Speaker 1: The following is a presentation of the Chicago Bears Network
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Speaker 1: And now welcome to Bears All Access. You're All Access
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Speaker 1: good Thursday night, everybody. Jeff Johnny Acol on my broadcast
Speaker 1: Barner tom Fare from News Radio seven eighty one to
Speaker 1: five point ATFMWBBM, And this is Bears All Access here
Speaker 1: in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score with our
Speaker 1: producers today, Mike Channing, Chris Dickens. How are you doing,
Speaker 1: Buddy Dickens, I'm doing good. Guys probably hate me. I always,
Speaker 1: I never I you know, I really am in here,
Speaker 1: so I don't recognize faces and it takes me a
Speaker 1: while to remember names. Well, it's nice to have you
Speaker 1: back in our community. I know you spent a couple
Speaker 1: of weeks in Florida, basking in the sun, enjoying that climate,
Speaker 1: that weather. Why we sat here shovel and snow. Right.
Speaker 1: I did last week's show from a boat. Very nice
Speaker 1: on the phone, believe that or not. And that's hard
Speaker 1: to believe, but technology as great as it is. But yeah,
Speaker 1: it was nice to get away a little bit. But
Speaker 1: now we got to bundle up this weekend. You know,
Speaker 1: these are types of things you got your you got
Speaker 1: your lid on right now. You know, listen to ball,
Speaker 1: Guys wear hats all winter long, whether it's indoors or outdoors.
Speaker 1: You got to keep the nogging warm. And that's just
Speaker 1: the way it goes. Looking forward to a little bit
Speaker 1: of the polar vortex tomorrow, I think it keeps but
Speaker 1: you won't be outside at all. You will be in
Speaker 1: your Doors'll still be there'll be times you got to
Speaker 1: take the dog out and stuff like that. He doesn't
Speaker 1: want to stay all very long. But I think you know,
Speaker 1: you know, everybody, you know. I think this should this
Speaker 1: weekend in Chicago with the cold weather but also the
Speaker 1: All Star festivities, it's gonna be a big weekend, should be.
Speaker 1: I remember at thirty two years ago covering that All
Speaker 1: Star game. I was there back in nineteen eighty eight,
Speaker 1: So you were there, were you were how'd you get there?
Speaker 1: I was telling the story last week, and I just
Speaker 1: to repeat myself. I went to the game with Jim
Speaker 1: McMahon and his back in the old stadium and when
Speaker 1: they used to have those four those kind of cubicles
Speaker 1: with four seats together, we sat with Tyson, Mike Tyson
Speaker 1: and Robin Givens. So, I mean, it's quite the story
Speaker 1: it was, you know, because I think at that time,
Speaker 1: you're so intimidated in awe of a guy like Mike Tyson.
Speaker 1: And it's not because of his size and his stature
Speaker 1: and his you know, his physique and everything. It's just
Speaker 1: about his destructiveness in the boxing ring. And that's what
Speaker 1: was so amazing about it at that time. But the
Speaker 1: ALLA festivities back in eighty a kind of spoke for themselves. Well,
Speaker 1: it is NBA All Star weekend, and there's plenty of
Speaker 1: Bears players that love the NBA, so they're likely either
Speaker 1: be there somehow, some way or enjoying the whole. Well,
Speaker 1: each weekend, Spice Adams is in the celebrity game. I
Speaker 1: looked up the roster and I saw that Spice. I
Speaker 1: believe it's happened before, but you know, man, Spices look
Speaker 1: so good. He's done such a great job of getting
Speaker 1: his weight down. And the Spice hitters are Kaream Biggins.
Speaker 1: I don't know. I think Kareem's playing that Spice are well,
Speaker 1: that's on the roster. He's it's unless they're Spice, unless
Speaker 1: they're both playing, because that's how you know. You go
Speaker 1: on YouTube and you see both of them. Yeah, you know,
Speaker 1: it's crazy. He's absolutely crazy. But the ex Chicago Bear
Speaker 1: killing it in his second career, that's for sure. Hey,
Speaker 1: coming up here in moments, we're gonna be joined by
Speaker 1: Trey Robertson, the newest Chicago Bear by way of Illinois
Speaker 1: State and then the Canadian Football League signing a deal
Speaker 1: with the Bears and had many, many different options. We'll
Speaker 1: talk to him about that. Jim Miller will be joining
Speaker 1: us as well shortly as well, and we're gonna take
Speaker 1: some phone calls tonight. It's like the calm before the
Speaker 1: pre combined storm, and that's coming up shortly in Indianapolis,
Speaker 1: and there's a lot of it's gonna be different this year,
Speaker 1: very different. What do you think about the prime time workouts?
