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Speaker 1: day and now welcome to Bears All Access. You're All
Speaker 1: Access passing to Chicago Bears football. Bears All Access is
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Speaker 1: Miller Lite and Hulu. Good Tuesday, and everybody, welcome back
Speaker 1: into another edition of Bears All Access. Jeff Johnny AAC
Speaker 1: along with Tom Fair Jim Miller joining us as well
Speaker 1: for an hour of football conversation Bears style. As we
Speaker 1: go post NFL owners meetings, these mile posts of the
Speaker 1: offseason continue to come come at you quick. And now
Speaker 1: we're into April and so it's draft month, and so
Speaker 1: no matter where they're picking, it's exciting to look about
Speaker 1: what might be available come around, third, fourth, fifth round
Speaker 1: and the potentially future Bears and hopefully a couple of
Speaker 1: starters down the road, maybe even in twenty nineteen. We'll see,
Speaker 1: but lots still going on. You guys did the show
Speaker 1: last Monday without me, And during the course of the week,
Speaker 1: Jordan Howard was dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles. You resigned
Speaker 1: Aaron Lynch, so those two of the big personnel moves
Speaker 1: this week. Yeah, you know, I have all the respect
Speaker 1: in the world for Jordan Howard. He always carried himself
Speaker 1: as a quality guy around me, and I think he's
Speaker 1: going to have a successful career in the NFL. But
Speaker 1: when you look at what they think of in a
Speaker 1: running back, it's changed over the course of time. With
Speaker 1: Coach Naggie here, what they want out of the running back,
Speaker 1: what they want their inclusion to be inside the offense
Speaker 1: is different than what Jordan Howard kind of offered them
Speaker 1: at this point. So you know, uh, Jordan, he's going
Speaker 1: to go to a good football team. And you know,
Speaker 1: Matt Naggie and Doug Peterson they have enough respect for
Speaker 1: each other that that's kind of a you know, not
Speaker 1: a not a buddy trade, but it's a respect trade.
Speaker 1: They respect Jordan Howard and they put him in an
Speaker 1: opportunity to succeed Big Jim. Yeah. Well, you know again,
Speaker 1: you wish Jordan Howard all the best. You've been very productive,
Speaker 1: you know, Philadelphia, these these route there even going into
Speaker 1: last year, towards the end of the year that Philly
Speaker 1: was calling inquiring about Jordan Howard and they want more
Speaker 1: that that power, straight ahead run. You know, I think
Speaker 1: we saw how they, you know, really made it to
Speaker 1: the Super Bowl and how they utilize the Garrett Blunt
Speaker 1: and they I think they felt that that was missing
Speaker 1: they had injuries at the running back spot a season ago.
Speaker 1: I also think in coach Naggie's kind of touched on
Speaker 1: it sounds like he's interesting and interested in Cordarol Patterson
Speaker 1: and how he'll be utilized Again every team he's been with,
Speaker 1: he's a log carries as a running back. Does it
Speaker 1: mean more jet sweeps? Things like that that Cordarol does
Speaker 1: very well and he's had a lot of productivity mentioned
Speaker 1: he was really the two week bell cow for the
Speaker 1: New England Patriots when they had injuries at the running
Speaker 1: back spot. And again there's some backs later in the draft.
Speaker 1: Sounds I think the Bears, you know, and I've been
Speaker 1: talking about Dexter Williams for n D for quite some time,
Speaker 1: bigger back who can run with power that potentially maybe
Speaker 1: those guys are on their radar screen later in the draft,
Speaker 1: because again, it that position just seems like it's been
Speaker 1: fungible you look at what you know, Levon Bell, I
Speaker 1: don't think he got the contract that was even as
Speaker 1: good as what was offered a year ago. And you
Speaker 1: look at some of these trades that have gone down
Speaker 1: for the running back position, I think sometimes that position
Speaker 1: has been a little bit devalued over the past couple
Speaker 1: of years, and how teams are looking at that position.
Speaker 1: You know what the change in the position? To me, Jim,
Speaker 1: it seems like that the Bears want a running back
Speaker 1: that can go to can break the huddle and be
Speaker 1: the primary or receiver and a route whether he starts
Speaker 1: around in the backfield or he goes to the line
Speaker 1: of scrimmage. And that's one of the traits that have
Speaker 1: changed over time. Because you talk about the battering ram
Speaker 1: that Philadelphia wants and what they're getting in Jordan Howard.
Speaker 1: I think that's what's different about the evaluation of the
Speaker 1: running back position right now for the Chicago Bears and
Speaker 1: going forward. Hey, look at a guy like Duke Johnson,
Speaker 1: Supposedly he's on the trade block for the Cleveland Browns,
Speaker 1: and he's intriguing. I just I ran this by time abield. Yeah,
Speaker 1: I mean, he's a very effective back. So you know,
Speaker 1: but in the end, you still need a guy who's
Speaker 1: gonna be at a total twenty times when you're trying
Speaker 1: to put away games and so forth, and you'd like
Speaker 1: to get a guy fifteen to twenty carries, you know,
Speaker 1: especially in November December, we talked about it about Jordan.
Speaker 1: What do you want? Do you want a guy or
Speaker 1: the offense to have him the carries I'm talking about.
Speaker 1: I always look at it. I try to look at
Speaker 1: it as role. So I think you do need a
Speaker 1: bigger back for for that type of role, you know,
Speaker 1: in terms of to pound it even you know when
Speaker 1: you look at uh, you know, when Kareem Hunt went
Speaker 1: out for for the Kansas City Chiefs last year, you
Speaker 1: know picked up the slack. It was Damian Williams, who's
Speaker 1: a bigger back, and he played well come postseason, so
Speaker 1: you know, I you know, I think Mike Davis is
Speaker 1: a lot better than what people realize who the bear
Speaker 1: side from the Seattle Seahawks. I mean, he had a
Speaker 1: stretch run last year where really he had some opportunities
Speaker 1: and I thought he could pound it for a bigger back,
Speaker 1: and that's why I kind of I think that could
Speaker 1: be another mix I don't know where Ryan Null is
Speaker 1: in terms of his development if they trust him in
Speaker 1: that spot, but I would think you would need another
Speaker 1: bigger back on that roster if Mike Davis were to
Speaker 1: go down, well, they have chances to pick up a back.
Speaker 1: As you said, Jim, lots of running backs in that
Speaker 1: third to fifth round range of notes. Pick your variety.
Speaker 1: There will be a lot to choose from when the
Speaker 1: Bears go to work on the draft. Here in just
Speaker 1: a few weeks, we're gonna step away. We come back
Speaker 1: expected to be joined by DeAndre Houston. Carson back for
Speaker 1: a fourth year with the Bears on special teams and
Speaker 1: in that defensive secondary. With Tom fare, Jim Miller. I'm
Speaker 1: Jeff Joniac and this is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy
Speaker 1: the Score. Welcome back into Bears all access here on
Speaker 1: Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Jeff Joniac, Tom there,
Speaker 1: Jim Miller with you, and we are pleased at this time. Oh.
Speaker 1: By the way, we are brought to you by IGS Energy,
Speaker 1: a partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas,
Speaker 1: and home warranty products to over one million customers across
Speaker 1: the country. Learn more. About IGS Energy at igs dot com.
