The Bear’s Den, April 29, 2025

Bears fans and new players speak, as team is reimaged for 2025

WE WANT YOU!

Would you like to show your Chicago Bears spirit to the world? I’m starting a feature where Windy City Gridiron readers can share pictures of themselves and their families and friends in Bears attire. Simply email a picture to me at the following address: denmasterken at aol dot com. The pictures need to be clear, and full resolution (i.e. full size from your phone if that’s how you take them). Include any description information you like along with the photo!

THE DAILY SPONGIE SPECIAL

DENMASTER KEN’S VIDEO GRAB BAG

BEARRRSSSS

Teams were trying to trade up for Colston Loveland before Chicago Bears drafted him – SI – Multiple teams were looking to trade up in the NFL Draft until the Chicago Bears took TE Colston Loveland, and then those trade calls stopped, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

Most stunning Bears pick won them over with speed and personality – SI – How does a player not in Pro Football Focus’ top 350 become a fourth-round Bears draft pick? Very rapidly is the answer.

Is Nick Chubb a Good Fit For the 2025 Chicago Bears? – BN – Four-time Pro Bowl RB Nick Chubb is working his way back to getting healthy. Should the Bears show interest?

Luther Burden: 2025 Bears Draft Pick Highlights, Skills, Fit – Bears second-round pick, Missouri WR Luther Burden III, arrives in Chicago with a monumental chip on his shoulder.

Dave Wannstedt likes what the Bears did in 2025 NFL Draft – 670 – On the Mully & Haugh Show, Score football analyst and former Bears head coach Dave Wannstedt analyzed the team’s eight-player draft class. Wannstedt explained why he believes it will turn into a successful draft class for the Bears.

5 takeaways from NFL Draft: Bears take shape for Ben Johnson – 670 – The 2025 NFL Draft was the first with Bears general manager Ryan Poles and new head coach Ben Johnson working side by side, and it was clear that Johnson’s voice played a prominent role in the team’s decisions.

Do Chicago Bears have too many toys on offense now? – Chicago Tribune – The volume of high-profile, high-investment playmakers on the Chicago Bears offense is impressive. But with it comes challenges.

Chicago Bears: Who they signed as undrafted free agents – Chicago Tribune – The Chicago Bears worked to fill out their roster with signings or training camp invites for these undrafted rookies, per media and university reports.

How the Bears’ search for their next QB brought them to tight end Colston Loveland – The Athletic – When the Bears were in the market for a quarterback in 2024, they studied Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. Loveland stood out, too.

What is the Chicago Bears’ biggest roster problem following the 2025 NFL Draft? – SI – The Chicago Bears added several likely starters or key contributors in the 2025 NFL Draft, but one lingering roster question remains.

Chicago Bears add another running back to their inexperienced mix – SI – Former Texas State and UTEP back Deion Hankins joins a backfield lacking tremendously in experience after starter D’Andre Swift. Ken’s Note: Ummm… Roschon Johnson enters his third year, Travis Homer his seventh so… inexperienced? Not sure if this theory holds water.

5 takeaways from NFL Draft: Bears take shape for Ben Johnson – 670 – The 2025 NFL Draft was the first with Bears general manager Ryan Poles and new head coach Ben Johnson working side by side, and it was clear that Johnson’s voice played a prominent role in the team’s decisions.

POLISH SAUSAGE

Brandon Beane pushes back against criticism of Bills’ 2025 draft – NBC Sports – There’s a unique sort of pressure that comes from consistently banging on the door to a Super Bowl appearance… “our job is to score points and win games. Where do we need to get better? Defense. We did that. So I get it. You’ve got to have a show and you’ve got to have something to bitch about, but bitching about wide receiver is one of the dumbest arguments I’ve heard.”

NFL should limit internal access to prospects’ phone numbers – NBC Sports – Too many people had access to Shedeur Sanders’s phone number.

Esiason: Multiple owners told their teams to take Shedeur Sanders off the board – NBC Sports – Now that the dust is settling on the stunning Shedeur Sanders draft-weekend rollercoaster, more specific details are emerging about the attitude more than a few teams had about him.

Jeffrey Lurie: Eagles were “honored to participate” in traditional White House visit – NBC Sports – Seven years after the Eagles didn’t visit the White House after winning the Super Bowl, they made the trip after winning it again.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

NFL Draft Grades: Chicago Bears fans give the Colston Loveland pick a B – Windy City Gridiron – Most Chicago Bears fans were bracing for running back Ashton Jeanty or one of the top offensive tackles. Or perhaps a defensive lineman in the first round on Thursday night, but as the picks…

Winners from the 2025 Chicago Bears NFL Draft – Windy City Gridiron – Which players benefited the most from the incoming draft class for the Chicago Bears? Who will be toasting to their future success moving forward? Your Bears Over Beers crew shares their takes!

2026 NFL mock draft: Way-too-early Round 1 predictions – Windy City Gridiron – WCG’s lead draft analyst shares his way-too-early Round 1 mock for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Five Reflections on the 2025 NFL Draft – Windy City Gridiron – The NFL Draft is a time of hope and disappointment for many fanbases. Here are a few thoughts that should be safe enough to ponder for most people, though.

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