Speaker 1: They're all gonna be televised at night. I like it
Speaker 1: you know, I you know what, For me, I love
Speaker 1: that the fact that they do covered the combine so
Speaker 1: closely because I think if you're a fan of the
Speaker 1: game of football, if you're trying to study the combine
Speaker 1: as celts, it gives you great exposure to it. And
Speaker 1: then when you run replays and they have the superimposed
Speaker 1: this guy ran it last year at this speed. Now
Speaker 1: let's look what this player looks in the same position
Speaker 1: and stuff. They pull guards up and pull your tape
Speaker 1: back from the day and they you know, putt would
Speaker 1: I would love to know what in today's world, what
Speaker 1: you would have run that's in They are like hand
Speaker 1: cranking the video. But you know, so much of this
Speaker 1: week has been captured about where certain quarterbacks are gonna
Speaker 1: be going in. Actually I know, I realize that, but
Speaker 1: I'm crazy. Yeah it is. It's a It's amazing because
Speaker 1: you look at just the amount of quarterbacks, the years
Speaker 1: of service where they have left in the tank. But
Speaker 1: I'm still more interested in the combine than I am
Speaker 1: where those guys are gonna go. Well, that'll be a
Speaker 1: big story though for free agency. Who are those dominoes
Speaker 1: will fall? As we get you set for the twenty
Speaker 1: twenty Bears season. We'll dig into We'll talk quarterbacks tonight.
Speaker 1: We're gonna talk defensive backs. Tonight, We're gonna talk with
Speaker 1: Trey robertson the newest Chicago Barretts All coming up next
Speaker 1: here in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Welcome
Speaker 1: Backs of Bears and all access brought to you by
Speaker 1: IGS Energy, a proud partner of the Chicago Bearts, providing electricity,
Speaker 1: natural gas, and home warranty products over a million customers
Speaker 1: across the country. Learn more about IGS Energy at igstuh
Speaker 1: dot com. Jeff Jonny Act top there, Big Jim Miller
Speaker 1: from Serious x MNFL radio, the former Bears quarterback here.
Speaker 1: I lost you in that first part. I didn't have
Speaker 1: my ear plug all the way in thirty three years
Speaker 1: in radio, you think i'd figure that out, Big Jim, Jeff, Sorry,
Speaker 1: I enjoyed the talk. I'm gonna be down there, maybe
Speaker 1: I'll see you guys. I'm going taking my son, Manny
Speaker 1: to the All Star Game. Oh nice. You know, as
Speaker 1: a privileged few, we don't have tickets to that stuff. Big.
Speaker 1: Luckily there's an NBA channel on Serious x up. Just
Speaker 1: there you go, Jim Jim Man of the tickets, How
Speaker 1: old is Manny? Manny is just turned thirteen. Wow, it's
Speaker 1: amazing to see these guys that we either broadcasting about
Speaker 1: or played with and stuff, and you see the different
Speaker 1: ages of their kids coming up through their ranks. Good
Speaker 1: for you, Jim. I can't. I can't believe. Like Michael Pittman,
Speaker 1: I played with him in Tampa after I was released
Speaker 1: by his son is coming out of usc All. These
Speaker 1: guys that we played with Tom now their sons are
Speaker 1: playing and it's hilarious watching these guys go to work
Speaker 1: and they're gonna be drafted as well, much like their fathers.
Speaker 1: We'll get your Scotting report on Manny's future quarterback or linebacker.
Speaker 1: We'll see hey joining us right now. The newest Chicago
Speaker 1: Bear coming aboard here by way of the Canadian Football League.
Speaker 1: Trey Robertson joined the program. Now he's joining us, the
Speaker 1: cornerback and former Illinois State star quarterback Trey. Good evening.
