WEBVTT - NFC North deep dive | Bears Weekly 0:00:00.960 --> 0:00:05.120 Welcome in to Bears Weekly, powered by IGS Energy, a 0:00:05.280 --> 0:00:09.080 Chicago Bears Network production. Bears Weekly is brought to you 0:00:09.119 --> 0:00:15.200 by Advocate Healthcare, Athletico Physical Therapy, CD Collady Connie's Pizza, 0:00:15.360 --> 0:00:19.959 IGS Energy, and Meta Liked. Here are your hosts, Jeff 0:00:20.040 --> 0:00:24.120 Chilliac aka the Mayor of Bearsville and his sidekick Tom 0:00:24.200 --> 0:00:25.840 the Surfmaster Thayer. 0:00:27.280 --> 0:00:27.480 Well. 0:00:27.520 --> 0:00:29.840 In twenty twenty four, the NFC North had the best 0:00:29.840 --> 0:00:33.120 combined winning percentage of the NFL Since two thousand and two, 0:00:33.159 --> 0:00:36.479 have produced three playoff teams. Changes across the border made 0:00:36.520 --> 0:00:38.880 the Bears a team to watch, a team on the rise. 0:00:38.880 --> 0:00:42.720 With first year head coach Ben Johnson, knowledge is power 0:00:43.040 --> 0:00:45.559 and Johnson has the knowledge of just what this division 0:00:45.560 --> 0:00:46.720 poses for the Bears. 0:00:46.720 --> 0:00:47.519 In twenty twenty. 0:00:47.360 --> 0:00:50.480 Five, we're back with you on Bears Weekly, talking Bears football. 0:00:50.880 --> 0:00:53.600 Happy Summer, everybody. This is a special. 0:00:53.320 --> 0:00:55.800 Edition of Bears Weekly on ESPN one thousand and the 0:00:55.840 --> 0:00:58.880 Chicago Bears Radio Network with Super Bowl winning Bears guard 0:00:58.920 --> 0:01:02.560 Tom Fair. We're former Bears quarterback Jim Miller from Sirius 0:01:02.720 --> 0:01:06.319 XM NFL Radio. I'm Jeff Joniak. Coming up in the program, 0:01:06.400 --> 0:01:09.080 we break down the entire division with the men who 0:01:09.200 --> 0:01:13.400 know the team's better than anybody. Minnesota Vikings radio analyst 0:01:13.440 --> 0:01:15.800 Pete Bursts, the voice of the Packers, Wayne Larvy, and 0:01:15.840 --> 0:01:18.959 former Lions great in the current radio analyst of the Lions, 0:01:19.080 --> 0:01:22.480 Lomas Brown, Dan Barrilli, Jordan Treadup, Katie Fox, our producers, 0:01:22.720 --> 0:01:25.440 the executive producer of the Bears Radio network, Eric Ostrowski, 0:01:25.480 --> 0:01:28.760 and in studio tonight, Justin Pottinger. It should be a 0:01:28.800 --> 0:01:31.360 fun show, boys, Tommy, A fun season ahead in the 0:01:31.400 --> 0:01:33.520 NFC North. Can't wait to hear how we break it down? 0:01:33.760 --> 0:01:36.000 Yeah, you know, you hear a lot of positive things 0:01:36.040 --> 0:01:38.120 about this division for now a couple of years in 0:01:38.120 --> 0:01:39.720 a row. But there's a lot of things that have 0:01:39.800 --> 0:01:43.560 gone on the offseason that have really complicated this division 0:01:43.959 --> 0:01:48.720 with coaching changes, personnel movements, and new guys coming aboard 0:01:48.760 --> 0:01:51.680 that there's uncertainty about even though they were a first 0:01:51.760 --> 0:01:55.360 round picked. So it's going to be an exciting year 0:01:55.600 --> 0:01:58.640 inside this division. But you can't ignore the rest of 0:01:58.680 --> 0:02:02.000 the schedule. But when you just look at inside the division, 0:02:02.160 --> 0:02:04.040 it is going to be a fun year to watch. 0:02:05.040 --> 0:02:08.280 Last year, obviously, a lot of points were scored offensively, 0:02:08.320 --> 0:02:11.040 I believe it was the highest point differential of any 0:02:11.120 --> 0:02:12.600 division in the NFL. 0:02:12.680 --> 0:02:13.959 But you know, you come. 0:02:13.800 --> 0:02:16.080 Into this year, you've got the knowns. You know that 0:02:16.360 --> 0:02:19.520 Detroit the rosters kind of set. Other than Frank greg 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:23.120 Now retiring. That was a surprise. Green Bay they were 0:02:23.120 --> 0:02:27.320 a top five team, but their roster is set. Minnesota, 0:02:27.760 --> 0:02:31.280 they're defensively, they're