The Bear’s Den, September 3, 2020

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

It’s 50’s Week here in the Den, and we’ve just gotta have some Elvis...

Fun fact: Denmaster Ken’s mother was a neighbor of Elvis and she graduated from high school with him, Humes HS class of 1953. Denmaster Ken was bounced on The King’s knee as a baby during a visit (although unlike my older sister, I don’t remember meeting him at all, I was in diapers). And now you know.

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

BEARRRSSSS

ESPN underestimating Bears OLB Khalil Mack heading into 2020 - Bears Wire - While it’s a given that Bears OLB Khalil Mack made the top 100 list, his ranking is a tad surprising...and a bit of a slap in the face.

Chicago Bears face tough decision in determining winner of QB competition between Mitchell Trubisky, Nick Foles - Mayer - The quarterback competition between Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles unofficially ended Wednesday when the Bears held their final padded practice of training camp. But with no definitive winner, coach Matt Nagy is tasked with a difficult decision.

Quick Hits: Chicago Bears WR Anthony Miller had ‘amazing training camp’ - ChicagoBears.com - After a slow start, third-year receiver Anthony Miller closed training camp with a flourish, with coach Matt Nagy saying:

Chicago Bears OL Charles Leno Jr. expecting ‘aggressive and attacking’ offensive mindset in 2020 - ChicagoBears.com - Bears veteran left tackle Charles Leno discusses adjustments in the offensive line’s outlook.

Undrafted rookie LB Ledarius Mack learning from brother Khalil, working to earn roster spot with Chicago Bears - ChicagoBears.com - Khalil Mack’s younger brother, Ledarius, is an undrafted rookie trying to earn a roster spot with the Bears.

Three Bears/NFL-Related Questions with [REDACTED] - Da Bears Blog - [REDACTED] is a fella I’ve known for a long time and he’s made some appearances on this here site previously. He’s a neighborhood friend, who just happens to be a high-profile member of a professional football organization.

Final Decision Nearing In Bears’ Quarterback Competition - 670 The Score - The Bears held their final full practice of the preseason Wednesday morning. What will follow is an evaluation of the quarterback competition to determine a winner between Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles.

Bears look for steadiness from LB Roquan Smith going into Year 3 - Chicago Sun-Times - All the Bears want from linebacker Roquan Smith is a boring — beautifully boring — season. Something along the lines of 100-plus tackles, a handful of turnovers and zero causes for concern would be perfect.

On and off the field, Charles Leno eager to be a difference-maker - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears denied his quest to go to Kenosha in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake. But the veteran left tackle still wants to be active in spreading “awareness ... compassion ... and understanding for others” to promote racial justice.

How the Bears’ coaches will pick their starting QB - Chicago Sun-Times - “It is not easy,” coach Matt Nagy said. “It’s not clear-cut.”

Deja blue and orange: Why are the Bears still in quarterback hell? - Chicago Sun-Times - Because general manager Ryan Pace, who drafted Mitch Trubisky and traded for Nick Foles, is still on the payroll.

Chicago Bears: What we learned after practice - Chicago Tribune - Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy said he expects his coaching staff to go over every snap of training camp practices as it weighs whether to start Mitch Trubisky or Nick Foles at quarterback in Week 1 in Detroit.

Bears QB Competition: The case for Nick Foles to start Week 1 - RSN - With 4:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles offense trotted onto the Soldier Field grass, taking over possession at their own 40-yard line. Trailing 15-10, Foles stood in the shotgun, staring at the NFL’s No. 1 ranked defense, which had forced two turnovers and five punts in the game.

Bears QB competition: Why Mitch Trubisky vs. Nick Foles is not ‘clear-cut’ - RSN - The Bears’ quarterback competition is over. Wednesday’s practice at Halas Hall was, effectively, the final preseason practice for the Bears. They’ll have a light walkthrough Thursday before giving players Friday and Saturday off, while coaches and front office staff huddle to talk through the 53-man roster.

Bears Quarterback Decision Is Going to the “Jury” - SI.com - The quarterback battle between Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky is over. Now comes binge watching.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Mark Long: Jacksonville Jaguars players were “tired of Leonard Fournette” - Big Cat Country - The Jacksonville Jaguars yesterday cut running back Leonard Fournette. Mark Long of the Associated Press helped flesh out some answers on 1010XL radio today, describing what he believes was a tense locker room with players actively lobbying coaches and decision-makers to get Fournette off the team.

Leonard Fournette agrees to deal with Tampa Bay Buccaneers - ESPN - Leonard Fournette has agreed to a deal with the Bucs, joining a star-laden offense -- and crowded backfield -- in Tampa Bay just days after he was waived by the Jaguars.

Player cuts tracker: NFL teams finalizing 53-man rosters for 2020 season - NFL.com - With the 2020 NFL season kicking off next week, each team must trim its roster to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 5. Follow the moves by all 32 teams in real time.

Patriots cutting Mohamed Sanu - ProFootballTalk - Mohamed Sanu never panned out in New England, and now he’s on the way out.

Roger Goodell doubles down on lack of competitive advantage for teams that have fans in stands - ProFootballTalk - During a Wednesday appearance on CNBC, Goodell doubled down — and he expanded greatly the scope of the entities who believe there’s no competitive edge.

Leonard Fournette Clears NFL Waivers as Jaguars' Tank Job Is in Full Swing - Bleacher Report - This is the story of that team falling apart, with the release of running back Leonard Fournette this week signaling the end of that era.

WINDY CITY GRIDIRON MADDEN INVITATION

Do you want to do more officially sanctioned WCG Madden stuff? Or just enjoy the game?WCG now has an official Madden Discord server! Feel free to offer suggestions, updates, or anything to help the internet’s best Bears community have the best Madden community as well! Invite link is here.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Wiltfong: Chicago Bears training camp 2020 is over, so what do we know? - Windy City Gridiron - Head coach Matt Nagy said that today was the Bears’ final day of training camp, so what do we know for sure so far?

Wiltfong’s 5 Questions with Football Outsiders: How much will the Bears miss Eddie Goldman? - Windy City Gridiron - Today’s Bears’ question posed to Football Outsiders is all about the absence of nose tackle Eddie Goldman for the 2020 season.

WiskeyRanger: One Stop Shop’ - Face/Off! - Windy City Gridiron - Chicago Bears Quarterbacks Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky Face/Off in this installment of One Stop Shop!

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.

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.; EJ also co-hosts The Bootleg Football Podcast with Brett Kollmann; R. Schmitz has a film breakdown show on YouTube titled Run Pass Opinion; and Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert.

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