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Monday, March 9, 2026

Good morning, Chicago.

Get ready for a busy week in sports. The NFL's free-agent negotiating period opens at 11 a.m. today, and any signings or trades can become official at 3 p.m. Wednesday with the start of the 2026 league year.

And in college basketball, the men's Big Ten Tournament comes to the United Center starting Tuesday, as teams jockey for positioning before Selection Sunday.

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Chicago Bears have flexibility now heading into free agency. What are their biggest needs?

Ryan Poles was busy this week freeing up salary-cap space. What will the Bears do with it? Here are their three biggest positions of need heading into free agency.

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Cactus League report: Rosters are shaping up for the Cubs and Sox — and the World Baseball Classic heats up

The Cubs and White Sox are starting to make cuts in spring training camp, whittling down roster sizes before opening day on March 26.

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What has led to Northwestern’s success in women’s sports the last 20 years? ‘Winning can be contagious.’

When it comes to women’s sports, Northwestern has had a special run over the last 20 years, including five NCAA team championships in the last five years.

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Troy Murray, Chicago Blackhawks great and longtime team broadcaster, dies at 63

Troy Murray, who died Saturday at 63, played 12 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and won the Selke Trophy in 1985-86.

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Chicago Bulls lose to the Sacramento Kings 126-110 — yet the team’s tanking strategy remains confusing

The glaring concern for the Chicago Bulls is that Sunday’s loss didn’t seem all that purposeful or planned.

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Tracking the Chicago Bears in NFL free agency: Special teams standout Daniel Hardy signs 2-year deal

It’s the busiest week on the NFL’s offseason calendar. Here’s the latest Chicago Bears news in free agency.

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Big Ten Tournament: No. 4 seed Illinois has a triple bye, while No. 15 Northwestern opens Tuesday