WEBVTT - Antwaan Randle El on setting the tone | Bears Weekly 0:00:00.760 --> 0:00:04.920 Welcome in Tough Bears Weekly powered by IGS Energy, a 0:00:05.120 --> 0:00:08.879 Chicago Bears Network production. Bears Weekly is brought to you 0:00:08.960 --> 0:00:12.920 by Advocate Healthcare. I've got to Go Physical Therapy, CD 0:00:13.119 --> 0:00:16.600 Kelligy Connie's Pizza, IGS. 0:00:16.000 --> 0:00:17.640 Energy and men are Liked. 0:00:18.200 --> 0:00:21.639 Here are your hosts, Jeff Chili Act aka the Mayor 0:00:21.680 --> 0:00:25.400 of Bearsville and his sidekick Tom the Surfmaster Thayer. 0:00:25.760 --> 0:00:26.880 Oh my gosh, we. 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:32.800 Made it for a week out the long NFL Draft season. 0:00:33.440 --> 0:00:34.440 I mean we're almost there. 0:00:34.479 --> 0:00:37.120 Everybody Bears picking tenth a week from tonight NFL Draft 0:00:37.159 --> 0:00:37.800 and here we go. 0:00:38.240 --> 0:00:39.760 Names are flying, but who's. 0:00:39.560 --> 0:00:42.279 The realistic choices for the Bears to help get them 0:00:42.280 --> 0:00:43.800 back to the Super Bowl. We tackle all of it 0:00:43.840 --> 0:00:46.560 tonight on Bears Weekly here on ESPN one thousand in 0:00:46.560 --> 0:00:49.280 the Chicago Bears Radio Network with Super Bowl winning Bears 0:00:49.280 --> 0:00:52.639 guard Tom Fair. I'm Jeff Joniak alongside Jim Miller from 0:00:52.640 --> 0:00:54.000 sirius x M NFL Radio. 0:00:54.000 --> 0:00:55.320 The Formber Bears Quarterback. 0:00:55.800 --> 0:00:58.000 Coming up of the program, we visit with the assistant 0:00:58.000 --> 0:01:01.600 head coach and receivers coach and Twin Ell, and we 0:01:01.720 --> 0:01:05.160 thank our producers, Dan Berrilli, Jordan treadupen in the ESPN 0:01:05.200 --> 0:01:09.040 studio Kendra Smith, our executive producer of the Bears Radio Network, 0:01:09.160 --> 0:01:12.640 Eric Ostrowski, we saw Tom Jim up here at Hallis 0:01:12.640 --> 0:01:16.560 Hall today, a sighting that was a site for sore eyes, 0:01:18.040 --> 0:01:20.600 red carpet treatment for Tom there. Tom, did you enjoy 0:01:20.800 --> 0:01:25.560 all the assistant coaches and coordinators spoke to the media today, Jim. 0:01:25.720 --> 0:01:28.760 It felt like a Super Bowl and during the week 0:01:28.800 --> 0:01:31.400 they put all the assistant coaches in the round tables 0:01:31.400 --> 0:01:33.920 with the media to talk to you, and Tommy was there. 0:01:34.040 --> 0:01:37.200 I loved every second of it, and good evening to 0:01:37.280 --> 0:01:37.640 you guys. 0:01:37.680 --> 0:01:39.039 Tommy. What'd you get out of it today? 0:01:40.080 --> 0:01:42.040 First of all, I want to say hi to John Tarpy, 0:01:42.120 --> 0:01:44.200 director of security for the Chicago Bears. And then we 0:01:44.240 --> 0:01:46.480 went in the weight room and paid homage to the 0:01:46.520 --> 0:01:50.080 great Great Clyde Emrick because now they have a wall 0:01:50.120 --> 0:01:53.440 of honor for Clyde Emrick inside that weight room. And 0:01:53.520 --> 0:01:56.040 I heard a lot of heavyweights bouncing around and it 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:59.440 was super a pleasant sound for those of us that 0:01:59.520 --> 0:02:02.360 have weight lifting in our past. But you know, going 0:02:02.440 --> 0:02:04.360 up to Hallas Hall at this time of year, there's 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:08.359 angst that's building because of the draft, but there's also 0:02:08.480 --> 0:02:12.880 a certain sense of, you know, just the off season 0:02:13.240 --> 0:02:16.320 rituals that you go through. Said hi to Jonah Jackson, 0:02:16.880 --> 0:02:19.480 and I met the new offensive line coach and a 0:02:19.520 --> 0:02:22.880 bunch of the other personnel up there. But listen, man, 0:02:22.919 --> 0:02:25.440 I love being up at Hallis Hall because it reminds 0:02:25.480 --> 0:02:27.559 me of when it was younger days. 0:02:27.240 --> 0:02:27.880 In my life. 