Speaker 1: DeAndre Houston, Carson, Bears draft pick three years ago, come
Speaker 1: on back for a fourth year and the special team's
Speaker 1: stud and defensive secondary. I'm gonna say versatile player because
Speaker 1: the man did play corner and safety in college. Been
Speaker 1: playing that Nicola Times, big Dime, you name it, he's
Speaker 1: played it with the Bears. Good to have you back
Speaker 1: in Chicago, DeAndre, and welcome into the show tonight. Really
Speaker 1: excited to have you back as a Bear because I
Speaker 1: think a lot of what you did sometimes gets against
Speaker 1: lost in under the radar a little bit, but you
Speaker 1: made a big impact on special teams and as a
Speaker 1: role player on defense even with the switch and coordinators,
Speaker 1: and you see yourself filling a really good role here
Speaker 1: to come back in twenty nineteen, Well, first night, thank
Speaker 1: you for thanks for having me on, and I'm definitely
Speaker 1: excited to be back. And yeah, I look forward to
Speaker 1: having a good year. Hey, DeAndre. Last year's success during
Speaker 1: the season as you started to climb those stack those
Speaker 1: ws as say did was it did the winds energize
Speaker 1: you guys or did it put more pressure on you guys?
Speaker 1: Because where you came from the season before now, I
Speaker 1: think I think winning just creates positive momentum. I wouldn't
Speaker 1: say it created any pressure for us, but you know,
Speaker 1: the atmosphere is just better when you win, well, when
Speaker 1: you look at it from your perspective. And he got
Speaker 1: in there and it did such a fantastic job late
Speaker 1: in the year. Do you think you'll be utilized in
Speaker 1: that same role? You know, if you talk to Chuck
Speaker 1: Pagano at at all in terms of your role for
Speaker 1: the Bears here in twenty nineteen. Yeah, so I haven't
Speaker 1: talked to coach Purgano yet, look forward to meeting him.
Speaker 1: And as far as my role, I'm I'm not quite
Speaker 1: sure what it's gonna be yet. I just know I'm
Speaker 1: gonna go out there and and do the best I
Speaker 1: can and keep trying to perfect my craft, and then
Speaker 1: you know, whatever role I do have, I'm gonna do
Speaker 1: it to the best of my baby or if your
Speaker 1: bear DeAndre Houston Carson with us here on Bear's All
Speaker 1: Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. He'd scored Jeff
Speaker 1: Time and Jim with you. DeAndre. Back in College of
Speaker 1: William Marry, you are an outstanding special teams player, but
Speaker 1: you had this knack for black and kicks, and it
Speaker 1: was really almost uncanny. I think you had four black punts,
Speaker 1: you blacked a bunch of field goals and extra points
Speaker 1: and whatnot. Has it been something that has served you
Speaker 1: well here to even have you circled for other teams
Speaker 1: as a threat to do that in games, because I
Speaker 1: think it's one of the most underrated tough things to do, really,
Speaker 1: because guys can bend that edge, but it's the ability
Speaker 1: to get there and get their hands in the right spot,
Speaker 1: go tack at the football as opposed to the actual
Speaker 1: kicker and make those those plays. Because I'm sure you
Speaker 1: were circled by teams knowing that this was something that
Speaker 1: you were a weapon with. You know what, Honestly, I
Speaker 1: have been I haven't got to the blacker kid, and
Speaker 1: since I've been the league three years, which is something
Speaker 1: that I and disappointed in just for myself and a
Speaker 1: goal that I always have and something that I've been
Speaker 1: working on during the offseason. And so, like I said,
Speaker 1: I don't know, you know, if that's really the teams
Speaker 1: even really know that, you know, because I haven't put
Speaker 1: it on film yet. And so but I say yet,
Speaker 1: because I think that I can think that I can
Speaker 1: still do it. What's the key doing? For one, I
Speaker 1: think to get off and then just finishing. I mean
Speaker 1: a lot of guys get around the ball. I just
Speaker 1: gotta just gotta be able to really keep your eyes
Speaker 1: on it and finished through DeAndre. You know, you don't
Speaker 1: have very many opportunities during the course of your career
Speaker 1: to increase your value at the end of the season.
Speaker 1: So you come and you sign a one year deal.
Speaker 1: You have a new defensive coordinator you had, you had
Speaker 1: a good finish to the season last year, and you're
Speaker 1: gonna be one of the key components in the special
Speaker 1: team's core here, which is an important role is starting
Speaker 1: in some aspects. Do you feel that this is an
Speaker 1: opportunity for you in your football life to increase your
Speaker 1: value down the road, not only for the Bears, but
Speaker 1: for any opportunity that's presented to you, No doubt, no doubt.
Speaker 1: Anytime you get a chance to put something out there
Speaker 1: on fail to put on the tape, you know it's
Speaker 1: a great chance of soldier're all about and I look
Speaker 1: forward to the opportunity. Well, you talked about honing your
Speaker 1: craft so to speak. I mean, where do you think
Speaker 1: you what would you personally like to work on to
Speaker 1: where you feel you need to get better at In
Speaker 1: terms of your overall skill set. You know, there's a
Speaker 1: few things. I think you can always increase your your
Speaker 1: knowledge of the game, which is something that I've been
Speaker 1: trying to do over the last few years. Um, you know,
Speaker 1: foo foot quickness is something I've been working a lot
Speaker 1: on over the off season, getting getting stronger, and then yeah,
Speaker 1: just finishing. You know, there's there's uh, only so much
Speaker 1: drill work you can do at the end of the day.
Speaker 1: You got to go out there and put it on tape. Hey, DeAndre,
Speaker 1: you know I was I was looking back and reading
Speaker 1: about you and it said that you did thirteen reps
Speaker 1: on the bench press back of the combine. Are you
Speaker 1: stronger now at this stage your career, being able to
Speaker 1: invest more in the nutrition the weight rooms compared to
Speaker 1: where you were as a senior in college, I would
Speaker 1: say so. And I would say that over the last
Speaker 1: few years, I've just been trying to pick up guys,
Speaker 1: pick up things so hit from the guys around um
Speaker 1: of the facility, you know, pick up certain things that
Speaker 1: they do as far as the nutrition and recovery and
Speaker 1: all that sort of stuff. Um, and just try to
Speaker 1: add that to my game so I can so like
Speaker 1: you said, I can be stronger. Well, it always talks
Speaker 1: about defensive backs. You always talk about your feet and
Speaker 1: all that type of qualities that you have to have
Speaker 1: in order to be a great player. But the upper part,
Speaker 1: the upper body part of it is equally is important.
Speaker 1: You know, to stay healthy, make sure that you're keeping
Speaker 1: your your head in the game and all the aspects
Speaker 1: that's required of you. Yeah, I would say that's true.
Speaker 1: And like you said, as far as staying healthy, you know,
Speaker 1: strength is obviously a key part of that and something
Speaker 1: that I'm trying to continue to grow in. DeAndre Houston Carson,
Speaker 1: our guest here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports
Speaker 1: Radio six seventy the Score kind enough to spend a
Speaker 1: few minutes with us. You mentioned you're working out foot
Speaker 1: quickness and and oftentimes you'll you'll hear about what quarterbacks
Speaker 1: are doing in the offseason, what they're training, how they're training,
Speaker 1: who they're training with, and Old Mitch has been out
Speaker 1: there with with some of the guys at receiver just
Speaker 1: getting some routes in and getting that timing down even
Speaker 1: at this stage, it's important, but you don't hear about everybody.
