The Bear’s Den, December 17, 2021

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Wood: Data - A Twitter Thread on Ryan Pace’s Roster Debacles - Da Bears Blog - The Bears are reportedly still unsure on Ryan Pace. Let’s check in on some of his big contracts, shall we?

NFL, NFLPA agree to adjustments in COVID-19 protocols - 670 The Score - All 32 teams will be in intensive COVID-19 protocols until the end of Week 15, the league announced Thursday. That requires mandatory mask wearing in team facilities, social distancing, grab-and-go meal service in team cafeterias, all-virtual meetings, a limited number of people in the weight rooms and restrictions outside the facility.

All 3 Bears coordinators are in COVID-19 protocols - 670 The Score - The Bears are down all three coordinators this week due to COVID-19 protocols.

Bears-Vikings: 3 matchups to watch - 670 The Score - The Bears (4-9) and Vikings (6-7) are meeting for the first time this season — and on Monday Night Football — in a game that not only doesn’t matter but isn’t really even interesting.

Chicago Bears: COVID-19 outbreak is 11 players, 3 coaches - Chicago Tribune - The Chicago Bears are taking extra precautions this week after a COVID-19 outbreak sidelined all three coordinators and six additional players Thursday.

Chicago Bears Q&A: Who are the building blocks for 2022? - Chicago Tribune - With four games remaining and coming off another disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers, the eyes of Chicago Bears fans are on 2022. Brad Biggs answers questions about building blocks for next season, wide receiver issues, a lack of takeaways and more in his weekly mailbag.

Bears begin Vikings prep with all 3 coordinators out and a growing list of player absences – The Athletic - The Bears were missing 19 players Thursday because of injury, illness or the COVID-19 list, and their coaching ranks were thinned as well.

Game Preview: Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings (Week 15) - Chicago Audible - In this preview, The Chicago Audible provides an in-depth preview for the Week 15 matchup between the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings.

Bears fans react to Matt Nagy likely calling plays again on offense - Bears Wire - With Bill Lazor under COVID-19 protocols, Bears fans immediately came to the same conclusion: Matt Nagy will likely get to call plays again.

Hoge: Bears exploring GM candidates to replace Ryan Pace - RSN - Matt Nagy is also on the hot seat as Bears head coach.

Bears add Allen Robinson, Eddie Jackson, 4 others to COVID-19 list - RSN - Matt Nagy also announced all three coordinators are in the COVID-19 protocols.

Report: Gary Fencik says Bears need help making changes - RSN - The former Bears Super Bowl champion told the Chicago Tribune the Bears should ask for advice from former players.

All Bears coordinators enter COVID-19 protocols - RSN - Matt Nagy also announced adjustments to Bears practice at Halas Hall.

Bears injury relief could be on its way soon at CB and OL - RSN - Matt Nagy said the 21-day window for two players to be activated off of IR opened on Thursday.

Between prime-time games, Justin Fields navigating a new practice routine - Chicago Sun-Times - The most challenging game week of Justin Fields’ Bears career began on NBC and will end on ESPN. In between his two prime-time games, the Bears’ rookie quarterback might not throw a single full-speed pass.

Next man up? Bears searching for healthy bodies at OT vs. Vikings’ sack attack - Chicago Sun-Times - With LT Jason Peters likely out with a high ankle sprain, rookie Teven Jenkins could get his first NFL start — but he missed practice Thursday with an illness. RTs Larry Borom and Elijah Wilkinson are on the COVID-19 list. The good news? RT Germain Ifedi practiced for the first time in 10 weeks.

Bears-Vikings podcast: Coronavirus hits Halas Hall - Chicago Sun-Times - Coronavirus infections are on the rise across pro and college sports, and the Bears are especially hard hit.

Bears’ Akiem Hicks listed as full practice participant - Chicago Sun-Times - Beset by the coronavirus, the Bears need all the reinforcements they can get this week.

State rejects Arlington International’s OTB parlors - Chicago Tribune - The owner of Arlington Park, Churchill Downs Inc., announced this year that it had a preliminary agreement to sell the 326-acre site in Arlington Heights to the Chicago Bears for $197 million.

Column: Protecting Justin Fields tricky for Chicago Bears - Chicago Tribune - Jason Peters has a high ankle sprain, Teven Jenkins and James Daniels missed Thursday with an illness and Larry Borom is on the reserve/COVID-19 list. That means protecting Justin Fields has become a complicated issue for the Chicago Bears.

Bears injury relief could be on its way soon at CB and OL - RSN - Matt Nagy said the 21-day window for two players to be activated off of IR opened on Thursday.

POLISH SAUSAGE

NFLPA pushes for postponements, ponders the possibility of shutting things down for a week - ProFootballTalk - None of it is happening. The league is getting these games in. Too much money is riding on it, from ticket sales to TV revenue.

Some teams in enhanced protocols tried not to test vaccinated players on Thursday - ProFootballTalk - On Wednesday, NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills said that five teams are in enhanced protocols. ESPN identified seven: the Browns, Bears, Falcons, Lions, Rams, Vikings, and WFT. On Thursday, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said his team is no longer in enhanced protocols.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Wiltfong: Germain Ifedi and Duke Shelley return to practice - Windy City Gridiron - The Bears have opened the three-week practice window up for both Germain Ifedi and Duke Shelley.

Zeglinski: Chicago Bears players, coaching staff swept up by COVID-19 - Windy City Gridiron - An outbreak at Halas Hall has extended itself plenty.

Wiltfong: Eddie Jackson among 6 Bears put on the Reserve/COVID-19 list today - Windy City Gridiron - The world of sports has seen a huge uptick in coronavirus cases in the last few weeks, which coincides with the numbers we’re seeing from around the world as the pandemic rages on. The NFL has seen...

Salo's Chicago Bears Fantasy Football Start/Sit - Windy City Gridiron - Here’s your start/sit guide for Bears players in week 15.

The Magnificent 7: Darnell Mooney (#5) - Windy City Gridiron - The Bears are in the middle of hard times. However, there’s still hope to be found on the roster.

Zimmerman's Chicago Bears Podcast: Examining the Chicago Bears’ future beyond 2021 - Windy City Gridiron - Bears Banter examines the future of the Chicago Bears

THE RULES

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Windy City Gridiron Podcast Channel which includes Bear With Me from Robert Schmitz, Bears Over Beers featuring Jeff Berckes & EJ Snyder (their BOB YouTube Channel can be found here), Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, Rule of 3 with R. Schmitz, Danny Meehan, and Brandon Robinson, Bear & Balanced from Jeff and Lester A. Wiltfong Jr., and T Formation Conversation from Lester; EJ also co-hosts The Bootleg Football Podcast with Brett Kollmann; R. Schmitz has a film breakdown show on YouTube titled Run Pass Opinion; Will Robinson II has his WhiskeyRanger YouTube channel, and Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert.

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; Jack R Salo; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Will Robinson II; Robert Schmitz; T.J. Starman; Robert Zeglinski; Bill Zimmerman; Like WCG on Facebook.