WEBVTT - All Access: DHC re-signs, Howard traded 0:00:01.160 --> 0:00:04.320 The following is a presentation of the Chico Bears Network 0:00:04.400 --> 0:00:08.360 and Chicago Bears dot Com. Download the Chicago Bears official 0:00:08.400 --> 0:00:11.360 mobile app for up to the minute Bears content every 0:00:11.440 --> 0:00:16.000 day and now welcome to Bears All Access. You're All 0:00:16.079 --> 0:00:20.480 Access passing to Chicago Bears football. Bears All Access is 0:00:20.520 --> 0:00:25.040 brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by CDW, 0:00:25.160 --> 0:00:29.440 Miller Lite and Hulu. Good Tuesday, and everybody, welcome back 0:00:29.440 --> 0:00:32.040 into another edition of Bears All Access. Jeff Johnny AAC 0:00:32.080 --> 0:00:34.480 along with Tom Fair Jim Miller joining us as well 0:00:34.560 --> 0:00:37.879 for an hour of football conversation Bears style. As we 0:00:38.000 --> 0:00:41.199 go post NFL owners meetings, these mile posts of the 0:00:41.240 --> 0:00:44.440 offseason continue to come come at you quick. And now 0:00:44.440 --> 0:00:46.680 we're into April and so it's draft month, and so 0:00:47.000 --> 0:00:49.600 no matter where they're picking, it's exciting to look about 0:00:50.360 --> 0:00:53.000 what might be available come around, third, fourth, fifth round 0:00:53.000 --> 0:00:55.920 and the potentially future Bears and hopefully a couple of 0:00:55.920 --> 0:00:59.160 starters down the road, maybe even in twenty nineteen. We'll see, 0:00:59.200 --> 0:01:01.960 but lots still going on. You guys did the show 0:01:02.040 --> 0:01:04.920 last Monday without me, And during the course of the week, 0:01:05.000 --> 0:01:09.280 Jordan Howard was dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles. You resigned 0:01:09.319 --> 0:01:11.960 Aaron Lynch, so those two of the big personnel moves 0:01:12.000 --> 0:01:13.840 this week. Yeah, you know, I have all the respect 0:01:13.880 --> 0:01:16.280 in the world for Jordan Howard. He always carried himself 0:01:16.360 --> 0:01:19.080 as a quality guy around me, and I think he's 0:01:19.080 --> 0:01:21.640 going to have a successful career in the NFL. But 0:01:21.720 --> 0:01:24.120 when you look at what they think of in a 0:01:24.240 --> 0:01:27.679 running back, it's changed over the course of time. With 0:01:27.720 --> 0:01:30.480 Coach Naggie here, what they want out of the running back, 0:01:30.520 --> 0:01:33.280 what they want their inclusion to be inside the offense 0:01:33.560 --> 0:01:36.039 is different than what Jordan Howard kind of offered them 0:01:36.080 --> 0:01:40.000 at this point. So you know, uh, Jordan, he's going 0:01:40.080 --> 0:01:42.000 to go to a good football team. And you know, 0:01:42.080 --> 0:01:45.400 Matt Naggie and Doug Peterson they have enough respect for 0:01:45.440 --> 0:01:49.000 each other that that's kind of a you know, not 0:01:49.200 --> 0:01:51.880 a not a buddy trade, but it's a respect trade. 0:01:51.960 --> 0:01:53.920 They respect Jordan Howard and they put him in an 0:01:53.920 --> 0:01:58.160 opportunity to succeed Big Jim. Yeah. Well, you know again, 0:01:58.200 --> 0:02:01.040 you wish Jordan Howard all the best. You've been very productive, 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:04.400 you know, Philadelphia, these these route there even going into 0:02:04.480 --> 0:02:06.279 last year, towards the end of the year that Philly 0:02:06.400 --> 0:02:10.160 was calling inquiring about Jordan Howard and they want more 0:02:10.280 --> 0:02:13.119 that that power, straight ahead run. You know, I think 0:02:13.240 --> 0:02:15.800 we saw how they, you know, really made it to 0:02:15.800 --> 0:02:17.840 the Super Bowl and how they utilize the Garrett Blunt 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:19.360 and they I think they felt that that was missing 0:02:19.400 --> 0:02:22.320 they had injuries at the running back spot a season ago. 0:02:22.400 --> 0:02:25.240 I also think in coach Naggie's kind of touched on 0:02:25.280 --> 0:02:29.679 it sounds like he's interesting and interested in Cordarol Patterson 0:02:29.680 --> 0:02:32.880 and how he'll be utilized Again every team he's been with, 0:02:33.000 --> 0:02:35.720 he's a log carries as a running back. Does it 0:02:35.800 --> 0:02:39.280 mean more jet sweeps? Things like that that Cordarol does 0:02:39.560 --> 0:02:41.920 very well and he's had a lot of productivity mentioned 0:02:42.120 --> 0:02:44.440 he was really the two week bell cow for the 0:02:44.440 --> 0:02:46.640 New England Patriots when they had injuries at the running 0:02:46.639 --> 0:02:49.440 back spot. And again there's some backs later in the draft. 0:02:49.520 --> 0:02:51.480 Sounds I think the Bears, you know, and I've been 0:02:51.480 --> 0:02:54.519 talking about Dexter Williams for n D for quite some time, 0:02:54.600 --> 0:02:57.799 bigger back who can run with power that potentially maybe 0:02:57.880 --> 0:03:00.839 those guys are on their radar screen later in the draft, 0:03:00.840 --> 0:03:03.520 because again, it that position just seems like it's been 0:03:03.520 --> 0:03:06.919 fungible you look at what you know, Levon Bell, I 0:03:06.960 --> 0:03:09.360 don't think he got the contract that was even as 0:03:09.360 --> 0:03:11.640 good as what was offered a year ago. And you 0:03:11.639 --> 0:03:13.840 look at some of these trades that have gone down 0:03:14.080 --> 0:03:16.680 for the running back position, I think sometimes that position 0:03:16.680 --> 0:03:19.160 has been a little bit devalued over the past couple 0:03:19.160 --> 0:03:21.760 of years, and how teams are looking at that position. 0:03:22.080 --> 0:03:24.640 You know what the change in the position? To me, Jim, 0:03:24.680 --> 0:03:27.760 it seems like that the Bears want a running back 0:03:27.840 --> 0:03:30.400 that can go to can break the huddle and be 0:03:30.440 --> 0:03:33.120 the primary or receiver and a route whether he starts 0:03:33.160 --> 0:03:34.960 around in the backfield or he goes to the line 0:03:34.960 --> 0:03:38.040 of scrimmage. And that's one of the traits that have 0:03:38.120 --> 0:03:41.280 changed over time. Because you talk about the battering ram 0:03:41.400 --> 0:03:44.560 that Philadelphia wants and what they're getting in Jordan Howard. 0:03:44.840 --> 0:03:48.040 I think that's what's different about the evaluation of the 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:51.240 running back position right now for the Chicago Bears and 0:03:51.400 --> 0:03:53.640 going forward. Hey, look at a guy like Duke Johnson, 0:03:53.680 --> 0:03:56.680 Supposedly he's on the trade block for the Cleveland Browns, 0:03:56.880 --> 0:04:04.080 and he's intriguing. I just I ran this by time abield. Yeah, 0:04:04.120 --> 0:04:06.800 I mean, he's a very effective back. So you know, 0:04:06.840 --> 0:04:09.720 but in the end, you still need a guy who's 0:04:09.760 --> 0:04:12.160 gonna be at a total twenty times when you're trying 0:04:12.160 --> 0:04:14.000 to put away games and so forth, and you'd like 0:04:14.040 --> 0:04:16.440 to get a guy fifteen to twenty carries, you know, 0:04:17.040 --> 0:04:19.720 especially in November December, we talked about it about Jordan. 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:21.120 What do you want? Do you want a guy or 0:04:21.160 --> 0:04:23.880 the offense to have him the carries I'm talking about. 0:04:24.800 --> 0:04:26.960 I always look at it. I try to look at 0:04:26.960 --> 0:04:28.560 it as role. So I think you do need a 0:04:28.600 --> 0:04:31.359 bigger back for for that type of role, you know, 0:04:31.520 --> 0:04:33.720 in terms of to pound it even you know when 0:04:33.760 --> 0:04:36.360 you look at uh, you know, when Kareem Hunt went 0:04:36.360 --> 0:04:39.160 out for for the Kansas City Chiefs last year, you 0:04:39.200 --> 0:04:42.080 know picked up the slack. It was Damian Williams, who's 0:04:42.120 --> 0:04:46.159 a bigger back, and he played well come postseason, so 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:48.320 you know, I you know, I think Mike Davis is 0:04:48.360 --> 0:04:50.480 a lot better than what people realize who the bear 0:04:50.600 --> 0:04:53.320 side from the Seattle Seahawks. I mean, he had a 0:04:53.360 --> 0:04:56.640 stretch run last year where really he had some opportunities 0:04:56.640 --> 0:04:59.000 and I thought he could pound it for a bigger back, 0:04:59.000 --> 0:05:00.839 and that's why I kind of I think that could 0:05:00.880 --> 0:05:03.440 be another mix I don't know where Ryan Null is 0:05:03.520 --> 0:05:05.960 in terms of his development if they trust him in 0:05:06.000 --> 0:05:07.799 that spot, but I would think you would need another 0:05:07.839 --> 0:05:10.040 bigger back on that roster if Mike Davis were to 0:05:10.080 --> 0:05:12.000 go down, well, they have chances to pick up a back. 0:05:12.040 --> 0:05:14.039 As you said, Jim, lots of running backs in that 0:05:14.120 --> 0:05:17.320 third to fifth round range of notes. Pick your variety. 