known. Offensively, what will they look like 0:02:31.560 --> 0:02:34.200 with JJ McCarthy, And to me, the Bears are the 0:02:34.200 --> 0:02:37.560 wild card. They're kind of the unknown right now and 0:02:37.639 --> 0:02:39.760 what Ben Johnson is going to un veil, So it 0:02:39.800 --> 0:02:41.200 should be a pretty exciting year. 0:02:41.400 --> 0:02:43.480 Stronger in the trenches. We can say this about our 0:02:43.480 --> 0:02:45.600 own team. We give our own sneak peak preview here. 0:02:45.639 --> 0:02:47.760 Stronger in the trenches, Boats out of the ball, a 0:02:47.919 --> 0:02:52.000 veteran defense with some new additions and some emerging talents. 0:02:52.560 --> 0:02:57.120 And offensively, Tommy just with the lone addition of Ben 0:02:57.240 --> 0:03:01.000 Johnson as the play caller, play design his staff that 0:03:01.040 --> 0:03:03.960 he's put together, I say the Bears are already better 0:03:04.040 --> 0:03:06.600 before they even take the field offensively because of that. 0:03:06.800 --> 0:03:07.040 Man. 0:03:07.240 --> 0:03:09.200 Yeah, I agree. It's all going to be how it 0:03:09.240 --> 0:03:14.560 affects the play and the process of improvement. By Caleb Williams, 0:03:14.840 --> 0:03:17.120 because we all know that if you have a head 0:03:17.160 --> 0:03:21.640 coach quarterback relationship that develops into some of the better 0:03:21.680 --> 0:03:24.720 relationships we've seen throughout the course of time in the NFL, 0:03:25.160 --> 0:03:28.600 you can probably turn that position around as quickly as 0:03:28.720 --> 0:03:31.519 any position in the NFL, especially when you're talking about 0:03:31.680 --> 0:03:35.520 the exterior assets that this team already has in place. 0:03:36.160 --> 0:03:38.920 But when you look at the quarterback position as a 0:03:38.960 --> 0:03:42.880 whole inside this division, who's the leader at the starting gate? 0:03:43.080 --> 0:03:45.960 Is it Green Bay because Jordan Love has been there 0:03:46.000 --> 0:03:48.480 a little bit with the same system. Is it the 0:03:48.560 --> 0:03:51.600 experience of Jared Goff. Is it a guy like Caleb 0:03:51.600 --> 0:03:54.040 Williams that has all those weapons I've talked about. Or 0:03:54.080 --> 0:03:56.440 is it JJ McCarthy because he's been sitting there not 0:03:56.560 --> 0:03:59.640 having to play, but he's lived through meetings. So let's 0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:02.320 go to our resident quarterback and the kind of get 0:04:02.360 --> 0:04:03.200 an answer to that. 0:04:03.760 --> 0:04:04.080 Jimiell. 0:04:05.160 --> 0:04:07.720 Yeah, I do think to me, I would give the 0:04:07.760 --> 0:04:10.280 tip of the cap to Green Bay. They were top 0:04:10.360 --> 0:04:14.080 five offensively, and they were top five defensively, and pretty 0:04:14.120 --> 0:04:17.880 much everybody is returning, and really their only question mark 0:04:17.920 --> 0:04:21.680 has been about Christian Watson on offense. The receiver and 0:04:21.720 --> 0:04:24.240 why they went out and drafted Matthew Golden. They actually 0:04:24.320 --> 0:04:27.800 drafted a couple of receivers to really fill that hole 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:31.120 and fill that void. So I do think Green Bay 0:04:31.640 --> 0:04:36.440 probably is probably the most talented team right now. Detroit 0:04:36.520 --> 0:04:39.560 has the experience that you just mentioned, but that whole staff, 0:04:39.720 --> 0:04:43.840 meaning the coaches, got annihilated. That's something to watch. And 0:04:43.880 --> 0:04:46.279 really for Minnesota, I think they've got a great roster, 0:04:46.440 --> 0:04:49.720 but it is the uncertainty about their young quarterback. And 0:04:49.760 --> 0:04:54.280 for Caleb, he's somewhat in a similar situation is JJ McCarthy. 