City Gridiron - With offenses taken care of, it’s time to look at the defensive side of the ball. The Bears used to be really good at this.

Zeglinski: Picking a Bears 'NFL Street' team - Windy City Gridiron - What if, all of a sudden, the Bears were forced to play seven-on-seven street football? It's time to select their roster.

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's a chance it will be linked right here in the Den.

THE RULES

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