0:05:17.400 --> 0:05:19.320 There will be a lot to choose from when the 0:05:19.360 --> 0:05:20.960 Bears go to work on the draft. Here in just 0:05:21.000 --> 0:05:23.640 a few weeks, we're gonna step away. We come back 0:05:23.880 --> 0:05:26.520 expected to be joined by DeAndre Houston. Carson back for 0:05:26.560 --> 0:05:29.400 a fourth year with the Bears on special teams and 0:05:29.480 --> 0:05:31.960 in that defensive secondary. With Tom fare, Jim Miller. I'm 0:05:32.000 --> 0:05:34.960 Jeff Joniac and this is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy 0:05:35.000 --> 0:05:38.479 the Score. Welcome back into Bears all access here on 0:05:38.560 --> 0:05:42.320 Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Jeff Joniac, Tom there, 0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:46.640 Jim Miller with you, and we are pleased at this time. Oh. 0:05:46.680 --> 0:05:49.360 By the way, we are brought to you by IGS Energy, 0:05:49.360 --> 0:05:52.160 a partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas, 0:05:52.160 --> 0:05:54.520 and home warranty products to over one million customers across 0:05:54.520 --> 0:05:59.159 the country. Learn more. About IGS Energy at igs dot com. 0:06:00.000 --> 0:06:03.760 DeAndre Houston, Carson, Bears draft pick three years ago, come 0:06:03.800 --> 0:06:06.640 on back for a fourth year and the special team's 0:06:06.800 --> 0:06:11.200 stud and defensive secondary. I'm gonna say versatile player because 0:06:11.240 --> 0:06:14.119 the man did play corner and safety in college. Been 0:06:14.160 --> 0:06:16.800 playing that Nicola Times, big Dime, you name it, he's 0:06:16.800 --> 0:06:18.400 played it with the Bears. Good to have you back 0:06:18.400 --> 0:06:22.520 in Chicago, DeAndre, and welcome into the show tonight. Really 0:06:22.520 --> 0:06:24.640 excited to have you back as a Bear because I 0:06:24.720 --> 0:06:27.400 think a lot of what you did sometimes gets against 0:06:27.480 --> 0:06:29.680 lost in under the radar a little bit, but you 0:06:29.800 --> 0:06:32.479 made a big impact on special teams and as a 0:06:32.560 --> 0:06:36.160 role player on defense even with the switch and coordinators, 0:06:36.160 --> 0:06:39.159 and you see yourself filling a really good role here 0:06:39.160 --> 0:06:43.039 to come back in twenty nineteen, Well, first night, thank 0:06:43.080 --> 0:06:46.720 you for thanks for having me on, and I'm definitely 0:06:46.720 --> 0:06:52.320 excited to be back. And yeah, I look forward to 0:06:52.360 --> 0:06:56.480 having a good year. Hey, DeAndre. Last year's success during 0:06:56.480 --> 0:06:59.159 the season as you started to climb those stack those 0:06:59.360 --> 0:07:02.800 ws as say did was it did the winds energize 0:07:02.839 --> 0:07:05.479 you guys or did it put more pressure on you guys? 0:07:05.520 --> 0:07:09.240 Because where you came from the season before now, I 0:07:09.279 --> 0:07:13.000 think I think winning just creates positive momentum. I wouldn't 0:07:13.040 --> 0:07:16.440 say it created any pressure for us, but you know, 0:07:16.480 --> 0:07:19.360 the atmosphere is just better when you win, well, when 0:07:19.360 --> 0:07:21.400 you look at it from your perspective. And he got 0:07:21.400 --> 0:07:24.000 in there and it did such a fantastic job late 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:25.760 in the year. Do you think you'll be utilized in 0:07:25.800 --> 0:07:28.240 that same role? You know, if you talk to Chuck 0:07:28.240 --> 0:07:30.840 Pagano at at all in terms of your role for 0:07:30.880 --> 0:07:34.000 the Bears here in twenty nineteen. Yeah, so I haven't 0:07:34.040 --> 0:07:38.440 talked to coach Purgano yet, look forward to meeting him. 0:07:38.760 --> 0:07:41.400 And as far as my role, I'm I'm not quite 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:42.920 sure what it's gonna be yet. I just know I'm 0:07:42.960 --> 0:07:46.240 gonna go out there and and do the best I 0:07:46.240 --> 0:07:48.160 can and keep trying to perfect my craft, and then 0:07:48.360 --> 0:07:50.840 you know, whatever role I do have, I'm gonna do 0:07:50.920 --> 0:07:52.440 it to the best of my baby or if your 0:07:52.480 --> 0:07:55.080 bear DeAndre Houston Carson with us here on Bear's All 0:07:55.120 --> 0:07:57.920 Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. He'd scored Jeff 0:07:57.920 --> 0:08:01.120 Time and Jim with you. DeAndre. Back in College of 0:08:01.200 --> 0:08:03.840 William Marry, you are an outstanding special teams player, but 0:08:03.880 --> 0:08:07.280 you had this knack for black and kicks, and it 0:08:07.360 --> 0:08:10.520 was really almost uncanny. I think you had four black punts, 0:08:11.120 --> 0:08:14.400 you blacked a bunch of field goals and extra points 0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:19.000 and whatnot. Has it been something that has served you 0:08:19.040 --> 0:08:21.800 well here to even have you circled for other teams 0:08:21.800 --> 0:08:24.240 as a threat to do that in games, because I 0:08:24.280 --> 0:08:27.640 think it's one of the most underrated tough things to do, really, 0:08:27.640 --> 0:08:30.239 because guys can bend that edge, but it's the ability 0:08:30.280 --> 0:08:32.440 to get there and get their hands in the right spot, 0:08:32.520 --> 0:08:34.640 go tack at the football as opposed to the actual 0:08:34.720 --> 0:08:37.760 kicker and make those those plays. Because I'm sure you 0:08:37.760 --> 0:08:40.319 were circled by teams knowing that this was something that 0:08:40.360 --> 0:08:44.120 you were a weapon with. You know what, Honestly, I 0:08:44.200 --> 0:08:47.400 have been I haven't got to the blacker kid, and 0:08:47.520 --> 0:08:50.400 since I've been the league three years, which is something 0:08:50.400 --> 0:08:54.320 that I and disappointed in just for myself and a 0:08:54.400 --> 0:08:57.480 goal that I always have and something that I've been 0:08:57.559 --> 0:09:01.920 working on during the offseason. And so, like I said, 0:09:02.040 --> 0:09:04.280 I don't know, you know, if that's really the teams 0:09:04.320 --> 0:09:06.520 even really know that, you know, because I haven't put 0:09:06.559 --> 0:09:09.040 it on film yet. And so but I say yet, 0:09:09.080 --> 0:09:11.719 because I think that I can think that I can 0:09:11.720 --> 0:09:17.400 still do it. What's the key doing? For one, I 0:09:17.440 --> 0:09:21.000 think to get off and then just finishing. I mean 0:09:21.080 --> 0:09:23.360 a lot of guys get around the ball. I just 0:09:23.400 --> 0:09:26.120 gotta just gotta be able to really keep your eyes 0:09:26.160 --> 0:09:30.240 on it and finished through DeAndre. You know, you don't 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:32.559 have very many opportunities during the course of your career 0:09:32.600 --> 0:09:34.920 to increase your value at the end of the season. 0:09:34.960 --> 0:09:36.600 So you come and you sign a one year deal. 0:09:36.640 --> 0:09:39.400 You have a new defensive coordinator you had, you had 0:09:39.440 --> 0:09:41.240 a good finish to the season last year, and you're 0:09:41.240 --> 0:09:43.200 gonna be one of the key components in the special 0:09:43.200 --> 0:09:46.720 team's core here, which is an important role is starting 0:09:46.880 --> 0:09:49.960 in some aspects. Do you feel that this is an 0:09:50.000 --> 0:09:53.040 opportunity for you in your football life to increase your 0:09:53.160 --> 0:09:56.120 value down the road, not only for the Bears, but 0:09:56.200 --> 0:10:00.360 for any opportunity that's presented to you, No doubt, no doubt. 0:10:00.400 --> 0:10:02.199 Anytime you get a chance to put something out there 0:10:02.200 --> 0:10:04.920 on fail to put on the tape, you know it's 0:10:05.040 --> 0:10:06.719 a great chance of soldier're all about and I look 0:10:06.760 --> 0:10:09.800 forward to the opportunity. Well, you talked about honing your 0:10:09.800 --> 0:10:11.520 craft so to speak. I mean, where do you think 0:10:11.559 --> 0:10:14.439 you what would you personally like to work on to 0:10:14.600 --> 0:10:16.640 where you feel you need to get better at In 0:10:16.760 --> 0:10:20.560 terms of your overall skill set. You know, there's a 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:23.040 few things. I think you can always increase your your 0:10:23.120 --> 0:10:25.480 knowledge of the game, which is something that I've been 0:10:25.480 --> 0:10:28.240 trying to do over the last few years. Um, you know, 0:10:28.320 --> 0:10:30.360 foo foot quickness is something I've been working a lot 0:10:30.400 --> 0:10:35.520 on over the off season, getting getting stronger, and then yeah, 0:10:35.600 --> 0:10:39.200 just finishing. You know, there's there's uh, only so much 0:10:39.280 --> 0:10:40.640 drill work you can do at the end of the day. 0:10:40.640 --> 0:10:43.040 You got to go out there and put it on tape. Hey, DeAndre, 0:10:43.280 --> 0:10:45.199 you know I was I was looking back and reading 0:10:45.240 --> 0:10:48.040 about you and it said that you did thirteen reps 0:10:48.040 --> 0:10:50.079 on the bench press back of the combine. Are you 0:10:50.120 --> 0:10:53.440 stronger now at this stage your career, being able to 0:10:53.480 --> 0:10:58.320 invest more in the nutrition the weight rooms compared to 0:10:58.320 --> 0:11:01.560 where you were as a senior in college, I would 0:11:01.559 --> 0:11:03.559 say so. And I would say that over the last 0:11:03.559 --> 0:11:06.760 few years, I've just been trying to pick up guys, 0:11:07.080 --> 0:11:09.880 pick up things so hit from the guys around um 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:12.679 of the facility, you know, pick up certain things that 0:11:12.720 --> 0:11:14.679 they do as far as the nutrition and recovery and 0:11:14.720 --> 0:11:16.800 all that sort of stuff. Um, and just try to 0:11:16.800 --> 0:11:18.440 add that to my game so I can so like 0:11:18.520 --> 0:11:20.680 you said, I can be stronger. Well, it always talks 0:11:20.679 --> 0:11:23.280 about defensive backs. You always talk about your feet and 0:11:23.320 --> 0:11:25.800 all that type of qualities that you have to have 0:11:25.840 --> 0:11:28.280 in order to be a great player. But the upper part, 0:11:28.360 --> 0:11:30.720 the upper body part of it is equally is important. 