April 08--The Bears will get a good look at the Super Bowl champions and former players Martellus Bennett and Shea McClellin this summer.
The NFL released preseason opponents and the Bears will be host to the Super Bowl 50 champion Broncos, coach John Fox's former team, at Soldier Field in their first exhibition between Aug. 11-15.
The Bears will travel to play the Patriots in second week of preseason as the league announced exhibition opponents Thursday. The regular-season schedule is expected to be released in the next two weeks and before the NFL draft, which begins April 28 in Chicago.
Bennett was traded to the Patriots at the start of the new league year in a deal that netted the Bears a fourth-round draft pick. McClellin, the Bears' first-round pick in 2012, signed a $9.05 million, three-year contract with New England.
The Bears are scheduled to host the Chiefs in their third exhibition between Aug. 25-28. They close preseason with an exhibition at Cleveland. The Bears and Browns have finished the exhibition season playing each other every summer since 2004. Both clubs like the agreement because it is a short trip for the traveling team. All four exhibitions will be broadcast on Fox-32.
Soon, the entire schedule will be available for analysis. The 2015 schedule was announced last April 21.
bmbiggs@tribpub.com