Speaker 1: What did you decide to do this off season in
Speaker 1: terms of maybe hiring somebody to help you through maybe
Speaker 1: increasing your footwork, foot speed and whatnot, and anything different
Speaker 1: than you've done at any point prior in your NFL
Speaker 1: career in college. Yeah, I'm taking a little bit different
Speaker 1: approach this offseason. UM as far as UM, just trying
Speaker 1: to get around a few different trainers. So I've been
Speaker 1: working with with my trainer, John McNulty over this offseason.
Speaker 1: He's up here in Libertiesville, Illinois, and then also a
Speaker 1: place eft UM in Deerfield, Illinois. Just getting over there
Speaker 1: and working with those guys UM and then a lot
Speaker 1: of it, honestly, it is just personal, you know, a
Speaker 1: lot of It's just what I'm doing with no one else.
Speaker 1: Is a round that I'm trying to walk on. You've
Speaker 1: been to the new facility yet, and have you been
Speaker 1: and seen the locker room and picked out your locker? Yeah?
Speaker 1: I was in there on Friday for the first time
Speaker 1: and it's Uh, were you blown away? Yeah? It's special,
Speaker 1: it is it is. Go ahead, Well, I was gonna
Speaker 1: ask you, do you have any thoughts on Obviously, the
Speaker 1: expansion of replay will include offensive passing or interference as well,
Speaker 1: but say you you know, as as a corner or
Speaker 1: a dime or anything. You know, potentially if a quarterback's
Speaker 1: even throwing away from you in your defense, you know,
Speaker 1: they could potentially call defensive pass interference or offensive rub routes.
Speaker 1: We know those get called all the you know, or
Speaker 1: get run all the time in the NFL. Do you
Speaker 1: have any early thoughts how it's going to impact you
Speaker 1: in how you play or do you think it's going
Speaker 1: to affect that a coach can now challenge non calls
Speaker 1: in the NFL for pass interference. I definitely would think
Speaker 1: that it would affect, you know, the game strategy, hail,
Speaker 1: marriage situations and things like that. UM, as far as
Speaker 1: you know how it affect our game personally, I'm not
Speaker 1: quite sure. I guess after we get closer into the
Speaker 1: season and talk with the team and coaches and stuff
Speaker 1: like that, we'll have a I have a better understanding
Speaker 1: shopmate here with DeAndre Houston. Carson Bears, a returning free
Speaker 1: agent signy and entering his fourth year in the NFL
Speaker 1: out of William and Mary. You know, it's a great
Speaker 1: question by Jim because a year ago at this time,
Speaker 1: everybody was wondering exactly how the helmet rule was gonna
Speaker 1: impact the game and if it was going to be
Speaker 1: flag after flag, and you know, as you sit back,
Speaker 1: it didn't seem like that big a deal in the end.
Speaker 1: How did you feel as a player adjusting even in
Speaker 1: the early days of training camp and into the preseason
Speaker 1: for what the league was now going to call. Yeah,
Speaker 1: so I'm defensive coordinator old defensive coordinator UH coach Fangio. Um, Yeah,
Speaker 1: I think he had a real practical approach that it
Speaker 1: kind of resonated with me. He just said, you know,
Speaker 1: the rules are the rules, and as players we have
Speaker 1: to a bobey him. We have to find ways to
Speaker 1: um to do that. And so I think it would
Speaker 1: be the same thing for the for the pass interference rule.
Speaker 1: You said, I don't I don't know how big of
Speaker 1: a deal the helmet to helmet rule ended up being
Speaker 1: last year. Um. But at the end of the dance players,
Speaker 1: it's it's our job to adjust. Have they Have you
Speaker 1: got any job description of what's required of you from
Speaker 1: new defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, No, sir, I haven't taught
Speaker 1: to coach Pogano yet. That's something I want to do,
Speaker 1: probably within the next week or so. Just get in
Speaker 1: there and talk to him more so, just to get
Speaker 1: to know him as a person. And I'm sure we'll
Speaker 1: talk Texes and those as well at some point. With
Speaker 1: your with your downtime and what you were dealing with
Speaker 1: in free agency and all those type of things. For
Speaker 1: yourself this offseason, how did you rejuvenate? Um? So, my
Speaker 1: wife and I for one, we we took a trip
Speaker 1: out to South Korea for a few weeks after the season,
Speaker 1: which was really fun. Um. And besides that, I mean
Speaker 1: we've just been kind of around working. Um. I like
Speaker 1: to read, so I kind of just hang out read
Speaker 1: maybe right, um, and just hang out with my wife.
Speaker 1: Try to spend some time. You know, it's hard for
Speaker 1: her during the season, so try to really spend some
Speaker 1: time and build our relationship. So you're wing, What are
Speaker 1: you writing if I ask, you know, just my journal,
Speaker 1: you know, just personal thoughts, okay, poetry or anything like. Now, Hey,
Speaker 1: some guys right right, some guys you got Hey, all
Speaker 1: these guys got hidden talents. DeAndre right, I would like
Speaker 1: to know. Do you actually write it or you type
Speaker 1: it into a iPad or a tablet or something not
Speaker 1: write it? Sometimes? Good for you. All Right, We're gonna
Speaker 1: let you go before we do. The excitement around this
Speaker 1: team obviously is palpable. And it was all created by
Speaker 1: what you guys did under Matteggie and as a collective
Speaker 1: unit last year on both sides of the ball, special
Speaker 1: teams included, and you guys won, you went to the playoffs. Uh.
Speaker 1: Is it feel like this team is still bouncing from
Speaker 1: that momentum that you guys created last year because every
Speaker 1: season is different. You got some new faces, you got
Speaker 1: a new coordinator on defense or whatnot. But just from
Speaker 1: talking to the fellas, is the excitement still palpable? For sure?
Speaker 1: And I can't speak for the whole team. I can't
Speaker 1: speak to everyone else, but I can definitely speak to
Speaker 1: myself for myself and say that even more so than excitement,
Speaker 1: you know, I feel like, you know, last season created
Speaker 1: a bigger hunger, a more deep hunger for me, knowing that,
Speaker 1: knowing that we have a real opportunity to make the
Speaker 1: ultimate goal of bringing home that trophy of reality. And
Speaker 1: obviously it's a whole new year, new players, new coaches
Speaker 1: and all that. But but we know, we know, at
Speaker 1: least I know what we're capable love, and so it
Speaker 1: just creates that hunger for us to go out there
Speaker 1: and work and put it on tape and do what
Speaker 1: we need to do to achieve that. All right, well,
Speaker 1: we wish you great success coming up here in twenty nineteen.
Speaker 1: Thanks so much for taking some time today. Thanks for
Speaker 1: sure appreciate DeAndre Houston, Curs and Chicago Bears defensive back
Speaker 1: and special team star joining the program when we come back.
Speaker 1: How about some phone calls three four sixty seven sixty seven,
Speaker 1: three one two six four four sixty seven sixty seven.
Speaker 1: This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six
Speaker 1: seventy The score. Hey, the twenty nine team that the like.
Speaker 1: Chicago Bears Draft Party will be held on Saturday, April
Speaker 1: twenty seventh at Soldier Field from noon till six pm.