0:11:31.080 --> 0:11:33.559 You know, to stay healthy, make sure that you're keeping 0:11:33.640 --> 0:11:36.239 your your head in the game and all the aspects 0:11:36.280 --> 0:11:39.400 that's required of you. Yeah, I would say that's true. 0:11:39.400 --> 0:11:41.760 And like you said, as far as staying healthy, you know, 0:11:41.840 --> 0:11:45.480 strength is obviously a key part of that and something 0:11:45.520 --> 0:11:48.760 that I'm trying to continue to grow in. DeAndre Houston Carson, 0:11:48.800 --> 0:11:51.240 our guest here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports 0:11:51.320 --> 0:11:53.240 Radio six seventy the Score kind enough to spend a 0:11:53.240 --> 0:11:55.760 few minutes with us. You mentioned you're working out foot 0:11:55.800 --> 0:11:59.800 quickness and and oftentimes you'll you'll hear about what quarterbacks 0:11:59.800 --> 0:12:02.720 are doing in the offseason, what they're training, how they're training, 0:12:02.720 --> 0:12:05.480 who they're training with, and Old Mitch has been out 0:12:05.520 --> 0:12:07.360 there with with some of the guys at receiver just 0:12:07.360 --> 0:12:09.640 getting some routes in and getting that timing down even 0:12:09.960 --> 0:12:13.560 at this stage, it's important, but you don't hear about everybody. 0:12:14.120 --> 0:12:16.320 What did you decide to do this off season in 0:12:16.440 --> 0:12:19.760 terms of maybe hiring somebody to help you through maybe 0:12:19.800 --> 0:12:24.240 increasing your footwork, foot speed and whatnot, and anything different 0:12:24.280 --> 0:12:27.120 than you've done at any point prior in your NFL 0:12:27.200 --> 0:12:30.400 career in college. Yeah, I'm taking a little bit different 0:12:30.400 --> 0:12:34.600 approach this offseason. UM as far as UM, just trying 0:12:34.640 --> 0:12:37.679 to get around a few different trainers. So I've been 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:41.880 working with with my trainer, John McNulty over this offseason. 0:12:42.000 --> 0:12:45.880 He's up here in Libertiesville, Illinois, and then also a 0:12:45.960 --> 0:12:50.920 place eft UM in Deerfield, Illinois. Just getting over there 0:12:50.960 --> 0:12:53.480 and working with those guys UM and then a lot 0:12:53.520 --> 0:12:55.680 of it, honestly, it is just personal, you know, a 0:12:55.679 --> 0:12:57.840 lot of It's just what I'm doing with no one else. 0:12:57.920 --> 0:13:00.120 Is a round that I'm trying to walk on. You've 0:13:00.160 --> 0:13:02.160 been to the new facility yet, and have you been 0:13:02.320 --> 0:13:05.319 and seen the locker room and picked out your locker? Yeah? 0:13:05.520 --> 0:13:07.320 I was in there on Friday for the first time 0:13:07.360 --> 0:13:11.079 and it's Uh, were you blown away? Yeah? It's special, 0:13:11.240 --> 0:13:14.840 it is it is. Go ahead, Well, I was gonna 0:13:14.840 --> 0:13:16.960 ask you, do you have any thoughts on Obviously, the 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:21.160 expansion of replay will include offensive passing or interference as well, 0:13:21.200 --> 0:13:23.839 but say you you know, as as a corner or 0:13:23.880 --> 0:13:26.680 a dime or anything. You know, potentially if a quarterback's 0:13:26.720 --> 0:13:29.920 even throwing away from you in your defense, you know, 0:13:29.960 --> 0:13:34.079 they could potentially call defensive pass interference or offensive rub routes. 0:13:34.120 --> 0:13:36.160 We know those get called all the you know, or 0:13:36.240 --> 0:13:38.360 get run all the time in the NFL. Do you 0:13:38.400 --> 0:13:41.080 have any early thoughts how it's going to impact you 0:13:41.960 --> 0:13:44.280 in how you play or do you think it's going 0:13:44.280 --> 0:13:47.400 to affect that a coach can now challenge non calls 0:13:47.559 --> 0:13:51.520 in the NFL for pass interference. I definitely would think 0:13:51.520 --> 0:13:55.600 that it would affect, you know, the game strategy, hail, 0:13:55.640 --> 0:14:00.480 marriage situations and things like that. UM, as far as 0:14:00.480 --> 0:14:02.280 you know how it affect our game personally, I'm not 0:14:02.360 --> 0:14:05.000 quite sure. I guess after we get closer into the 0:14:05.040 --> 0:14:06.920 season and talk with the team and coaches and stuff 0:14:06.960 --> 0:14:08.840 like that, we'll have a I have a better understanding 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:12.880 shopmate here with DeAndre Houston. Carson Bears, a returning free 0:14:12.880 --> 0:14:15.480 agent signy and entering his fourth year in the NFL 0:14:15.520 --> 0:14:17.640 out of William and Mary. You know, it's a great 0:14:17.679 --> 0:14:20.000 question by Jim because a year ago at this time, 0:14:20.080 --> 0:14:23.200 everybody was wondering exactly how the helmet rule was gonna 0:14:23.320 --> 0:14:24.920 impact the game and if it was going to be 0:14:24.960 --> 0:14:28.040 flag after flag, and you know, as you sit back, 0:14:28.680 --> 0:14:31.560 it didn't seem like that big a deal in the end. 0:14:31.680 --> 0:14:34.880 How did you feel as a player adjusting even in 0:14:34.920 --> 0:14:37.080 the early days of training camp and into the preseason 0:14:37.320 --> 0:14:40.200 for what the league was now going to call. Yeah, 0:14:40.240 --> 0:14:46.200 so I'm defensive coordinator old defensive coordinator UH coach Fangio. Um, Yeah, 0:14:46.240 --> 0:14:48.560 I think he had a real practical approach that it 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:50.720 kind of resonated with me. He just said, you know, 0:14:50.760 --> 0:14:52.720 the rules are the rules, and as players we have 0:14:52.760 --> 0:14:55.320 to a bobey him. We have to find ways to 0:14:54.880 --> 0:14:56.840 um to do that. And so I think it would 0:14:56.840 --> 0:14:59.800 be the same thing for the for the pass interference rule. 0:15:00.120 --> 0:15:01.720 You said, I don't I don't know how big of 0:15:01.720 --> 0:15:03.680 a deal the helmet to helmet rule ended up being 0:15:03.760 --> 0:15:06.480 last year. Um. But at the end of the dance players, 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:09.000 it's it's our job to adjust. Have they Have you 0:15:09.120 --> 0:15:11.800 got any job description of what's required of you from 0:15:11.800 --> 0:15:16.360 new defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, No, sir, I haven't taught 0:15:16.360 --> 0:15:18.400 to coach Pogano yet. That's something I want to do, 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:20.960 probably within the next week or so. Just get in 0:15:21.000 --> 0:15:23.080 there and talk to him more so, just to get 0:15:23.120 --> 0:15:25.120 to know him as a person. And I'm sure we'll 0:15:25.120 --> 0:15:27.840 talk Texes and those as well at some point. With 0:15:27.960 --> 0:15:29.920 your with your downtime and what you were dealing with 0:15:30.240 --> 0:15:32.760 in free agency and all those type of things. For 0:15:32.840 --> 0:15:37.800 yourself this offseason, how did you rejuvenate? Um? So, my 0:15:37.800 --> 0:15:39.960 wife and I for one, we we took a trip 0:15:39.960 --> 0:15:42.960 out to South Korea for a few weeks after the season, 0:15:43.000 --> 0:15:46.720 which was really fun. Um. And besides that, I mean 0:15:46.720 --> 0:15:49.400 we've just been kind of around working. Um. I like 0:15:49.480 --> 0:15:51.480 to read, so I kind of just hang out read 0:15:51.560 --> 0:15:54.200 maybe right, um, and just hang out with my wife. 0:15:54.240 --> 0:15:56.000 Try to spend some time. You know, it's hard for 0:15:56.000 --> 0:15:57.680 her during the season, so try to really spend some 0:15:57.720 --> 0:16:00.440 time and build our relationship. So you're wing, What are 0:16:00.440 --> 0:16:03.320 you writing if I ask, you know, just my journal, 0:16:03.440 --> 0:16:08.120 you know, just personal thoughts, okay, poetry or anything like. Now, Hey, 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:10.480 some guys right right, some guys you got Hey, all 0:16:10.520 --> 0:16:17.400 these guys got hidden talents. DeAndre right, I would like 0:16:17.440 --> 0:16:19.480 to know. Do you actually write it or you type 0:16:19.480 --> 0:16:22.440 it into a iPad or a tablet or something not 0:16:22.680 --> 0:16:27.120 write it? Sometimes? Good for you. All Right, We're gonna 0:16:27.160 --> 0:16:30.320 let you go before we do. The excitement around this 0:16:30.360 --> 0:16:33.160 team obviously is palpable. And it was all created by 0:16:33.280 --> 0:16:35.720 what you guys did under Matteggie and as a collective 0:16:35.800 --> 0:16:38.080 unit last year on both sides of the ball, special 0:16:38.080 --> 0:16:41.280 teams included, and you guys won, you went to the playoffs. Uh. 0:16:42.560 --> 0:16:47.040 Is it feel like this team is still bouncing from 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:49.800 that momentum that you guys created last year because every 0:16:49.840 --> 0:16:51.960 season is different. You got some new faces, you got 0:16:51.960 --> 0:16:54.400 a new coordinator on defense or whatnot. But just from 0:16:54.440 --> 0:16:58.480 talking to the fellas, is the excitement still palpable? For sure? 0:16:58.600 --> 0:17:00.920 And I can't speak for the whole team. I can't 0:17:00.920 --> 0:17:03.040 speak to everyone else, but I can definitely speak to 0:17:03.040 --> 0:17:07.280 myself for myself and say that even more so than excitement, 0:17:07.320 --> 0:17:10.080 you know, I feel like, you know, last season created 0:17:10.400 --> 0:17:13.399 a bigger hunger, a more deep hunger for me, knowing that, 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:16.439 knowing that we have a real opportunity to make the 0:17:16.520 --> 0:17:20.120 ultimate goal of bringing home that trophy of reality. And 0:17:20.440 --> 0:17:23.679 obviously it's a whole new year, new players, new coaches 0:17:23.680 --> 0:17:26.239 and all that. But but we know, we know, at 0:17:26.280 --> 0:17:28.840 least I know what we're capable love, and so it 0:17:28.880 --> 0:17:30.639 just creates that hunger for us to go out there 0:17:30.640 --> 0:17:32.240 and work and put it on tape and do what 0:17:32.240 --> 0:17:34.080 we need to do to achieve that. All right, well, 0:17:34.080 --> 0:17:36.720 we wish you great success coming up here in twenty nineteen. 