The Bears haven’t been afraid to do business with the Patriots, and they’re going to be up there anyway, so they might as well swing by a few days early.
Via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, the Patriots will host the Bears for two days of joint practices on Aug. 15-16. They’re playing each other at Gillette Stadium on Aug. 18.
There’s some cross-pollenation between the two teams, but the most curious to watch this season will be the way tight end Martellus Bennett adapts to his new address.
The Bears shipped him to New England in March in exchange for a swap of draft picks (the difference between a fourth and a sixth). He gives New England another potentially explosive target in the passing game, and being there in a contract year should give him plenty of incentive to perform.
The Patriots had also discussed a workout with the Saints, after traveling to West Virginia to hang out last summer, but nothing has been arranged.