WEBVTT - Ryan Poles, Bears scouting staff praise 2024 draft picks | Bears, etc. Podcast 0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:06.160 Cut over that DJ Moore Zoe touchdown touchdown pairs. I 0:00:06.200 --> 0:00:12.520 am Jeff Jonihaclitz is on. Donnie got what was like 0:00:12.560 --> 0:00:15.320 playing for coache gooddo I don't want to answer any 0:00:15.400 --> 0:00:26.280 questions like that pressure coming is a big trouble. Donnie Goes, Montes, Sweat, Yes, Bears, 0:00:26.280 --> 0:00:28.639 et cetera. Brought to you by Miller Lte with the 0:00:28.720 --> 0:00:32.519 voices of the Bears, Jeff Joniac and Tom Thayer, we 0:00:32.600 --> 0:00:36.400 are possibly witnessing the best sports town in America coming 0:00:36.440 --> 0:00:39.800 to life. Young, impactful, up and coming stars dotting the 0:00:39.840 --> 0:00:42.440 landscape from Conna Bdard to the Blackhawks, one of the 0:00:42.440 --> 0:00:45.760 finalists for the NHL's Calder Trophy, the leading rookie scorer 0:00:45.760 --> 0:00:48.320 in the sport to the Chicago Sky and a rookie 0:00:48.440 --> 0:00:51.879 Angel Reese. Kobe White are the Bulls showing promise and 0:00:52.040 --> 0:00:55.080 there is always a next for the Cubs and Socks. 0:00:55.120 --> 0:00:58.400 And with the Bears, it's quarterback Caleb Williams and wide 0:00:58.440 --> 0:01:02.800 receiver Roama Dunes Annah rossure of young twenty somethings a 0:01:03.040 --> 0:01:06.720 roster full. I'm not just focusing on these two guys, 0:01:07.160 --> 0:01:09.280 but they are all commissioned to restore the roar of 0:01:09.400 --> 0:01:13.080 this charter franchise of the National Football League. Welcome Back Bears, Etc. 0:01:13.400 --> 0:01:17.039 Episode number sixty six and Tommylake the historic US Highway 0:01:17.120 --> 0:01:20.800 sixty six are Route sixty six. These guys are helping 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:22.720 pave the way for a new road to the twenty 0:01:22.760 --> 0:01:23.679 twenty four season. 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:25.240 Good to talk to you. 0:01:25.360 --> 0:01:28.240 You're in Maui now, so we're going to be separate 0:01:28.319 --> 0:01:31.119 for about a month here, but with Super Bowl winning 0:01:31.160 --> 0:01:33.640 Bears guard town there, I'm Jeff Jonihak. We'll review the 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:35.560 new editions to the Bears and get some insight from 0:01:35.600 --> 0:01:38.759 general manager Ryan Poles, and our exclusive post draft chat 0:01:38.840 --> 0:01:41.720 will also have some of the scouts discuss the picks 0:01:41.720 --> 0:01:43.960 as well. I know that was a dramatic open, but 0:01:44.360 --> 0:01:46.360 I want to put it in some context, right, like, 0:01:46.880 --> 0:01:49.760 this is maybe one of the most exciting times in 0:01:49.840 --> 0:01:52.680 our history together almost thirty years work on this team 0:01:53.200 --> 0:01:55.600 and for what it could become years down the road. 0:01:55.680 --> 0:01:57.360 I know there's going to be a lot of growing 0:01:57.440 --> 0:02:00.520 pains along the way, but General Manager Ryan has done 0:02:00.520 --> 0:02:02.400 a heck of a job putting this roster together as 0:02:02.440 --> 0:02:03.320 it stands at the moment. 0:02:04.240 --> 0:02:06.160 Yeah, but you know, for the last five months we've 0:02:06.200 --> 0:02:09.280 been talking about the presumed who. Now this is the 0:02:09.360 --> 0:02:13.280 first week that we can talk about the who is, 0:02:14.160 --> 0:02:17.240 and that is Caleb Williams, Roma Doonza. 0:02:17.919 --> 0:02:18.880 Amagaji and. 0:02:20.440 --> 0:02:24.280 The punter Taylor and a Booker, Austin Booker, the defensive 0:02:24.400 --> 0:02:27.919 end and the other free agents because nowadays, in the 0:02:27.960 --> 0:02:30.200 modern n NFL, you got to look at some of 0:02:30.280 --> 0:02:34.239 these free agents as super talented players. Unfortunately they went undrafted, 0:02:34.639 --> 0:02:37.560 but I don't think that decreases that they're desire at all. 0:02:38.160 --> 0:02:40.120 But I think when you look at the top of 0:02:40.200 --> 0:02:43.480 the list on down, it's gonna be fun to sit 0:02:43.560 --> 0:02:46.919 here and now talk about who are the new Chicago Bears. 