Speaker 1: How you doing man? How you doing fantastic? You know
Speaker 1: I put I put on some of the tape of
Speaker 1: that FCS game against Carson Wentz and the Boys, and
Speaker 1: I literally could not stop I couldn't stop watching it. Yeah,
Speaker 1: that was a heartbreak. It's definitely harder, I mean better
Speaker 1: to the end. We even took the lead and they
Speaker 1: were there to come down on the last drive again
Speaker 1: put ahead and win the game. I mean, but that's
Speaker 1: They're great. That was a great organization and that's still
Speaker 1: a great program. You know, they just won a national
Speaker 1: championship again this year. So yeah, that's a that's a
Speaker 1: tough team to beat, and you were a tough quarterback
Speaker 1: to beat that day. And I know these guys, including Jim,
Speaker 1: who played quarterback in the National Football League and for
Speaker 1: the Bears. Um, you know, it's in your blood when
Speaker 1: you're a quarterback, and I'm sure it's still on your
Speaker 1: blood that even though you've made the transition to corner,
Speaker 1: there's still a part of you. I know you have
Speaker 1: big arm. I talked to Braxton back today. I've talked
Speaker 1: to you about that later. But you know you always
Speaker 1: have that in the back of your mind. I'm sure, Yeah,
Speaker 1: I do it, but I use it a lot on
Speaker 1: steps and when I'm playing defensive back. I mean, I
Speaker 1: take the same work ethic that I had as a quarterback,
Speaker 1: watching film and break it down film that way. That's
Speaker 1: how I do it as a defensive back, and it
Speaker 1: makes the game a lot slower for me. So, uh,
Speaker 1: they that quarterback background definitely helped me. And uh they
Speaker 1: helped me open up, open up my eyes to the game.
Speaker 1: I'm able to see more, uh envision with his zone
Speaker 1: coverages and also a route recognition. Also, well, Trey, with
Speaker 1: your background at quarterback and now playing the defensive back,
Speaker 1: I don't think there's anybody that can answer this question
Speaker 1: more honestly, what is the more physical of position? Is
Speaker 1: it quarterback when you don't see the hits coming, or
Speaker 1: is a defensive back when you predict when you're going
Speaker 1: to hit somebody? Definitely biggest quarterback because I mean you've
Speaker 1: got those big, angry guys coming come and rush and
Speaker 1: ask you those defensive alignment and you don't see him coming.
Speaker 1: So you're taking a lot of times, you're taking hits
Speaker 1: that you don't even know that you took. That game,
Speaker 1: you know you're getting hit a lot. So definitely being
Speaker 1: being a quarterback was I mean, you're a standard target,
Speaker 1: so I mean that is, but as a dB, you're
Speaker 1: able to line up the hits and then sometimes I
Speaker 1: mean I would go games where I wouldn't even make
Speaker 1: a tackle, So I mean, this is a different game. Well,
Speaker 1: Tray Jim Miller here, believe it or not. I'll take
Speaker 1: you back in time. I called a game. If you're
Speaker 1: back when you were in Indiana Hoosier and you were
Speaker 1: quite young, yeah, quite young back then and in your
Speaker 1: young quarterback career, and now have made that that that transition.
Speaker 1: What's been the toughest part for you? You know, it's
Speaker 1: a backpedaling, the angles that you got to learn and
Speaker 1: closing on to make tackles. What has been the most
Speaker 1: difficult part to master about the cornerback position? The footwork
Speaker 1: you know, just like how you're doing a drop three
Speaker 1: steps drop, five step drop as a dB, you gotta
Speaker 1: master that. I gotta mass. I mastered the backpedal, UH
Speaker 1: breaking T step and stuff like that. You got to
Speaker 1: be able to master your craft or you're not thinking
Speaker 1: about it. You know, I didn't have to think about
Speaker 1: doing a five step drop and making a throw, So
Speaker 1: I don't want to have to think about backpedaling and
Speaker 1: breaking on a route. I don't want to be able
Speaker 1: to to know what I've seen on film and break
Speaker 1: and break a based off of that, and I have
Speaker 1: to worry about technique. So I say, get your technique
Speaker 1: down is the most important thing. And uh, and that's
Speaker 1: the thing that that I've been working on. Hey, Trey,
Speaker 1: you know I played in the USFL and it really
Speaker 1: helped me. I watched the guys this weekend playing the XFL,
Speaker 1: and I think the reps are valuable. Would you be
Speaker 1: here right now if it wasn't for the reps to
Speaker 1: refine your skill from the CFL, No, I definitely wouldn't be.