0:04:54.400 --> 0:04:57.599 JJ has been in the same system for two years now. 0:04:57.680 --> 0:05:00.039 Caleb is learning the new system, but he has the 0:05:00.080 --> 0:05:03.200 experience of one year under his belt. I think the 0:05:03.240 --> 0:05:05.760 Bears have done a great job insulating him with a 0:05:05.800 --> 0:05:09.120 lot of experience around him. And that's where what Tom 0:05:09.160 --> 0:05:13.719 alluded to that head coach Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, 0:05:14.080 --> 0:05:17.640 their communication is going to be imperative because I think 0:05:17.680 --> 0:05:21.000 Ben has been there's kind of no wiggle room. You're 0:05:21.040 --> 0:05:24.440 going to do and execute things my way and what 0:05:24.560 --> 0:05:26.839 I have called. And I think it's really up to 0:05:26.920 --> 0:05:29.080 Caleb and how he improves his play. 0:05:29.600 --> 0:05:31.839 I also feel the depth on the team is better. 0:05:32.360 --> 0:05:34.960 I feel special teams will be significant. There have been 0:05:35.080 --> 0:05:37.960 very little disruption there and they have a rising bunch 0:05:38.000 --> 0:05:40.599 of young players that are core players that are still 0:05:40.640 --> 0:05:43.920 trying to find their way in terms of positional value 0:05:44.080 --> 0:05:46.560 and in terms of depth. So I think the kicking 0:05:46.600 --> 0:05:48.599 game is slid. Tory Taylor's going to have a better 0:05:48.680 --> 0:05:51.560 year as a second year punter, and then the division wide. 0:05:51.600 --> 0:05:52.600 I keep bringing this up. 0:05:52.680 --> 0:05:56.280 I finally did the actual math. How many additions on 0:05:56.320 --> 0:05:58.920 the three deep depth chart as it stands right now 0:05:58.960 --> 0:06:03.040 before training camp. Twenty seven trench players added in the division. 0:06:03.120 --> 0:06:06.159 Four new centers that are starting, two second round picks 0:06:06.160 --> 0:06:09.040 of tackle backup at left tackle, and Justin's school I 0:06:09.080 --> 0:06:11.559 think I used to pronounce his name in Minnesota. Five 0:06:11.680 --> 0:06:15.919 new starting guards in the division, three backup guards drafted 0:06:16.440 --> 0:06:19.279 on the defensive side of the ball, five new defensive tackles, 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:22.200 seven defensive ends. That up to twenty seven trench players. 0:06:22.200 --> 0:06:25.080 That tells me, boys, it's time to ball up the fists, 0:06:25.480 --> 0:06:28.719 stop the run, pound the run, and get physical in 0:06:28.800 --> 0:06:31.480 all three phases. We're gonna start breaking it all down 0:06:31.560 --> 0:06:34.480 with the pride of Providence. New Lenox High School in 0:06:34.520 --> 0:06:37.440 the University of underdam the Vikings radio analyst Pete bursts 0:06:37.480 --> 0:06:40.320 next don ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network. 0:06:40.480 --> 0:06:43.760 You were tuned into Bears Weekly with Jeff Joniak on 0:06:43.839 --> 0:06:50.400 the Bears Radio Network. FISTS is Bears Weekly with the 0:06:50.520 --> 0:06:54.120 voice of the Bears for twenty four years, Chef jonyac 0:06:54.240 --> 0:06:57.120 Chefony on the Bears Radio Network. 0:06:59.400 --> 0:07:01.800 This segment of Bears Weekly has brought to you by 0:07:01.880 --> 0:07:04.680 IGS Nergy along with Tom Thayer and Jim Miller. Jeff 0:07:04.720 --> 0:07:08.320 Jioniak and now we begin our preview of the NFC North. 0:07:08.360 --> 0:07:11.680 We tick it off with our Hinsdale Buddy Providence, New 0:07:11.760 --> 0:07:15.680 Lennox Star Notre Dame Minnesota, former Vikings coach and an 0:07:15.720 --> 0:07:18.520 analyst on the radio broadcast I believe since two thousand 0:07:18.560 --> 0:07:21.080 and seven, the one and only Pete Bursich give us 0:07:21.080 --> 0:07:24.760 a quick overview of just the highlights of what has 0:07:24.800 --> 0:07:27.960 been an interesting offseason for the Minnesota Vikings. Very active 0:07:27.960 --> 0:07:29.680 in the trenches, and of course we want to know 0:07:29.680 --> 0:07:30.240 about JJ. 0:07:30.880 --> 0:07:31.200 Yeah. 0:07:31.200 --> 0:07:35.400 Absolutely, it seems the whole division has gone about