0:02:47.000 --> 0:02:49.960 And really you have to put Keenan Allen in there 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:52.680 and Montes Sweat in the twenty twenty four draft class 0:02:52.760 --> 0:02:55.760 because you used twenty twenty four draft capital to get them. 0:02:56.040 --> 0:03:00.320 So when you look at it like that, wow wow. 0:03:00.600 --> 0:03:02.519 You know the thing about Caleb and the rest of 0:03:02.600 --> 0:03:06.040 the rookie crew, they don't have any NFL experience. When 0:03:06.080 --> 0:03:09.239 you talk about Montes Sweat and Keenan Allen, they have 0:03:09.560 --> 0:03:13.639 Hall of Fame experience and their career is on the 0:03:13.840 --> 0:03:17.519 upward trajectory. Even though Keenan Allen is in his young 0:03:17.639 --> 0:03:21.919 thirty so I'm excited to see what veterans like that 0:03:22.280 --> 0:03:27.240 can offer the locker room immediately in how depending upon 0:03:27.320 --> 0:03:31.600 their positions, they can offer the rookies academically. 0:03:32.200 --> 0:03:34.440 This episode of Bears, Etc. Is brought to you by 0:03:34.760 --> 0:03:39.480 millerte tastes like Miller Time Celebrate Responsibly, Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:43.400 ninety six calories and three point two carbs per twelve ounces. 0:03:43.720 --> 0:03:46.200 Before we start breaking it all down and get our 0:03:46.240 --> 0:03:49.920 respective opinions, let's listen to our sit down interview after 0:03:50.000 --> 0:03:53.600 the draft with general manager Ryan Poles. First talk, congratulations, 0:03:54.320 --> 0:03:56.640 third draft is a general manager the charter franchise in 0:03:56.680 --> 0:03:59.800 the National Football League In any way, was this process 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:01.680 different than the others? 0:04:03.360 --> 0:04:04.520 Yeah, it was. 0:04:04.840 --> 0:04:08.480 You know, every year that goes by, you get better 0:04:08.520 --> 0:04:10.840 and better at this and you have better feel instincts, 0:04:11.480 --> 0:04:14.120 you know, want to be patient, when to move, you 0:04:14.280 --> 0:04:17.600 better feel for the team around you, and so this 0:04:17.720 --> 0:04:19.720 one felt just right and I think it was right 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:20.120 on Tom. 0:04:20.640 --> 0:04:22.160 Did you feel in the back of that pay this 0:04:22.279 --> 0:04:24.680 is the most important draft I've had so far and 0:04:24.760 --> 0:04:25.440 maybe i'll ever have. 0:04:27.240 --> 0:04:30.160 Yeah, I mean, anytime that our quarterbacks involved. It's a 0:04:30.200 --> 0:04:32.840 big deal. I don't think as a group we put 0:04:33.240 --> 0:04:36.280 a lot of extra pressure on ourselves. We really leaned 0:04:36.320 --> 0:04:39.880 into our process and trusted in that, and it was 0:04:39.960 --> 0:04:40.520 really smooth. 0:04:41.360 --> 0:04:46.000 Described that process, the meeting to finalize the board, particularly 0:04:46.080 --> 0:04:48.200 the top ten and what were you bracing for in 0:04:48.279 --> 0:04:48.800 the top ten. 0:04:49.560 --> 0:04:54.480 Yeah, you work through other different scenarios. We ran simulations 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:56.560 over and over and over again, just so we were 0:04:57.920 --> 0:04:59.920 we felt comfortable to be able to adapt to any 0:05:00.080 --> 0:05:04.760 thing that happened. The scenario A ended up playing out, 0:05:04.839 --> 0:05:08.680 which was awesome, but we were ready for anything that 0:05:08.760 --> 0:05:10.719 could have been moving up, that could have been moving back. 0:05:11.640 --> 0:05:14.039 Fortunately for us, we didn't have to give up anything, 0:05:14.120 --> 0:05:17.680 and we stood patient at nine and got the guy 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:18.200 that we wanted. 