The Bear’s Den, June 3, 2021

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS

Tom Brady: I don’t think I’ve ever been as confused as I was on fourth down in Chicago - ProFootballTalk - On the Buccaneers’ last offensive play in their loss to the Bears last season, Tom Brady threw an incomplete pass on what he thought was third down, then held up four fingers with a confused look on his face, showing that he was just then coming to the realization that it had actually been fourth down.

The defense rests: Nine Bears starters staying off the field for OTAs - Chicago Sun-Times - Linebacker Roquan Smith was the only returning starter to participate in on-field activities. But coach Matt Nagy said the absent players — including Akiem Hicks, Khalil Mack and Eddie Jackson — still are participating in off-field meetings.

Bears coach Matt Nagy finally has QB bliss with Andy Dalton, Justin Fields - Chicago Sun-Times - Nagy is often overly optimistic about where the Bears stand, but he might be right to feel joyful about who they have at quarterback

Bears rookie WR Dazz Newsome to have collarbone surgery - Chicago Sun-Times - Bears rookie receiver Dazz Newsome broke his left collarbone during Tuesday’s organized team activity practice and will have surgery Thursday to repair it, a source confirmed to the Sun-Times.

Bears sign 5 draft picks, including North Carolina WR Dazz Newsome - Chicago Sun-Times - The signings leave two players from this year’s rookie class left to finalize their deals.

Column: Chicago Bears starting defense mostly a no-show at OTAs - Chicago Tribune - It was eye-opening that inside linebacker Roquan Smith was the only Chicago Bears defensive starter from last season on the field for Wednesday's organized team activity at Halas Hall.

Chicago Bears: Andy Dalton still locked in to start Week 1 - Chicago Tribune - The Chicago Bears might have propped up Andy Dalton on social media as “QB1” but only because it was less sexy to tweet a picture of Dalton with the caption “Placeholder.” Now, though? With Justin Fields at Halas Hall? Dalton is still locked in and ready to start Week 1.

Dazz Newsome: Chicago Bears rookie WR breaks collarbone - Chicago Tribune - Rookie wide receiver Dazz Newsome sat out Wednesday's Chicago Bears practice with his left arm in a sling. Here's what else we learned from OTAs at Halas Hall.

Bears OTA notebook: Andy Dalton's role as a mentor, what's planned for Justin Fields and more – The Athletic - Notes on the Bears' QBs, early impressions of Fields and more after the Bears opened Halas Hall to reporters for their second day of OTAs.

Bears Rookie Dazz Newsome to Have Collarbone Surgery - On Tap Sports Net - Dazz Newsome is expected to miss eight weeks, but be able to return in time for training camp in late July.

Chicago Bears Quarterback Andy Dalton building chemistry with new teammates during the first week of OTA practices - ChicagoBears.com - The assimilation process for quarterback Andy Dalton continues this week with the Bears conducting their first OTA practices of the offseason.

Chicago Bears sign OL Larry Borom, RB Khalil Herbert, WR Dazz Newsome, DB Thomas Graham Jr. and DL Khyiris Tonga to three-year contracts - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears on Wednesday signed five of their seven 2021 draft picks to three-year contracts.

In Case It Doesn’t Work Out at GM: Part I - Da Bears Blog - The Bears still need to show they’re heading in the right direction if Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy are going to keep their jobs.

Now the Bears’ QB3, what’s next for Nick Foles? - ChicagoBears.com - Now that the Bears have have veteran Andy Dalton in line to start at quarterback and a focus on developing rookie Justin Fields, it’s fair to wonder about the future of Nick Foles, who started seven games for Chicago in 2020.

Andy Dalton unfazed by Bears’ drafting of Justin Fields - 670 The Score - As he broke the Bears’ huddle and stepped to the line of scrimmage Wednesday at Halas Hall, veteran quarterback Andy Dalton had his competition watching closely behind him.

NFC North Rundown: Team ownership is just one of the Bears’ burning financial questions - Acme Packing Company - Chicago has a number of short- and long-term financial considerations this offseason, and apparently the team’s ownership has entered the mix.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Report: Signs point to NFL retaining modified injured reserve rules - ProFootballTalk - Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that “all signs point to” the league retaining the changes it made to injured reserve. The tweaked rule allows for unlimited players to return from injured reserve and to return faster — three weeks instead of eight — than the previous rule permitted.

NFL dumps race-norming from concussion settlement - ProFootballTalk - The NFL has agreed that the practice of race-norming will be abandoned from the assessment of claims made under the settlement.

KNOW THINE ENEMY

10 things to watch for at Week 2 of Detroit Lions OTAs - Pride Of Detroit - What we will be watching at this weeks open practice

Matt LaFleur: Hopefully we'll see Aaron Rodgers on Tuesday - ProFootballTalk - Packers coach Matt LaFleur admitted Wednesday he doesn’t know Rodgers’ plans.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Infante: Bears sign five draft picks to four-year rookie deals - Windy City Gridiron - The Bears have locked up all five of their day 3 selections from the 2021 NFL Draft.

Infante: Bears WR Dazz Newsome breaks collarbone, will require surgery - Windy City Gridiron - The Bears’ sixth-round wide receiver should miss time with his recent injury.

Wiltfong: Bears legend Walter Payton is the greatest NFL player of all time - Windy City Gridiron - He’s not just the greatest Bears player of all time.

Wiltfong: Bears offense has great attendance at OTAs, the defense not so much - Windy City Gridiron - We check on on day 2 of the Bears first voluntary OTA.

30 Day Challenge: What is Your Favorite Bears Memory? - Windy City Gridiron - Every day in the month of June we’ll ask a different Chicago Bears related question to our readers. Make sure you guys participate the entire month so we can all get to know the WCG community a little better.

Wiltfong: After post-June 1 cuts, the Bears have $10 million in salary cap space - Windy City Gridiron - According to the latest public salary cap report form the NFLPA, the Chicago Bears currently have $10,068,578.00 in available salary cap space after the post-June 1st releases have been processed.

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, Bears Banter hosted by Bill Zimmerman, Rule of 3 with R. Schmitz, Danny Meehan, and Brandon Robinson, and the occasional 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; Will Robinson II has his WhiskeyRanger YouTube channel, and Steven’s Streaming Twitch Channel from Steven Schweickert.

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