0:17:36.760 --> 0:17:38.920 Thanks so much for taking some time today. Thanks for 0:17:39.040 --> 0:17:42.560 sure appreciate DeAndre Houston, Curs and Chicago Bears defensive back 0:17:42.560 --> 0:17:45.320 and special team star joining the program when we come back. 0:17:45.359 --> 0:17:48.760 How about some phone calls three four sixty seven sixty seven, 0:17:49.000 --> 0:17:51.600 three one two six four four sixty seven sixty seven. 0:17:51.800 --> 0:17:54.560 This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six 0:17:54.680 --> 0:18:02.480 seventy The score. Hey, the twenty nine team that the like. 0:18:02.640 --> 0:18:05.160 Chicago Bears Draft Party will be held on Saturday, April 0:18:05.160 --> 0:18:08.159 twenty seventh at Soldier Field from noon till six pm. 0:18:08.200 --> 0:18:11.320 The event will feature on field activities, locker room tours, 0:18:11.359 --> 0:18:14.520 player autographs, and of course, live draft coverage and analysis 0:18:14.520 --> 0:18:18.560 from Bears football experts like Tom Thare. Get your tickets 0:18:18.560 --> 0:18:20.920 today at Chicago Bears dot com slash Draft Party. Why 0:18:20.920 --> 0:18:23.560 are you laughing, we got we got last. The only 0:18:23.560 --> 0:18:25.760 thing better part of the show last week was me 0:18:25.880 --> 0:18:29.480 reading the introductions at the start of each segment better. Yes, yeah, 0:18:29.480 --> 0:18:32.880 you think I just was more fluid I practiced during day. Yeah, 0:18:33.000 --> 0:18:36.439 more fluid than I. Yeah. Really, yeah, you had time there. 0:18:36.480 --> 0:18:39.000 You added words, Yes, I did add lords. Jim Miller 0:18:39.119 --> 0:18:42.919 with us as well. I mean these these offensive lineman. 0:18:43.080 --> 0:18:45.000 I'll tell you. Jim, Hey, he brought up something to me. 0:18:45.280 --> 0:18:48.400 I want to bring up the earlier today because he's 0:18:48.400 --> 0:18:51.399 trying to link the past to the current Bears team. 0:18:51.400 --> 0:18:54.600 And you know, history sometimes repeats itself and other times 0:18:54.600 --> 0:18:57.120 it doesn't. What what Tim wore? A triple number two? Yeah? 0:18:58.359 --> 0:19:02.560 I don almost believe that. I did? You really? I did? 0:19:02.840 --> 0:19:05.200 I hate I hate April Fools because my mom was 0:19:05.240 --> 0:19:08.000 always so mean with her April Fools jokes growing up 0:19:08.000 --> 0:19:11.359 as a kid. So yeah, the ten o'clock last night, 0:19:11.400 --> 0:19:14.000 she texted me, Jim says, oh, how about the numbers. 0:19:14.280 --> 0:19:16.840 I'm like, wow, cal, now you gotta read all the 0:19:16.880 --> 0:19:19.920 fine print that the Bears did release that for those 0:19:20.280 --> 0:19:25.280 you didn't know. But so nineteen eighty four, the Bears 0:19:25.280 --> 0:19:27.000 were ten and six. They go to fifteen to one 0:19:27.040 --> 0:19:29.680 and eighty five, win the Super Bowl. Tim there's first 0:19:29.760 --> 0:19:31.439 year in the league, two thousand and one, gym, you 0:19:31.480 --> 0:19:35.879 guys thirteen and three from five and eleven and go 0:19:36.000 --> 0:19:38.480 to the playoffs. Very good year, oh five, five and 0:19:38.560 --> 0:19:40.560 eleven to eleven and five, then a Super Bowl and 0:19:40.600 --> 0:19:43.640 oh six. So the twenty eighteen version twelve and four 0:19:43.680 --> 0:19:49.600 after a five and eleven season. The expectations are significantly 0:19:49.680 --> 0:19:51.560 higher than they've been here around here in a very 0:19:51.600 --> 0:19:56.360 long time, and almost a daily occurrence from national writers 0:19:56.520 --> 0:20:00.160 or broadcasters talking about the Bears as a super from 0:20:00.200 --> 0:20:03.840 Bowl contender. Local writers included, do you see any similarities 0:20:03.880 --> 0:20:06.240 anything you can weave through all those different decades of 0:20:06.280 --> 0:20:09.399 Bears football your own personal experiences? Yeah, I think like 0:20:09.520 --> 0:20:11.560 anything else, you know, a lot of things have to 0:20:11.600 --> 0:20:13.199 go your way. Certainly, you got to put in the 0:20:13.200 --> 0:20:16.280 work in the offseason. You know, here Cleveland, there's all 0:20:16.359 --> 0:20:19.680 kinds of expectations for Cleveland, and already you know, their 0:20:19.720 --> 0:20:22.480 new head coach, Freddy Kitchens is trying to temper that 0:20:22.680 --> 0:20:26.000 enthusiasm because it's true, just because your roster on paper 0:20:26.160 --> 0:20:29.360 look looks terrific and everything is heading in the right direction. 0:20:29.480 --> 0:20:32.280 Like how Cleveland finished their season or how the Bears 0:20:32.680 --> 0:20:35.119 finished their season under under Matt Naggie. You got to 0:20:35.160 --> 0:20:38.280 put in the work and the preparation the following year. 0:20:39.119 --> 0:20:42.119 You know, injuries have to our factor. They've got to 0:20:42.119 --> 0:20:45.240 go on your way where you don't miss crucial guys 0:20:45.320 --> 0:20:47.920 or critical guys for a period of time. I did, 0:20:48.000 --> 0:20:51.520 like Kyle, the Bears had the cautious approach last year. Normally, 0:20:51.520 --> 0:20:53.800 if a player was banged up, they normally keep them 0:20:53.800 --> 0:20:56.840 out one more week to ensure a player was healthy. 0:20:56.920 --> 0:20:59.000 But there's just so many things going on in the 0:20:59.000 --> 0:21:02.800 ob and flow of the season, and certainly the players 0:21:02.840 --> 0:21:05.440 got to come prepared to perform. You know, you gotta 0:21:05.800 --> 0:21:08.080 you know, you're judged on on a one week basis 0:21:08.400 --> 0:21:11.440 in terms of completing your pet, your test and passing 0:21:11.480 --> 0:21:14.360 that test. And I think the Bears are more more 0:21:14.400 --> 0:21:16.760 than willing to do that. I think they realize the 0:21:16.800 --> 0:21:19.800 opportunity that's ahead of them. And that's really you're really 0:21:19.880 --> 0:21:21.200 up to the players. They've got to go out and 0:21:21.200 --> 0:21:23.720 they've got to perform. When that those lights are on 0:21:24.040 --> 0:21:26.520 and your numbers called, it's time to step up and 0:21:26.560 --> 0:21:29.119 perform and execute what you've been asked to do you 0:21:29.119 --> 0:21:31.320 know when you look at the analogy of success the 0:21:31.359 --> 0:21:34.200 following season after all the years we talk about, eighty 0:21:34.200 --> 0:21:36.040 four was a great season for the Bears, but I 0:21:36.040 --> 0:21:38.840 always hear about legendary speeches by Dan Hampton on the 0:21:38.880 --> 0:21:41.359 plane about how this is never going to happen again 0:21:41.400 --> 0:21:44.000 to the Bears, and the way all these seasons concluded, 0:21:44.080 --> 0:21:47.240 even the Erlaccer Briggs pen a team that went onto 0:21:47.240 --> 0:21:50.600 the Super Bowl. Either way, this season ended the year before. 0:21:51.080 --> 0:21:54.400 It seemed like it always finished with confidence going forward 0:21:54.960 --> 0:21:57.240 and I and being a part of the eighty five 0:21:57.320 --> 0:21:59.520 training camp, but not the end of the eighty four season. 0:21:59.560 --> 0:22:02.439 You got kind of hit at mid stream and just 0:22:02.560 --> 0:22:04.720 hope you could jump on and hold on because they're 0:22:04.760 --> 0:22:07.159 not looking for a lot of jobs. There's not looking 0:22:07.160 --> 0:22:09.400 for a lot of people to make those teams, just 0:22:09.480 --> 0:22:11.199 like in all the other years. After you have a 0:22:11.200 --> 0:22:15.200 good year, you wanted to transition to the success of 0:22:15.240 --> 0:22:18.399 the playoff and Super Bowl success. And it's interesting to 0:22:18.400 --> 0:22:20.879 think about those teams because you are you and I 0:22:20.920 --> 0:22:23.840 were around him as broadcasters along with Jim known about 0:22:23.880 --> 0:22:26.760 the eighty four eighty five transition, and now seeing this 0:22:26.800 --> 0:22:30.040 transition from what they were able to accomplish last year 0:22:30.840 --> 0:22:33.199 in what is expected of them this year. Out of 0:22:33.280 --> 0:22:35.399 us as fans, it's I think it's interesting for the 0:22:35.440 --> 0:22:37.880 people and the fans of Chicago and what are their 0:22:37.920 --> 0:22:40.400 expectations because of what they've seen in the past. Out 0:22:40.400 --> 0:22:42.840 of Bears. Well, it's certainly, Jim, not a coronation, as 0:22:42.840 --> 0:22:45.360 you say, it's because you did it doesn't mean it's 0:22:45.400 --> 0:22:48.160 going to happen again, obviously, but the beauty. But I'm 0:22:48.200 --> 0:22:52.919 talking about the attitude you completed the last season and 0:22:53.000 --> 0:22:55.399 how does that spearhead and kick you off to the 0:22:55.440 --> 0:22:57.320 next year. I know it's not a gear, it's not 0:22:57.359 --> 0:23:00.680 a ticket to the playoffs, but the atmosphere you're walking 0:23:00.680 --> 0:23:03.240 into that facility with and that first team meeting of 0:23:03.240 --> 0:23:06.000 Matt Naggy. This year, there's gonna be a lot more 0:23:06.160 --> 0:23:10.960 known than the unknown from last year. And Jim, I 0:23:11.080 --> 0:23:13.560 keep focusing on this one word and I mentioned it 0:23:13.640 --> 0:23:15.520 a few weeks ago on this show, and it's growth 0:23:15.560 --> 0:23:18.000 and trying to figure out where your biggest growth is 0:23:18.040 --> 0:23:20.919 going to come from. Because they haven't invested a ton 0:23:20.960 --> 0:23:22.959 of money obviously in free agency this year, there are 0:23:23.000 --> 0:23:24.919 not going to be a lot of new players on 0:23:24.920 --> 0:23:27.600 this roster as of right now. If you look at 0:23:27.600 --> 0:23:29.919 the top forty six, there's gonna be seven new faces 0:23:30.040 --> 0:23:32.439 right now, not including the draft or what else they 0:23:32.520 --> 0:23:37.199 might do. That's growth, growth on your key players that 0:23:37.280 --> 0:23:40.840 are young making that next step, and namely Mitch Drubisky. Yeah, here, 0:23:40.880 --> 0:23:43.359 we just you know, we just talked to DeAndre Houston Carson. 