0:05:18.240 --> 0:05:20.720 All right, So you did all your evaluations, You relied 0:05:20.760 --> 0:05:24.840 on the advice and the insight and the professionalism of 0:05:24.920 --> 0:05:28.400 your scouts, and did you go behind closed doors by 0:05:28.480 --> 0:05:30.440 yourself think it through, and it said, okay, this is 0:05:30.480 --> 0:05:32.600 the guy we're picking, and this is the way we're rolling. 0:05:33.560 --> 0:05:36.840 We have a real collaborative setup, you know. So everything 0:05:36.920 --> 0:05:38.640 that I was thinking, I was putting out there to 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:42.280 the group, and you know, we have good debate, but 0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:45.800 there's some things that everyone sees is the right path 0:05:45.920 --> 0:05:48.520 for us, and everyone's on board. 0:05:48.320 --> 0:05:48.800 So it was good. 0:05:48.960 --> 0:05:51.960 At any point, was there a temptation or an offer 0:05:52.160 --> 0:05:54.800 or a call, even long before the process of really 0:05:54.839 --> 0:05:57.680 digging in on Caleb Williams to give up that number one? 0:05:58.040 --> 0:06:00.440 I had quite a few teams asking what I'd be 0:06:00.480 --> 0:06:03.800 willing to move. The answer was not at this time 0:06:04.040 --> 0:06:05.920 for the longest time. And then I think they ended 0:06:06.000 --> 0:06:07.400 up just kind of giving up on the whole thing 0:06:07.440 --> 0:06:10.760 and understood why I wasn't gonna move off the pick. 0:06:10.920 --> 0:06:13.560 Do you remember the exact moment, in the exact setting 0:06:13.640 --> 0:06:16.320 that you crystallized I'm taking this guy, taking him number 0:06:16.320 --> 0:06:16.880 one no matter what. 0:06:17.000 --> 0:06:20.640 Here, Yeah, it was after spending time with him, just 0:06:20.760 --> 0:06:23.080 having that one on one interaction, getting to know what 0:06:23.920 --> 0:06:26.240 matters to him, you know what motivates him, what are 0:06:26.320 --> 0:06:29.760 his goals, how does he treat his teammates, his work ethic. 0:06:29.880 --> 0:06:33.360 Once I started getting a feel for the person, that 0:06:33.480 --> 0:06:34.560 conviction started to come. 0:06:34.680 --> 0:06:38.680 Shortly after all right, take us to nine thought process there. Yeah, 0:06:38.760 --> 0:06:42.240 we heard how you felt like, Okay, is this guy 0:06:42.279 --> 0:06:45.160 gonna ball room and dunes? And I talked about him way, way, 0:06:45.320 --> 0:06:46.919 way long before the draft. 0:06:47.120 --> 0:06:52.880 Yeah, yep, I love Rome obviously. With him again, I 0:06:53.240 --> 0:06:54.680 thought it was a fifty to fifty shot he was 0:06:54.720 --> 0:06:57.000 going to make it to us, and then I was 0:06:57.080 --> 0:06:59.840 nervous that teams might jump over us and grab him. 0:06:59.839 --> 0:07:02.640 So we did a lot of work in terms of, 0:07:03.360 --> 0:07:06.000 you know, putting feelers out to move forward just in 0:07:06.040 --> 0:07:08.680 case we had to. But at the same time, that's 0:07:08.680 --> 0:07:11.440 the hardest part of the draft process is do you 0:07:11.560 --> 0:07:15.680 want to give up a lot to get one player? 0:07:16.640 --> 0:07:18.680 And you've got to be really disciplined in that. So, 0:07:20.720 --> 0:07:23.239 you know, we were all sweating. I kind of joked 0:07:23.240 --> 0:07:25.160 that Ian kind of had to hold me back from 0:07:25.240 --> 0:07:27.080 giving up, you know, more and more picks to go 0:07:27.200 --> 0:07:27.520 get him. 0:07:28.120 --> 0:07:30.280 And it worked out perfectly, right, And that's what friends 0:07:30.320 --> 0:07:33.160 are for, yes, exactly, bes friends all right. Third round, 0:07:33.520 --> 0:07:36.520 you had many, many options in terms of offensive lineman. 