The Bear’s Den, February 28, 2018

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

BEARRRSSSS / DRAFT / FREE AGENCY

Finley: What to watch for when Bears GM Ryan Pace, coach Matt Nagy hold court at combine - Chicago Sun-Times - Lying season is upon us, but Bears GM Ryan Pace and new head coach Matt Nagy should still offer some insight into their roster Wednesday.

Kane: Two boosts for Notre Dame OL Mike McGlinchey’s draft stock? Work ethic and Harry Hiestand - Chicago Tribune - A major contributing factor to NFL analyst Mike Mayock’s evaluations of the Notre Dame linemen is their tutelage under new Bears offensive line coach Harry Hiestand.

Kane: Bears finalize Matt Nagy's coaching staff, retain defensive assistants - Chicago Tribune - The Bears finalized new head coach Matt Nagy’s coaching staff Tuesday as the group headed to Indianapolis for the NFL combine.

Biggs' Bears Q&A: Why move on from Josh Sitton? What's the future for Kyle Fuller? - Chicago Tribune - Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly. Plenty of questions about the decision to part ways with veteran left guard and the future of Kyle Fuller. What will the Bears do for a backup quarterback? Are more cuts lurking?

Maske: NFL considers a change to the catch rule, and a 15-yard limit for pass interference - Chicago Tribune - The NFL's competition committee is considering scrapping the going-to-the-ground portion of the catch rule that led to controversial non-catches over the years.

Childress joins Chicago Bears to complete Nagy's staff - Daily Herald - The Chicago Bears have officially announced Matt Nagy's complete coaching staff for the 2018 season, including all of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's assistants, plus adding Brad Childress as a senior offensive consultant.

Talrico: Analysis - Tremaine Edmunds vs. Roquan Smith - Da Bears Brothers - If the Chicago Bears decide to draft a linebacker in the first round, Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds are two potential targets, but who is the best fit?

Pre-Combine mock draft: Offensive line or defense for Bears at No. 8? - NBC Sports Chicago - Before the NFL Draft Combine begins our Bears writers are taking one more stab at a mock draft. Where are the Bears looking?

Stankevitz: Five questions the Bears will begin to answer this week at the NFL Combine - NBC Sports Chicago - Ryan Pace, Matt Nagy & Co. will head to Indianapolis this week with five key questions to answer at the NFL Combine.

LeGere: Chicago Bears announce Matt Nagy's complete coaching staff-| Pro Football Weekly - Bears confirm former head coach Brad Childress is joining Nagy as a consultant

LeGere: Pace's Chicago Bears arrive at combine with eye on surrounding young franchise QB - Pro Football Weekly - With Trubisky locked in, Bears in great position to draft best non-quarterback available

Perez: Here’s what Mike Mayock said about possible Bears NFL Draft targets - Bears Wire - A look at what Mike Mayock said about possible Chicago Bears NFL Draft targets in his NFL draft conference call

Perez: With Ziggy Ansah franchised, Bears must look elsewhere for pass rush - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears won't get a shot at Lions DE Ziggy Ansah, who was given the franchise player tag Tuesday

Perez: Bears should take long look at Colts WR Donte Moncrief in free agency - Bears Wire - The Chicago Bears should take a long, hard look at Indianapolis Colts free agent WR Donte Moncrief in this year's free agency period

Bears opening new downtown office space - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears announced partnerships with J.C. Anderson, Inc. and Jones Lang LaSalle for their new downtown office space, which will relocate staff members based to 123 N. Wacker Dr.

Mayer: Bears head en masse to Indy for Combine - ChicagoBears.com
- General manager Ryan Pace and new head coach Matt Nagy will lead a contingent of more than 60 Bears staffers down Interstate 65 to Indianapolis this week for the NFL Scouting Combine.

Mayer: Nagy finalizes Bears coaching staff - ChicagoBears.com - With the NFL Scouting Combine kicking off in Indianapolis, the Bears on Tuesday announced that new head coach Matt Nagy has finalized his staff.

Mayer: Howard, Cohen put Bears in 'ideal spot' - ChicagoBears.com - In an article assessing every NFL team’s running back situation, NFL.com’s Matt Harmon praises the Bears and their talented tandem of Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen.

Wood: Projecting Contracts For Possible Receiver Targets - Da Bears Blog - In the last two weeks, I’ve outlined both what the Bears need to add at WR this off-season and what players in free agency should fit that profile/the new offense. At the end of that work, I came up with the following two lists, suggesting that the Bears work to sign one player from each group.

Dickerson: New Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy finalizes staff - Chicago Bears- ESPN - Matt Nagy finalized his coaching staff Tuesday ahead of the scouting combine.

POLISH SAUSAGE

2018 NFL offseason - Quarterback Confidence Index rating for all 32 teams depth chart before free agency, draft, trades - Carson Wentz and Aaron Rodgers ended the 2017 season on IR, but the Eagles and Packers still love their 2018 QB depth charts. Other teams don't feel the same. Let's go 1-32 headed into the offseason.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Bukowski: The Packers should at least make a call about Steelers WR Martavis Bryant - Acme Packing Company - Brian Gutekunst could make a splash in his first move as GM before free agency even beings by trading for the disgruntled Steelers receiver.

Hirchhorn: Packers lose grievance to recover Martellus Bennett’s signing bonus - Acme Packing Company - The Packers will not recover any of the signing bonus they gave to Martellus Bennett, who the team released less after less than one year for failure to disclose an injury

Behind the Scenes: Tampering at the NFL Combine - Daily Norseman - Vikings team officials descend on Indianapolis and so do the player agents to watch prospects and gauge markets

Gates: Ask not for whom the contract tolls - Daily Norseman - For it tolls not for Teddy Bridgewater

Thompson: The Vikings Quarterback Conundrum - It’s OK To Be Unsure (For Now) - Daily Norseman - Taking a look at the pros and cons of all the major players in the Great Vikings Quarterback Debate of 2018.

Kato: Lions led the NFL in cash spending in 2017—Here’s what that means - Pride Of Detroit - Does it mean anything?

Reisman: The NFL ‘going to the ground’ rule may finally be on its way out - Pride Of Detroit - Calvin Johnson, you can come back now.

Reisman: Detroit Lions place franchise tag on Ezekiel Ansah - Pride Of Detroit - The Lions have made keeping Ansah a priority in 2018.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Wiltfong: Mike Mayock talks NFL Draft, the combine, and the Chicago Bears - Windy City Gridiron - The NFL Network's Mike Mayock talks NFL Draft, the combine and the Chicago Bears in his annual pre-combine press conference.

Wiltfong: The Chicago Bears have finalized their coaching staff - Windy City Gridiron - Here is the 2018 coaching staff of the Chicago Bears.

EricSoderholm'sBat: Young, Massie, Cooper, Wheaton & Sims - Windy City Gridiron - As it stands right now, assuming Pace re-signs all 4 of our restricted free agents (Bellamy/Callahan/Timu/Meredith) and both of our exclusive rights free agents (Scales/Brown), as I think would be...

IOftenPanic's 2018 NFL Draft: Big Board - Windy City Gridiron - Below is my updated NFL Draft Board for all prospects that I have ranked with a 4th round grade or better. As a reminder my grades are "draft neutral" so these prospects are scored in...

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