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:32.679 But I also like to see the momentum in that building. 0:02:32.760 --> 0:02:33.000 Man. 0:02:33.120 --> 0:02:36.480 There's a lot of positive vibe up there. It's got 0:02:36.480 --> 0:02:40.359 a good feeling, and so I'm excited to have been 0:02:40.400 --> 0:02:43.440 a part of today and all the you know, the 0:02:43.440 --> 0:02:46.000 the assistant coaches being there and having a chance to 0:02:46.040 --> 0:02:47.960 talk to them. It was a pretty cool day. 0:02:48.120 --> 0:02:51.360 And Jim, let me just step in here because I 0:02:51.440 --> 0:02:54.760 don't want people to think that we're just sitting here 0:02:55.720 --> 0:03:01.600 manufacturing Hope. Tom's exactly right now. It's happened before in 0:03:01.720 --> 0:03:05.440 all of our time. There's an electricity here and it 0:03:05.560 --> 0:03:09.240 is so palpable. And I am so impressed, Jim with 0:03:09.400 --> 0:03:12.600 this coaching staff. And again they haven't coached a single 0:03:12.639 --> 0:03:17.280 game yet, but what they're saying about Ben Johnson, all 0:03:17.320 --> 0:03:20.519 these assistants and coordinators and what they're learning because a 0:03:20.560 --> 0:03:23.200 lot of these guys have not coached together, and how 0:03:23.240 --> 0:03:26.200 they present their information to the media, how direct they 0:03:26.240 --> 0:03:29.880 are and speaking they're all speaking in the same language already. Jim, 0:03:29.960 --> 0:03:33.079 It's it's a great start, That's what I got to say. 0:03:33.240 --> 0:03:36.360 Well, hey, there's a lot of energy there should be. 0:03:36.480 --> 0:03:39.360 I think, you know, from the same standpoint as a 0:03:39.400 --> 0:03:42.520 player's side, they know they've got a lot to prove. 0:03:42.720 --> 0:03:46.280 They've got to win these coaches over with how they perform, 0:03:46.400 --> 0:03:49.920 how they practice, how they work. The coaches then have 0:03:50.040 --> 0:03:52.520 to trust them, and there's still a lot of work 0:03:52.520 --> 0:03:54.600 to do. You know, they have yet to Like you said, 0:03:54.640 --> 0:03:59.120 they have their first practice as a football team, and 0:03:59.160 --> 0:04:02.160 how they're going to perform as a unit together in 0:04:02.200 --> 0:04:04.800 all three phases. But they're, you know, saying all the 0:04:04.880 --> 0:04:07.480 right things. I think the players are excited. But I 0:04:07.520 --> 0:04:10.000 think the players know that they're on notice too. That's 0:04:10.040 --> 0:04:13.640 why you make a coaching change, and so there should 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:16.360 be a lot of energy in that building, a lot 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:20.680 of positive energy in the building, and that everybody's putting 0:04:20.720 --> 0:04:23.840 their best foot forward to make the best impression possible. 0:04:23.880 --> 0:04:26.560 I think it's more on the players side, and yes, 0:04:26.920 --> 0:04:30.800 those coaches have to impress the players as well. You know, 0:04:31.080 --> 0:04:34.080 I think that goes both ways. I think Tom knows 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:38.560 if maybe a head coach lets some things slide, players 0:04:38.600 --> 0:04:41.200 are going to be aware of that that's not an 0:04:41.200 --> 0:04:44.040 area of importance, you know. So I do think that 0:04:44.080 --> 0:04:47.400 goes both ways. But I think again, a coaching change 0:04:47.920 --> 0:04:50.039 signifies a lot of things. There needs to be a 0:04:50.080 --> 0:04:53.120 new era of football of Chicago Bears. They have to 0:04:53.480 --> 0:04:55.839 find a way to win the division. They've seen teams 0:04:55.880 --> 0:04:58.520 in the division like the Detroit Lions turn it around 0:04:58.960 --> 0:05:03.360 pretty quickly under new leadership, and they're basically the targeted 0:05:03.360 --> 0:05:05.719 team right now. I don't think anybody would say anything 0:05:05.720 --> 0:05:07.919 else that the Detroit Lines aren't the targeted team. 0:05:08.560 --> 0:05:08.960 They are. 0:05:09.080 --> 0:05:12.120 They've won the division and so, you know, I do 0:05:12.160 --> 0:05:14.039 think there should be a lot of positive energy and 0:05:14.080 --> 0:05:17.960 it needs to be rightfully directed in all the how 0:05:18.000 --> 0:05:19.960 should I say the areas of where it needs to 0:05:20.000 --> 0:05:23.240 be directed, and that's towards winning everything towards winning. 