The Bear’s Den, May 30, 2019

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

BEARRRSSSS / FREE AGENCY / DRAFT

Khalil Mack expects to be better than last year - ‘I want to be the best to play the game’ - NBC Sports Chicago - Khalil Mack didn’t take long to make an impression on the Chicago Bears and the fanbase and he is expecting more out of himself in his second year with the Bears.

Cox: Trey Burton out for Bears OTAs after sports hernia surgery - NBC Sports Chicago - Matt Nagy announced after practice Wednesday that starting tight end Trey Burton underwent sports hernia surgery this offseason and will not participate in this portion of the offseason.

Mayer: All current players, coaches to attend Bears100 - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears100 Celebration Weekend June 7-9 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont will honor the franchise’s illustrious history, but the current team also will be well-represented.

Mayer: Trubisky aiming to master offense in Year 2 - ChicagoBears.com - With a deeper understanding of the Bears playbook, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has been making pre-snap adjustments in OTA practices that he wasn’t always able to do last season when he was still learning the system.

Emma: Khalil Mack’s Goal - Be The Greatest Pass Rusher Of All Time - 670 The Score - Bears linebacker Khalil Mack’s goal is simple and lofty: be the greatest pass rusher of all time.

Lists, Lists and More Stupid Lists: An ATM Special Report - Da Bears Blog - While the number of lists released are too numerous to count, there were three that I found particularly interesting.

Emma: Bears TE Trey Burton Recovering From Sports Hernia Surgery - 670 The Score - Bears tight end Trey Burton had undergone sports hernia surgery this offseason, and the team is hopeful he’ll be ready for the start of training camp.

Campbell: Khalil Mack has settled into life as a Bear and is setting his sights higher - Chicago Tribune - Khalil Mack believes a full offseason program with the Bears will have him positioned for an even better season in 2019.

Campbell: Trey Burton is not expected to practice until Bears training camp after offseason surgery for a sports hernia - Chicago Tribune - Bears tight end Trey Burton is recovering from sports hernia surgery and will miss OTAs. They hope it corrected the issue that sidelined him in the playoffs.

Wiederer: In the franchise's 99 seasons, Patrick Mannelly played more games in a Bears uniform than anyone ever has — and maybe ever will - Chicago Tribune - Patrick Mannelly's 245 games played are the most of any Bear in the team's 100-year history. The longtime long snapper reflects on his 16-season journey.

Ranking the 100 best Bears players ever: No. 100, Patrick Mannelly - Chicago Tribune - Before the Bears’ 100th season, the Tribune's Bears reporters and editors ranked the 100 best players in franchise history. Patrick Mannelly is No. 100.

Arthur Arkush: Bears TE Burton had sports hernia surgery, could be out until camp - Daily Herald - Bears tight end Trey Burton underwent sports hernia surgery roughly two months ago after the groin issue that led to his late scratch from January's wild-card defeat wasn't progressing the way he and the team hoped.

Zeglinski: Worth every nickel - Duke Shelley is exactly the Bears’ type – The Rock River Times - A nickel cornerback is not like his other defensive teammates. Where a boundary cornerback – of any length or size – can routinely be isolated with a receiver on an island, a nickel cornerback floats in the middle of the field, sometimes as he pleases but mostly as he needs. Where a linebacker operates largely on a see ball, get ball basis, a nickel cornerback has to be far more aware of his surroundings and can’t be caught looking in the backfield.

Moreano: Next for Trubisky - Improving the Deep Ball - Chicago Audible - For the Bears' offense to have a successful season in 2019, Mitch Trubisky has to play better. A good start for him would be to improve on his deep ball.

Ellis: Mike Davis is already having more fun and ready to win the Bears' starting RB job - NBC Sports Chicago - After feeling slighted by the Seahawks, Davis is ready to prove his worth in Chicago.

Under Center Podcast: What can we learn from OTAs, plus a Bears top 100 discussion - NBC Sports Chicago - JJ Stankevitz, Cam Ellis and John “Moon” Mullin debate what’s important and what’s not during OTAs. They they dive into the Bears top 100 players list that tore the fanbase apart.

