The Bear’s Den, June 4, 2019

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

The whole Matt Nagy Delaware commencement speech is a great watch for Bears fans.

BEARRRSSSS / FREE AGENCY / OTA’S

Ranking the 100 best Bears players ever: No. 95, Akiem Hicks - Chicago Tribune - Before the Bears’ 100th season, the Tribune's Bears reporters and editors ranked the 100 best players in franchise history. Akiem Hicks is No. 95.

Dewitt: Thoughts On Chicago Bears Classic Jersey Leak - Chicago Audible - Part of the Chicago Bears Classic jersey leaked over the weekend. But what can the other elements like the helmet, pants and socks look like?

Where are they now? As Bears' 2017 wide receiver room struggles to stay in NFL, current unit looks as deep as ever | NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears' 2017 wide receiver group was a bleak unit filled with guys who've struggled to stay in the NFL since. Now? Mike Furrey's unit may be the strongest on the team.

Mayer: Butkus anchors all-time Bears defensive team - ChicagoBears.com - The all-time Bears defensive team as selected by writers Don Pierson and Dan Pompei in the Chicago Bears Centennial Scrapbook boasts six Hall of Famers, led by legendary middle linebacker Dick Butkus.

The Bears Could Lose Front Office Exec. Champ Kelly (Even If He Doesn't Get the Jets' GM Job) - Bleacher Nation - The Jets could end up with two ex-Bears staffers running their front office.

Wood: A Complete Breakdown of the Quarterback Position’s Efficiency for 2018 - Da Bears Blog - The offseason is the perfect time to do a deep dive into what exactly we saw on the field last year, so today I want to look more closely at how Chicago’s QBs performed in 2018. To do so, I’m going to compile all of the information about individual targets from The Quant Edge and use it to see what we can learn about QB play as a whole.

Eurich: Comparing Chuck Pagano's Bears to 2011 Baltimore Ravens defense - 247Sports - Chuck Pagano has more experience as an NFL head coach than he does as a defensive coordinator. He held that coordinator role with the Baltimore Ravens in 2011 before becoming the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. The 2019 season will mark a return to the coordinator role with the Chicago Bears. He is taking over one of the league's best units from the season before after Vic Fangio left to become the head coach of the Denver Broncos.

Emma: Bears' Champ Kelly Interviews For Jets' GM Position - 670 The Score - Bears assistant director of player personnel Champ Kelly interviewed with the Jets on Monday for their general manager position.

Bears storylines: Kyle Long’s playoff vision, Adam Vinatieri’s kicker advice and Blake Brockermeyer’s unbelievable bet - Chicago Tribune - Storylines from last week’s Bears OTAs include guard Kyle Long’s big goals and Adam Vinatieri’s kicking insight.

Biggs: Mike Davis is comfortable competing for carries as the Bears divide playing time 3 ways at running back - Chicago Tribune - Mike Davis figured the Bears would use a draft pick on a running back, and the free-agent addition is confident and comfortable with sharing the workload.

Going to the Bears100 convention in Rosemont? Here’s what you should know, where to eat and how to get autographs - Chicago Tribune - The Chicago Bears are holding the team’s 100th season celebration from June 7-9 in Rosemont. Here is your go-to guide to the event.

Campbell & Wiederer: Who’s ‘full of swag’ and on the Bear Download podcast? Pro Bowler Tarik Cohen - Chicago Tribune - Bears running back and return specialist Tarik Cohen joins Rich and Dand for this edition of the Bear Download podcast. Up for discussion: The team’s retooled backfield, his Pro Bowl experience and “swaggy hats.”

POLISH SAUSAGE

Goodell: Four preseason games may not be necessary – ProFootballTalk - A recent report indicated that the NFL would like to discuss expanding the regular season schedule to 18 games as part of the negotiations with the NFLPA on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement and past talk about such a move has been tied to cutting the number of preseason games.

State of the Franchise: Chiefs must win title for ‘19 to be success - NFL.com - The Chiefs came up a bit short in their quest for the Super Bowl in 2018. Adam Rank surveys the 2019 squad and says anything less than a title will be a disappointment for Kansas City this season.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Podcast: Should the Detroit Lions repay Calvin Johnson? - Pride Of Detroit - The PODcast crew debates.

Revenge Week: Can Kirk Cousins follow Case Keenum and Brett Favre? - Daily Norseman - We’ll get to find out in Week 8

Vikings ranked as fourth-best wide receiver corps in NFL - Daily Norseman - Which says a lot about their top two guys

Packers’ 2019 90-man roster ranking: How have second-year players moved since 2018? - Acme Packing Company - A few UDFAs drastically outperformed expectations a year ago while the team’s top pick from 2018 broke into this year’s top ten.

Detroit Lions sign 3rd-round pick Will Harris, entire rookie class under contract - Pride Of Detroit - The Lions’ full rookie class is under contract.

What to look for as Detroit Lions open minicamp - Pride Of Detroit - Some insight on which storylines to follow during minicamp.

Darius Slay not planning on attending mandatory minicamp - Pride Of Detroit - It looks like a holdout is on the horizon.

It’s time for the Detroit Lions to own the Bears again - Pride Of Detroit - It’s time for the Lions to reclaim this rivalry after an embarrassing year.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Wiltfong: Bears’ tight ends just miss a top 10 ranking - Windy City Gridiron - SB Nation is ranking each position group in the NFL and they have the tight ends of the Chicago Bears checking in at number 11.

Zeglinski: The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers give each other meaning - Windy City Gridiron - The NFL’s oldest rivalry is rife with history, tradition, and symbolism. Most importantly, it offers meaning.

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

THE RULES

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WCG Contributors: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Whiskey Ranger; Robert Schmitz; Robert Zeglinski; Like us on Facebook.