Speaker 1: The CFL gave me the opportunity to actually go out
Speaker 1: and play, because I mean I was playing quarterback in college.
Speaker 1: So when I went to the NFL, I didn't get
Speaker 1: the fair opportunity as I would if I went to
Speaker 1: the CFL and got the film and got the experience
Speaker 1: and actually got to play, not just playing on sitting
Speaker 1: on the practice roster where I'm not playing games. You know,
Speaker 1: playing games. It is most important. You got to be
Speaker 1: able to play games, so you get the time and
Speaker 1: of the football and stay in rhythm. It's a different
Speaker 1: rhythm when you had practicing when you're in the game.
Speaker 1: So I say, definitely going to the CFL. Getting that
Speaker 1: opportunity to showcase my ability and also get reps. Reps
Speaker 1: was the most important thing. New Chicago Bear and former
Speaker 1: Illinois state cornerback and quarterback rather and Indiana quarterback and
Speaker 1: now cornerback Trey robertson our guest here in Chicago Sports
Speaker 1: Radio six seventy to score. All right, so we've read
Speaker 1: the articles. You read the story. You were quite busy
Speaker 1: in the month of December. In January with all the workouts.
Speaker 1: After you are allowed to go out of your contract
Speaker 1: with the Calgary St. Peters in the CFL. So if
Speaker 1: my math's right, a dozen teams tried you out, nine
Speaker 1: offered contracts. So why the Bears. Um, I just feel
Speaker 1: real comfortable there when I when I came to my
Speaker 1: visit to the Bears, my workout, I just feel like
Speaker 1: I was at home. They made it, they made sure
Speaker 1: I was real comfortable and in every aspect of the trip. Um,
Speaker 1: And I just feel like it's a it's a great place,
Speaker 1: great place to be. Is close to home. I'm from Indianapolis,
Speaker 1: so it's not too far away. So I mean, we've
Speaker 1: been in Calgary, so we've been home home away from
Speaker 1: home a lot. So I just feel like it was
Speaker 1: the best place for me, and uh, I mean, I
Speaker 1: feel like I can really help the organization get to
Speaker 1: to get the next level, which is the Super Bowl.
Speaker 1: When you mentioned to the listeners that you had a
Speaker 1: crack in the NFL, and I know, I know Rick
Speaker 1: Spielman very well. Rick Spielman actually signed me with the Bears.
Speaker 1: He was under Mark Hatley as an assistant GM and
Speaker 1: you were up there on their practice squad. How how
Speaker 1: was that Because I gotta believe so much was coming
Speaker 1: at you so quickly for that period a time, and
Speaker 1: as you mentioned, you get the opportunity to go to
Speaker 1: the CFL and it really do some things and really
Speaker 1: it speaks to how good of an athlete you are, Trey.
Speaker 1: At the end of the day. Yeah, being in Minnesota,
Speaker 1: I was able to learn the craft and I was
Speaker 1: able to learn from them Coach Gray, Terrence Newman, those
Speaker 1: guys that were there. I was able to learn every
Speaker 1: single day. And at the same time, I'm guarding guys
Speaker 1: like Adam die was Defin Diggs on the practice squad
Speaker 1: and I'm guarding them every single day. So I'm getting
Speaker 1: like high quality reps early just at the beginning of
Speaker 1: learning the craft. I'm getting those high quality reps. So
Speaker 1: then going into the CFL, that just gave me confidence
Speaker 1: that I can play in that league. That all I
Speaker 1: needed was the film and just the reps, the game reps,
Speaker 1: you know, and just show that on tape that I
Speaker 1: can do what I've been doing in practice, if that
Speaker 1: makes sense. So the CFL that's what That's what the
Speaker 1: CFL platform gave me, was that opportunity to showcase ed
Speaker 1: ability that I can do do it in games. Tray.
Speaker 1: It seems like in the NFL, cornerbacks get labeled whether
Speaker 1: they're a cover corner, press corner, a physical run corner,
Speaker 1: a man corner. Is that the same in the CFL.