Speaker 1: The event will feature on field activities, locker room tours,
Speaker 1: player autographs, and of course, live draft coverage and analysis
Speaker 1: from Bears football experts like Tom Thare. Get your tickets
Speaker 1: today at Chicago Bears dot com slash Draft Party. Why
Speaker 1: are you laughing, we got we got last. The only
Speaker 1: thing better part of the show last week was me
Speaker 1: reading the introductions at the start of each segment better. Yes, yeah,
Speaker 1: you think I just was more fluid I practiced during day. Yeah,
Speaker 1: more fluid than I. Yeah. Really, yeah, you had time there.
Speaker 1: You added words, Yes, I did add lords. Jim Miller
Speaker 1: with us as well. I mean these these offensive lineman.
Speaker 1: I'll tell you. Jim, Hey, he brought up something to me.
Speaker 1: I want to bring up the earlier today because he's
Speaker 1: trying to link the past to the current Bears team.
Speaker 1: And you know, history sometimes repeats itself and other times
Speaker 1: it doesn't. What what Tim wore? A triple number two? Yeah?
Speaker 1: I don almost believe that. I did? You really? I did?
Speaker 1: I hate I hate April Fools because my mom was
Speaker 1: always so mean with her April Fools jokes growing up
Speaker 1: as a kid. So yeah, the ten o'clock last night,
Speaker 1: she texted me, Jim says, oh, how about the numbers.
Speaker 1: I'm like, wow, cal, now you gotta read all the
Speaker 1: fine print that the Bears did release that for those
Speaker 1: you didn't know. But so nineteen eighty four, the Bears
Speaker 1: were ten and six. They go to fifteen to one
Speaker 1: and eighty five, win the Super Bowl. Tim there's first
Speaker 1: year in the league, two thousand and one, gym, you
Speaker 1: guys thirteen and three from five and eleven and go
Speaker 1: to the playoffs. Very good year, oh five, five and
Speaker 1: eleven to eleven and five, then a Super Bowl and
Speaker 1: oh six. So the twenty eighteen version twelve and four
Speaker 1: after a five and eleven season. The expectations are significantly
Speaker 1: higher than they've been here around here in a very
Speaker 1: long time, and almost a daily occurrence from national writers
Speaker 1: or broadcasters talking about the Bears as a super from
Speaker 1: Bowl contender. Local writers included, do you see any similarities
Speaker 1: anything you can weave through all those different decades of
Speaker 1: Bears football your own personal experiences? Yeah, I think like
Speaker 1: anything else, you know, a lot of things have to
Speaker 1: go your way. Certainly, you got to put in the
Speaker 1: work in the offseason. You know, here Cleveland, there's all
Speaker 1: kinds of expectations for Cleveland, and already you know, their
Speaker 1: new head coach, Freddy Kitchens is trying to temper that
Speaker 1: enthusiasm because it's true, just because your roster on paper
Speaker 1: look looks terrific and everything is heading in the right direction.
Speaker 1: Like how Cleveland finished their season or how the Bears
Speaker 1: finished their season under under Matt Naggie. You got to
Speaker 1: put in the work and the preparation the following year.
Speaker 1: You know, injuries have to our factor. They've got to
Speaker 1: go on your way where you don't miss crucial guys
Speaker 1: or critical guys for a period of time. I did,
Speaker 1: like Kyle, the Bears had the cautious approach last year. Normally,
Speaker 1: if a player was banged up, they normally keep them
Speaker 1: out one more week to ensure a player was healthy.
Speaker 1: But there's just so many things going on in the
Speaker 1: ob and flow of the season, and certainly the players
Speaker 1: got to come prepared to perform. You know, you gotta
Speaker 1: you know, you're judged on on a one week basis
Speaker 1: in terms of completing your pet, your test and passing
Speaker 1: that test. And I think the Bears are more more
Speaker 1: than willing to do that. I think they realize the
Speaker 1: opportunity that's ahead of them. And that's really you're really
Speaker 1: up to the players. They've got to go out and
Speaker 1: they've got to perform. When that those lights are on
Speaker 1: and your numbers called, it's time to step up and
Speaker 1: perform and execute what you've been asked to do you
Speaker 1: know when you look at the analogy of success the
Speaker 1: following season after all the years we talk about, eighty
Speaker 1: four was a great season for the Bears, but I
Speaker 1: always hear about legendary speeches by Dan Hampton on the
Speaker 1: plane about how this is never going to happen again
Speaker 1: to the Bears, and the way all these seasons concluded,
Speaker 1: even the Erlaccer Briggs pen a team that went onto
Speaker 1: the Super Bowl. Either way, this season ended the year before.
Speaker 1: It seemed like it always finished with confidence going forward
Speaker 1: and I and being a part of the eighty five
Speaker 1: training camp, but not the end of the eighty four season.
Speaker 1: You got kind of hit at mid stream and just
Speaker 1: hope you could jump on and hold on because they're
Speaker 1: not looking for a lot of jobs. There's not looking
Speaker 1: for a lot of people to make those teams, just
Speaker 1: like in all the other years. After you have a
Speaker 1: good year, you wanted to transition to the success of
Speaker 1: the playoff and Super Bowl success. And it's interesting to
Speaker 1: think about those teams because you are you and I
Speaker 1: were around him as broadcasters along with Jim known about
Speaker 1: the eighty four eighty five transition, and now seeing this
Speaker 1: transition from what they were able to accomplish last year
Speaker 1: in what is expected of them this year. Out of
Speaker 1: us as fans, it's I think it's interesting for the
Speaker 1: people and the fans of Chicago and what are their
Speaker 1: expectations because of what they've seen in the past. Out
Speaker 1: of Bears. Well, it's certainly, Jim, not a coronation, as
Speaker 1: you say, it's because you did it doesn't mean it's
Speaker 1: going to happen again, obviously, but the beauty. But I'm
Speaker 1: talking about the attitude you completed the last season and
Speaker 1: how does that spearhead and kick you off to the
Speaker 1: next year. I know it's not a gear, it's not
Speaker 1: a ticket to the playoffs, but the atmosphere you're walking
Speaker 1: into that facility with and that first team meeting of
Speaker 1: Matt Naggy. This year, there's gonna be a lot more
Speaker 1: known than the unknown from last year. And Jim, I
Speaker 1: keep focusing on this one word and I mentioned it
Speaker 1: a few weeks ago on this show, and it's growth
Speaker 1: and trying to figure out where your biggest growth is
Speaker 1: going to come from. Because they haven't invested a ton
Speaker 1: of money obviously in free agency this year, there are
Speaker 1: not going to be a lot of new players on
Speaker 1: this roster as of right now. If you look at
Speaker 1: the top forty six, there's gonna be seven new faces
Speaker 1: right now, not including the draft or what else they
Speaker 1: might do. That's growth, growth on your key players that
Speaker 1: are young making that next step, and namely Mitch Drubisky. Yeah, here,
Speaker 1: we just you know, we just talked to DeAndre Houston Carson.
Speaker 1: You know, you look at that Callahan and what he
Speaker 1: was dealing with the foot injury later in the year.