0:23:43.400 --> 0:23:44.960 You know, you look at that Callahan and what he 0:23:45.000 --> 0:23:47.160 was dealing with the foot injury later in the year. 0:23:47.240 --> 0:23:51.040 Sherkmmanus has to step in play snaps here. DeAndre Houston Carson, 0:23:51.280 --> 0:23:54.040 he's called upon. These guys aren't newbies anymore. You know, 0:23:54.160 --> 0:23:56.920 this isn't his first year out of the draft. More 0:23:57.000 --> 0:23:59.760 is expected. You know, he's more of a mature player, 0:24:00.040 --> 0:24:03.200 understands the game a little bit more. You know. It's 0:24:03.240 --> 0:24:06.119 interesting again, and I've just pulled out the cautionary tale 0:24:06.160 --> 0:24:08.520 as we've done these Bears all access shows every week 0:24:08.560 --> 0:24:11.679 and had the opportunity to interview Malik Jackson today for 0:24:11.720 --> 0:24:14.840 the Philadelphi Eagles. Here he's on a Jacksonville Jaguars team. 0:24:15.320 --> 0:24:17.480 They're one play away from going to the Super Bowl 0:24:17.680 --> 0:24:21.240 AFC Championship game against New England in New England, given 0:24:21.280 --> 0:24:24.280 New England everything they can handle in their home turf 0:24:24.359 --> 0:24:27.520 a Gillette Stadium. Come back a year later in twenty eighteen, 0:24:27.600 --> 0:24:30.480 all kinds of talent on the roster, and they absolutely 0:24:30.600 --> 0:24:34.000 lay an egg, absolutely lay an egg, whether it's injuries, 0:24:34.240 --> 0:24:38.720 players not getting along. Leonard Fournette overweighed all the trouble 0:24:39.000 --> 0:24:43.560 stories that you hear because they didn't prepare themselves correctly. 0:24:43.600 --> 0:24:46.600 So again they're their cautionary tale. Normally, when teams finish strong, 0:24:46.880 --> 0:24:49.199 you'd like to think they can carry that over or 0:24:49.200 --> 0:24:51.600 on how they finished the season from the year before, 0:24:51.920 --> 0:24:54.960 a lot is expected. This team, I think they identified 0:24:55.000 --> 0:24:56.800 that they're pretty good, but you got to go out 0:24:56.800 --> 0:24:58.800 and put the work in. If you don't do that, 0:24:59.200 --> 0:25:02.000 you know Jackson will again is Mike cautionary tale of 0:25:02.040 --> 0:25:05.760 a team that went from first to worst. We say 0:25:05.800 --> 0:25:08.280 worst to first. What could go the other way too? Yeah, 0:25:08.400 --> 0:25:10.760 let's hope not. Jeff Jony actom Pere, Jim Miller with 0:25:10.840 --> 0:25:14.200 you at the owner's meeting, the conversation of the offensive 0:25:14.240 --> 0:25:17.240 line time. They're open to consideration of a move of 0:25:17.280 --> 0:25:21.240 Cody Whitehair to guard and James Daniels to center. You know, 0:25:21.320 --> 0:25:23.159 I think if you talk a lot of offensive linement 0:25:23.160 --> 0:25:25.840 of coming gone with the Chicago Bears, they always talked 0:25:25.880 --> 0:25:28.280 about that they thought James Daniels was best fit for 0:25:28.400 --> 0:25:32.200 center and Cody could be more explosive, more powerful uses 0:25:32.280 --> 0:25:36.280 athleticism and be more dominant the line of scrimmage because 0:25:36.359 --> 0:25:40.040 when you take that that instant of snap to conversion 0:25:40.080 --> 0:25:42.959 to forward momentum, you know, there is a that's a 0:25:42.960 --> 0:25:45.080 tough transition. There's not a lot of guys that can do. 0:25:45.119 --> 0:25:47.399 And I think James Daniels is built for it, and 0:25:47.440 --> 0:25:49.760 I think it'll help you offensive line. I really do, 0:25:49.880 --> 0:25:53.080 because you still have the versatility of Cody Whitehair to 0:25:53.200 --> 0:25:56.560 take the place. If worst case scenario happened, how would 0:25:56.560 --> 0:26:01.240 you have been at center? Nothing like Land? I would 0:26:01.359 --> 0:26:04.560 the thing that the thing that was so hard is 0:26:04.600 --> 0:26:07.119 to take all your momentum going backwards and then have 0:26:07.200 --> 0:26:11.240 the confidence to go forward with the equal speed and 0:26:11.480 --> 0:26:14.280 ferociousness and stuff. And I always you know, I think 0:26:14.280 --> 0:26:17.160 when you look at Oland and jam there are two 0:26:17.160 --> 0:26:19.840 players that have played very similar style of games. They 0:26:19.880 --> 0:26:23.719 have power, they got quickness, they're super intelligent football players. 0:26:23.760 --> 0:26:27.080 So that for me was just a position to go 0:26:27.119 --> 0:26:29.280 into game day and be able to be a backup. 0:26:29.600 --> 0:26:32.280 But I never wanted to be a starter there. And 0:26:32.400 --> 0:26:34.840 it just sounds like Harry eastand they didn't want to 0:26:34.880 --> 0:26:38.760 overload James Daniels too much here in his rookie year. 0:26:38.800 --> 0:26:40.880 Here he comes on makes an impact that the left 0:26:40.880 --> 0:26:44.520 guard just learn one position, get it down, contribute those 0:26:44.560 --> 0:26:46.800 type of things, and here it's a whole new offense. 0:26:47.200 --> 0:26:50.280 You know, I do believe Harry heastand when he talked about, hey, 0:26:50.280 --> 0:26:53.560 you've already got a report relationship with Trubisky in the 0:26:53.600 --> 0:26:56.080 center and Cody White here and Cody's comfortable and making 0:26:56.119 --> 0:26:58.240 all the calls and those type of things. Is a 0:26:58.359 --> 0:27:01.440 veteran more of a veteran player in terms of the ropes. 0:27:01.440 --> 0:27:04.359 It's probably just an easier transition, I would think for 0:27:04.480 --> 0:27:07.920 James Daniels now going into a second year in the offense, 0:27:08.400 --> 0:27:11.040 is familiar with all the all the concepts, and you know, 0:27:11.080 --> 0:27:13.359 they feel he's more of a natural center, and that's 0:27:13.359 --> 0:27:15.479 what he was tabbed out of Iowa. Just a natural 0:27:15.520 --> 0:27:17.680 center that can get to the next level. I mean, 0:27:17.880 --> 0:27:21.040 Owen's probably better equipped to break down his play. But 0:27:21.080 --> 0:27:24.040 it just seems like that was the thought process of 0:27:24.040 --> 0:27:27.400 offensive line coach errys and I think James Daniels will 0:27:27.440 --> 0:27:30.240 go back to snapping the ball, a conventional style that 0:27:30.640 --> 0:27:34.159 Mitchell Chubisky and the shotgun snap quarterbacks are used to 0:27:34.560 --> 0:27:38.119 when they had the awkward knuckleball flight of the snap 0:27:38.119 --> 0:27:40.800 of Cody Whitehair. I think James will go back to 0:27:40.840 --> 0:27:43.120 the original way. All right, Time to step away. Mike 0:27:43.200 --> 0:27:45.919 Chen and Herb Lawrence with us here tonight on Bears 0:27:45.960 --> 0:27:49.720 All Access with Tom Thare, Jim Mellerim, Jeff Joniac threety 0:27:49.720 --> 0:27:51.919 four sixty seven, sixty seven. Do you want to jump on? 0:27:51.960 --> 0:27:53.439 We got a half hour to go on Bears All 0:27:53.480 --> 0:27:58.280 Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. The 0:27:58.480 --> 0:28:01.560 Chicago Bears Network presents Inside the Bears, brought to you 0:28:01.600 --> 0:28:04.439 by a Verizon. Anthony Adams and Lauren Screten cover the 0:28:04.440 --> 0:28:06.560 world of Bears football on and off the field every 0:28:06.560 --> 0:28:09.520 Sunday night, ten thirty five pm on Fox thirty two Chicago, 0:28:09.880 --> 0:28:12.560 or watch anytime at Chicago Bears dot com or on 0:28:12.600 --> 0:28:16.000 the Bears official app. Jeff Joni Act, Tom There, Jim 0:28:16.000 --> 0:28:18.800 Miller with you three one two sixty four sixty seven 0:28:18.920 --> 0:28:21.120 sixty seven Time for some of your phone calls BEFO 0:28:21.160 --> 0:28:23.480 where we exit at the top of the hour before 0:28:23.480 --> 0:28:26.080 we take some phone calls. The Alliance of American Football, 0:28:26.200 --> 0:28:29.160 Jim certainly started with high hopes. It looked like Dave 0:28:29.160 --> 0:28:33.080 I'd have some really big name, obviously with ever Saul 0:28:33.640 --> 0:28:37.680 and the Hall of Famer involved with it. But eight 0:28:37.680 --> 0:28:41.320 games into a ten game season, there's nothing but disappointment 0:28:41.360 --> 0:28:43.520 about it. And I don't know how you felt about 0:28:43.560 --> 0:28:45.040 it at no time. You talked about it a lot, 0:28:45.080 --> 0:28:47.040 but Bill Pollion was quite upset that they pulled the 0:28:47.080 --> 0:28:50.040 pin on it. Today, so was I. I was really disappointed. 0:28:50.360 --> 0:28:55.720 And again it's because of the opportunities I've seen created 0:28:55.760 --> 0:28:58.440 for guys in the USFL. If you take a guy 0:28:58.480 --> 0:29:01.880 like Sam Mills, who went out onto football greatness, one 0:29:01.920 --> 0:29:05.880 of the best football players ever. He is a linebacker. 0:29:06.240 --> 0:29:09.680 He was about five six, two hundred and something pounds, 0:29:09.720 --> 0:29:12.239 but he was the best of the best, and his 0:29:12.280 --> 0:29:14.800 opportunity was created because he went to a small college. 