0:05:24.000 --> 0:05:24.200 Man. 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:24.839 They know. 0:05:24.920 --> 0:05:27.360 Listen, there's something I'm gonna bring up later about Antoine 0:05:27.440 --> 0:05:29.279 Randall l and what he said about winning. But the 0:05:29.320 --> 0:05:31.600 thing I'm gonna bring up first of all is Declan 0:05:31.680 --> 0:05:34.360 Doyle when he was up at the podium, they asked 0:05:34.400 --> 0:05:38.279 them about the offense and he goes, look, there's no secret, sauce. 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:42.840 This is about teaching fundamentals and techniques and mentally getting 0:05:42.839 --> 0:05:47.120 this offense down with the complete understanding. So you go 0:05:47.160 --> 0:05:50.000 out there and do things intelligently. And that's what I'd 0:05:50.040 --> 0:05:53.000 like to hear, because it's not about, you know, some 0:05:53.240 --> 0:05:56.839 device scheme that NFL players and coaches haven't seen before, 0:05:56.880 --> 0:05:59.359 because everybody's seen it all. But if you don't start 0:05:59.360 --> 0:06:02.480 with the basic fundamentals and techniques, you're not going to 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:04.720 be able to install anything successfully. 0:06:05.240 --> 0:06:09.880 And they make a big emphasis that, yes, mistakes, they're 0:06:09.920 --> 0:06:11.839 not just looking past him. If you're not doing what 0:06:11.839 --> 0:06:13.840 you're supposed to do, it's going to be called out immediately. 0:06:14.120 --> 0:06:17.440 And I think that's from the top down. Ben Johnson 0:06:17.520 --> 0:06:23.000 has empowered his staff to execute that to a t. 0:06:23.279 --> 0:06:25.599 JIM and I think that's important to know from a 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:28.240 player standpoint, so there will be none of that. 0:06:28.600 --> 0:06:30.880 The basics have to be in place, you know, it's 0:06:30.920 --> 0:06:32.279 always first things first. 0:06:32.920 --> 0:06:33.560 You know when you. 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:37.480 Break down to tackle and how you tackle and how 0:06:37.520 --> 0:06:40.640 you block on a certain play, and it always has 0:06:40.720 --> 0:06:43.240 to be first things first. You know, at quarterback center 0:06:43.320 --> 0:06:47.120 exchange seems the most basic thing in football. You have 0:06:47.200 --> 0:06:49.600 to be able to do all those things in order 0:06:49.640 --> 0:06:52.480 to move on to the more difficult things. And then 0:06:52.520 --> 0:06:54.640 once you get the base down and then you start 0:06:54.680 --> 0:06:58.080 to build around it. But it's first things first, and 0:06:58.120 --> 0:07:00.679 it's got to start somewhere, and it has to start 0:07:00.680 --> 0:07:04.679 with the basics of what's expected on every single play, 0:07:05.160 --> 0:07:09.400 in very detailed manner of what's expected. And then once 0:07:09.440 --> 0:07:13.360 that expectation is laid down there, it's expected to be 0:07:13.400 --> 0:07:16.440 reached every single time. You know, it's you know, when 0:07:16.440 --> 0:07:19.240 you go to school, you're expected to do well. You're 0:07:19.280 --> 0:07:22.960 expected to advance to from first grade to second grade 0:07:22.680 --> 0:07:24.920 to third grade, and you've got to put in the 0:07:24.960 --> 0:07:26.720 work and there are certain things that you have to 0:07:26.760 --> 0:07:31.360 do in order to what advance advance, and then you 0:07:31.440 --> 0:07:33.280 have to advance as a football team. 0:07:33.360 --> 0:07:35.520 All right, we come back. We're gonna hear from Dennis 0:07:35.560 --> 0:07:38.080 Allen from his podium appearance today. Up they here at Adasa, 0:07:38.200 --> 0:07:41.240 the Bears defensive coordinator with top there and Jim Thatta. 