Stankevitz: Danny Trevathan continues to shine as transition to Chuck Pagano's defense presses on | NBC Sports Chicago - No defensive player's words carry more weight -- or more importance -- than those of inside linebacker Danny Trevathan, for a number of reasons.

Finley: Bears TE Trey Burton out for OTAs after offseason surgery - Chicago Sun-Times - Trey Burton missed the Bears’ playoff game with a groin injury that popped up literally overnight.

Finley: Khalil Mack’s offseason work ethic sends ‘loud and clear’ message to Bears - Chicago Sun-Times - Khalil Mack long ago told his new position coach that he wants to be the best outside linebacker of all time. The question is: Who’s he gotta beat out?

Finley & Lieser: Bears’ James Daniels ‘hasn’t missed a beat’ in switch to center - Chicago Sun-Times - The transition from left guard to center was easier in Year 2 than it would have been as a rookie, James Daniels said.

Matt Nagy: Bears could bring all 3 kickers to training camp - Chicago Sun-Times - Chris Blewitt, Elliott Fry and Eddy Piñeiro continued their competition during Wednesday’s organized team activity practice.

Potash: Mitch Trubisky growing up fast in Nagy’s offense - Chicago Sun-Times - Third-year QB’s progress from last year ‘literally like night and day’

Finley: What Bears coach Matt Nagy plans to say at Delaware’s graduation - Chicago Sun-Times - Bears head coach Matt Nagy will speak at the commencement ceremony for his alma mater, the University of Delaware, on Saturday.

Khalil Mack wants to be the best ever – ProFootballTalk - Bears pass rusher Khalil Mack isn’t secretive about having aspirations to be the best. Mack was asked today about Bears outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino saying that Mack wants to be the best ever, and Mack said that’s “absolutely” how he feels.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Report: NFL could push for 18-game schedule in labor talks – ProFootballTalk - The NFL could seek an 18-game regular season or an expanded playoff field in a new labor deal, Mark Maske of the Washington Post reports. In return, Maske says, many owners are willing to offer players concessions to the commissioner's disciplinary authority and to the marijuana policy.

Jay Gruden wants his brother on “Hard Knocks” – ProFootballTalk - Both teams coached by members of the Gruden family can be forced to appear on this year's edition of Hard Knocks and Washington head coach Jay Gruden made a suggestion to producers on Wednesday.

Should Raiders have given Richie Incognito his latest second chance? – ProFootballTalk - The Raiders are flirting with acquiring a shiner on their good eye. The team's latest calculated risk comes from the decision to sign offensive lineman Richie Incognito, giving him at least his second second chance. Or maybe it's his third second chance. Or maybe it's his second third chance.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Detroit Lions rookie Austin Bryant’s eagerness got his LB coach in trouble - Pride Of Detroit - The Lions’ 4th-round pick isn’t medically cleared yet, but that hasn’t stopped him from trying to get on field.

Gary Kubiak: How Influential Will He Be? - Daily Norseman - A lot has been made of the addition, but what will he bring to the Vikings’ offense?

Packers OTA Notebook, 5/29: As expected, Elgton Jenkins is a guard, not a center - Acme Packing Company - The Packers’ use of their second-round pick shows where they see him playing in the future.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Sunderbruch: NFC North Roster Comparisons - Quarterbacks - Windy City Gridiron - It’s time for a stark assessment of who rules the north in the NFC.

Wiltfong: Rank your All-Time Chicago Bears quarterbacks - Windy City Gridiron - With our WCG Top 100 Bears Players list being rolled out in honor of the 100th anniversary of the team, we wanted to get your take on Chicago's quarterbacks.

Wiltfong: Bears Trey Burton underwent sports hernia surgery - Windy City Gridiron - When Chicago Bears tight end Trey Burton was unable to play in the wildcard game against the Philadelphia Eagles, several people jumped to the conclusion that his anxiety was preventing him from...

WCG CONTRIBUTORS BEARS PODCASTS & STREAMS

Windy City Gridiron Podcast Channel which includes Bear With Me from Robert Schmitz, Bears Over Beers featuring Jeff Berckes & EJ Snyder, and T Formation Conversation from Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.; Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert; and Robert Zeglinski’s The Blitz Network

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