Speaker 1: And if so, did you ever get identified as as
Speaker 1: a type of corner? I don't know really if there's
Speaker 1: a if you're really identifying, I mean there's corners that
Speaker 1: that that just mainly press. Uh. With our defense, we
Speaker 1: played a lot of off because we wanted our past
Speaker 1: coverage to mask to match up with the rush. So
Speaker 1: we will and then we ran a lot of different coverages.
Speaker 1: We never just played man. You know, we disguised. I
Speaker 1: mean we do run zone, we will run man. Uh,
Speaker 1: different type of trap zones. Like, we ran a lot
Speaker 1: of things and in our defense you had to be
Speaker 1: at a re route concepts. So that's where the quarterback
Speaker 1: comes in. And uh so we for instance, like we'll
Speaker 1: being covered two and we'll slice a dig which in
Speaker 1: the corner, Like you probably want to do that because
Speaker 1: you're thinking as a corner that's coming back for a
Speaker 1: number two. So like we had to be able to
Speaker 1: route read and also communicate with the guy next to us,
Speaker 1: which was very important. So playing off, playing man, just
Speaker 1: based on what you've felt or the situation. Trey Roberts
Speaker 1: and our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy
Speaker 1: the Score. This is Bears All Access brought to you
Speaker 1: by IGS Energy. Your story is kind of amazing and again,
Speaker 1: so many ways to get to the NFL and what
Speaker 1: you have to do to sacrifice to get there. But
Speaker 1: after that, the Vikings decided not to keep you on
Speaker 1: the practice squad after year two. There, tell me about
Speaker 1: Westmoreland transportation and why that's so important in your story.
Speaker 1: Tell everybody your story. Oh man, so um, when I
Speaker 1: got when I got released from the Vikings, I had
Speaker 1: a baby that was coming at the time, you know,
Speaker 1: I was on practice squad. I didn't really make a
Speaker 1: ton of money, so I mean I had to get
Speaker 1: a job. I didn't. I was a little banged up
Speaker 1: coming from Minnesota, so I mean I had to get
Speaker 1: a job. I didn't get a I didn't get a
Speaker 1: job until to October and didn't I signed with Calgary,
Speaker 1: so like I knew that I had a job coming
Speaker 1: once the season one is over. So yeah, for for
Speaker 1: Instant and westmore Than Transportation, which is a trucking company,
Speaker 1: I was. I was driving full time every times where
Speaker 1: I will wake up at seven thirty, we drive the
Speaker 1: morning shift and then get on my next shift, which
Speaker 1: was started at four pm, which I drive to Ohio,
Speaker 1: drive the four winn and then drive back home and
Speaker 1: then hopefully get home by three four o'clock and then
Speaker 1: I'll go to Lifetime to work out and h But
Speaker 1: the only time I was able to steal some sleep
Speaker 1: is when I was actually when I was got to Ohio,
Speaker 1: the stuff wouldn't be able to get picked up two
Speaker 1: nine o'clock, so I'll get there around seven and that
Speaker 1: will be my two hours to sleep. So I mean
Speaker 1: I did that for a whole year, working out every
Speaker 1: single day. I mean, I barely got any sleep, but
Speaker 1: it all paid off well in terms of the work
Speaker 1: ethic and obviously, you know, because like you said, it's
Speaker 1: much like football. There are days you just don't feel
Speaker 1: like doing it. You know, Let's be honest, you're nicked up,
Speaker 1: you're brought your bruised. But to be on the road
Speaker 1: to be working, but yet still have the discipline to
Speaker 1: curve out the time to get in your training that
Speaker 1: you need to train to keep it going. I mean,
Speaker 1: obviously that speaks to excuse me, it speaks to the
Speaker 1: love of the game that you have, Trey. Yeah, yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1: I mean I knew what I knew once I got
Speaker 1: to Calgary. They told me I had an opportunity to
Speaker 1: do that. I have an opportunity to start if the
Speaker 1: best player I was going to play. So that was
Speaker 1: my motivation the whole entire year was to get better,
Speaker 1: to get as as good as I can at my craft,
Speaker 1: and uh and going there full to it, ready to go.