0:07:36.600 --> 0:07:38.400 One of the best we've seen in a while the 0:07:38.520 --> 0:07:42.920 draft class. Karanamagaji, local guy, another Chicago kid that really 0:07:43.000 --> 0:07:45.680 resonates with you, obviously, but so does eighty four inch 0:07:45.720 --> 0:07:48.480 wingspan or whatever it is in thirty six in Charms. 0:07:48.320 --> 0:07:50.840 Right, Yeah, we love his past protection he's got feet, 0:07:50.960 --> 0:07:55.680 he's got hands, he's got length anchors. Well, we love 0:07:55.720 --> 0:07:59.400 as tenacity how he finishes, and we believe that, you know, 0:07:59.480 --> 0:08:02.520 with some good coaching from Chris Morgan, we can take 0:08:02.600 --> 0:08:05.160 his game to the next level and that increases competition 0:08:05.240 --> 0:08:07.200 on our offensive line, which makes everybody better. 0:08:07.360 --> 0:08:11.880 Thinking this through rookie quarterback, field position is going to 0:08:11.920 --> 0:08:14.440 be critical, and I think kick returns are going to 0:08:14.480 --> 0:08:18.040 impact that significantly. A punter does the same thing. To 0:08:18.320 --> 0:08:21.680 go with the young man from Iowa, Tory Taylor. What 0:08:22.240 --> 0:08:24.160 was significant about his leg? 0:08:25.000 --> 0:08:27.280 Tory not only has a big leg that can flip 0:08:27.360 --> 0:08:31.800 the field that's important, especially in soldier field, but his 0:08:31.960 --> 0:08:34.839 ball placement on punt and pins is some of the 0:08:34.920 --> 0:08:40.559 best touch I've seen ever when evaluating punters. This guy 0:08:40.760 --> 0:08:45.080 was putting the ball in a certain you know area, 0:08:45.320 --> 0:08:47.839 over and over and over again off his foot and 0:08:47.880 --> 0:08:51.360 it was incredible to watch and really had a front 0:08:51.400 --> 0:08:54.240 row seat at the Senior Bowl and saw him do 0:08:54.320 --> 0:08:57.719 it consistently. And part of the goal is we want 0:08:57.760 --> 0:09:00.559 to put a lot of stress on our opponent. And 0:09:00.720 --> 0:09:02.600 I can tell you from experience, when you run out 0:09:02.640 --> 0:09:05.000 on the field and you're coming out from the five 0:09:05.120 --> 0:09:07.920 yard line or the two yard line. It's an uncomfortable 0:09:07.960 --> 0:09:10.440 feeling when you look ninety eight yards across and say, 0:09:10.559 --> 0:09:11.800 you know, this's gonna be a long journey in the 0:09:11.880 --> 0:09:14.959 playbook shrinks, So that's going to allow our defense to 0:09:15.000 --> 0:09:17.840 play even more aggressive, which then in turn should get 0:09:17.880 --> 0:09:20.240 the ball back and create more points and really good 0:09:20.280 --> 0:09:20.839 field position. 0:09:21.000 --> 0:09:23.599 You get hungry for an edge, and you got a 0:09:23.640 --> 0:09:24.280 piece of clay. 0:09:24.679 --> 0:09:27.400 Austin Booker round five through the Buffalo trade. 0:09:27.520 --> 0:09:33.599 Yep, Well said. Booker's got length, he has tenacity, He 0:09:33.760 --> 0:09:38.720 plays extremely hard, still working on his skills in terms 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:42.240 of hand usage and winning consistently in the pass rush, 0:09:43.160 --> 0:09:44.800 and has to get a little bit bigger. But we 0:09:44.880 --> 0:09:47.959 do believe he's got the skill set to come in 0:09:48.040 --> 0:09:50.560 and help us with our pass rush and then over 0:09:50.679 --> 0:09:54.240 time develop and get stronger and become an impact player 0:09:54.280 --> 0:09:54.560 for us. 0:09:55.040 --> 0:09:56.760 We know what the importance of pro days and top 0:09:56.800 --> 0:09:59.680 thirties are, so you got to find if these guys 0:09:59.720 --> 0:10:03.240 are the chemistry for what you're built, what you've already built, 0:10:03.280 --> 0:10:04.480 and what you want to maintain. 0:10:04.280 --> 0:10:07.960 Right Yeah, And that's that's probably one of the most 0:10:08.000 --> 0:10:11.000 satisfying parts of where a roster is now not only 0:10:11.080 --> 0:10:12.640 do we have really good players on the roster, but 0:10:12.760 --> 0:10:15.559 we also have really good people. And a lot of 0:10:15.600 --> 0:10:18.280 times your first interactions are at these All Star games. 