0:29:14.840 --> 0:29:17.200 He had the opportunity to get exposure in the USFL, 0:29:17.880 --> 0:29:20.000 and I learned to do do a great NFL career along 0:29:20.040 --> 0:29:22.440 with a lot of other players. So I just think 0:29:22.440 --> 0:29:25.800 that it's unfair for the players who really want to 0:29:25.800 --> 0:29:29.880 try to make a living for this opportunity to have 0:29:29.920 --> 0:29:32.320 the rug pulled out from underneath them. Yeah, you know, 0:29:32.480 --> 0:29:35.160 for being a developmental league. And again we've talked about 0:29:35.200 --> 0:29:39.320 eighty one percent of that league were formed of players 0:29:39.360 --> 0:29:42.560 that have been in NFL camps, So they were already 0:29:42.600 --> 0:29:46.240 invited to an NFL camp, whether drafted or free agency, 0:29:46.320 --> 0:29:49.120 those type of things as a college free agent, and 0:29:49.160 --> 0:29:52.040 so it's just about honing your skills a little bit more, 0:29:52.080 --> 0:29:55.480 and potentially some would get plucked this year to join 0:29:55.720 --> 0:29:59.040 another camp. It's unfortunate. I'm with Tom. It's more jobs 0:29:59.440 --> 0:30:03.680 for another coaches, you know, former gms that had joined 0:30:03.680 --> 0:30:06.120 that league. And then you look at the player's side, 0:30:06.160 --> 0:30:09.000 I think even the officials who are getting more training 0:30:09.280 --> 0:30:12.120 from that standpoint, so I just think, you know, in 0:30:12.200 --> 0:30:14.480 terms of the bill of goods and how it was sold, 0:30:14.720 --> 0:30:17.320 obviously it wasn't as as well funded as what everybody thought. 0:30:17.320 --> 0:30:20.320 They just thought Tom Dundon, who took over, was just 0:30:20.360 --> 0:30:23.640 going to be, you know, the savior of that league. 0:30:23.680 --> 0:30:25.680 But from what I understand, he had all sorts of 0:30:25.720 --> 0:30:28.360 parachutes to get out, to get out of this deal 0:30:28.560 --> 0:30:30.800 and ultimately as elected to pull the plug. And I 0:30:30.800 --> 0:30:33.160 want to talk more about this too, but first let's 0:30:33.200 --> 0:30:36.120 get through the phones. Joe and Joliet, Tom Stomping Grounds, 0:30:36.480 --> 0:30:39.680 what's on your mind? Welcome to bears All Access. Hey, 0:30:40.440 --> 0:30:42.479 Hi guys doing. I just wanted to see if you 0:30:42.520 --> 0:30:46.640 guys truly think that Chubisky can take the next step. Joe, 0:30:47.120 --> 0:30:48.680 I'll just weigh in right out of the gate. I 0:30:49.000 --> 0:30:53.240 do because I trust Matt Nagie. I trust Matt Naggie, 0:30:53.280 --> 0:30:55.920 I trust the skill set of Mitch Trubisky, and the 0:30:55.960 --> 0:30:59.720 fact is it essentially was in terms of a first 0:30:59.760 --> 0:31:02.520 year offense, it was almost like a rookie year for him. 0:31:02.560 --> 0:31:05.560 So I am expecting growth and taking the next step means, 0:31:06.040 --> 0:31:09.640 you know, continue to move this offense in a direction 0:31:09.640 --> 0:31:12.880 and not just his own performance, but bring everybody else 0:31:12.960 --> 0:31:15.120 with him, because that's really what makes it great. Off 0:31:15.200 --> 0:31:16.680 The most important thing is you have to have the 0:31:16.720 --> 0:31:20.600 player committed to everything that is he's obligated to master 0:31:20.680 --> 0:31:23.880 in order to run the position perfectly. In Mitch's committed 0:31:23.920 --> 0:31:26.600 to that, then you've got Matt Nagee, Mark hell for Its, 0:31:26.720 --> 0:31:31.400 David Gone, Chase, Daniel and Tyler Bray. You have a 0:31:31.520 --> 0:31:35.680 supporting cast there, supporting system that's all in the direction 0:31:35.760 --> 0:31:39.480 to make Mitchell Trubisky a better player, a more knowledgeable quarterback. 0:31:39.880 --> 0:31:42.120 And with the talent that Ryan Pace is bringing in, 0:31:43.640 --> 0:31:46.160 you've got to be as excited about the quarterback position 0:31:46.680 --> 0:31:49.040 is you know any other elements of this team. And 0:31:49.160 --> 0:31:51.920 when I talked about the conversion from the year before 0:31:52.160 --> 0:31:54.800 to the Super Bowl, in the Bears history, there was 0:31:54.840 --> 0:31:58.160 always a little bit of quarterback interruption at some important 0:31:58.200 --> 0:32:01.320 times in the season, where if you have Mitchell Rubisky 0:32:01.800 --> 0:32:05.640 on board and healthy at playoff time, anything can happen. Yeah. 0:32:05.960 --> 0:32:07.800 I just I like his growth from a year ago, 0:32:07.840 --> 0:32:09.680 and a lot of that is just due to Mitchell. 0:32:09.680 --> 0:32:13.360 I agree with everything both Tom and Jeff said before me, 0:32:13.520 --> 0:32:16.040 but I just like his attitude. I think he challenges 0:32:16.120 --> 0:32:18.240 himself to get better. I think he's a self starter. 0:32:18.640 --> 0:32:20.760 I think it's important to him. He doesn't want to 0:32:20.840 --> 0:32:24.560 let down his teammates. He takes it personally when you 0:32:24.720 --> 0:32:27.800 challenge him and he responds. And I think he's done 0:32:27.840 --> 0:32:30.320 that with everything he was presented a year ago, and 0:32:30.360 --> 0:32:32.400 I expected to continue and I'm sure he does too. 0:32:33.000 --> 0:32:35.360 Here in twenty nineteen. I think the underrated part of 0:32:35.440 --> 0:32:37.160 him that a lot of people we don't get the 0:32:37.240 --> 0:32:40.600 benefit of seeing every day. But he's a fiery like 0:32:40.760 --> 0:32:43.280 Jim mentioned it, he is firing, and he is competitive. 0:32:43.360 --> 0:32:47.040 You know, he will fight you over anything, you know 0:32:47.200 --> 0:32:49.720 and be competitive about it. So you need that as 0:32:49.760 --> 0:32:52.760 a start. With Joe the last caller asking the question, 0:32:52.920 --> 0:32:55.400 and it piques my innswest to barrass fans. Do they 0:32:55.520 --> 0:32:58.200 have trust and Mitchell Chubisky. Are they excited to see 0:32:58.280 --> 0:33:00.520 what he's going to bring to the table table next 0:33:00.600 --> 0:33:03.160 week or do some of them still have you know 0:33:03.400 --> 0:33:06.280 a little bit of oh, you know, wait and see attitude? 0:33:06.320 --> 0:33:08.280 And you know, right now, I think with a young 0:33:08.360 --> 0:33:10.800 quarterback that's common to always have the wait and see, 0:33:10.840 --> 0:33:12.520 you know, And we brought it up on this show. 0:33:12.880 --> 0:33:14.640 You brought it up with Blake Bortles gym. You know, 0:33:14.800 --> 0:33:17.040 just because a guy comes out of the gate has 0:33:17.120 --> 0:33:19.920 one good year, he's got to have a career like 0:33:20.040 --> 0:33:23.000 it just can't be a starting stop progress And that's 0:33:23.000 --> 0:33:26.040 what you're banking on here with Mitch, right long term? 0:33:26.080 --> 0:33:28.560 Go ahead, Jim, Yeah, I think he expects that, you know, 0:33:28.720 --> 0:33:31.400 and you look at quarterbacks that play at a consistent 0:33:31.560 --> 0:33:34.440 level every single week, whether it's a Breeze or a 0:33:34.560 --> 0:33:37.000 Brady or the great ones that are out or even 0:33:37.160 --> 0:33:40.160 you know how young Patrick Mahomes exploded onto the scene. 0:33:40.200 --> 0:33:42.560 I mean that was impressive. How you know what he 0:33:42.760 --> 0:33:46.240 was doing every single week at such a young player, 0:33:46.920 --> 0:33:49.240 as such a young player, and I think Mitchell is 0:33:49.320 --> 0:33:51.640 capable of that. You know, he was everybody knew he 0:33:51.800 --> 0:33:55.720 was a raw player with minimal starts coming out of 0:33:55.760 --> 0:33:58.640 North Carolina. Just let it marinate, like you said, he's 0:33:58.680 --> 0:34:01.720 got You know, the steak has a long time to 0:34:01.840 --> 0:34:05.760 go before it's it's well cooked and ready to explode, 0:34:05.800 --> 0:34:08.360 where you know that that taste in your mouth that 0:34:08.480 --> 0:34:10.160 you just love it. There's still a lot of learning 0:34:10.200 --> 0:34:12.640 to do, and he's capable of doing it, and it's 0:34:12.680 --> 0:34:14.719 important to him. Like I said, I mean, I don't 0:34:14.760 --> 0:34:18.239 think there's anything he's not capable of achieving. You know, 0:34:18.320 --> 0:34:20.319 that's up to him. And I just know this, he's 0:34:20.400 --> 0:34:23.239 more than willing, like you said, Jeff, to put in 0:34:23.320 --> 0:34:26.120 the work. The guy is not afraid to work. Man. Jeff, 0:34:26.160 --> 0:34:28.600 are you okay reading that Denver number? Because I think 0:34:28.640 --> 0:34:31.080 it's relevant to what I want to talk about. Right now. Well, no, 0:34:31.640 --> 0:34:34.359 well you had a great quarterback in there. No, well, 0:34:34.400 --> 0:34:37.000 it's just the numbers. You see this stuff that comes 0:34:37.040 --> 0:34:41.760 around and analysis of different situations. So the Denver Broncos, 0:34:41.760 --> 0:34:44.839 for example, in three seasons before they signed Peyton Manning, 0:34:44.880 --> 0:34:47.120 they were twenty and twenty eight. He comes in there, 0:34:47.160 --> 0:34:49.520 four seasons they went to Super Bowl forty five and twelve. 