The Bear’s Den, March 3, 2023

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

BEARRRSSSS, FREE AGENCY & DRAFT

Trade down? Bears waiting for teams to go ‘all-in’ for QB - Chicago Sun-Times - The more teams that want to deal, the more Poles can command in return. There are plenty of candidates.

In pivotal offseason for Bears GM Ryan Poles, contract extensions loom large - Chicago Sun-Times - Jaylon Johnson, Darnell Mooney, Cole Kmet and Chase Claypool are all in position to seek new deals, and Poles must weigh the risk of another Roquan Smith situation.

Should the Bears trade for Jalen Ramsey? - The Irish Bears Network - The Bears addressed the cornerback position with the selection of Kyler Gordon in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he came on strong after a rough start to the season. The 23-year-old got valuable experience playing both in the slot and outside cornerback in year one, but he is more suited to

CHGO Bears Podcast: Chicago Bears potential No. 1 draft pick Jalen Carter returns to NFL Combine - CHGO - In this episode, the crew discusses Jalen Carter’s return and much more including their recent takeaways from the NFL Combine.

NFL Combine: Learning more about mid-to-late-round defensive backs the Bears could draft - CHGO - The defensive backs met with the media Thursday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Here are some players the Chicago Bears could be doing homework on

Will Clark Phillips follow mentor Jaylon Johnson’s path to Bears? - NBC Sports Chicago - Clark Phillips wanted to follow Jaylon Johnson’s path at Utah. So far, so good. But will his draft journey lead him to Chicago?

Bears big winners of early NFL combine testing as pass rushers pop - NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears ranked dead last by a mile in pressures last season. Thursday’s showing by the edge rushers and an undersized DT show it’s a good year to need to retool your pass rush.

Panthers’ Derek Carr, Bryce Young decision could alter Bears’ plans - NBC Sports Chicago - The Panthers met with Derek Carr on Tuesday in Indianapolis. Bryce Young “checks a lot of boxes.” What road Carolina travels could determine what path the Bears take with the No. 1 pick.

Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness boasts ‘through the roof’ potential - 670 The Score - Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness has become an intriguing NFL Draft prospect, as he’s projected to be a first-round pick and has even earned the nickname “Hercules.”

Calijah Kancey runs fastest 40 ever for a defensive tackle at the Scouting Combine - ProFootballTalk - Kancey ran an official 4.67-second 40-yard dash, the fastest time by a defensive tackle at the Combine since 2003, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. (Timing at the Combine was less standardized before 2003.)

NFL Combine notes: Illini CB Witherspoon the ‘complete package’ - Chicago Sun-Times - Devon Witherspoon knows which NFL wide receiver he wants to line up against. “All of them,” he said Thursday.

Braggs’ NFL Combine Diary: Networking after midnight in Indianapolis - CHGO - Note: Greg Braggs is in Indianapolis this week with the CHGO Bears team and will be filing dispatches each day about his experiences at his first-ever NFL Combine. INDIANAPOLIS — Well, to recap today, we have to start at last night. I was told after going to bed responsibly on Tuesday at midnight that that wasn't gonna

POLISH SAUSAGE

George Toma: Super Bowl LVII field was overwatered - ProFootballTalk - In the pilot episode of Seinfeld, Jerry explains to George that, when it comes to laundry, you can’t over dry and you can’t over wet. Football fields (spoiler alert) are not laundry.

NFLPA hits Cardinals for worst weight room, charging players who eat meals at team facility - ProFootballTalk - The NFL players’ union says the Cardinals are the only team in the league that charges players to have dinner at the team facility, and have the worst the weight room in the league.

NFLPA report cards: 17 shocking things we learned about NFL teams - USA Today - There were a lot of appalling details in the NFLPA’s survey about player working conditions.

With goal of someday becoming a G.M., Von Miller visits Scouting Combine - ProFootballTalk - Bills linebacker Von Miller, the MVP of Super Bowl 50, has arrived in Indianapolis for the Scouting Combine with the goal of eventually becoming a General Manager.

Referee Jerome Boger retires from the NFL - ProFootballTalk - Boger is the only referee to announce his retirement since the end of the 2022 season, but nine other officials will be stepping down. That group includes a pair of brothers — down judge Jerry Bergman and line judge Jeff Bergman — as well as line judge Walt Coleman IV, back judge Steven Patrick, down judge Mark Hittner, field judge Michael Banks, side judge Jeff Lamberth, back judge Keith Ferguson, and back judge Perry Paganelli.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Infante: 2023 NFL Combine - Winners from Day 1 of DL, LB workouts - Windy City Gridiron - WCG’s Lead Draft Analyst shares brief anecdotes on each of his top performers from Day 1 of the 2023 NFL Combine.

Wiltfong & Zeglinski - T Formation Conversation: Live from the NFL Combine! - Windy City Gridiron - Lester had to grab Robert to get his take on the NFL Scouting Combine so far.

Wiltfong - Bear Bones: Chicago Bears Mock Draft 3.0 - Windy City Gridiron - Stop by our 2nd City Gridiron YouTube channel for Bear Bones LIVE at FIVE as we get in on some mock draft fun!

Chicago Bears 2023 Free Agency Roundtable: Favorite trade target - Windy City Gridiron - The WCG crew ran through several questions in this offseason roundtable, and today’s was about who they wish the Bears would trade for.

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