revamping 0:07:35.480 --> 0:07:39.640 offensive line. That's the the you know, the interior offensive line, 0:07:39.680 --> 0:07:45.440 defensive line, is becoming very important, and we're all about 0:07:45.480 --> 0:07:49.280 JJ now. I mean, we had a year with Sam 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:51.560 Donald that I don't know if anybody, we all knew, 0:07:52.000 --> 0:07:54.080 A lot of us thought he'd play well, but I 0:07:54.080 --> 0:07:56.080 don't think anybody expected him to play as well as 0:07:56.080 --> 0:07:59.840 he did. But now you make the transition to JJ McCarthy, 0:07:59.880 --> 0:08:02.840 and that's how our that's how our season is gonna go. 0:08:03.120 --> 0:08:07.320 So don't expect the fourteen wins that we had last 0:08:07.400 --> 0:08:10.120 year or the thirteen from a couple of years before. 0:08:10.160 --> 0:08:11.560 It's gonna be I think a little bit more up 0:08:11.600 --> 0:08:14.400 and down with the young guy at the helm. But 0:08:14.480 --> 0:08:17.920 hopefully our defense can continue. We were top one of 0:08:17.920 --> 0:08:20.800 the top scoring defenses last year. That's going to absolutely 0:08:20.840 --> 0:08:23.320 have to continue. We're gonna have to run the ball better. 0:08:23.400 --> 0:08:25.560 All those things I think help out a young quarterback. 0:08:25.600 --> 0:08:28.120 All right, let's talk about the real JJ in the room, 0:08:28.560 --> 0:08:30.920 and that's not Jeff Joniack. 0:08:30.400 --> 0:08:31.640 It's Justin Jefferson. 0:08:31.920 --> 0:08:35.800 When you talk about Justin Jefferson and what he's been 0:08:35.840 --> 0:08:38.240 able to do in the early part of his career, 0:08:38.280 --> 0:08:41.480 but now breaking into a new quarterback, what do you 0:08:41.640 --> 0:08:45.400 see that the evolution of that relationship is it going 0:08:45.480 --> 0:08:48.600 to be a training camp relationship or has that already 0:08:48.640 --> 0:08:49.959 started months ago? 0:08:50.880 --> 0:08:52.760 I think that's it's already started. 0:08:52.800 --> 0:08:58.040 Into JJ's credit, Justin Jefferson's credit, he came out for 0:08:58.160 --> 0:09:01.720 all of all the developmental camps this offseason, things that 0:09:01.760 --> 0:09:05.920 he doesn't have to be present for OTAs everything they've 0:09:06.040 --> 0:09:08.840 they're they're spending as much time together as they possibly 0:09:08.880 --> 0:09:12.280 can to try to get to where they want to go. 0:09:12.360 --> 0:09:15.640 I think JJ, since he was extended and got the 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:18.360 big contract, is really kind of has really stepped up 0:09:18.600 --> 0:09:22.480 from a leadership standpoint. And you know what leaders do, 0:09:22.520 --> 0:09:25.319 They lead, They lead by example, and I think JJ 0:09:25.520 --> 0:09:28.640 is is Justin Jefferson that is has really done that 0:09:29.280 --> 0:09:32.079 there'll be enough work in training camp, is that they 0:09:32.240 --> 0:09:35.160 is as much as they can get to get ready for, you. 0:09:35.120 --> 0:09:36.079 Know, for the opening day. 0:09:36.520 --> 0:09:38.000 Jim Miller good to see again. 0:09:38.240 --> 0:09:39.840 And you know jum me ask. 0:09:39.960 --> 0:09:42.640 I know they beefed up the offensive line with Kelly 0:09:42.640 --> 0:09:45.320 and they pay Fries a really good amount of money 0:09:45.400 --> 0:09:47.839 at guard, but just how the offense is going to 0:09:47.880 --> 0:09:51.400 be structured and how that relates to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Edison, 0:09:51.480 --> 0:09:54.679 because you know, even last year with Darnold it doesn't. 0:09:54.760 --> 0:09:58.559 It did not look like coach O'Connell was was scared 0:09:58.559 --> 0:09:59.120 to throw. 0:09:58.960 --> 0:10:00.640 It all over the lot, you know. 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:03.000 And I don't know if you can trust JJ to 0:10:03.080 --> 0:10:05.320 do that, and he never really did that at Michigan. 