0:34:50.120 --> 0:34:53.000 Since then they're twenty and twenty eight. Again, they've gone 0:34:53.040 --> 0:34:56.000 back to well, it's it's the inconsistency at the position 0:34:56.080 --> 0:34:57.800 on the two ends of Peyton Manning. And then you 0:34:57.880 --> 0:35:00.400 have a guy like Peyton Manning who's there. He's committed 0:35:00.400 --> 0:35:02.600 to the position and everything that he was signed to 0:35:02.719 --> 0:35:06.520 do in Denver, and I think that's the same obligation 0:35:06.640 --> 0:35:09.160 Mitch Fields to his job. He's not Peyton Manning. But 0:35:09.320 --> 0:35:11.400 I'm just talking about if you have that one period 0:35:11.440 --> 0:35:14.840 of time where you're having that same quarterback go behind 0:35:14.960 --> 0:35:16.640 center a week in and week out, that's when you're 0:35:16.640 --> 0:35:19.279 going to see developments of his talents. All right back 0:35:19.280 --> 0:35:22.120 to the phones, we go less in Oak Park. You're 0:35:22.200 --> 0:35:25.560 on the score. How are you doing tonight? He show 0:35:25.640 --> 0:35:28.960 as usual, Thank you. But when they let Howard go 0:35:29.040 --> 0:35:31.600 up because it reminded me of Thomas Jones being released, 0:35:31.600 --> 0:35:33.160 and then he went on, they have three or four 0:35:33.239 --> 0:35:35.160 great years in New York with the Jets. I think 0:35:35.760 --> 0:35:38.719 now they're talking about using a draft twice for running back. 0:35:39.480 --> 0:35:43.440 But you guys and everybody, most people say the game 0:35:43.560 --> 0:35:46.200 is want of the trenches. It bothers me that they're 0:35:46.200 --> 0:35:48.439 going to the THEA THINKI of using a draft choice 0:35:48.440 --> 0:35:50.759 for running back instead of alignment, And I'd like to 0:35:50.800 --> 0:35:54.799 get your opinion on that. Well, they ask sitting here, 0:35:54.880 --> 0:35:57.000 Big Tom. Well, you know they went and signed Bobby 0:35:57.080 --> 0:35:59.600 Massey immediately off the free you know, to keep him 0:35:59.680 --> 0:36:01.800 here with the Bears. They went and got Ted Larson, 0:36:01.840 --> 0:36:04.120 who they know all about him from having a past 0:36:04.239 --> 0:36:07.960 history with the Bears. They're young at James Daniels, I 0:36:08.080 --> 0:36:12.840 still consider Cody, Cody White, Harry young Man, Charles Leno Jr. 0:36:12.880 --> 0:36:16.520 He's experienced but not old. So you know, if Matt 0:36:16.600 --> 0:36:19.239 Naggie and Ryan Pace can say, all right, this is 0:36:19.320 --> 0:36:22.120 the running back that we can take in the third round. 0:36:22.200 --> 0:36:26.959 He can come in here and be a competitive, competitive 0:36:27.120 --> 0:36:30.239 player at the position to earn his starting job, I'm 0:36:30.320 --> 0:36:33.239 okay with it, but you know, less I like your 0:36:33.320 --> 0:36:36.120 thinking because that goes back to the old school Jim 0:36:36.200 --> 0:36:39.440 Fink's idea thinking his offense and defensive lineman first. However, 0:36:40.000 --> 0:36:42.600 I think it's unique this year with Matt and Naggie 0:36:42.680 --> 0:36:46.200 bringing in his system and understanding why they got rid 0:36:46.239 --> 0:36:48.560 of Jordan Howard and what they need from the position, 0:36:48.600 --> 0:36:50.960 and Jim Noe's saying that they won't invest in the 0:36:51.040 --> 0:36:54.919 offensive line in this draft. Everything is on the table obviously. Yeah, 0:36:54.920 --> 0:36:57.040 I agree. What Hey, they've already signed some guys like 0:36:57.120 --> 0:36:59.880 Ted Larson, he's in Bradley souls played and chipped in 0:37:00.080 --> 0:37:02.200 when when the Bears have needed So yeah, I can't 0:37:02.960 --> 0:37:05.800 you know, discount that they would be thinking about offensive 0:37:05.880 --> 0:37:09.000 linemen again and where Coward is in terms of his development. 0:37:09.080 --> 0:37:11.759 But you know, you would think with Howard moving on 0:37:11.960 --> 0:37:14.440 that you probably need one more back. Now, who's that 0:37:14.520 --> 0:37:17.640 we here? We mentioned Duke Johnson. I think, I mean, 0:37:17.760 --> 0:37:20.520 depending on what the trade value is there, Yeah, I 0:37:20.560 --> 0:37:23.000 would think the Bears should be interested in him. Hey, 0:37:23.040 --> 0:37:25.520 guy is a do it all back, runs harder between 0:37:25.600 --> 0:37:28.520 the tackles than what people think. But running backs probably 0:37:28.560 --> 0:37:32.080 where you know, probably Miles Sanders from Penn State. He's 0:37:32.120 --> 0:37:35.440 tested extremely well. Everybody expects him to go in the 0:37:35.520 --> 0:37:37.360 third and the fourth, but he's tested so well and 0:37:37.440 --> 0:37:39.800 checked off all the boxes. He's a guy that's probably 0:37:39.880 --> 0:37:42.839 moved up Elijah Holdy Field from from Georgia. He ran 0:37:42.880 --> 0:37:45.440 a slow forty. So there's a bigger back that that 0:37:45.600 --> 0:37:49.000 probably is losing some steam. I bring up Dexter Williams. 0:37:49.040 --> 0:37:51.279 What he's asked to do it notre Dame. Bigger back 0:37:51.360 --> 0:37:53.840 catches the ball better out of the backfield than what 0:37:53.960 --> 0:37:57.440 people think. He's probably a possibility in the later rounds. 0:37:57.640 --> 0:37:59.320 Guy who was hurt at Michigan State, and I'm not 0:37:59.440 --> 0:38:02.720 biased saying this. LJ. Scott is six one, two hundred 0:38:02.719 --> 0:38:05.279 and twenty five pounds. Go watch him catch the ball 0:38:05.280 --> 0:38:07.880 out of the backfield, folks. That guy is a talented 0:38:08.000 --> 0:38:09.959 running back that a lot of people don't know about. 0:38:10.200 --> 0:38:13.120 Rodney Anderson out of Oklahoma later on draft pick. He's 0:38:13.120 --> 0:38:16.040 probably had an injury history that the Bears aren't interested in. 0:38:16.160 --> 0:38:18.920 Alex Manison. Some of the bigger backs really don't have 0:38:19.080 --> 0:38:22.239 the wiggle. But other guys out there that probably would 0:38:22.239 --> 0:38:24.840 intrigue the Bears that they would be available later in 0:38:24.840 --> 0:38:27.240 the draft where the Bears are selecting lots of flavors 0:38:27.280 --> 0:38:29.759 out there, lots of different choices. Time and Lincoln Square, 0:38:29.800 --> 0:38:31.399 we'll get to you and we come back from the break. 0:38:31.480 --> 0:38:34.520 This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. 0:38:34.560 --> 0:38:39.399 The score all right back on Bears All Access. Tend 0:38:39.440 --> 0:38:41.440 to go before we wrap it up here. Good to 0:38:41.480 --> 0:38:43.640 be with you once again, Jeff, Joni Actom there, Jim 0:38:43.719 --> 0:38:45.800 Miller with you and Time. Been holding on for a 0:38:45.840 --> 0:38:48.520 few minutes in Lincoln Square. Thanks for the whold buddy. 0:38:48.600 --> 0:38:51.400 What's on your mind? All right? Well, I want us 0:38:51.400 --> 0:38:53.920 talk about draft before you get into it. Tom was 0:38:53.920 --> 0:38:57.239 asking about what someone stands though, but Niche and I 0:38:57.320 --> 0:39:00.600 want to say that Mitch wiped out any a few 0:39:00.680 --> 0:39:02.120 dots that may have had the way he played at 0:39:02.120 --> 0:39:03.600 the end of the Eagles game, I mean to play 0:39:03.920 --> 0:39:08.160 great under pressure. That was fantastic, Hey, Tom, was that drive? 0:39:08.320 --> 0:39:10.320 It's a defining drive a little bit, isn't it that 0:39:10.400 --> 0:39:13.319 this is what I'm capable of in clutch moments. That's 0:39:13.360 --> 0:39:16.960 the one you circle right there? Absolutely, you know, I mean, 0:39:17.040 --> 0:39:20.120 the kids got the in factor and in fact pressure. 0:39:20.160 --> 0:39:23.279 He seems to play his best under pressure. So that's 0:39:23.320 --> 0:39:25.840 what I love about him. But okay, so the draft, 0:39:26.360 --> 0:39:29.160 my prediction is that it's going to be best athlete available. 0:39:29.200 --> 0:39:32.839 Everyone's saying RB, but Meggie wants a special kind of urb, 0:39:33.080 --> 0:39:37.080 you know, receiver, runner, fast, quick, all this stuff. I 0:39:37.160 --> 0:39:38.680 don't think. I don't think it's going to get it 0:39:38.920 --> 0:39:41.920 in the third round pick. And you've got Cordella Patterson 0:39:42.160 --> 0:39:44.640 who could also is a changeup, you know, going to 0:39:44.680 --> 0:39:46.759 do some change up at RBS. So I think it's 0:39:46.760 --> 0:39:49.759 going to be best athlete available, which is what you know, 0:39:49.880 --> 0:39:53.160 given Aaron Lynson Carson being signed, I think the Bears 0:39:53.200 --> 0:39:54.799 are in great position to do that. I just wonder 0:39:54.840 --> 0:39:56.799 if you guys think that's how it's gonna fall. You know, Tom, 0:39:56.880 --> 0:39:59.200 it's it is a good point you're making because Matt 0:39:59.280 --> 0:40:01.719 Naggie is always said, I'm not looking for a Bell Cow. 0:40:01.800 --> 0:40:04.480 I'm not looking for a thirty carrier game running back 0:40:04.520 --> 0:40:07.759 going sixteen games. He's looking for someone to contribute to 0:40:07.880 --> 0:40:12.600 the offensive scheme each week that best fits the vulnerabilities 0:40:12.640 --> 0:40:17.839 of the opponent. But that is a good point, Tom, Thanks, thanks, 0:40:17.960 --> 0:40:22.520 thank thanks. Tom. So I'm okay with that. I'm okay 0:40:22.560 --> 0:40:26.040 with that. You know, you're never gonna have enough on 0:40:26.160 --> 0:40:28.920 your roster. You certainly you never could have enough corners. 0:40:28.960 --> 0:40:31.440 You can never have enough pass rushers obviously as well. 0:40:32.040 --> 0:40:34.799 And they're still building the offense and hoping guys grow, 0:40:34.920 --> 0:40:38.480 So it very well could be best position available. And 0:40:38.760 --> 0:40:40.479 in the case of the Bears right now, they don't 0:40:40.520 --> 0:40:44.160 have a ton of needs. One thing we know about 0:40:44.200 --> 0:40:46.320 Ryan Pace, he has a great poker face. From the 0:40:46.400 --> 0:40:49.480 Mitch Deal to the Klail Macdale, he has got a 0:40:49.520 --> 0:40:53.120 great poker face. And there anything could be happening. Well, 0:40:53.239 --> 0:40:55.400 and you look, I mean look at Kansas City. I 0:40:55.480 --> 0:40:58.040 mean they trusted Kareem Hunt right out right out the 0:40:58.120 --> 0:41:00.319 gate for that football team as a rookie. Here, if 0:41:00.640 --> 0:41:03.160 you know, you feel you're a team that can that 0:41:03.280 --> 0:41:05.080 can make a run, you know there are there are 0:41:05.160 --> 0:41:08.360 other teams out there that probably wouldn't trust a rookie 0:41:08.440 --> 0:41:10.960 running back. I mean, look how even the New England 0:41:11.000 --> 0:41:14.279 Patriots they sat James White for basically a couple of years. 