0:07:41.280 --> 0:07:42.200 I'm Jeff Joniak. 0:07:42.440 --> 0:07:44.840 This is Bears Weekly on the ESPN one thousand and 0:07:44.880 --> 0:07:48.400 the Bears Radio network is Bears. 0:07:48.000 --> 0:07:51.480 Weekly with the voice of the Bears for twenty four years, 0:07:51.960 --> 0:07:55.440 Cheff Chef on the Bear's Radio. 0:07:55.280 --> 0:07:59.640 Network near Lights. 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:03.560 Gobert's Draft Party is back at Soldier Field April twenty fourth, 0:08:03.720 --> 0:08:06.000 a week from todight. Celebrate our number ten pick and 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:09.520 enjoy live draft coverage, hand analysis, on field activity. He's 0:08:09.520 --> 0:08:12.920 a locker room tour, a closeout sale, and more. Buy 0:08:12.960 --> 0:08:16.160 tickets now at Chicago Bears dot Com. Slash Draft with 0:08:16.240 --> 0:08:18.880 Tom Thayer, Jeff Joniak, and Jim Miller, the former Bears 0:08:18.920 --> 0:08:22.880 quarterback from Sirius x MNFL Radio. Earlier today at Hallis 0:08:22.880 --> 0:08:25.400 Hall as we get ready for this draft, a chance 0:08:25.440 --> 0:08:28.280 for the coaching staff that've been working behind closed doors 0:08:28.720 --> 0:08:31.160 getting a plan together not only for the draft, but 0:08:31.240 --> 0:08:33.040 for the actual season and the playbook. 0:08:33.480 --> 0:08:35.640 Met all the media. 0:08:35.400 --> 0:08:38.520 In town, and I was virtually every assistant coach, but 0:08:38.679 --> 0:08:42.680 including the coordinators at the podium today, defensive coordinator Dennis 0:08:42.720 --> 0:08:46.400 Allen celebrating the signing the extension of Kyler Gordon and 0:08:46.480 --> 0:08:47.440 the next step for him. 0:08:47.880 --> 0:08:50.720 It's good for us, it's good for our program. You know, 0:08:50.800 --> 0:08:52.320 he was the guy that you know when we first 0:08:52.320 --> 0:08:55.000 got in here and we watched the tape, guy that 0:08:55.040 --> 0:08:57.720 we clearly identified as a guy that fit our scheme 0:08:58.240 --> 0:08:59.800 the things that we want to be able to do. 0:09:00.480 --> 0:09:00.760 Uh. 0:09:00.800 --> 0:09:04.080 And so yeah, we're excited about about having him and 0:09:04.080 --> 0:09:06.200 and uh and looking forward to getting started. And that's 0:09:06.240 --> 0:09:09.439 what specifically does Kyler do that that intrigues. 0:09:08.960 --> 0:09:10.320 You with with the way you played it. 0:09:10.400 --> 0:09:12.959 Yeah, look, I think you know, he's got he's got 0:09:13.000 --> 0:09:17.320 covered skills. Uh, he's highly intelligent. I think one of 0:09:17.320 --> 0:09:20.200 the things that that impressed me the most was, you know, 0:09:20.240 --> 0:09:22.560 how they played him last year. They were kind of 0:09:22.559 --> 0:09:24.640 a field defense. He lined up to the field, but 0:09:25.000 --> 0:09:26.840 you know, he got into he got into the box 0:09:26.880 --> 0:09:29.040 a lot, you know, and fit in the run game. 0:09:29.080 --> 0:09:31.239 And so I think he's got a really good understanding 0:09:31.240 --> 0:09:33.480 of how to fit there. And you know, our nickels 0:09:33.520 --> 0:09:35.120 are gonna have to fit in the run game. And so, 0:09:36.720 --> 0:09:38.880 you know, I think I think that was that was 0:09:38.960 --> 0:09:40.520 kind of one of the things that that we thought 0:09:40.679 --> 0:09:42.160 was you know, pretty good fit for us. 0:09:42.280 --> 0:09:45.880 Their player coached that has a similar similar skill set. 0:09:46.080 --> 0:09:46.240 You know. 