0:10:05.520 --> 0:10:08.040 You know how Jim Harbaugh structured the offense. So how 0:10:08.080 --> 0:10:08.960 is it all going to work? 0:10:08.960 --> 0:10:11.960 In your mind? Well, it is, it is what it is. 0:10:12.040 --> 0:10:13.079 That is our offense. 0:10:13.160 --> 0:10:13.280 Right. 0:10:13.320 --> 0:10:15.840 We bring in Jordan Mason to help with Aaron Jones 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:18.800 to maybe take to take some snaps off of him. 0:10:18.840 --> 0:10:22.640 Regardless of how well we run the football, we are 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:26.120 going to be a throwing team, right. That's That's what 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:29.959 Kevin O'Connell is, That's what our offense is, and that's 0:10:29.960 --> 0:10:35.000 what McCarthy is tasked with doing. So I don't see that. 0:10:35.120 --> 0:10:37.320 I don't see that changing at all. And again that's 0:10:37.400 --> 0:10:40.640 kind of why I believe early in the season it's 0:10:40.679 --> 0:10:42.040 going to be a bit of a wait and see. 0:10:42.040 --> 0:10:43.480 This is a team that's going to need to be 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:48.240 playing much better in November and December. So US playing 0:10:48.320 --> 0:10:50.200 right out of the gate opening day, I think is 0:10:50.200 --> 0:10:52.959 the best time to be playing against the JJ McCarthy, 0:10:53.080 --> 0:10:56.640 get him, get him early. You have a new offensive coordinator, 0:10:56.720 --> 0:10:58.839 defensive coordinator. The whole thing is going to be different. 0:10:58.880 --> 0:11:00.520 So it's going to be a tough environ for him 0:11:00.520 --> 0:11:02.560 to open up in Chicago in front of family and 0:11:02.600 --> 0:11:05.720 everything else. This offense is what it is, and that's 0:11:05.760 --> 0:11:10.360 a vertical passing game. You know, Donald was sacked forty 0:11:10.440 --> 0:11:12.120 nine times. I'm sorry, I hope I think it was 0:11:12.160 --> 0:11:15.360 fifty times last year. I think that started to show, 0:11:15.440 --> 0:11:17.200 especially the end of the season on the road in 0:11:17.240 --> 0:11:19.040 Detroit in the game where all the marbles were on 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:22.760 the table. So hopefully guys like Kelly and Fries and 0:11:22.880 --> 0:11:25.400 maybe Donovan Jackson at left guard, we'll see how that 0:11:25.480 --> 0:11:28.559 left guard position falls out. But pass protection is going 0:11:28.600 --> 0:11:30.680 to be is going to be so important. JJ is 0:11:30.679 --> 0:11:33.400 going to be is a little bit more mobile than 0:11:33.480 --> 0:11:37.880 Donald was, but you're right, he's not used to throwing 0:11:37.880 --> 0:11:41.200 the football forty sometimes a game, and I don't personally, 0:11:41.280 --> 0:11:43.680 I don't think that's a key to success with a 0:11:43.720 --> 0:11:46.360 young quarterback is to get him out there throwing the 0:11:46.360 --> 0:11:50.240 ball forty fifty times a football game. So hopefully the 0:11:50.360 --> 0:11:53.560 running game will make up for that. But trust me, 0:11:54.080 --> 0:11:58.960 if that run pass ratio is fifty to fifty. Coach 0:11:59.000 --> 0:12:02.880 O'Connell's going to want to uh. 0:12:01.679 --> 0:12:02.559 Week in and week out. 0:12:02.600 --> 0:12:04.600 He's gonna have to resist the urge to throw the 0:12:04.600 --> 0:12:05.840 football because that's what he does. 0:12:06.080 --> 0:12:08.600 Vikings radio analyst Pete Burst it's our guest here on 0:12:08.840 --> 0:12:10.959 ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio network. So you 0:12:11.040 --> 0:12:13.000 got two weeks in Europe. The only other team to 0:12:13.040 --> 0:12:15.560 do that back to backup course has been Jacksonville, London 0:12:15.600 --> 0:12:17.960 and Dublin. What do you think the impact could be 0:12:18.280 --> 0:12:21.760 on this team. It's something that Jacksonville gets used to. 0:12:22.120 --> 0:12:23.120 This has not been done. 0:12:23.000 --> 0:12:27.680 Before, No, it hasn't. It's playing the Steelers on a 0:12:27.720 --> 0:12:31.000 neutral site I think is an advantage period, right, and 0:12:31.040 --> 0:12:33.199 then having to and then play in Cleveland as the 0:12:33.280 --> 0:12:37.000 visitor as the visiting team as well is also an advantage. 