Speaker 1: Sherkmmanus has to step in play snaps here. DeAndre Houston Carson,
Speaker 1: he's called upon. These guys aren't newbies anymore. You know,
Speaker 1: this isn't his first year out of the draft. More
Speaker 1: is expected. You know, he's more of a mature player,
Speaker 1: understands the game a little bit more. You know. It's
Speaker 1: interesting again, and I've just pulled out the cautionary tale
Speaker 1: as we've done these Bears all access shows every week
Speaker 1: and had the opportunity to interview Malik Jackson today for
Speaker 1: the Philadelphi Eagles. Here he's on a Jacksonville Jaguars team.
Speaker 1: They're one play away from going to the Super Bowl
Speaker 1: AFC Championship game against New England in New England, given
Speaker 1: New England everything they can handle in their home turf
Speaker 1: a Gillette Stadium. Come back a year later in twenty eighteen,
Speaker 1: all kinds of talent on the roster, and they absolutely
Speaker 1: lay an egg, absolutely lay an egg, whether it's injuries,
Speaker 1: players not getting along. Leonard Fournette overweighed all the trouble
Speaker 1: stories that you hear because they didn't prepare themselves correctly.
Speaker 1: So again they're their cautionary tale. Normally, when teams finish strong,
Speaker 1: you'd like to think they can carry that over or
Speaker 1: on how they finished the season from the year before,
Speaker 1: a lot is expected. This team, I think they identified
Speaker 1: that they're pretty good, but you got to go out
Speaker 1: and put the work in. If you don't do that,
Speaker 1: you know Jackson will again is Mike cautionary tale of
Speaker 1: a team that went from first to worst. We say
Speaker 1: worst to first. What could go the other way too? Yeah,
Speaker 1: let's hope not. Jeff Jony actom Pere, Jim Miller with
Speaker 1: you at the owner's meeting, the conversation of the offensive
Speaker 1: line time. They're open to consideration of a move of
Speaker 1: Cody Whitehair to guard and James Daniels to center. You know,
Speaker 1: I think if you talk a lot of offensive linement
Speaker 1: of coming gone with the Chicago Bears, they always talked
Speaker 1: about that they thought James Daniels was best fit for
Speaker 1: center and Cody could be more explosive, more powerful uses
Speaker 1: athleticism and be more dominant the line of scrimmage because
Speaker 1: when you take that that instant of snap to conversion
Speaker 1: to forward momentum, you know, there is a that's a
Speaker 1: tough transition. There's not a lot of guys that can do.
Speaker 1: And I think James Daniels is built for it, and
Speaker 1: I think it'll help you offensive line. I really do,
Speaker 1: because you still have the versatility of Cody Whitehair to
Speaker 1: take the place. If worst case scenario happened, how would
Speaker 1: you have been at center? Nothing like Land? I would
Speaker 1: the thing that the thing that was so hard is
Speaker 1: to take all your momentum going backwards and then have
Speaker 1: the confidence to go forward with the equal speed and
Speaker 1: ferociousness and stuff. And I always you know, I think
Speaker 1: when you look at Oland and jam there are two
Speaker 1: players that have played very similar style of games. They
Speaker 1: have power, they got quickness, they're super intelligent football players.
Speaker 1: So that for me was just a position to go
Speaker 1: into game day and be able to be a backup.
Speaker 1: But I never wanted to be a starter there. And
Speaker 1: it just sounds like Harry eastand they didn't want to
Speaker 1: overload James Daniels too much here in his rookie year.
Speaker 1: Here he comes on makes an impact that the left
Speaker 1: guard just learn one position, get it down, contribute those
Speaker 1: type of things, and here it's a whole new offense.
Speaker 1: You know, I do believe Harry heastand when he talked about, hey,
Speaker 1: you've already got a report relationship with Trubisky in the
Speaker 1: center and Cody White here and Cody's comfortable and making
Speaker 1: all the calls and those type of things. Is a
Speaker 1: veteran more of a veteran player in terms of the ropes.
Speaker 1: It's probably just an easier transition, I would think for
Speaker 1: James Daniels now going into a second year in the offense,
Speaker 1: is familiar with all the all the concepts, and you know,
Speaker 1: they feel he's more of a natural center, and that's
Speaker 1: what he was tabbed out of Iowa. Just a natural
Speaker 1: center that can get to the next level. I mean,
Speaker 1: Owen's probably better equipped to break down his play. But
Speaker 1: it just seems like that was the thought process of
Speaker 1: offensive line coach errys and I think James Daniels will
Speaker 1: go back to snapping the ball, a conventional style that
Speaker 1: Mitchell Chubisky and the shotgun snap quarterbacks are used to
Speaker 1: when they had the awkward knuckleball flight of the snap
Speaker 1: of Cody Whitehair. I think James will go back to
Speaker 1: the original way. All right, Time to step away. Mike
Speaker 1: Chen and Herb Lawrence with us here tonight on Bears
Speaker 1: All Access with Tom Thare, Jim Mellerim, Jeff Joniac threety
Speaker 1: four sixty seven, sixty seven. Do you want to jump on?
Speaker 1: We got a half hour to go on Bears All
Speaker 1: Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. The
Speaker 1: Chicago Bears Network presents Inside the Bears, brought to you
Speaker 1: by a Verizon. Anthony Adams and Lauren Screten cover the
Speaker 1: world of Bears football on and off the field every
Speaker 1: Sunday night, ten thirty five pm on Fox thirty two Chicago,
Speaker 1: or watch anytime at Chicago Bears dot com or on
Speaker 1: the Bears official app. Jeff Joni Act, Tom There, Jim
Speaker 1: Miller with you three one two sixty four sixty seven
Speaker 1: sixty seven Time for some of your phone calls BEFO
Speaker 1: where we exit at the top of the hour before
Speaker 1: we take some phone calls. The Alliance of American Football,
Speaker 1: Jim certainly started with high hopes. It looked like Dave
Speaker 1: I'd have some really big name, obviously with ever Saul
Speaker 1: and the Hall of Famer involved with it. But eight
Speaker 1: games into a ten game season, there's nothing but disappointment
Speaker 1: about it. And I don't know how you felt about
Speaker 1: it at no time. You talked about it a lot,
Speaker 1: but Bill Pollion was quite upset that they pulled the
Speaker 1: pin on it. Today, so was I. I was really disappointed.
Speaker 1: And again it's because of the opportunities I've seen created
Speaker 1: for guys in the USFL. If you take a guy
Speaker 1: like Sam Mills, who went out onto football greatness, one
Speaker 1: of the best football players ever. He is a linebacker.
Speaker 1: He was about five six, two hundred and something pounds,
Speaker 1: but he was the best of the best, and his
Speaker 1: opportunity was created because he went to a small college.
Speaker 1: He had the opportunity to get exposure in the USFL,
Speaker 1: and I learned to do do a great NFL career along
Speaker 1: with a lot of other players. So I just think
Speaker 1: that it's unfair for the players who really want to
Speaker 1: try to make a living for this opportunity to have
Speaker 1: the rug pulled out from underneath them. Yeah, you know,
Speaker 1: for being a developmental league. And again we've talked about
Speaker 1: eighty one percent of that league were formed of players
Speaker 1: that have been in NFL camps, So they were already
Speaker 1: invited to an NFL camp, whether drafted or free agency,
Speaker 1: those type of things as a college free agent, and
Speaker 1: so it's just about honing your skills a little bit more,
Speaker 1: and potentially some would get plucked this year to join
Speaker 1: another camp. It's unfortunate. I'm with Tom. It's more jobs
Speaker 1: for another coaches, you know, former gms that had joined
Speaker 1: that league. And then you look at the player's side,
Speaker 1: I think even the officials who are getting more training
Speaker 1: from that standpoint, so I just think, you know, in
Speaker 1: terms of the bill of goods and how it was sold,
Speaker 1: obviously it wasn't as as well funded as what everybody thought.
