BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS, BEAR DOWN!!!!
BEARRRSSSS
Zeglinski: Stemming the tide - Bears must confront regression to mean to reach Super Bowl success – The Rock River Times - In football, luck sometimes means everything. You can parse down how you’ve constructed your roster to an analytical hard numbers feel. You can spend copious amounts of hours scouting prospective players in the NFL draft and free agent process. You can establish a quality developmental program within your franchise’s culture that churns out regular starters and stars after spending a decent amount time with your organization. You can invest yourself into everything you can possibly control as to make sure team enjoys the most success, and sometimes, none of it matters anyway. Just ask the Bears after missing out on a potential deep 2019 playoff run because of a missed kick.
Ellis: Bears 2018 rookie class graded as one of best in NFL - NBC Sports Chicago - Bears ‘18 class looks pretty good.
Under Center Podcast: Just how good has Ryan Pace been? | NBC Sports Chicago - JJ Stankevitz, Paul Aspan, Laurence Holmes, and Cam Ellis debate just how good Ryan Pace has been during his Bears tenure, wonder if Allen Robinson was underappreciated this year, and give their predictions on the likelihood of signing either Antonio Brown or Le’Veon Bell.
Chicago Bears Finalize Defensive Coaching Staff - NBC Chicago - The Chicago Bears have put the finishing touches on their new defensive coaching staff as coordinator Chuck Pagano gets ready to take over.
Medina: The Bears Need One Piece to Tie Together Their Tight Ends Room, But Where Will They Find Him? - Bleacher Nation - The Bears don’t need to tear down and rebuild their tight ends room, but they could use a piece to bring it all together.
Medina: Free Agent Tyrann Mathieu Could Be the Right Fit for the Bears Defense (And Salary Cap Concerns) - Bleacher Nation - If the Bears are going to spend some of their available cap space in the secondary, why not an upgrade like Mathieu? After the Bears cut the obvious dead (Sims) they will have plenty of money to sign a strong safety and Bryce Callahan, should they choose to.
Dannehy: Out of the Hunt. So Now What? - Da Bears Blog - The Chicago Bears won’t be signing Kareem Hunt. The great debate ended before the offseason officially began, as the former Kansas City Chiefs running back, facing disciplinary action from the league for a history of violent behavior, signed with the Browns. Time will tell if he’s worth the trouble for Cleveland, but the Bears still need to add some explosiveness to their backfield if they hope to improve their run game.
Bears Offseason Outlook: Special Teams - 670 The Score - Cody Parkey’s future remains in doubt after a poor 2018 season. Ken’s Note: Cody Parkey’s future in Chicago is not in any doubt. He doesn’t have one. He’s history. He’s gone. He’s a gone gosling. He’s spoken of only in the past tense. He’s gone off to see the world famous Egress. His favorite animal at the Brookfield Zoo is the Vamoose. I could go on and on, but I’m not a Lions fan and therefore I have the ability to stop beating a dead horse.
121 tackles. 5 sacks. 1 interception.
— NFL (@NFL) February 13, 2019
Rookie LB @RoquanSmith1 made plays all over the field in 2018! pic.twitter.com/9y88yWPgRC
Bears 2018 position review: Defensive back - ChicagoBears.com - Led by two first-team All-NFL selections in cornerback Kyle Fuller and safety Eddie Jackson, the secondary helped the Bears lead the NFL with 36 takeaways and 27 interceptions.
Biggs' Bears Q&A: Without Kareem Hunt, is Jordan Howard more likely to stay in 2019? Could Duke Johnson be a fit for the offense? What is the future for Kyle Long? - Chicago Tribune - Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly. Does Jordan Howard stand a greater chance of sticking around with Kareem Hunt no longer an option? Could Browns RB Duke Johnson be a fit? What is the future of Kyle Long? Would the Bears pursue Matt Bryant as their kicker? Plus much more.
POLISH SAUSAGE
Broncos agree to trade for Ravens QB Joe Flacco - NFL.com - The Broncos have agreed to trade a fourth-round pick for former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco, Ian Rapoport reports. The exchange cannot be finalized until the new league year begins on March 13.
Chargers GM Tom Telesco believes AAF is ‘a great idea’ - NFL.com - The AAF has gained a quick following and supporters, including Chargers GM Tom Telesco, who believes the new league could become a developmental system for the NFL. Ken’s Note: AAF teams are out-drawing the Chargers so... there’s that...
KNOW THY ENEMY
Detroit Lions lose special teams assistant to Vanderbilt - Pride Of Detroit - After failing to receive a promotion, Devin Fitzsimmons is moving on.
Detroit Lions re-sign long snapper Don Muhlbach - Pride Of Detroit - He’s back!
Kirk Cousins attempts Twitter giveaway, proves that a lot of people are jerks - Daily Norseman - No good deed goes unsnarked
Report: Vikings “likely” to host Philadelphia on Thanksgiving - Daily Norseman - It would be the first Thanksgiving home game in Vikings history. Ken’s Note: One normally roots against division rivals, but against Philadelphia? That will be a tough call.
A Packers trade for Antonio Brown is unlikely, but could make sense depending on price - Acme Packing Company - There’s no question adding Antonio Brown to the Green Bay offense would make it better and the finances make it appealing. But how much would they have to give up to get him?
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON
Wiltfong’s Chicago Bears 2019 Roster Turnover: The defensive line is solid 1 through 5 - Windy City Gridiron - In this 13 part series we’ll take an in depth look at each position group for the Chicago Bears with an eye towards the 2019 season. We’ll speculate on who stays, who goes, and some potential additions we’d like to see general manager Ryan Pace make.
Sunderbruch: Grading Ryan Pace - Undrafted Free Agents - Windy City Gridiron - Every team finds talent after the draft is over. The best GMs use that talent to fill in needs on the roster and to maximize their teams’ chances of success. How has Ryan Pace done since taking over the Bears?
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 - iTunes - Robert Zeglinski
THE RULES
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