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:48.640 Look, really, I mean, honestly, I don't really like to 0:09:48.679 --> 0:09:51.160 get into like all the comparisons and stuff like that. 0:09:51.240 --> 0:09:54.000 I would say that, you know a lot of things 0:09:54.040 --> 0:09:58.480 that we look for in the nickel position. Uh, you know, 0:09:58.600 --> 0:10:01.679 he he has that skills that I think. The other 0:10:01.760 --> 0:10:04.160 thing that and and I've talked to him about this is, 0:10:04.440 --> 0:10:08.120 you know, where do we find that second position for him? 0:10:08.520 --> 0:10:11.040 You know, where it's not just he's a nickel only 0:10:11.320 --> 0:10:15.480 you know, does he go outside and compete at outside corner? 0:10:15.960 --> 0:10:16.200 Uh? 0:10:16.240 --> 0:10:19.560 Does he compete some at safety? I've told him to Ah, 0:10:20.360 --> 0:10:22.000 you know that he needs to be learning both of 0:10:22.040 --> 0:10:26.120 those spots. And and we'll figure out where that second position, 0:10:28.120 --> 0:10:30.319 you know that that where he can go in and 0:10:30.360 --> 0:10:33.600 compete and you know, hopefully we can find some more 0:10:33.640 --> 0:10:34.520 playing time for him. 0:10:34.800 --> 0:10:36.640 Do you have a sense of whether he'd be a 0:10:36.679 --> 0:10:38.319 better outside corner or a safety. 0:10:38.400 --> 0:10:42.880 Yeah, Well he's played he's played more outside corner, you know, 0:10:43.000 --> 0:10:47.880 so obviously that would be uh the comfort level. But 0:10:48.240 --> 0:10:49.960 some of the things that I see him do and 0:10:50.000 --> 0:10:51.720 the way that he fits in the run game tells 0:10:51.760 --> 0:10:53.560 me that he could be a fit you know at 0:10:53.600 --> 0:10:57.920 safety also. So and and look, we've we've had guys 0:10:57.920 --> 0:11:00.280 that have had the flexibility to play a lot of 0:11:00.280 --> 0:11:04.640 different positions. I think that's important in today's football, where 0:11:04.640 --> 0:11:07.880 you're not just locked into one thing, being able to 0:11:08.240 --> 0:11:10.400 be multiple and and do a lot of different things. 0:11:10.440 --> 0:11:13.280 And so, uh, that's something that I think he can do. 0:11:13.320 --> 0:11:16.240 And as we get to know him better, spend more 0:11:16.240 --> 0:11:18.679 time with him, start to get out on the field 0:11:18.679 --> 0:11:20.440 with him a little bit more, we'll have a better 0:11:20.480 --> 0:11:23.440 feel for, you know, where that second position might be 0:11:23.640 --> 0:11:26.720 and and where we want to try to work pressure. 0:11:26.559 --> 0:11:28.600 And then it was a big problem for the Bears 0:11:28.679 --> 0:11:29.199 last season. 0:11:29.280 --> 0:11:31.280 Do you feel like with the additions that you've made 0:11:31.679 --> 0:11:33.400 in the off season that that's going to. 0:11:33.320 --> 0:11:34.160 Be straight for this team? 0:11:34.280 --> 0:11:35.559 Well, I think it's a start. I think it's a 0:11:35.600 --> 0:11:39.920 step in the right direction, you know. I think, look, 0:11:39.960 --> 0:11:43.560 we're never we're never in the in the position that 0:11:43.600 --> 0:11:45.880 we're just satisfied with where we're at. We're going to 0:11:45.920 --> 0:11:48.640 continue to look for areas that we think we can 0:11:48.679 --> 0:11:53.240 improve this defense and so but but I do think 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:56.720 we we made some improvement in that area, obviously with 0:11:56.800 --> 0:12:01.240 the addition of Grady, you know, as an interior defensive 0:12:01.240 --> 0:12:03.960 tackle dio. I think one of the things that he 0:12:04.080 --> 0:12:06.600 does exceptionally well is I think he moves inside and 0:12:06.640 --> 0:12:09.880 passing downs and rushes really well from the from the interior. 