The Bear’s Den: February 4, 2020

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

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

BEARRRSSSS & SUPER BOWL STUFF

Bears 2020 Free Agent Big Board – On Tap Sports Net - It’s time to start taking a look at possible additions the Chicago Bears can make this offseason, starting with potential free-agent targets.

How Tom Brady Derby Might Mean a New QB in Chicago - The dueling and posturing for Tom Brady seemed to take a step up during the Super Bowl, but it didn’t include the Chicago Bears. At least it didn’t affect them directly, but it’s possible it could.

Draft analysts predict who the Chicago Bears will select in the 2020 NFL Draft - ChicagoBears.com - With the 2019 NFL season concluding with Sunday’s Super Bowl, it’s a perfect time to see who NFL analysts are predicting the Bears will select in this year’s draft.

Allen Robinson and Prince Amukamara Delivered All the Optimism I Needed Today - Bleacher Nation - If we allow ourselves to be honest with each other, it wasn’t easy being a Bears fan in the wake of yesterday’s Super Bowl. Ken’s Note: I really don’t understand why the hell people think watching some other team play makes it hard for me to support the Bears.

A Potential Pass-Rush Upgrade Just Became Available … Hello, Bears? - Vic Beasley, a first-team All-Pro pass-rusher in 2016, is set to hit the free agent market. Ken’s Note: A guy who’s not as good of a rusher as Floyd and nowhere near as good at everything else as Floyd to replace Floyd for about the same money we would pay Leonard. Let me think about this for a minute... I’ll pass.

The 2020 NFL Offseason: Dates, Deadlines, and When to Expect Bears Things - Bleacher Nation - This is a pivotal offseason for the Chicago Bears.

Bernstein: I’m Worried Matt Nagy Is Thinking This - 670 The Score - It would be impossible for us to watch that thoroughly entertaining Super Bowl and not be thinking about the Bears and their own proximity to one — or lack thereof. Ken’s Note: No, it wouldn’t. It’s a damned game between two teams that are not us. GAME. Drink some brewskies and enjoy the pigskin.

Bears Offseason Outlook: Quarterback - 670 The Score - The Bears have offered support for quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, but will he be the starter in 2020? That’s a key decision that general manager Ryan Pace must make.

5@5: Are Chiefs Going To Become A Dynasty? - 670 The Score - The Mully & Haugh crew debates a five-pack of questions every weekday.

Super Bowl LIV: 3 takeaways from the Chiefs’ win over the 49ers - Chicago Sun-Times - Tevin Coleman, who graduated from Oak Forest High School, spent the last two weeks rehabbing a shoulder injury he suffered in the NFC championship game. He didn’t practice in full until Friday — and then started Sunday.

Kyle Long a guest host on ESPN 1000’s ‘Kap & Company’ - Chicago Tribune - Former Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long will serve as a guest co-host for “Kap & Company” on WMVP-AM 1000 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week.

Super Bowl winners and losers - Chicago Tribune - If Fox’s 100+ cameras can’t produce a definitive shot of the Chiefs’ go-ahead TD, how can replay review be relied upon? Plus more Super Bowl winners and losers.

Chicago Super Bowl ratings peak for Shakira-Jennifer Lopez - Chicago Tribune - The Chicago area's Super Bowl viewership didn't peak as Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to a fourth-quarter comeback — it peaked during the halftime show.

Kansas City Chiefs no longer in 50-year title drought club - Chicago Tribune - The sports calendar of 1969-70 started with 85 teams in the NFL, NBA/ABA, NHL and MLB. Since then, 19 franchises, including the Chiefs, had come up empty. Ken's Note: Don't forget the NFC North members of the NADA Club, our very own Vikings and Lions. Minnesota hasn't made the ship in a very long time. The LOLions? They haven't even figured out how to watch it on TV.

Super Bowl 54 proved Matt Nagy still has one important lesson to learn from Andy Reid - NBC Sports Chicago - Is Nagy capable of making the same tough decision Reid made a few years ago?

Kyle Long hypes Bears' Super Bowl chances - NBC Sports Chicago - The offensive lineman may have recently retired, but he still talks a big game regarding his beloved team.

2021 Super Bowl Odds: Bears among championship-caliber teams - NBC Sports Chicago - The Chicago Bears' 2021 Super Bowl odds aren't all that bad considering the teams they're ranked alongside.