Speaker 1: They just thought Tom Dundon, who took over, was just
Speaker 1: going to be, you know, the savior of that league.
Speaker 1: But from what I understand, he had all sorts of
Speaker 1: parachutes to get out, to get out of this deal
Speaker 1: and ultimately as elected to pull the plug. And I
Speaker 1: want to talk more about this too, but first let's
Speaker 1: get through the phones. Joe and Joliet, Tom Stomping Grounds,
Speaker 1: what's on your mind? Welcome to bears All Access. Hey,
Speaker 1: Hi guys doing. I just wanted to see if you
Speaker 1: guys truly think that Chubisky can take the next step. Joe,
Speaker 1: I'll just weigh in right out of the gate. I
Speaker 1: do because I trust Matt Nagie. I trust Matt Naggie,
Speaker 1: I trust the skill set of Mitch Trubisky, and the
Speaker 1: fact is it essentially was in terms of a first
Speaker 1: year offense, it was almost like a rookie year for him.
Speaker 1: So I am expecting growth and taking the next step means,
Speaker 1: you know, continue to move this offense in a direction
Speaker 1: and not just his own performance, but bring everybody else
Speaker 1: with him, because that's really what makes it great. Off
Speaker 1: The most important thing is you have to have the
Speaker 1: player committed to everything that is he's obligated to master
Speaker 1: in order to run the position perfectly. In Mitch's committed
Speaker 1: to that, then you've got Matt Nagee, Mark hell for Its,
Speaker 1: David Gone, Chase, Daniel and Tyler Bray. You have a
Speaker 1: supporting cast there, supporting system that's all in the direction
Speaker 1: to make Mitchell Trubisky a better player, a more knowledgeable quarterback.
Speaker 1: And with the talent that Ryan Pace is bringing in,
Speaker 1: you've got to be as excited about the quarterback position
Speaker 1: is you know any other elements of this team. And
Speaker 1: when I talked about the conversion from the year before
Speaker 1: to the Super Bowl, in the Bears history, there was
Speaker 1: always a little bit of quarterback interruption at some important
Speaker 1: times in the season, where if you have Mitchell Rubisky
Speaker 1: on board and healthy at playoff time, anything can happen. Yeah.
Speaker 1: I just I like his growth from a year ago,
Speaker 1: and a lot of that is just due to Mitchell.
Speaker 1: I agree with everything both Tom and Jeff said before me,
Speaker 1: but I just like his attitude. I think he challenges
Speaker 1: himself to get better. I think he's a self starter.
Speaker 1: I think it's important to him. He doesn't want to
Speaker 1: let down his teammates. He takes it personally when you
Speaker 1: challenge him and he responds. And I think he's done
Speaker 1: that with everything he was presented a year ago, and
Speaker 1: I expected to continue and I'm sure he does too.
Speaker 1: Here in twenty nineteen. I think the underrated part of
Speaker 1: him that a lot of people we don't get the
Speaker 1: benefit of seeing every day. But he's a fiery like
Speaker 1: Jim mentioned it, he is firing, and he is competitive.
Speaker 1: You know, he will fight you over anything, you know
Speaker 1: and be competitive about it. So you need that as
Speaker 1: a start. With Joe the last caller asking the question,
Speaker 1: and it piques my innswest to barrass fans. Do they
Speaker 1: have trust and Mitchell Chubisky. Are they excited to see
Speaker 1: what he's going to bring to the table table next
Speaker 1: week or do some of them still have you know
Speaker 1: a little bit of oh, you know, wait and see attitude?
Speaker 1: And you know, right now, I think with a young
Speaker 1: quarterback that's common to always have the wait and see,
Speaker 1: you know, And we brought it up on this show.
Speaker 1: You brought it up with Blake Bortles gym. You know,
Speaker 1: just because a guy comes out of the gate has
Speaker 1: one good year, he's got to have a career like
Speaker 1: it just can't be a starting stop progress And that's
Speaker 1: what you're banking on here with Mitch, right long term?
Speaker 1: Go ahead, Jim, Yeah, I think he expects that, you know,
Speaker 1: and you look at quarterbacks that play at a consistent
Speaker 1: level every single week, whether it's a Breeze or a
Speaker 1: Brady or the great ones that are out or even
Speaker 1: you know how young Patrick Mahomes exploded onto the scene.
Speaker 1: I mean that was impressive. How you know what he
Speaker 1: was doing every single week at such a young player,
Speaker 1: as such a young player, and I think Mitchell is
Speaker 1: capable of that. You know, he was everybody knew he
Speaker 1: was a raw player with minimal starts coming out of
Speaker 1: North Carolina. Just let it marinate, like you said, he's
Speaker 1: got You know, the steak has a long time to
Speaker 1: go before it's it's well cooked and ready to explode,
Speaker 1: where you know that that taste in your mouth that
Speaker 1: you just love it. There's still a lot of learning
Speaker 1: to do, and he's capable of doing it, and it's
Speaker 1: important to him. Like I said, I mean, I don't
Speaker 1: think there's anything he's not capable of achieving. You know,
Speaker 1: that's up to him. And I just know this, he's
Speaker 1: more than willing, like you said, Jeff, to put in
Speaker 1: the work. The guy is not afraid to work. Man. Jeff,
Speaker 1: are you okay reading that Denver number? Because I think
Speaker 1: it's relevant to what I want to talk about. Right now. Well, no,
Speaker 1: well you had a great quarterback in there. No, well,
Speaker 1: it's just the numbers. You see this stuff that comes
Speaker 1: around and analysis of different situations. So the Denver Broncos,
Speaker 1: for example, in three seasons before they signed Peyton Manning,
Speaker 1: they were twenty and twenty eight. He comes in there,
Speaker 1: four seasons they went to Super Bowl forty five and twelve.
Speaker 1: Since then they're twenty and twenty eight. Again, they've gone
Speaker 1: back to well, it's it's the inconsistency at the position
Speaker 1: on the two ends of Peyton Manning. And then you
Speaker 1: have a guy like Peyton Manning who's there. He's committed
Speaker 1: to the position and everything that he was signed to
Speaker 1: do in Denver, and I think that's the same obligation
Speaker 1: Mitch Fields to his job. He's not Peyton Manning. But
Speaker 1: I'm just talking about if you have that one period
Speaker 1: of time where you're having that same quarterback go behind
Speaker 1: center a week in and week out, that's when you're
Speaker 1: going to see developments of his talents. All right back
Speaker 1: to the phones, we go less in Oak Park. You're
Speaker 1: on the score. How are you doing tonight? He show
Speaker 1: as usual, Thank you. But when they let Howard go
Speaker 1: up because it reminded me of Thomas Jones being released,
Speaker 1: and then he went on, they have three or four
Speaker 1: great years in New York with the Jets. I think
Speaker 1: now they're talking about using a draft twice for running back.