0:12:10.040 --> 0:12:12.880 So I do think we have some options in there, 0:12:12.880 --> 0:12:17.960 and certainly that's that to me, that's like one of 0:12:17.960 --> 0:12:21.400 the main points of pass rush. You know, he talks 0:12:21.400 --> 0:12:24.640 about these speed rushers off the edge, but really it's 0:12:24.640 --> 0:12:27.200 about the interior pocket pressure that you have to have 0:12:27.559 --> 0:12:30.079 and that allows guys like montes Wet to be able 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:32.320 to have some success coming off the edge. 0:12:33.000 --> 0:12:35.160 When you're installing your scheme and when you're getting in 0:12:35.200 --> 0:12:36.600 all these guys and matching the personnel. 0:12:36.840 --> 0:12:39.440 When it comes to personality or stylistically, how do you 0:12:39.480 --> 0:12:41.800 want these players to play within your defense? 0:12:43.600 --> 0:12:49.800 Tough, nasty, hyper competitive, play with a swagger, play with 0:12:49.840 --> 0:12:53.040 a chip on their shoulder. You know, I think that's 0:12:53.240 --> 0:12:56.920 that's kind of been, you know, the hallmark of the 0:12:56.960 --> 0:12:59.480 best defenses that I've been around. I think that's been 0:12:59.520 --> 0:13:02.000 a hallmark of a lot of great defenses that have 0:13:02.040 --> 0:13:07.240 been here in Chicago, and so I think that's what we're. 0:13:07.040 --> 0:13:08.240 Looking for, all right. 0:13:08.559 --> 0:13:12.000 That is Dennis Allen partially of his news conference today. 0:13:12.280 --> 0:13:14.920 Love what he had to say. Reaction from you, Tom 0:13:14.960 --> 0:13:17.800 and Jim on Kyler Gordon wanting last year he played 0:13:17.800 --> 0:13:21.280 on average about forty eight defensive snaps a game. The 0:13:21.360 --> 0:13:23.360 leader for the team, Kevin Byer to really got off 0:13:23.400 --> 0:13:25.959 the field was at sixty two, so wants to see 0:13:26.000 --> 0:13:27.160 him get more reps out there. 0:13:27.440 --> 0:13:29.960 Well. I like the fact that he immediately talks about 0:13:30.000 --> 0:13:33.679 exploring his versatility. Where else can you put Kyler Gordon 0:13:33.760 --> 0:13:36.200 in this offense to keep him on the field. And 0:13:36.280 --> 0:13:38.960 we've all seen what Kyler Gordon is capable of and 0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:42.560 his willingness to tackle, but we've also seen how creative 0:13:42.559 --> 0:13:44.559 he is when he lines up at all three levels. 0:13:44.559 --> 0:13:46.200 So I like that. 0:13:46.200 --> 0:13:50.120 Dennis is already thinking ahead about what players can do 0:13:50.200 --> 0:13:52.679 for this team, and so I like to see what 0:13:52.760 --> 0:13:55.360 he thinks about Kyler Gordon. But the same thing about 0:13:55.360 --> 0:13:58.200 a guy like Javon Dexter. Where does he think that 0:13:58.280 --> 0:14:01.760 his expandability is on the defensive line and can he 0:14:01.840 --> 0:14:03.480 move maybe to another position? 0:14:04.360 --> 0:14:04.560 Yeah? 0:14:04.600 --> 0:14:07.120 I think you know, with the recent extensions, whether it's 0:14:07.120 --> 0:14:12.040 Gordon what TJ. Edwards today, he's identified, Hey, these are 0:14:12.120 --> 0:14:14.800 players that I can work with that can make plays. 0:14:14.880 --> 0:14:18.480 And I do agree with Tom. I think, you know, 0:14:18.600 --> 0:14:21.800 Kyler is a guy who I thought Matt e Reflus 0:14:21.800 --> 0:14:24.480 went outside his comfort zone. You know, he proved how 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:26.400 good of a blitzer he was when the Bears were 0:14:26.400 --> 0:14:28.800 struggling with edge rushers, and then they make the trade 0:14:28.840 --> 0:14:33.320 for Montes Sweat. They started to do more with Kyler Gordon, 0:14:33.840 --> 0:14:36.520 and when he succeeded and they kept on feeding them, 0:14:36.600 --> 0:14:39.120 he got better and better and was making more plays. 0:14:39.360 --> 0:14:41.720 Think he takes good angles towards the quarterback when he 0:14:41.760 --> 0:14:46.120 does blitz. I think he's got great football intelligence, has obviously, 0:14:46.320 --> 0:14:49.320 you know, an eye for the football and his sticky hands. 