Under Center Podcast: Special guest Leigh Steinberg, agent of Super Bowl 54 MVP Patrick Mahomes - NBC Sports Chicago - Laurence Holmes was joined by agent Leigh Steinberg in Miami to discuss why teams missed on Patrick Mahomes, the current state of the NFL and the ongoing issues of concussions.

Shaq Barrett is Good Reason Not to Ditch Leonard Floyd - SI.com - After the Bears spent two first-round draft picks and a big percentage of their salary cap on Khalil Mack, they've come to the realization their prize pass rusher can't do it by himself.

Chiefs boldly took Lombardi Trophy from 49ers; what’s next? - NFL.com - Gregg Rosenthal explains how Andy Reid’s Chiefs boldly took the Lombardi Trophy away from the Kyle Shanahan-led 49ers. Plus, three big offseason questions for each Super Bowl team.

Chiefs’ Andy Reid finally caps remarkable resume with Lombardi - NFL.com - Andy Reid waited 15 years to get back to the Super Bowl, and on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs coach didn’t let this one slip away. Judy Battista writes how the pressure to win the Lombardi has been lifted for Reid and those close to him.

Super Bowl LIV: 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo has ‘unreal feeling’ after loss - Chicago Sun-Times - The 49ers’ collapse – and Patrick Mahomes’ greatness — now threatens to color the storyline surrounding the Arlington Heights native’s career arc.

Patrick Mahomes showed Chiefs something that the Bears missed - Chicago Sun-Times - Andy Reid didn’t believe it when GM Brett Veach called Mahomes, “the greatest player I’ve ever seen,” based on his college film. Then Reid pressed play. Ken’s Note: And the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers and Cincinnati Bengals... all of those teams didn’t choose Mahomes either. Of course, that screws up the narrative. Additionally, every single one of those teams has replaced their draft day 2017 starters since then. ALL of them needed Mahomes.

Chiefs’ Super Bowl win puts Andy Reid at start of something big - Chicago Sun-Times - He could call it a career today and leave with an impressive legacy, but Reid sees a chance to stack championships in his 60s. Ken’s Note: You have absolutely no idea whether this is true. None.

Super Bowl LIV podcast: Patrick Mahomes leads comeback win - Chicago Sun-Times - The guys break down the Chiefs comeback victory over the 49ers.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Falcons announce they will not pursue negotiations with Vic Beasley – ProFootballTalk - The Falcons announced Monday they will not pursue negotiations with Vic Beasley. Beasley is set to become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins March 18.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

2020 Detroit Lions free agent profiles: How much is Graham Glasgow worth? - Pride Of Detroit - Yes, the Lions should re-sign Glasgow... but how much is too much?

4 defensive lineman the Detroit Lions should avoid in free agency - Pride Of Detroit - Part one of our Just Say No series focuses on the defensive line

Packers can follow Chiefs’ path to beating the 49ers with aggressiveness, playmaking - Acme Packing Company - In beating the 49ers, the Chiefs showed the Packers how they’ll have to get better, in ways big and small, to reign in the NFC. Ken's Note: The best way to follow the Chiefs plan is to have Mahomes, Hill and Kelce.

Detroit Lions sign former first-round guard Josh Garnett - Pride Of Detroit - The Lions took a low-risk, high-reward player in free agency.

Davante Adams gave Sammy Watkins the blueprint to beating Richard Sherman - Acme Packing Company - While the Packers couldn’t come back two weeks ago, their top receiver put on a clinic for how to beat the 49ers’ top cornerback.

PFF mock draft: Detroit Lions trade down, grab late 1st-round QB - Pride Of Detroit - This would result in a crazy draft day.

IN CASE YOU YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Wiltfong: Mocking the Mocks - A full 7 round Bears draft - Windy City Gridiron - In our latest Mocking the Mocks, we spotlight the recent 7-round mock from Matt Miller.

Wiltfong: Chiefs and 49ers early favorites for Super Bowl 55, but what are the Bears’ odds? - Windy City Gridiron - With Super Bowl LVI in the books, the odds-makers were quick to get out some numbers for the next big game, Super Bowl LV on February 7, 2021, in Tampa, Florida.

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

Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc.

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, Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, and T Formation Conversation from Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.; Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert; and Robert Zeglinski’s The Blitz Network

Click on our names to follow us on Twitter: 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; Bill Zimmerman; Like us on Facebook.