0:12:37.240 --> 0:12:40.600 Hopefully for the team will be out Watford or in 0:12:40.600 --> 0:12:42.880 the middle of nowhere somewhere, Hopefully that I'll give the 0:12:42.920 --> 0:12:47.520 team some time to bond and spend some real time together, 0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:50.520 kind of away from everything. That's what you're kind of 0:12:50.559 --> 0:12:52.400 that's I think that's what you're hoping for. But when 0:12:52.440 --> 0:12:55.640 you look at our schedule, those two games are going 0:12:55.720 --> 0:13:01.119 to be very, very important though, non division Roague games AFC, 0:13:01.840 --> 0:13:03.920 those are going to be the difference makers and standings 0:13:03.920 --> 0:13:05.560 this year because this is going to be a tough 0:13:05.600 --> 0:13:07.880 to cut, a tough division. I don't see a team 0:13:07.960 --> 0:13:10.880 run away with it this year. It's going to come 0:13:10.920 --> 0:13:15.160 down in the wire, but wins early, especially with the 0:13:15.160 --> 0:13:17.920 middle of our schedule and how difficult it gets with 0:13:17.920 --> 0:13:20.600 with Baltimore and with Philadelphia and some of these other 0:13:20.640 --> 0:13:23.720 games that we're going to have, they're going to be 0:13:23.800 --> 0:13:24.840 extremely important. 0:13:24.920 --> 0:13:26.720 Hey, you guys signed a lot of guys off front 0:13:26.720 --> 0:13:30.120 of the defense. If you have a really successful defensive season, 0:13:30.440 --> 0:13:33.760 how long before Brian Flores starts getting mentioned as the 0:13:33.800 --> 0:13:36.400 next Inner Division head coaching candidate. 0:13:37.559 --> 0:13:42.080 Yeah, especially if things go south in Green Bay, right, Yeah, 0:13:42.880 --> 0:13:46.560 Brian Flores does more with less than than any than 0:13:46.600 --> 0:13:49.040 any coordinator I've seen, especially with the Vikings. 0:13:50.320 --> 0:13:52.960 He I think that's kind of his calling or what 0:13:53.040 --> 0:13:53.319 he does. 0:13:53.360 --> 0:13:56.640 I mean, he saves this organization, this franchise a lot 0:13:56.640 --> 0:13:59.360 of money. We had not spend much on defense at all. 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:02.240 Taking guys like Andrew Van Ginkel, who is a very 0:14:02.320 --> 0:14:04.360 very good football player, but put him in a system 0:14:04.360 --> 0:14:09.520 where he's almost all Pro caliber and which warranted him 0:14:09.520 --> 0:14:14.000 a contract extension. Guys like Josh Mattelish six round draft pick. Right, 0:14:14.080 --> 0:14:17.560 he's he's out there producing. So he does a very 0:14:17.640 --> 0:14:20.240 good job of putting guys in positions to succeed. 0:14:20.680 --> 0:14:22.080 The defense is unique. 0:14:22.360 --> 0:14:27.200 It's it requires an an extensive amount of versatility, meaning 0:14:27.240 --> 0:14:31.240 corners will play safeties and Nichols will play, will play linebacker, 0:14:31.280 --> 0:14:33.520 and they'll blitz, they'll do they're they're called upon to 0:14:33.560 --> 0:14:38.680 do a lot of different things, and that's his system. 0:14:38.720 --> 0:14:41.880 He's very he's good, he's attention to detail, he's tough. 