The Bear’s Den, March 16, 2020

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

This week we are all-about free agency with videos of people who were stars in a band, but took the free agency route and started their own band or joined another one.

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

BEARRRSSSS

Here’s how the new CBA impacts the Bears’ roster - NBC Sports Chicago - The NFL’s new CBA will impact the Bears’ roster in a few notable ways.

NFL players ratify collective bargaining agreement - ChicagoBears.com - By a narrow margin, NFL players have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement that runs through the 2030 season, assuring labor peace in the league for the next decade.

How Cordy Glenn Might Fit Needs of Bears Offensive Line - SI.com - A former Buffalo Bills offensive lineman who once worked briefly under new Bears offensive line coach Juan Castillo has been turned loose on the free agent market by the Cincinnati Bengals.

How the New CBA Can Directly Affect the Bears - SI.com - There is football labor peace and so the Chicago Bears must come to grips with a bold new NFL world.

Wood: 2020 Free Agency Primer - Da Bears Blog - Free agency starts this week, so let’s take stock of where exactly the Bears’ roster is at. We’ll start by looking at who they currently have under contract, then move to the cap situation to get an idea of how much money they have to spend.

Is Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Staying in Chicago? – On Tap Sports Net - Almost all Bears’ analysts have anticipated Chicago being a one-year stop for Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. A tweet from the defensive back today could indicate otherwise.

NFL Players Approve New Collective Bargaining Agreement - 670 The Score - The NFL players’ union voted to approve and ratify the new collective bargaining agreement, bringing labor peace and changes to the league Sunday. The vote passed 1,019 to 959, which represented a 51.5% majority.

NFL free agency begins Monday, and Bears have pressing needs - Chicago Sun-Times - The boost in salary-cap space probably won’t make much difference for the Bears because every other team got it, too, and player salaries will be inflated.

Something as mundane as a new CBA in the NFL — we’ll take it! - Chicago Sun-Times - It was nice to have a hint of normalcy in sports Sunday, even if it came off the field and the only score being kept involved votes.

Bears free agency primer 2020: Ranking team needs - Chicago Sun-Times - Breaking down the team by position in advance of free agency:

Bears free agency primer 2020: Five QBs most likely to join team - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears want to push Mitch Trubisky with a quarterback they acquire, either in free agency or the draft. Here are the five most likely quarterbacks to land in Chicago:

Chicago Bears in free agency: Biggest needs, best available - Chicago Tribune - Before the NFL free-agency frenzy intensifies, here’s a position-by-position look at the Bears' biggest needs.

NFL free agency will start on time amid COVID-19 pandemic - NBC Sports Chicago - The NFL will not delay the start of its new league year or its free agent period, which will kick off Monday at 11 a.m. CT.

It's time for the Bears to sign Allen Robinson to a contract extension - NBC Sports Chicago - With a new CBA finally in place, the Bears should aggressively work to sign Allen Robinson to a contract extension.

How much salary cap space do the Bears have with new NFL CBA approved? - NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears probably don't have a lot of cap space right now, but do have ways to get more before free agency starts.

The NFL's new CBA gives the Bears clarity on their impending Mitch Trubisky decision - NBC Sports Chicago - It's decision time at Halas Hall!

Allen Robinson calls the NFL's new Collective Bargaining Agreement 'freaking trash' - NBC Sports Chicago - Robinson was *not* pleased with the news.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Report: 2020 NFL Draft postponed until “at least late May,” won’t be in Las Vegas - Daily Norseman - Not unexpected in light of recent events

NFL sets 2020 salary cap at $198.2 million, a bit lower than expected $200M number - Acme Packing Company - Teams will have a little less financial flexibility than they expected due to the cap, and even less due to some provisions in the new CBA.

NFLPA approves new CBA, bringing labor peace to NFL through 2030 - Acme Packing Company - A majority of NFL players voted in favor of the new terms, paving the way for a 17-game schedule in the near future.

Report: NFLPA wouldn’t provide consent to move league year - ProFootballTalk - The NFL couldn’t change the league calendar on its own. It needed the approval of the Players Association.

Free agency will proceed as planned - ProFootballTalk - After much discussion and debate, the NFL will start its new league year as planned. A source with knowledge of the situation has informed PFT that the new league year, and thus free agency, officially starts on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

New NFL stadiums could miss deadlines, based on COVID-19 measures - ProFootballTalk - The two NFL stadiums due to open later this year, in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, remain on track. With the world quickly coming off track, the stadium plans could change.

CDC recommendations give NFL no choice but to call off Vegas draft plans - ProFootballTalk - The NFL has been saying amid the coronavirus pandemic that its plans to host the NFL draft in Las Vegas are unchanged. That is no longer feasible.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

4 ways the Detroit Lions can replace RT Rick Wagner - Pride Of Detroit - The Lions have a big hole at right tackle. Here’s how they can fix it.

Schefter: NFL to start 2020 league year as scheduled - Daily Norseman - That’s what he’s hearing, anyway

NFL, NFLPA agree to new Collective Bargaining Agreement - Daily Norseman - There will be labor peace in the NFL until 2030

The NFL will not delay 2020 free agency - Pride Of Detroit - Free agency will proceed as scheduled.

How the new NFL CBA will affect the Detroit Lions - Pride Of Detroit - A look at the most important points of the CBA as it impacts the Lions.

New NFL collective bargaining agreement narrowly passes, 17-game seasons coming - Pride Of Detroit - There will be no strike.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Infante's 2020 NFL draft: 8 tight ends the Bears could consider - Windy City Gridiron - The Bears need an overhaul at tight end, and these draft prospects could be players worth looking at.

Wiltfong: Chicago Bears 2020 free agency and rumor tracker - Windy City Gridiron - We’ll keep track of all the Bears free agency moves and check in on the rumors too in this handy tracker.

Schmitz: What is QB-WR chemistry and why does it matter? - Windy City Gridiron - In his latest breakdown video, Robert talks through the importance of WR-QB relationships and the effect they on each and every NFL passing play. Check it out!

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.