0:10:18.320 --> 0:10:20.160 They're on thirty visits where you can sit down and 0:10:20.200 --> 0:10:21.760 talk to him and get to know what they're all about. 0:10:22.400 --> 0:10:24.559 And that process has been really good for us, and 0:10:24.640 --> 0:10:26.520 I think that's why we've been able to do what 0:10:26.679 --> 0:10:28.959 we've been able to do in terms of building the roster. 0:10:28.840 --> 0:10:29.280 The right way. 0:10:29.440 --> 0:10:31.240 How about to Caleb in Rome pro days? 0:10:32.000 --> 0:10:36.840 Yeah, Caleb's Pro day was incredible. We spent extra time 0:10:36.880 --> 0:10:38.959 with him before the pro day, getting to know him, 0:10:39.160 --> 0:10:42.719 getting to understand what he sees and what he knows 0:10:42.720 --> 0:10:45.439 about the game of football from the mental side of it. 0:10:46.520 --> 0:10:51.160 Seeing Shane and Caleb work together watching film and going 0:10:51.200 --> 0:10:53.840 over some installs was fun to watch. You could tell 0:10:53.840 --> 0:10:56.840 there was good chemistry there. And then to the easy 0:10:56.920 --> 0:10:59.480 part for Caleb is when he throws the ball. That 0:10:59.640 --> 0:11:04.679 part was great. And then with Rome his pro day, 0:11:05.600 --> 0:11:09.320 he didn't do much his pro day, his combine was outstanding. 0:11:09.400 --> 0:11:11.720 You saw him compete and try to do every drill 0:11:13.040 --> 0:11:15.520 the best he absolutely could, and it meant something to him. 0:11:15.600 --> 0:11:17.679 He had he had intent with everything that he did, 0:11:17.760 --> 0:11:20.400 and it was a very very clean combine for him. 0:11:20.760 --> 0:11:23.200 How important is mini camp for these guys? Next step? 0:11:23.320 --> 0:11:23.440 Right? 0:11:23.760 --> 0:11:26.360 Yeah, next step? You know. I would say the mental 0:11:26.440 --> 0:11:29.640 part is the biggest strain. Now, this is a new playbook, 0:11:29.960 --> 0:11:32.520 a new style for a lot of them, and they're 0:11:32.520 --> 0:11:34.640 really gonna have to get into the playbook. They're really 0:11:34.640 --> 0:11:36.640 gonna have to spend the extra time and become pros 0:11:36.720 --> 0:11:40.080 with their preparation habits. On top of starting to get 0:11:40.120 --> 0:11:42.040 in shape. A lot of these guys have traveled, they've 0:11:42.080 --> 0:11:46.280 had pre and post draft parties, hanging out with family 0:11:46.640 --> 0:11:49.400 and just running forties and short shuttles. So it's time 0:11:49.440 --> 0:11:51.680 to get in shape and time to get their mind 0:11:51.760 --> 0:11:53.200 right in terms of learning the playbook. 0:11:53.960 --> 0:11:56.080 You got a bunch of sub twenty five year olds 0:11:56.160 --> 0:11:59.680 twenty two to twenty five, big number and then even 0:12:00.000 --> 0:12:03.719 a little more before thirty. For a young quarterback coming in, 0:12:03.880 --> 0:12:05.679 is that easier than a room full of veterans that 0:12:05.760 --> 0:12:07.400 he's having to impress. 0:12:07.320 --> 0:12:12.000 Describably pros and cons on both sides. I think for 0:12:12.120 --> 0:12:14.599 his ability to start to lead fast, that's going to 0:12:14.640 --> 0:12:16.240 be important to have a bunch of young guys around 0:12:16.280 --> 0:12:18.880 him to understand him. But on the other side of 0:12:18.960 --> 0:12:21.720 that too, you know, we're going to lean into our coaches, 0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:23.720 who you know Fluse talks about all the time about 0:12:23.720 --> 0:12:27.120 having teachers. They're gonna be critical in his development as well. 0:12:27.240 --> 0:12:30.400 Okay, Tommy, what struck you about his analysis of how 0:12:30.480 --> 0:12:32.599 he went about putting this draft clash together and in 0:12:32.679 --> 0:12:35.440 particular