The Bears Den, April 2, 2018

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

BEARRRSSSS / DRAFT / FREE AGENCY

Mullin: As NFL Draft approaches, Ryan Pace 'cloud' forms with Bears' options - NBC Sports Chicago - A cloud of sorts is forming over Ryan Pace and the Bears. So when they're presented with three different options picking at No. 8, which will they choose?

Stankevitz: If the Saints didn't draft Alvin Kamara, would they have drafted Tarik Cohen? - NBC Sports Chicago - Alvin Kamara was 2017's NFL offensive rookie of the year, but if the Saints didn't draft him, could Tarik Cohen have wound up playing in New Orleans?

Cox: Bears offered CB Malcolm Butler 3-year deal before he signed with Titans - Bears Wire - Former New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler revealed the Chicago Bears pursued him before he signed with the Tennessee Titans.

Mayer: Columnist sees Bears as NFL's Cinderella team - ChicagoBears.com - Impressed by first-year coach Matt Nagy and several key free agent additions, NFL.com columnist Adam Schein has tabbed the Bears as the NFL's version of a "Cinderella team."

NFL Draft 2018: What the NFL annual meeting taught us about the top 10 - SBNation.com - The Browns don’t appear interested in any position other than quarterback with the No. 1 pick.

Kisher: John Franklin III 40 time isn’t really the NFL Draft’s fastest ever - SBNation.com - It’s difficult to verify reported 40 times, and weather wasn’t great at FAU’s pro day.

Thorman: Andy Reid saw some of the Chiefs coaching changes coming including Nagy - Arrowhead Pride - Andy Reid has said that he was prepared to lose Matt Nagy to a head coaching job and he knew that was coming as early as last season. The Chiefs head coach has been around for a while so he has a...

POLISH SAUSAGE

Sessler: Oakland Raiders part ways with punter Marquette King - NFL.com - The Raiders released Marquette King on Friday. The dumping of King comes as a surprise. A second-team All-Pro in 2016, the punter has established himself as one of the NFL's young stars at his position.

Ryan Leaf: Top QB should pull an Eli Manning to avoid the Browns – ProFootballTalk - Ryan Leaf knows something about being a draft bust, and he thinks the key to avoid being a bust is to avoid going to the wrong place. And in Leaf's mind, that means avoiding Cleveland.

Report: Gronk is frustrated with Belichick, but likely to keep playing anyway – ProFootballTalk - Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski acknowledged after the Super Bowl that he needed some time to think about whether he wants to keep playing. It sounds like he does, but it's still not a sure thing.

Smith: Jon Gruden reportedly disliked Marquette King’s personality, not his punting – ProFootballTalk - The Raiders cut punter Marquette King last week, and that came as a surprise. King is a solid punter who had a career-best 42.7-yard net average last season, and he still had three years left on his contract. But new Raiders coach Jon Gruden apparently didn't like King.

KNOW THY ENEMY

2017 Detroit Lions roster review: Will Akeem Spence survive the scheme change in Detroit? - Pride Of Detroit - Will Akeem Spence be a late cap casualty?

Packers Free Agency 2018: Jeff Janis will sign with Browns, per report - Acme Packing Company - The special teams ace is headed to Cleveland to rejoin some former Packers.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Infante: Kyle Long wins Ed Block Courage Award - Windy City Gridiron - The veteran guard was Chicago’s representative to win the Ed Block Courage Award.

Wiltfong: Bears invite Joe Kupcikevicius to local pro day - Windy City Gridiron - The Chicago Bears have another prospect in line for their local pro day,

Sunderbruch: Bears Meet with Cottontail - Windy City Gridiron - The prospect out of Bunny Trail University could add an element of elusiveness to the Chicago Bears’ team.

WCG CONTRIBUTORS BEARS PODCASTS & STREAMS

2 Minute Drill - Website - iTunes - Andrew Link; Steven’s Streaming – Twitch – Steven Schweickert; T-Formation Conversation - Website - iTunes - Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; WCG Radio - Website - Robert Zeglinski

THE RULES

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The Bear’s Den Specific Guidelines – The Bear’s Den is a place for Chicago Bears fans to discuss Chicago Bears football, related NFL stories, and general football talk. It is NOT a place to discuss religion or politics or post political pictures or memes, and any posts that do this will be deleted and the poster will be admonished. We do not allow comments posted where the apparent attempt is to cause confrontation in the community. We do not allow gender-directed humor or sexual assault jokes. The staff of WCG are the sole arbiters of what constitutes “apparent attempt to cause confrontation”. We do not allow the “calling out” of other members in any way, shape or form. Posts that do this will be deleted on sight. Bottom line, it’s fine to debate about football, but personal jabs and insults are strictly prohibited. Additionally, if you keep beating the same dead horse over and over and fail to heed a moderator’s warning to stop, you will be banned.

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