The Bear’s Den, January 27, 2021

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Expectation Levels for 2021 Entirely Dependent Upon Quarterback Solutions - Da Bears Blog - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had not been in the playoffs since 2007. Last year they were 7-9 and featured a quarterback setting interception records.

Report: Bears assistant Ted Monachino leaving for Falcons - 670 The Score - Bears outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino is leaving the organization to take the same position with the Falcons, according to NFL Media.

Jay Glazer: Bears to be ‘big players’ in quarterback market - 670 The Score - The Bears are expected to be aggressive in quarterback market, Fox Sports analyst Jay Glazer said. At the front of the potential trade conversation is Texans star Deshaun Watson, who has expressed his unhappiness in Houston.

Receiver a big question mark for Bears entering offseason - 670 The Score - The Bears are looking to reboot their offense this offseason but have no assurances of what their receiver position will look like in 2021. If they lose star Allen Robinson in free agency, their problems will compound.

Next-Best Chicago Bears: The Teams Who Came Closest since ‘85 - Sports Illustrated - The last 34 years haven’t been total misery for the Chicago Bears but on the rare occasions they rose within glimpse of their 1985 glory, their dreams were dashed.

9 players to watch in 2021: Chicago Bears DT Bilal Nichols stepped up in a big way in 2020 - ChicagoBears.com - Defensive tackle Bilal Nichols stepped up for the Bears in a big way in 2020, establishing himself as one of the defense’s most exciting young players.

Chalk Talk: Who have been breakout draft picks for the Chicago Bears? - ChicagoBears.com - Senior writer Larry Mayer discusses recent Bears draft picks who have excelled, the status of kicker Eddy Piñeiro and the possibility of trading for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Another Bears coach heading to Atlanta: report - Chicago Sun-Times - Ted Monachino, who served as the team’s outside linebackers coach the past two seasons, is expected to take the same job with the Falcons.

Bears coach Henry Burris staying at Halas Hall - Chicago Sun-Times - The CFL Hall of Famer started last season on a Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship during training camp.

New set of bobblehead figures honors Bears’ Super Bowl XX victory - Chicago Sun-Times - The figures are limited editions.

Bears lack Super vision with quarterbacks - Chicago Sun-Times - It’s tough to ignore that the inept franchise could’ve landed Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes.

Column: Remembering Chicago Bears Super Bowl XX celebration, 35 years ago - Chicago Tribune - A Chicago Bears dynasty never happened in the 1980s, as we’re reminded on this day every year, but it can’t erase the fact Bears fans set the template for how to do a Super Bowl. You’re welcome, America.

Would Deshaun Watson want a trade to the Bears? – The Athletic - Would Deshaun Watson want a trade to the Bears? And what would it take to get it done?

POLISH SAUSAGE

Sean McDermott: Not one answer to closing gap with Chiefs - ProFootballTalk - Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White said this week that the Bills have to go through the Chiefs if they want to take the next step up the NFL ladder and added that he thinks the team is close to making that breakthrough.

Imprisoned for 37 years, exonerated man gets assist from Buccaneers - NFL.com - Robert DuBoise's life has been returned to him after he spent almost four decades in prison for a murder he did not commit. Experiencing a rebirth of their own, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are helping the former death row inmate figure out what to do with it next.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

Detroit Lions expected to hire Dave Fipp as special teams coordinator - Pride Of Detroit - The Lions have all three coordinators selected.

2021 Mel Kiper NFL mock draft: Here comes the QB for the Lions - Pride Of Detroit - The first of many mock drafts sending a QB to the Lions.

Unbelievable! - More Coaching Turnover - Daily Norseman - BJ Reidell and Drew Mahowald discuss Gary Kubiak’s retirement and the Packers’ elimination.

Why the fourth down field goal actually made sense for the Packers - Acme Packing Company - With the Packers trailing by eight against the Buccaneers, LaFleur made a decision that some say insulted his quarterback. It may have actually been the opposite.

Matthew Stafford landing spots: Six teams that should trade for QB - NFL.com - The NFL’s offseason quarterback market added yet another domino over the weekend, with Matthew Stafford eyeing a fresh start.

Mark Murphy: “We’re not idiots. Aaron Rodgers will be back.” - ProFootballTalk - CEO Mark Murphy, appearing Monday on The 5th Quarter Show on WNFL in Green Bay, addressed quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ recent comments suggesting uncertainty regarding his future with the team.

Source: Aaron Rodgers wants a new contract - ProFootballTalk - Per a league source, Rodgers wants a new contract.

Aaron Rodgers: No reason I wouldn’t be back, but no absolutes - ProFootballTalk - “After the season that I had, potentially winning MVP, and we obviously made another good run, I don’t think that there’s any reason why I wouldn’t be back,” Rodgers said. “But there’s not many absolutes, as you guys know, in this business. To make an absolute statement about something that is not an absolute, I didn’t do it. I guess that’s why it went kinda nuts.”

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Infante: 2021 Senior Bowl - Recapping Day 1 of practice - Windy City Gridiron - Lead Draft Analyst Jacob Infante shares his thoughts from watching Tuesday’s Senior Bowl practice in Mobile.

Householder: When will the Chicago Bears walk out of the quarterback abyss? - Windy City Gridiron - 35 years ago today the Bears last held up the championship trophy. When can we all move on though?

Wiltfong's Mocking the Mocks: Mel Kiper has the Bears going offensive line - Windy City Gridiron - In this ongoing series at WCG, we take a look at who some of the draft gurus around the internet are taking for the Chicago Bears.

THE RULES

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