A Positive Bear’s Den, January 15, 2021

THE DAILY SPONGIE (8-PEAT ON THE WAY) SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Wood: Roster, Cap, Future: An All-Encompassing Primer for the 2021 Off-Season - Da Bears Blog - The 2020 season is behind us, and now it’s time to start thinking about what changes are coming in the offseason to prepare for next year. We will focus on the roster, examining the salary cap situation, looking at who’s still under contract vs. a free agent, and exploring potential options for freeing up money.

NFL free agency: Why Allen Robinson will not be on Bears in 2021 - RSN - The Bears have four options with impending free agent wide receiver Allen Robinson. None of them look particularly promising for keeping their best offensive weapon and a true NFL No. 1 receiver in Chicago.

Simms: Bears unlikely to replace Mitch Trubisky with Deshaun Watson - RSN - Simms sees the Bears either drafting a QB or signing a free agent, not making a trade.

Bears’ Cordarrelle Patterson pitches Deshaun Watson on Chicago - RSN - The Bears DO need a ‘Football Guy’ in the front office.

Chicago Bears begin search for new defensive coordinator to replace Chuck Pagano - ChicagoBears.com - One of the first items on the Bears’ offseason to-do list is hiring a defensive coordinator to replace Chuck Pagano, who announced his retirement Wednesday after 36 seasons as a coach, including the last two in Chicago.

Cordarrelle Patterson’s message to Deshaun Watson: ‘Make some moves’ - Chicago Sun-Times - The Texans star isn’t the first player Patterson has tried to lure to the team on Twitter. Patterson has insisted for years that it’s playful.

George McCaskey knew Bears fans would hate his decision — he did it anyway - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears chairman’s inbox full of “hate mail” got fuller after McCaskey announced that the Bears’ three principal leaders were returning.

For Bears, offseason QB change feels inevitable - Chicago Sun-Times - The Bears’ decision to keep general manager Ryan Pace and Nagy for the 2021 season decreased the chance Trubisky will return — and might have eliminated it altogether.

George McCaskey: ‘I’ve got a bigger problem’ with Anthony Miller than Javon Wims - Chicago Sun-Times - McCaskey told WMVP-AM’s “Waddle and Silvy” that Miller was warned all week not to fight — and did it anyway.

With job at stake, Bears GM Ryan Pace will be overly aggressive this offseason - Chicago Sun-Times - Pace says he’ll be balancing long- and short-term interests in the upcoming offseason, but it’s more likely he’ll go all out to keep from getting fired.

Oddsmakers say Nick Foles is the favorite to start the Bears’ 2021 opener - Chicago Sun-Times - Foles, at 2/1, is currently favored to be the Bears’ Week 1 starter next season, according to Sports Betting Dime. Mitch Trubisky is listed at 5/2.

Chicago Bears: George McCaskey doubles down on leadership choice - Chicago Tribune - If he’s trying to win over fans, Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey’s game plan may be no more effective than his team’s was in its playoff loss.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Report: Steelers won't renew OC Randy Fichtner's contract - ProFootballTalk - Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said on Wednesday he understands that “we better make some changes in what we do” after losing five of their final six games, including the 48-37 drubbing by the Browns that knocked them out of the playoffs last Sunday night.

Dolphins "excited" about the future with Tua Tagovailoa - ProFootballTalk - Not many are sold on Tua Tagovailoa as a franchise quarterback. At least not yet. But the only people who matter do believe in Tagovailoa and are placing their future in his hands.

John Wolford out, Jared Goff will start for Rams - ProFootballTalk - Jared Goff is back in the Rams starting lineup.

Urban Meyer becomes Jaguars coach - ProFootballTalk - It’s official.

Tom Brady: Bucs have come a long way since last time we played Saints - ProFootballTalk - “I think we’ve certainly come a long way,” Brady said, via the team’s website. “I think we’re just going to keep improving. The more we’re together, the more we’re talking about football, the more we’re trying to be on the same page, the better it is.”

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Lions officially hire Brad Holmes as GM, offer statements on decision - Pride Of Detroit - Sheila Ford Hamp and Rod Wood offered official statements on the hire.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

McCaskey uninterested in adding football czar above GM - 670 The Score - Bears chairman George McCaskey remains confident in team president Ted Phillips and is uninterested in the organization adding a chief football executive above general manager Ryan Pace, he told the Danny Parkins Show on Thursday.

Duerrwaechter: We Deserve Better - Windy City Gridiron - After watching the latest Chicago Bears’ end-of-year presser, it’s time to give upper management a reality check.

Wiltfong & Silverstein: Who are the Bears? - Windy City Gridiron - Jack takes a sad and depressing look at the reality that being a Bears fans has been for the last quarter century.

Sunderbruch: Ryan Pace - A Success Story - Windy City Gridiron - The Chicago Bears have stuck with Ryan Pace. In the spirit of that joke played on the entire fanbase of this much-beloved franchise, here is a humorous take on the decision-making involved. Warning—this whole piece is not suitable for those who misunderstand satire.

Podcast: The Bears are making a mistake keeping Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy - SBNation.com - In a move that pleased nobody, the Bears stuck to their guns. The SB Nation NFL Show breaks it down on their podcast.

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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