0:14:42.080 --> 0:14:45.120 He gets the most out of players, which which tom 0:14:45.120 --> 0:14:47.160 as you know, is not the easiest thing to do 0:14:47.720 --> 0:14:49.200 in this in this day and age. 0:14:49.240 --> 0:14:50.920 But the addition of of. 0:14:50.960 --> 0:14:55.160 Jonathan Allen and Javon uh you know, Hargrave is is huge. 0:14:55.760 --> 0:14:59.600 Hardgrave I'm especially excited about because he was i think 0:14:59.680 --> 0:15:02.479 on a Pro Bowl caliber type season in San Francisco 0:15:02.520 --> 0:15:07.320 before he injured himself. So between the two of them, 0:15:07.640 --> 0:15:11.080 you know, we're you know, we're we're replacing Jerry Tillery, 0:15:11.240 --> 0:15:15.640 who was a journeyman at best. And you know, so 0:15:16.160 --> 0:15:18.960 either either way, if both of them are on the 0:15:19.000 --> 0:15:21.000 field or one of one of the twos on the field. 0:15:21.080 --> 0:15:23.000 For most of the time, it's going to be improvement 0:15:23.040 --> 0:15:24.080 to our defensive front. 0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:30.640 What currently probably would have the hardest position battles coming in. 0:15:30.280 --> 0:15:34.960 The cornerback position has has kind of I think the 0:15:34.960 --> 0:15:39.360 the you know, the most amount of competition because you 0:15:39.440 --> 0:15:43.280 resigned Byron Murphy, pay him a lot of money. You're 0:15:43.320 --> 0:15:47.080 counting on. You're counting on guys like Isaiah Rodgers, who 0:15:47.800 --> 0:15:51.640 has played played well, but hasn't put together an entire season, 0:15:51.720 --> 0:15:54.080 right he hasn't been a game to game starter. And 0:15:54.320 --> 0:15:57.640 if he's going to be our number two cornerback, right 0:15:57.680 --> 0:15:59.480 then you're like, okay, well, who's behind him? Well, ma 0:15:59.560 --> 0:16:03.040 Kai black backman who had a good rookie campaign. I 0:16:03.040 --> 0:16:06.360 wouldn't call it great, but a good rookie campaign. And 0:16:06.920 --> 0:16:11.600 you know, then you have Theo Jackson, Makai Blackman, Jeff Okuda, 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:14.320 who's you know, he's he's kind of trying to resurrect 0:16:14.360 --> 0:16:16.120 his career. So not a lot of depth in that 0:16:16.280 --> 0:16:19.440 defensive back room. A lot of guys, a couple of 0:16:19.440 --> 0:16:20.960 guys that we're going to have to really count on 0:16:21.000 --> 0:16:24.960 and being you know that are unproven. So I think 0:16:25.040 --> 0:16:29.640 Isaiah guys like Rogers and black Men. Their development is 0:16:29.840 --> 0:16:32.880 absolutely key to the success of this team. And that's 0:16:32.920 --> 0:16:36.320 that's the room where there may be something that comes up, 0:16:36.360 --> 0:16:38.160 or there might be another body add it at some 0:16:38.280 --> 0:16:40.920 point during camp. But everywhere else, I think they're pretty 0:16:40.920 --> 0:16:41.360 well set. 0:16:41.520 --> 0:16:43.040 All right, big gott to let you go. 0:16:43.200 --> 0:16:46.960 We'll see you at Soldier Field September eighth, Monday Night football. 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:50.920 It's going to that's going to be fabulous, fabulous night. 0:16:51.480 --> 0:16:53.240 I'll be I'll be in your I'll be in your 0:16:53.240 --> 0:16:58.280 booth stealing all the shrimp and caviar and t bone 0:16:58.320 --> 0:16:59.240 steaks that you got. 0:16:59.280 --> 0:17:00.280 They take care of you up there. 0:17:00.320 --> 0:17:02.600 I love it well, we love it too. We love 0:17:02.640 --> 0:17:03.880 you too. People will let you go. 0:17:04.240 --> 0:17:06.320 Coming up next, we are joined by the voice of 0:17:06.320 --> 0:17:09.000 the Green Bay Packers, Wayne Laravie. This is ESPN one 0:17:09.000 --> 0:17:10.600 thousand of the Bears Radio Network. 0:17:10.720 --> 0:17:14.000 You were tuned into Bears Weekly with Jeff Joniak on 0:17:14.080 --> 0:17:15.880 the Bears Radio Network. 0:17:16.760 --> 0:17:18.960 Well, welcome back to Bears Week on. 0:17:18.960 --> 0:17:20.800 The Bears Radio Network. 0:17:21.119 --> 0:17:24.480 Here's your host, the Voice of the Bears, Jeff. 0:17:24.280 --> 0:17:25.159 Joey At. 