Speaker 1: And didn't I mean with the chips aware they may hey, Tray,
Speaker 1: how long were people always in your ear about playing
Speaker 1: corner even when you were playing quarterback? I know that's
Speaker 1: kind of confusing, but I think when they recognize talent,
Speaker 1: they want the most out of the player. So was
Speaker 1: it a subject that didn't get approached until you were
Speaker 1: done playing quarterback? Oh? Yeah, I mean I played because
Speaker 1: I played quarterback all my life. Um yeah, I mean
Speaker 1: it was just like I kind of I didn't I
Speaker 1: didn't really want to play quarterbacks in professional on the
Speaker 1: professional level. You know. It's I wanted to be able
Speaker 1: to play a position where I'm out there playing, playing
Speaker 1: playing football of my athletic ability, not having to think
Speaker 1: as much, just ragiastical out there and play football. I'm
Speaker 1: not the best passer, so I mean I'm not I'm
Speaker 1: not a natural passor that's just something that I'm not
Speaker 1: natural at. I'm naturally I playing corner, natural back backpedaling
Speaker 1: and stuff like that. So it was just something where
Speaker 1: I just found something that I was natural at, and
Speaker 1: I mean the game comes easy for me. So I
Speaker 1: mean that's really it. That's good to hear. All right, Well, Trey,
Speaker 1: I do know this. And talking to Brack's back, the
Speaker 1: head coach at Illinois State who's turned up a lot
Speaker 1: of NFL players, including uh Davante Harris, who started six
Speaker 1: games for the Broncos at corner from Illinois State this year. Uh.
Speaker 1: He did say, though, because he was on the produce
Speaker 1: staff when Drew Brees was there, your strength coach is
Speaker 1: still who was who was the same guy that trained
Speaker 1: Drew Brees at Purdue is still at i s U.
Speaker 1: He said, you always asked him questions about Drew Brees. Yeah,
Speaker 1: so yeah, in your blood. Yeah, he's I mean, he's
Speaker 1: one of the best. So I mean that's what I
Speaker 1: want to be. I want to be one of the best.
Speaker 1: So whatever it takes. I mean, that's why I talked
Speaker 1: to I talked to people that best, that are doing good,
Speaker 1: you know, and that, and I mean that's what I
Speaker 1: will like to model myself after all right, we'll be
Speaker 1: looking forward to meeting you when you when the offseason
Speaker 1: program gets underway. And welcome to Chicago, Trey. Thank you
Speaker 1: so much, Thank you, thanks right, thank you, Thanks for
Speaker 1: having me. Trey robertson the Bears new cornerback here on
Speaker 1: Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score Back with Jim
Speaker 1: Miller will take some phone calls tonight as well. Three one,
Speaker 1: two h six, winning sixty seven, sixty seven on Chicago
Speaker 1: Sports Radio six seventy of the score back in a minute.
Speaker 1: This segment of Bears and All Access is brought to
Speaker 1: you by Old Spice. Never let a friend lose his swagger,
Speaker 1: Jeff Joni Actim there, Jim Miller with us and your
Speaker 1: phone call is coming up three one, two, six, forty four,
Speaker 1: sixty seven, sixty seven with our producers Mike Chen and
Speaker 1: Chris Dickens. Uh Hey, big Jim, Trey Robertson. We could
Speaker 1: really talk to that guy for a whole hour. He's
Speaker 1: got a quite the background, quite the history, and you know,
Speaker 1: I don't know how how it's going to be perceived
Speaker 1: what his role is, but the Bears definitely, you know,
Speaker 1: invested in him. When you talk about a guy from
Speaker 1: the Canadian Football League, and if I'm not mistaken, he
Speaker 1: got the biggest payout. Yeah, I'm a Canadian Football leaguey
Speaker 1: since Cameron Wake. Yeah, I got a seventy five thousand
Speaker 1: dollar bonus. I guess what he got to sign. Well,
Speaker 1: he's a terrific athlete. I mean he really is. Well
Speaker 1: at that point, Kevin Wilson was the head coach of
Speaker 1: Indiana and I saw him when he was starting as
Speaker 1: as a true freshman he does have a terrific arm,
Speaker 1: but you know, it's just the consistency and things like that.
Speaker 1: Then transfers out because Nate Sudfeld was there as well.
Speaker 1: Nate ends up getting drafted, and he's bounced around the
Speaker 1: league a little bit, and then here Trake moves on,
Speaker 1: plays quarterback, plays well as a terrific athlete. Rick Spielman
Speaker 1: and a lot of other teams ended up signing him.