the top two guys in particular here. 0:12:35.840 --> 0:12:38.120 You know, when whenever you listen to a general manager 0:12:38.240 --> 0:12:40.920 talk after the draft, it wasn't that he was convinced, 0:12:40.960 --> 0:12:43.839 so that he was convinced himself. And I think that's 0:12:43.960 --> 0:12:46.360 really important when you look at the importance of these 0:12:46.440 --> 0:12:51.199 decisions that were made. He knew after having dinner with 0:12:51.640 --> 0:12:54.079 Caleb and spending some time with them, that this was 0:12:54.160 --> 0:12:57.280 his guy. And when you're in control of the draft 0:12:57.360 --> 0:12:59.600 at the first pick, yeah, you can listen to calls, 0:12:59.679 --> 0:13:03.360 but sometimes your phone goes unanswered and everybody realizes that 0:13:03.480 --> 0:13:08.520 you've made the decision. And then for Ian Cunningham, his 0:13:08.679 --> 0:13:11.880 assistant to talk him out of a possible trade to 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:14.959 Roma Doonza to be that convinced that that was the 0:13:15.000 --> 0:13:17.760 guy he wanted, and then he had the opportunity to 0:13:17.840 --> 0:13:22.920 get him at nine without disrupting any draft collateral, and 0:13:23.200 --> 0:13:25.880 I'm excited about the other three guys they got as well. 0:13:25.960 --> 0:13:28.839 I just think it was probably the most convincing of 0:13:29.000 --> 0:13:34.719 the talent they took by Ryan Poles, even though I 0:13:34.840 --> 0:13:37.720 think we are all convinced that last year Darnell Wright 0:13:38.320 --> 0:13:40.800 was the right guy after we saw him come out 0:13:40.840 --> 0:13:43.640 at Rookie Minniecab come out at OTAs, and the way 0:13:43.679 --> 0:13:46.240 he presented himself through the entire regular season. 0:13:46.320 --> 0:13:48.920 Yeah, just like stacking wins, you want to stack drafts. 0:13:49.120 --> 0:13:51.400 I mean, you look at what some of these really 0:13:51.440 --> 0:13:54.280 good franchises do. They stack drafts, and then eventually you 0:13:54.320 --> 0:13:56.240 get to a point where you're just picking the best player. 0:13:56.600 --> 0:13:59.720 I know it's cliche. Regardless of position that suits your team, 0:14:00.400 --> 0:14:03.199 there's always something tailor made for it. But when you 0:14:03.360 --> 0:14:06.000 just can just get really good football players. I just 0:14:06.080 --> 0:14:09.040 read a quote from Tony Dungee, who does the NBC 0:14:09.160 --> 0:14:12.280 Sunday Night Football, the fumber Head coach and Super Bowl winner, 0:14:12.480 --> 0:14:16.079 don't pass up special and he learned his lesson when 0:14:16.120 --> 0:14:18.000 he was with the Steelers and they passed on Dan 0:14:18.080 --> 0:14:20.720 Marino as a franchise and he wound up going to 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:22.640 the Miami Dolphins. You're a good friend Dan Marino. 0:14:23.440 --> 0:14:25.000 You know there's a lot of teams that passed on 0:14:25.120 --> 0:14:26.400 Dan Marino. Yeah as well. 0:14:26.480 --> 0:14:29.000 So it's not only a ton of Tony Dungee mistakes. 0:14:29.280 --> 0:14:31.680 There's twenty something other teams that made that mistake. 0:14:31.720 --> 0:14:34.800 Yeah, but don't do you agree with in your heart 0:14:34.800 --> 0:14:38.080 of hearts because you don't know special until they actually 0:14:38.120 --> 0:14:41.720 have a career. But if you can somehow you're convinced 0:14:41.720 --> 0:14:45.760 yourself you can forecast special. Don't pass on special, regardless 0:14:45.840 --> 0:14:46.280 of position. 0:14:47.000 --> 0:14:50.160 Listen, Michael Jordan was passed up on, you know, in 0:14:50.280 --> 0:14:53.280 the draft before he was picked. You know, Walter Payton 0:14:53.360 --> 0:14:55.720 was a high draft choice, but there's teams that passed 0:14:55.840 --> 0:14:59.280 up on him. Everybody has that in their career, from 0:14:59.360 --> 0:15:03.280 Aaron Rodg to Randy Moss to whatever sport that you 0:15:03.400 --> 0:15:04.080 want to look at. 0:15:04.480 --> 0:15:07.280 There's been guys that have been passed up because. 