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:33.880 Welcome back to ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio 0:17:33.880 --> 0:17:36.760 Network with Jeff and Tom and Jim Miller. Wayne Laravie, 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:39.480 the voice of the Green Bay Packers, joins us, Do 0:17:39.560 --> 0:17:42.080 I have this right? Seven years with the Chiefs, fourteen 0:17:42.160 --> 0:17:44.320 years with the Bears, and this is your twenty seventh 0:17:44.320 --> 0:17:47.920 season with the Green Bay Packers. If my Matt's right, 0:17:48.000 --> 0:17:49.600 that's forty eight years. 0:17:49.960 --> 0:17:50.360 Wow. 0:17:50.840 --> 0:17:56.080 Unfortunately that's right, which makes me old. So no, what 0:17:56.200 --> 0:17:56.800 can I say? 0:17:57.080 --> 0:18:01.040 That's a fantastic run, true legendary status. Let's dig in 0:18:01.560 --> 0:18:04.760 youngest team in the league last couple of years. What's 0:18:04.840 --> 0:18:08.680 the fifty thousand foot overview of the Green Bay Packers 0:18:08.680 --> 0:18:10.120 as you get ready for training camp? 0:18:10.240 --> 0:18:12.960 Well, you know when Aaron Rodgers, when they decided to 0:18:12.960 --> 0:18:16.520 part ways with Aaron Rodgers and that era ended. I 0:18:16.560 --> 0:18:19.560 honestly believe there was a three year process put together 0:18:20.280 --> 0:18:22.879 to kind of rebuild the roster, to move the club 0:18:23.000 --> 0:18:26.520 forward into a different era with Jordan Love at the controls. 0:18:26.880 --> 0:18:30.359 Now you know that process is going into year three. 0:18:31.000 --> 0:18:33.680 They've got a lot of good football players on this team. 0:18:33.720 --> 0:18:36.480 They have excellent depth, among the best in the NFL. 0:18:37.040 --> 0:18:40.080 But the question now becomes, how many of these young 0:18:40.119 --> 0:18:42.639 players over these past couple of years, the youngest team of 0:18:42.680 --> 0:18:45.320 the league. It's time for them now to step up 0:18:45.359 --> 0:18:48.160 to the next level. And that's the big question because 0:18:48.200 --> 0:18:50.399 the improvement for this team is going to have to 0:18:50.400 --> 0:18:51.160 come from within. 0:18:51.440 --> 0:18:53.159 Hey, Wayne, when you talk about it, you know they 0:18:53.200 --> 0:18:55.280 already had a pieces in place. When you talk about 0:18:55.359 --> 0:18:57.840 Jordan Love taking over for Aaron Rodgers, do they have 0:18:57.920 --> 0:19:00.760 a piece in place to take over for Jaire Alexander. 0:19:01.240 --> 0:19:01.440 Yeah. 0:19:01.520 --> 0:19:05.320 No, that's a good question, Tom. You know, Keyshawn Nixon 0:19:05.359 --> 0:19:07.960 will probably step into the number one role, but they 0:19:08.000 --> 0:19:11.280 don't have a cornerback of the ILK that will be, 0:19:11.520 --> 0:19:14.919 you know, assigned to your best receiver and travel with 0:19:15.000 --> 0:19:16.480 him across the formation. 0:19:16.560 --> 0:19:17.760 I don't think they're going to do that. 0:19:17.840 --> 0:19:21.640 I think they'll play more straight up in man coverage. 0:19:21.680 --> 0:19:23.240 You know, want to play the right side, I want to. 0:19:23.240 --> 0:19:26.400 Play the left side, the other slot defender in there, 0:19:26.600 --> 0:19:29.320 and Jeff Halfley uses more zone than I thought he 0:19:29.400 --> 0:19:32.240 did in the past. It certainly was the case last year. 0:19:32.359 --> 0:19:35.240 So I think they feel pretty good about their top 0:19:35.320 --> 0:19:38.199 three cornerbacks. Jai Year could have you know, he was 0:19:38.240 --> 0:19:42.080 still their best cover corner, but they just couldn't count 0:19:42.119 --> 0:19:43.640 on him to show up for each game. 0:19:44.040 --> 0:19:47.520 Wayne Good to see one. I was shocked when I 0:19:47.560 --> 0:19:50.040 looked at the numbers. I mean this you mentioned a young, 0:19:50.160 --> 0:19:53.320 talented team, but they were top five offensively and they 0:19:53.359 --> 0:19:57.120 were top five defensively. And that's what Jeff Halfley his 0:19:57.160 --> 0:20:01.440 first year is a defensive coordinator. Last year, I guess 0:20:01.560 --> 0:20:04.440