0:14:49.320 --> 0:14:52.080 Why he gets the nickname spider Man. And I'd save 0:14:52.200 --> 0:14:54.760 that for Edwards too. That guy makes a ton of 0:14:54.800 --> 0:14:58.080 plays as a week side backer. What he's done not 0:14:58.120 --> 0:15:00.760 only for Philadelphia, but I think he's done but impress 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:03.760 me as a Chicago Bear. Has a nose for the 0:15:03.760 --> 0:15:07.000 football flies around and those are pieces to the puzzle 0:15:07.360 --> 0:15:10.720 that I think really Dennis Allen, when he arrived there, said, oh, yeah, 0:15:11.080 --> 0:15:13.640 I feel very comfortable if you were to resign those guys. 0:15:13.960 --> 0:15:17.120 I plan on using them this way. I think I 0:15:17.160 --> 0:15:19.520 can use them in other ways. And I think that 0:15:19.840 --> 0:15:22.160 really solidified that the Bears were like, Hey, these are 0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:24.200 two players that we need to lock up and they 0:15:24.240 --> 0:15:26.360 already knew after talking to Dennis Allen that they were 0:15:26.400 --> 0:15:28.560 going to be Key Coggs in his offense or in 0:15:28.640 --> 0:15:29.240 his defense. 0:15:29.480 --> 0:15:31.720 Edwards nearly three hundred tackles in two years, six and 0:15:31.720 --> 0:15:34.760 a half sacks, fourteen quarterback hits with the Bears in 0:15:34.800 --> 0:15:38.320 an outstanding just an overall great guy in that locker 0:15:38.400 --> 0:15:41.800 room for the Chicago Bears. Also, we're gonna hear later 0:15:41.800 --> 0:15:43.880 in the show from Richard Smith, the sixty nine year 0:15:43.880 --> 0:15:48.440 old assistant head coach excuse me, a defensive assistant head 0:15:48.440 --> 0:15:51.800 coach on the linebacker level as well. We'll hear from 0:15:51.840 --> 0:15:54.040 him coming up later in the show, just about the 0:15:54.080 --> 0:15:58.560 overall impact of the linebacker position and the speed, and 0:15:58.600 --> 0:16:01.240 that is a big thing for Dennis AmAm. He likes speed, 0:16:01.280 --> 0:16:04.640 but there's all kinds of speed. There is straight line speed, 0:16:05.040 --> 0:16:08.080 there is linear speed in that regard, but there is 0:16:08.200 --> 0:16:13.120 mental speed, and there is lateral speed. There is many 0:16:13.200 --> 0:16:16.320 different ways to get to the football. Tommy and I 0:16:16.360 --> 0:16:18.560 think that's certainly the case with TJ. 0:16:18.760 --> 0:16:19.120 Edwards. 0:16:20.120 --> 0:16:22.640 Listen, Dennis Allen, since he's been a defensive coordinator and 0:16:22.640 --> 0:16:24.520 a head coach in the NFL, that's one of the 0:16:24.560 --> 0:16:28.120 displays that his teams have always put on is the 0:16:28.120 --> 0:16:30.920 fact that you have to bring intelligence that's match with speed, 0:16:30.960 --> 0:16:34.200 athleticism and then being able to get your jobs done. 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:36.960 And when he talks about what his goal is for 0:16:37.040 --> 0:16:39.800 the defensive line and how it fits into assisting the 0:16:39.800 --> 0:16:43.160 linebackers and then how it filters to the defensive backfield, 0:16:43.600 --> 0:16:45.880 we all want to see a defense that plays fast, 0:16:45.960 --> 0:16:47.080 that starts up front. 