0:15:07.040 --> 0:15:09.880 Some way, shape or form, they didn't check the box 0:15:09.920 --> 0:15:14.560 of importance that was for their team, their roster, their time, 0:15:15.000 --> 0:15:17.480 and so you go and you make a different decision 0:15:17.520 --> 0:15:20.560 and sometimes you live there regret it for decades to come. 0:15:21.000 --> 0:15:23.880 Heck, thirty two teams passed on Tom Thayer three times. 0:15:24.320 --> 0:15:25.640 We won't get into that. 0:15:28.440 --> 0:15:31.560 What really stood out of that interview with Poles is 0:15:31.640 --> 0:15:34.560 a couple of things for me, Tom A. They want 0:15:34.600 --> 0:15:36.280 to put a lot of stress on the opponent. So 0:15:36.560 --> 0:15:39.120 that's all three phases, and that's why in part Tory 0:15:39.200 --> 0:15:43.360 Taylor's here as a fourth round punter. You just want 0:15:43.440 --> 0:15:46.160 to make sure you're doing everything in your power to 0:15:46.520 --> 0:15:50.480 affect the opposition and make them work for it. And 0:15:50.920 --> 0:15:54.400 that comes also from a physicality standpoint. Make them feel 0:15:54.440 --> 0:15:56.720 like you've been through something. If they're going to beat you, 0:15:57.480 --> 0:16:00.240 they're gonna feel it. And then that's always been my thing. 0:16:00.440 --> 0:16:03.480 I want a physical, nasty football team. I know that 0:16:03.680 --> 0:16:07.200 sounds idealistic in many ways. It's a different time in 0:16:07.280 --> 0:16:09.560 place in the NFL, but I want guys that are 0:16:09.600 --> 0:16:11.920 going to leave a mark a little bit in addition 0:16:12.080 --> 0:16:14.960 to being great football players. But making a long field 0:16:15.000 --> 0:16:17.600 for an offense, given a short field to a young 0:16:17.680 --> 0:16:20.360 quarterback taking the stretches off of him, as much as 0:16:20.400 --> 0:16:24.400 anybody would you concur that that is a great goal 0:16:24.520 --> 0:16:25.480 for twenty twenty four. 0:16:26.920 --> 0:16:29.680 Listen, anytime you develop a reputation around the league that 0:16:29.720 --> 0:16:32.160 you're one of the more physical of football teams that 0:16:32.360 --> 0:16:34.960 you're going to face, whether it's from the attacking offensive 0:16:35.000 --> 0:16:38.479 line to the attacking defense. I think that's the reputation 0:16:38.680 --> 0:16:41.120 that you want to garner around the league. When you 0:16:41.200 --> 0:16:44.280 look at the Bears defensively, they have defensive backs that 0:16:44.360 --> 0:16:47.000 are going to hit you. They have linebackers that are 0:16:47.040 --> 0:16:49.440 going to chase you down and hit you equally as well, 0:16:50.040 --> 0:16:53.160 and you have a defensive line that's in that development stage. 0:16:53.200 --> 0:16:55.000 Is that if they can get to the quarterback and 0:16:56.360 --> 0:16:59.720 kind of shake his confidence with the immediacy of time 0:16:59.800 --> 0:17:03.280 that he doesn't have, that's also the reputation you want 0:17:03.360 --> 0:17:05.600 to develop. So I think on the defensive side of 0:17:05.640 --> 0:17:08.040 the ball, if we have some guys that take that 0:17:08.200 --> 0:17:12.040 next step, they can develop that reputation. And then when 0:17:12.080 --> 0:17:14.879 you look at what this offense can offer you, if 0:17:14.960 --> 0:17:18.680 they can, you know, have that running game that is 0:17:19.160 --> 0:17:23.119 so beneficial to the overall attempt of offense, then I 0:17:23.240 --> 0:17:25.760 think that is super helpful to you because that's the 0:17:25.800 --> 0:17:28.040 first thing you have to have, and then how it 0:17:28.200 --> 0:17:32.119 leads to the receiver position. And yeah, I think the 0:17:32.160 --> 0:17:34.199 Bears are on the cusp of that. You know, Sunday night, 0:17:34.280 --> 0:17:36.440 we are talking about it, because you've always said, you