Speaker 1: But you guys and everybody, most people say the game
Speaker 1: is want of the trenches. It bothers me that they're
Speaker 1: going to the THEA THINKI of using a draft choice
Speaker 1: for running back instead of alignment, And I'd like to
Speaker 1: get your opinion on that. Well, they ask sitting here,
Speaker 1: Big Tom. Well, you know they went and signed Bobby
Speaker 1: Massey immediately off the free you know, to keep him
Speaker 1: here with the Bears. They went and got Ted Larson,
Speaker 1: who they know all about him from having a past
Speaker 1: history with the Bears. They're young at James Daniels, I
Speaker 1: still consider Cody, Cody White, Harry young Man, Charles Leno Jr.
Speaker 1: He's experienced but not old. So you know, if Matt
Speaker 1: Naggie and Ryan Pace can say, all right, this is
Speaker 1: the running back that we can take in the third round.
Speaker 1: He can come in here and be a competitive, competitive
Speaker 1: player at the position to earn his starting job, I'm
Speaker 1: okay with it, but you know, less I like your
Speaker 1: thinking because that goes back to the old school Jim
Speaker 1: Fink's idea thinking his offense and defensive lineman first. However,
Speaker 1: I think it's unique this year with Matt and Naggie
Speaker 1: bringing in his system and understanding why they got rid
Speaker 1: of Jordan Howard and what they need from the position,
Speaker 1: and Jim Noe's saying that they won't invest in the
Speaker 1: offensive line in this draft. Everything is on the table obviously. Yeah,
Speaker 1: I agree. What Hey, they've already signed some guys like
Speaker 1: Ted Larson, he's in Bradley souls played and chipped in
Speaker 1: when when the Bears have needed So yeah, I can't
Speaker 1: you know, discount that they would be thinking about offensive
Speaker 1: linemen again and where Coward is in terms of his development.
Speaker 1: But you know, you would think with Howard moving on
Speaker 1: that you probably need one more back. Now, who's that
Speaker 1: we here? We mentioned Duke Johnson. I think, I mean,
Speaker 1: depending on what the trade value is there, Yeah, I
Speaker 1: would think the Bears should be interested in him. Hey,
Speaker 1: guy is a do it all back, runs harder between
Speaker 1: the tackles than what people think. But running backs probably
Speaker 1: where you know, probably Miles Sanders from Penn State. He's
Speaker 1: tested extremely well. Everybody expects him to go in the
Speaker 1: third and the fourth, but he's tested so well and
Speaker 1: checked off all the boxes. He's a guy that's probably
Speaker 1: moved up Elijah Holdy Field from from Georgia. He ran
Speaker 1: a slow forty. So there's a bigger back that that
Speaker 1: probably is losing some steam. I bring up Dexter Williams.
Speaker 1: What he's asked to do it notre Dame. Bigger back
Speaker 1: catches the ball better out of the backfield than what
Speaker 1: people think. He's probably a possibility in the later rounds.
Speaker 1: Guy who was hurt at Michigan State, and I'm not
Speaker 1: biased saying this. LJ. Scott is six one, two hundred
Speaker 1: and twenty five pounds. Go watch him catch the ball
Speaker 1: out of the backfield, folks. That guy is a talented
Speaker 1: running back that a lot of people don't know about.
Speaker 1: Rodney Anderson out of Oklahoma later on draft pick. He's
Speaker 1: probably had an injury history that the Bears aren't interested in.
Speaker 1: Alex Manison. Some of the bigger backs really don't have
Speaker 1: the wiggle. But other guys out there that probably would
Speaker 1: intrigue the Bears that they would be available later in
Speaker 1: the draft where the Bears are selecting lots of flavors
Speaker 1: out there, lots of different choices. Time and Lincoln Square,
Speaker 1: we'll get to you and we come back from the break.
Speaker 1: This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy.
Speaker 1: The score all right back on Bears All Access. Tend
Speaker 1: to go before we wrap it up here. Good to
Speaker 1: be with you once again, Jeff, Joni Actom there, Jim
Speaker 1: Miller with you and Time. Been holding on for a
Speaker 1: few minutes in Lincoln Square. Thanks for the whold buddy.
Speaker 1: What's on your mind? All right? Well, I want us
Speaker 1: talk about draft before you get into it. Tom was
Speaker 1: asking about what someone stands though, but Niche and I
Speaker 1: want to say that Mitch wiped out any a few
Speaker 1: dots that may have had the way he played at
Speaker 1: the end of the Eagles game, I mean to play
Speaker 1: great under pressure. That was fantastic, Hey, Tom, was that drive?
Speaker 1: It's a defining drive a little bit, isn't it that
Speaker 1: this is what I'm capable of in clutch moments. That's
Speaker 1: the one you circle right there? Absolutely, you know, I mean,
Speaker 1: the kids got the in factor and in fact pressure.
Speaker 1: He seems to play his best under pressure. So that's
Speaker 1: what I love about him. But okay, so the draft,
Speaker 1: my prediction is that it's going to be best athlete available.
Speaker 1: Everyone's saying RB, but Meggie wants a special kind of urb,
Speaker 1: you know, receiver, runner, fast, quick, all this stuff. I
Speaker 1: don't think. I don't think it's going to get it
Speaker 1: in the third round pick. And you've got Cordella Patterson
Speaker 1: who could also is a changeup, you know, going to
Speaker 1: do some change up at RBS. So I think it's
Speaker 1: going to be best athlete available, which is what you know,
Speaker 1: given Aaron Lynson Carson being signed, I think the Bears
Speaker 1: are in great position to do that. I just wonder
Speaker 1: if you guys think that's how it's gonna fall. You know, Tom,
Speaker 1: it's it is a good point you're making because Matt
Speaker 1: Naggie is always said, I'm not looking for a Bell Cow.
Speaker 1: I'm not looking for a thirty carrier game running back
Speaker 1: going sixteen games. He's looking for someone to contribute to
Speaker 1: the offensive scheme each week that best fits the vulnerabilities
Speaker 1: of the opponent. But that is a good point, Tom, Thanks, thanks,
Speaker 1: thank thanks. Tom. So I'm okay with that. I'm okay
Speaker 1: with that. You know, you're never gonna have enough on
Speaker 1: your roster. You certainly you never could have enough corners.
Speaker 1: You can never have enough pass rushers obviously as well.
Speaker 1: And they're still building the offense and hoping guys grow,
Speaker 1: So it very well could be best position available. And
Speaker 1: in the case of the Bears right now, they don't
Speaker 1: have a ton of needs. One thing we know about
Speaker 1: Ryan Pace, he has a great poker face. From the
Speaker 1: Mitch Deal to the Klail Macdale, he has got a
Speaker 1: great poker face. And there anything could be happening. Well,
Speaker 1: and you look, I mean look at Kansas City. I
Speaker 1: mean they trusted Kareem Hunt right out right out the
Speaker 1: gate for that football team as a rookie. Here, if
Speaker 1: you know, you feel you're a team that can that
Speaker 1: can make a run, you know there are there are
Speaker 1: other teams out there that probably wouldn't trust a rookie
Speaker 1: running back. I mean, look how even the New England
Speaker 1: Patriots they sat James White for basically a couple of years.