0:41:14.360 --> 0:41:17.080 Here's Sony Michelle. He was a rookie who came in 0:41:17.160 --> 0:41:19.840 and had an instant impact. So I'm sure you know 0:41:19.880 --> 0:41:22.160 they're gonna have a lot more information if it's say 0:41:22.200 --> 0:41:24.040 it is a running back that they would trust in 0:41:24.160 --> 0:41:27.560 that situation for a team that that that feels, I 0:41:27.600 --> 0:41:29.840 would think that they can make a run at the 0:41:29.880 --> 0:41:31.880 playoffs and to trust a rookie because you look at 0:41:31.960 --> 0:41:33.640 Kareem Hunt. I mean, the guy led the league in 0:41:33.719 --> 0:41:36.040 rushing as a rookie and I think he only fumbled 0:41:36.120 --> 0:41:38.600 once that rookie year when when he was drafted by 0:41:38.680 --> 0:41:40.440 Kansas City. Well, Jim and Jeff, let me ask you 0:41:40.440 --> 0:41:46.280 a question. Do you have a carry count for Tree calling? Like, okay, 0:41:46.320 --> 0:41:48.560 I'll give him this many carries from the running back 0:41:48.600 --> 0:41:52.720 position a game. But I kinda see I'm gonna dismiss 0:41:52.719 --> 0:41:55.399 it out of hand. Only because of this reason. Matt 0:41:55.520 --> 0:41:58.359 does not believe in like, okay, I'm somebody's gonna get 0:41:58.360 --> 0:42:01.040 ten carries a game here. It's just one game in 0:42:01.160 --> 0:42:04.120 might be fifteen, next game might be won. And I 0:42:04.239 --> 0:42:06.359 think that's how he rolls. So it's hard to say 0:42:06.440 --> 0:42:09.440 that from like what you'd want as a football fan 0:42:09.560 --> 0:42:12.040 of this team. I mean, I still believe I would 0:42:12.040 --> 0:42:15.120 like to see one guy, you know, he gets twenty. 0:42:15.320 --> 0:42:18.160 When Tom brought up the last drive by Mitchell Chrubisky 0:42:18.160 --> 0:42:20.120 in the Philly game, that thing started with a Tree 0:42:20.200 --> 0:42:22.719 calling kickoff return. So you know, there's a lot of 0:42:22.800 --> 0:42:25.160 different how can you feed Tree calling the ball when 0:42:25.200 --> 0:42:27.360 you need it the most. And yes, some of the 0:42:27.440 --> 0:42:30.320 punishment might have to come as a kick returner with 0:42:30.440 --> 0:42:32.520 the difficulty of the schedule and where you need to 0:42:32.840 --> 0:42:35.880 gain field position in important moments. Yeah you can. You 0:42:35.960 --> 0:42:37.960 can get him as touch as in other ways, whether 0:42:38.000 --> 0:42:41.000 it's in a return game. And you know, I'm kind 0:42:41.040 --> 0:42:42.400 of with Jeff on this is kind of how the 0:42:42.440 --> 0:42:45.839 game unfolds at times. So I was I wanted Jordan 0:42:45.880 --> 0:42:47.919 Howard because you look how he took off. I thought 0:42:47.960 --> 0:42:50.160 the second half of the year he performed much better. 0:42:50.239 --> 0:42:53.160 I thought he ran extremely well against Minnesota. I thought 0:42:53.200 --> 0:42:56.239 he ran hard against against Philadelphia. You know, I like 0:42:56.480 --> 0:42:58.840 that big back option to kind of salt away a 0:42:58.920 --> 0:43:01.200 game towards the end of the game. All Right. I 0:43:01.239 --> 0:43:03.759 wanted to go back because I saw this right before 0:43:03.760 --> 0:43:05.320 we get on the show. So we're talking about the 0:43:05.600 --> 0:43:08.480 the end today of the Alliance of American Football, and 0:43:08.640 --> 0:43:10.600 you talk about you know, guys trying to get their 0:43:10.640 --> 0:43:14.520 careers going again and trying to be seen. So it's 0:43:14.800 --> 0:43:18.879 Taiwan James or Taiwan Jones. Remember Taiwan Jones. Today, he says, 0:43:18.920 --> 0:43:22.080 I literally dropped everything I had going on and just 0:43:22.360 --> 0:43:25.759 signed a contract last night at nine pm to play 0:43:25.840 --> 0:43:28.160 in the AAF. I was excited to get back doing 0:43:28.200 --> 0:43:29.759 what I loved, and in less than twenty four hours, 0:43:29.800 --> 0:43:32.919 the league's canceled. Yet it's about the players. I'm sick. 0:43:33.520 --> 0:43:35.680 The XFL or relaunch next year in a bid for 0:43:35.760 --> 0:43:38.960 the lasting success as a spring football league. So maybe 0:43:39.040 --> 0:43:41.960 that's his next spot. But that's the raw motion of 0:43:42.040 --> 0:43:43.880 a player that thought he was going to get a 0:43:43.960 --> 0:43:45.920 chance to get a look before training camp. Well, you know, 0:43:46.000 --> 0:43:49.320 I think maybe the AAF, the Alliance of American Football. 0:43:49.360 --> 0:43:51.400 I think maybe a little match under a lot of 0:43:51.600 --> 0:43:55.520 players who kind of re re up themselves and have 0:43:55.960 --> 0:43:58.759 you know, the opportunity to approach the XFL now and 0:43:58.880 --> 0:44:02.680 hopefully that will have more sustaining power. You know, maybe 0:44:02.719 --> 0:44:06.080 this is a ploy to hopefully get some assistance from 0:44:06.120 --> 0:44:09.200 the NFL. But I wasn't disappointed in the product I 0:44:09.280 --> 0:44:11.080 saw on the field. Hey, you want to what you 0:44:11.200 --> 0:44:13.279 got other leagues out there, They've been around a long time. 0:44:13.520 --> 0:44:15.520 You know, we can say, you know a player, A 0:44:15.560 --> 0:44:17.400 lot of players don't like to go up to Canada 0:44:17.400 --> 0:44:20.440 to play here. Johnny Manzell comes, works his way out 0:44:20.480 --> 0:44:23.359 of Canada, get signs back here in the United States. 0:44:23.480 --> 0:44:25.480 Now he's out of a job again. All right, So 0:44:26.040 --> 0:44:28.200 you know, plenty of players get signed from the CFL. 0:44:28.280 --> 0:44:31.239 There's arena leagues out there as well. I saw Ron Jiroorski, 0:44:31.520 --> 0:44:34.000 as he owns an arena team. He was quick to say, hey, 0:44:34.080 --> 0:44:36.600 come on over to the arena league. Um, you know, 0:44:36.719 --> 0:44:39.320 so it'll be interesting because even the XFL with with 0:44:39.560 --> 0:44:42.320 with mcmonselling, I think what he sold like two hundred 0:44:42.320 --> 0:44:45.560 and seventy five million of his stock in WW he's 0:44:45.680 --> 0:44:48.759 now close to five hundred million that supposedly he's in. 0:44:49.080 --> 0:44:51.120 I don't even know if that's enough. I mean, think 0:44:51.160 --> 0:44:55.439 about the amount of an individual franchise in what they're 0:44:55.560 --> 0:44:57.960 they're you know, they're paying to do in terms of 0:44:58.160 --> 0:45:00.720 everything that is paid for, I mean the players alone 0:45:00.800 --> 0:45:03.040 for the AF. To me, it was a bad model 0:45:03.120 --> 0:45:05.880 that those players were getting paid eighty thousand dollars a 0:45:06.000 --> 0:45:08.960 year for whatever it was, an eight game season. I'm 0:45:09.000 --> 0:45:11.200 not saying I don't want players to be paid, but 0:45:11.520 --> 0:45:13.239 but I played over in the World League and we 0:45:13.320 --> 0:45:16.480 were happy to get twenty five, you know, and I 0:45:16.600 --> 0:45:18.839 know times have changed, but I thought even they kind 0:45:18.880 --> 0:45:21.840 of overpriced and how they set up the league without 0:45:21.880 --> 0:45:24.359 the investors to begin with. All right, one more call 0:45:24.520 --> 0:45:27.520 before we wrap things up here tonight. Oh no, he okay, 0:45:27.600 --> 0:45:31.080 I thought so I said, no, it can't be. But 0:45:31.120 --> 0:45:34.520 it looked like the Clocke reset. So no, we'll pass 0:45:34.600 --> 0:45:38.000 on that. Um. I'm just you know, it's to me, 0:45:38.080 --> 0:45:40.040 it's the hardest thing to do is have another football league. 0:45:40.160 --> 0:45:43.440 So it's just it's really a tough, tough battle. And 0:45:44.000 --> 0:45:46.360 you know, you get that TV contract, how are you 0:45:46.440 --> 0:45:49.279 going to survive? I mean here, Fox and CBS, they 0:45:49.360 --> 0:45:52.919 all pay the NFL billions of dollars. The AAF didn't 0:45:52.920 --> 0:45:56.239 have that set up. All right, let's talk refereeree. You 0:45:56.320 --> 0:45:59.759 have to consider major college football a football league also. 0:46:01.680 --> 0:46:05.359 So seven out of seventeen referees have retired the last 0:46:05.920 --> 0:46:09.160 year at thirteen months. Is this a red flag of 0:46:09.239 --> 0:46:12.080 concern or obviously they're going into the TV booth and 0:46:12.160 --> 0:46:15.360 they're becoming analysts as opposed to referees. Hey might be 0:46:15.520 --> 0:46:18.560 better and the pressure is not as severe. There's always 0:46:18.560 --> 0:46:20.760 a young group of guys that they set their sights 0:46:20.800 --> 0:46:24.760 on someday of officiating an NFL contest, paying their dues 0:46:24.840 --> 0:46:27.560 to do so. And these referees that we say we 0:46:27.640 --> 0:46:29.640 see throughout the league, Jeff and you read about their 0:46:29.680 --> 0:46:32.799 occupations week in and week out. They are successful, self 0:46:32.920 --> 0:46:36.440 made men and women and women, and I think it 0:46:36.560 --> 0:46:39.200 opens the opportunities for all the men and women who 0:46:39.320 --> 0:46:43.160 want to become referees in the NFL. Jim, they're asking 0:46:43.320 --> 0:46:46.600 them to do more. Dean Blandino, former NFL head of officiating, 0:46:46.680 --> 0:46:50.480 probably said it the best. The NFL doesn't value that position. 0:46:50.560 --> 0:46:53.080 I think they're asking these officials to do more like 0:46:53.360 --> 0:46:56.240 l River Run. There's a reason why Dean Blandino walked 0:46:56.239 --> 0:46:58.719 away from it. They tried to resign him. He said, no, 0:46:58.960 --> 0:47:01.719 I'll goal, We're gonna do this work instead. That's Jim Miller, 0:47:01.840 --> 0:47:04.200 Tom Fair, Thanks fellas, thanks for all your cause. Thanks 0:47:04.239 --> 0:47:06.319 to DeAndre Houston Carson, and to Mike Chan and Herb 0:47:06.400 --> 0:47:09.080 Lawrence for helping us out. As always. That'll do it 0:47:09.160 --> 0:47:11.640 this week on Bears All Access. Have a great night, everybody. 0:47:11.840 --> 0:47:15.160 This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Thanks 0:47:15.239 --> 0:47:19.400 for listening to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears 0:47:19.600 --> 0:47:23.440 All Access. 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