0:16:47.480 --> 0:16:49.000 And we know that TJ. 0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:53.160 Edwards, Tremaine edminds that these guys can compliment the defensive 0:16:53.200 --> 0:16:57.000 line up front. And we all know what we've thought 0:16:57.000 --> 0:16:59.520 about the defensive backfield the last couple of years, and 0:17:00.200 --> 0:17:02.800 we think it's progression and growth because we know what 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:06.320 Jalen is. I think we're kind of going to scratch 0:17:06.320 --> 0:17:09.240 the surface and we can see ultimately see what a 0:17:09.320 --> 0:17:12.879 Tyreek Stevenson can be. And I think Terrell Smith is 0:17:12.920 --> 0:17:15.199 a good guy to have in there to increase the 0:17:15.240 --> 0:17:19.720 competitiveness of the speed of the defense. So I'm really 0:17:19.800 --> 0:17:23.080 encouraged by what I hear, but now I'm excited to 0:17:23.119 --> 0:17:23.479 see it. 0:17:23.640 --> 0:17:26.760 Also today just listening and none of these guys like 0:17:26.840 --> 0:17:31.359 they've they've not gone over the top about any particular 0:17:31.400 --> 0:17:34.080 player they've been steady eddy on. You know, they haven't 0:17:34.119 --> 0:17:36.240 got these guys on the grass yet. They they're just 0:17:36.359 --> 0:17:38.880 now learning. Okay, they went back watch out their tape. 0:17:38.880 --> 0:17:41.399 They're focused on the draft. But a couple of coaches 0:17:41.400 --> 0:17:45.720 that there's no depth chart. Like what they're saying is, hey, 0:17:46.040 --> 0:17:47.360 we're putting everybody out there. 0:17:47.520 --> 0:17:50.640 May the best man win. I do like that thinking. 0:17:51.200 --> 0:17:53.720 Dennis Allen said. Dennis Allen said that to me today 0:17:53.720 --> 0:17:55.439 when I was talking to him. He goes, we have 0:17:55.600 --> 0:17:58.080 no starting lineup. Is we're going to put a team 0:17:58.119 --> 0:18:01.240 out there, then the competition begins. So I think that's 0:18:01.280 --> 0:18:03.520 the same thing that Jim and I have been through 0:18:03.560 --> 0:18:07.000 throughout our whole career. Is day one, nobody's a starter. 0:18:07.200 --> 0:18:10.080 You only happen to be penciled in on that day 0:18:10.119 --> 0:18:12.359 one where that's where you're going to line up, and 0:18:12.400 --> 0:18:14.400 that pencil has an eraser on it. 0:18:14.760 --> 0:18:17.160 Yeah, those guys got to earn it. You know, these 0:18:17.200 --> 0:18:20.520 guys are evaluating these players, like you said, they've evaluated 0:18:20.560 --> 0:18:23.320 all the tape. They haven't put any pads on yet, 0:18:23.400 --> 0:18:26.240 So yeah, there's going to be an evaluation through OTAs 0:18:26.760 --> 0:18:28.879 of what they do without pads on. Then when the 0:18:28.920 --> 0:18:31.879 pads are on, there's kind of a new evaluation because 0:18:31.920 --> 0:18:35.080 things change once the pads come on, and players are 0:18:35.080 --> 0:18:37.280 going to have to earn it, and you need to 0:18:37.359 --> 0:18:43.360 create a highly competitive atmosphere every single day, and it's 0:18:43.400 --> 0:18:47.040 got to be structured and focused on winning to be 0:18:47.080 --> 0:18:50.560 a better team. And that's what the foundation that they're laying. 0:18:51.400 --> 0:18:53.639 Those players got to compete. Nothing is going to be 0:18:53.960 --> 0:18:57.280 a given to them. They shouldn't think that anything's given 0:18:57.320 --> 0:19:00.000 to them. I think contractually we know some guys are 0:19:00.160 --> 0:19:02.919 are going to be there, but I think you have 0:19:03.000 --> 0:19:05.720 to make it as highly competitive as you can. They 0:19:05.720 --> 0:19:08.200 have not won anything. They haven't won anything for quite 0:19:08.240 --> 0:19:10.679 some time, and that need those players need to be 0:19:10.760 --> 0:19:13.280 reminded of that. They need to be reminded of that 0:19:13.840 --> 0:19:17.720 big time, that this is what's at stake here. We 0:19:17.800 --> 0:19:20.399 have to go win this division. Detroit has kind of 0:19:20.440 --> 0:19:23.800 dominated it, Minnesota's trying to make a move. Well, when 0:19:23.800 --> 0:19:27.320 you're gonna put yourself into the picture. The Lions were 0:19:27.320 --> 0:19:29.639 able to do it and turn around their culture, and 0:19:29.680 --> 0:19:31.280 we'll see if the Bears are able to do it. 0:19:31.320 --> 0:19:32.960 But I do think that they are off to the 0:19:33.000 --> 0:19:36.920