know, 0:17:36.720 --> 0:17:39.240 when you and Ryan pulls your first interview, how we're 0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:42.240 going to tear this thing down, and we're going to 0:17:42.359 --> 0:17:44.359 do it from the studs. We're gonna build it. And 0:17:44.440 --> 0:17:46.239 so Sunday night, I was telling you all, I think 0:17:46.280 --> 0:17:47.159 it's time to move in. 0:17:48.119 --> 0:17:49.760 And I do think that. 0:17:50.320 --> 0:17:52.960 I think there's a couple of more shingles you have 0:17:53.119 --> 0:17:56.840 to add, or maybe some siding, but it is moving 0:17:57.000 --> 0:17:58.040 ready at this point. 0:17:58.000 --> 0:17:58.840 Right time. 0:17:58.920 --> 0:18:01.040 Put some art on the wall, you know, get that 0:18:01.200 --> 0:18:05.160 get that nice couch, get that office. 0:18:05.320 --> 0:18:07.399 You can have the best art you can have on 0:18:07.480 --> 0:18:10.000 the walls of a house or on the fireplace. Mantle 0:18:10.320 --> 0:18:13.240 our division winning trophies that lead to playoffs. 0:18:13.400 --> 0:18:16.600 Yeah, and of course, uh the Super Bowl Lombardi Trophy 0:18:16.640 --> 0:18:18.920 as well. Tom Thayer and I here on Bears, et cetera. 0:18:19.240 --> 0:18:21.879 We're brought to you by PNC Official Bank of the Bears. 0:18:22.359 --> 0:18:25.399 The other thing is, and he's not gonna ever jeopardize this. 0:18:25.760 --> 0:18:28.879 In my opinion, Ryan Poles and his staff, it's satisfying 0:18:28.920 --> 0:18:31.200 to know that they only not only have good players, 0:18:31.880 --> 0:18:35.119 that this new group are really good people. And I 0:18:35.240 --> 0:18:38.040 can first hand tell you from the immediate. You know, 0:18:38.160 --> 0:18:41.280 often your immediate interaction with someone is the lasting one, 0:18:41.320 --> 0:18:46.159 the impression. And from meeting Caleb Williams, Dunsa and Williams, 0:18:46.240 --> 0:18:48.840 those interviews will drop here this week on the Bear 0:18:49.000 --> 0:18:52.320 social platforms. Just tell they're really good people and they 0:18:52.440 --> 0:18:55.000 really care about winning, and they care about working at 0:18:55.040 --> 0:18:58.440 their craft. And you know, Tom, we've been around along. 0:18:58.680 --> 0:19:00.800 We know that there's a be a and a lot 0:19:00.880 --> 0:19:02.879 of a lot of players that come in this league. 0:19:03.119 --> 0:19:05.400 And you just have a funny feeling when you're left 0:19:05.440 --> 0:19:08.159 with the God, is this guy really committed? Is he 0:19:08.320 --> 0:19:10.320 really going to work at it? Or is he or 0:19:10.520 --> 0:19:13.720 is he thinking about decorating his house instead of the 0:19:13.760 --> 0:19:15.680 Bears house? You know what I'm saying, instead of of 0:19:15.840 --> 0:19:20.919 learning the playbook and being committed in a ridiculous fashion, 0:19:21.040 --> 0:19:24.960 in a obsessive passion to be great. And we know 0:19:25.080 --> 0:19:27.240 who those guys are. You played with many, you were 0:19:27.359 --> 0:19:29.040 one of those guys, and you still are one of 0:19:29.040 --> 0:19:31.399 those guys. In your preparation, I think a guy's like 0:19:31.480 --> 0:19:34.480 Matt Forte, who is like that. I think of Mike Brown, 0:19:35.160 --> 0:19:38.600 Brian Rlacker. The mental not only just the physical, but 0:19:38.680 --> 0:19:40.600 the mental part of getting ready for games and we 0:19:40.640 --> 0:19:43.000 can go down the list you know who they are. 0:19:43.400 --> 0:19:45.240 But you know the thing about it, Jeff, if we 0:19:45.400 --> 0:19:48.280 had no exposure at all to Caleb Williams until the 0:19:48.440 --> 0:19:50.760 night he was drafted, and that's the first time that 0:19:50.880 --> 0:19:53.760 we had any shot of him, I would be encouraged 0:19:54.119 --> 0:19:57.159 because the enthusiasm and what she took that stage in 0:19:57.240 --> 0:20:00.520 Detroit with was a guy that was really excited about 0:20:00.560 --> 0:20:04.160