Speaker 1: Here's Sony Michelle. He was a rookie who came in
Speaker 1: and had an instant impact. So I'm sure you know
Speaker 1: they're gonna have a lot more information if it's say
Speaker 1: it is a running back that they would trust in
Speaker 1: that situation for a team that that that feels, I
Speaker 1: would think that they can make a run at the
Speaker 1: playoffs and to trust a rookie because you look at
Speaker 1: Kareem Hunt. I mean, the guy led the league in
Speaker 1: rushing as a rookie and I think he only fumbled
Speaker 1: once that rookie year when when he was drafted by
Speaker 1: Kansas City. Well, Jim and Jeff, let me ask you
Speaker 1: a question. Do you have a carry count for Tree calling? Like, okay,
Speaker 1: I'll give him this many carries from the running back
Speaker 1: position a game. But I kinda see I'm gonna dismiss
Speaker 1: it out of hand. Only because of this reason. Matt
Speaker 1: does not believe in like, okay, I'm somebody's gonna get
Speaker 1: ten carries a game here. It's just one game in
Speaker 1: might be fifteen, next game might be won. And I
Speaker 1: think that's how he rolls. So it's hard to say
Speaker 1: that from like what you'd want as a football fan
Speaker 1: of this team. I mean, I still believe I would
Speaker 1: like to see one guy, you know, he gets twenty.
Speaker 1: When Tom brought up the last drive by Mitchell Chrubisky
Speaker 1: in the Philly game, that thing started with a Tree
Speaker 1: calling kickoff return. So you know, there's a lot of
Speaker 1: different how can you feed Tree calling the ball when
Speaker 1: you need it the most. And yes, some of the
Speaker 1: punishment might have to come as a kick returner with
Speaker 1: the difficulty of the schedule and where you need to
Speaker 1: gain field position in important moments. Yeah you can. You
Speaker 1: can get him as touch as in other ways, whether
Speaker 1: it's in a return game. And you know, I'm kind
Speaker 1: of with Jeff on this is kind of how the
Speaker 1: game unfolds at times. So I was I wanted Jordan
Speaker 1: Howard because you look how he took off. I thought
Speaker 1: the second half of the year he performed much better.
Speaker 1: I thought he ran extremely well against Minnesota. I thought
Speaker 1: he ran hard against against Philadelphia. You know, I like
Speaker 1: that big back option to kind of salt away a
Speaker 1: game towards the end of the game. All Right. I
Speaker 1: wanted to go back because I saw this right before
Speaker 1: we get on the show. So we're talking about the
Speaker 1: the end today of the Alliance of American Football, and
Speaker 1: you talk about you know, guys trying to get their
Speaker 1: careers going again and trying to be seen. So it's
Speaker 1: Taiwan James or Taiwan Jones. Remember Taiwan Jones. Today, he says,
Speaker 1: I literally dropped everything I had going on and just
Speaker 1: signed a contract last night at nine pm to play
Speaker 1: in the AAF. I was excited to get back doing
Speaker 1: what I loved, and in less than twenty four hours,
Speaker 1: the league's canceled. Yet it's about the players. I'm sick.
Speaker 1: The XFL or relaunch next year in a bid for
Speaker 1: the lasting success as a spring football league. So maybe
Speaker 1: that's his next spot. But that's the raw motion of
Speaker 1: a player that thought he was going to get a
Speaker 1: chance to get a look before training camp. Well, you know,
Speaker 1: I think maybe the AAF, the Alliance of American Football.
Speaker 1: I think maybe a little match under a lot of
Speaker 1: players who kind of re re up themselves and have
Speaker 1: you know, the opportunity to approach the XFL now and
Speaker 1: hopefully that will have more sustaining power. You know, maybe
Speaker 1: this is a ploy to hopefully get some assistance from
Speaker 1: the NFL. But I wasn't disappointed in the product I
Speaker 1: saw on the field. Hey, you want to what you
Speaker 1: got other leagues out there, They've been around a long time.
Speaker 1: You know, we can say, you know a player, A
Speaker 1: lot of players don't like to go up to Canada
Speaker 1: to play here. Johnny Manzell comes, works his way out
Speaker 1: of Canada, get signs back here in the United States.
Speaker 1: Now he's out of a job again. All right, So
Speaker 1: you know, plenty of players get signed from the CFL.
Speaker 1: There's arena leagues out there as well. I saw Ron Jiroorski,
Speaker 1: as he owns an arena team. He was quick to say, hey,
Speaker 1: come on over to the arena league. Um, you know,
Speaker 1: so it'll be interesting because even the XFL with with
Speaker 1: with mcmonselling, I think what he sold like two hundred
Speaker 1: and seventy five million of his stock in WW he's
Speaker 1: now close to five hundred million that supposedly he's in.
Speaker 1: I don't even know if that's enough. I mean, think
Speaker 1: about the amount of an individual franchise in what they're
Speaker 1: they're you know, they're paying to do in terms of
Speaker 1: everything that is paid for, I mean the players alone
Speaker 1: for the AF. To me, it was a bad model
Speaker 1: that those players were getting paid eighty thousand dollars a
Speaker 1: year for whatever it was, an eight game season. I'm
Speaker 1: not saying I don't want players to be paid, but
Speaker 1: but I played over in the World League and we
Speaker 1: were happy to get twenty five, you know, and I
Speaker 1: know times have changed, but I thought even they kind
Speaker 1: of overpriced and how they set up the league without
Speaker 1: the investors to begin with. All right, one more call
Speaker 1: before we wrap things up here tonight. Oh no, he okay,
Speaker 1: I thought so I said, no, it can't be. But
Speaker 1: it looked like the Clocke reset. So no, we'll pass
Speaker 1: on that. Um. I'm just you know, it's to me,
Speaker 1: it's the hardest thing to do is have another football league.
Speaker 1: So it's just it's really a tough, tough battle. And
Speaker 1: you know, you get that TV contract, how are you
Speaker 1: going to survive? I mean here, Fox and CBS, they
Speaker 1: all pay the NFL billions of dollars. The AAF didn't
Speaker 1: have that set up. All right, let's talk refereeree. You
Speaker 1: have to consider major college football a football league also.
Speaker 1: So seven out of seventeen referees have retired the last
Speaker 1: year at thirteen months. Is this a red flag of
Speaker 1: concern or obviously they're going into the TV booth and
Speaker 1: they're becoming analysts as opposed to referees. Hey might be
Speaker 1: better and the pressure is not as severe. There's always
Speaker 1: a young group of guys that they set their sights
Speaker 1: on someday of officiating an NFL contest, paying their dues
Speaker 1: to do so. And these referees that we say we
Speaker 1: see throughout the league, Jeff and you read about their
Speaker 1: occupations week in and week out. They are successful, self
Speaker 1: made men and women and women, and I think it
Speaker 1: opens the opportunities for all the men and women who
Speaker 1: want to become referees in the NFL. Jim, they're asking
Speaker 1: them to do more. Dean Blandino, former NFL head of officiating,
Speaker 1: probably said it the best. The NFL doesn't value that position.
Speaker 1: I think they're asking these officials to do more like
Speaker 1: l River Run. There's a reason why Dean Blandino walked
Speaker 1: away from it. They tried to resign him. He said, no,
Speaker 1: I'll goal, We're gonna do this work instead. That's Jim Miller,
Speaker 1: Tom Fair, Thanks fellas, thanks for all your cause. Thanks
Speaker 1: to DeAndre Houston Carson, and to Mike Chan and Herb
Speaker 1: Lawrence for helping us out. As always. That'll do it
Speaker 1: this week on Bears All Access. Have a great night, everybody.
Speaker 1: This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Thanks
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