Speaker 1: He bounces around the practice squad for a couple of
Speaker 1: years for Minnesota and then hones his skills enough to
Speaker 1: go up there to the CFL and play. And he's,
Speaker 1: like I said, a terrific athlete. And he'll even admitted
Speaker 1: he knew quarterback wasn't his possess. And we've seen a
Speaker 1: lot of guys make that transition to other positions and
Speaker 1: he's one of them. There's a lot of guys coming
Speaker 1: out in this year's draft, believe or not. We discovered
Speaker 1: some linebackers today that they were dual threat quarterbacks all
Speaker 1: through high school and end up being linebackers in college
Speaker 1: and go on, and they're about to be you know,
Speaker 1: some of them are going to be pretty high draft
Speaker 1: picks coming up. So terrific athlete who he's going to
Speaker 1: get better and better. His best football is ahead of him.
Speaker 1: And you know, he's got his foot in the door
Speaker 1: and that's all you can ask for. We'll see how
Speaker 1: he competes for the Chicago I just like his size, guys,
Speaker 1: and I like he's over six feet tall, he's one
Speaker 1: hundred and ninety pounds. He ran a four or five
Speaker 1: back when he was in his pro day time here
Speaker 1: he's twenty seven now. So but I think because of
Speaker 1: his transition two corner, like you said, this guy's kind
Speaker 1: of a limit. He's still scratching the service. He was
Speaker 1: very successful up there playing in a wider field, so
Speaker 1: he covered a lot of ground and he's got long arms.
Speaker 1: He's got thirty three and a half inch arms, So
Speaker 1: that's good at the corner position as well. Well, you know, Jim,
Speaker 1: you know, give us an explanation if you turned yourself around.
Speaker 1: I know you know again, I'm not trying to make
Speaker 1: a joke, but you don't have the athleticism to play cornerback,
Speaker 1: but you did quarterback. So now, if you're on the
Speaker 1: defensive side of the ball and you're looking at an
Speaker 1: offensive structure, would things come to you quicker, Would you
Speaker 1: start your thinking process as they're coming to the line
Speaker 1: of scrimmage and you're seeing the formation, How does playing
Speaker 1: quarterback benefit a cornerback. Yeah, he's gonna know just by
Speaker 1: sets three by one, two by two's route combinations, things
Speaker 1: that can happen, just by wide receiver splits that he
Speaker 1: can all use from his knowledge of being a quarterback.
Speaker 1: You know, just the splits alone of a receiver. See,
Speaker 1: if the receiver's two yards outside the numbers, odds are
Speaker 1: it's going to be an inbreaking route. I mean, whether
Speaker 1: it's a slant, whether it's an incut, whether it's a curl,
Speaker 1: something like that, something small that it's gonna is gonna
Speaker 1: benefit him. And so I think from that aspect. And
Speaker 1: as you said, yeah, he's a mature of twenty seven,
Speaker 1: all right, this guy, you know, has a young young child.
Speaker 1: He's been in the real world, he's been working, he
Speaker 1: knows what it takes, but yet still wants to keep
Speaker 1: his dream alive. So he's focused. All right. This isn't
Speaker 1: a twenty seven year old who's now just out of
Speaker 1: college who doesn't have really a clue of what to expect.
Speaker 1: He is focused on what he needs to do to
Speaker 1: make a team, and he's motivated to play and fulfill
Speaker 1: out his dream. So again, I think character has a
Speaker 1: lot to do with it and why a lot of
Speaker 1: teams I think have been going in that direction, and
Speaker 1: he fits the bill. You're going to take a chance
Speaker 1: on a corner that is over six foot. If you
Speaker 1: go look at the first round of the corners coming out,
Speaker 1: probably the first six guys, they're all over six one.
Speaker 1: Every one of them are the corners that are coming
Speaker 1: out in this year's draft, So not all of them
Speaker 1: will be first rounders. But if I were to just
Speaker 1: give you a couple of names, Jeff Okudon out of
Speaker 1: Ohio State, he's over six one. Christian Fulton at LSU,
Speaker 1: he's six one. They're all over hundred pounds two. Trey
Speaker 1: Von Diggs Alabama, he's sick over six foot two o seven.
Speaker 1: Every one of them are over six foot. Well, his
Speaker 1: grandpa wasn't. He was five to nine and had sixty
Speaker 1: six interceptions in thirteen years. He's a Canadian Football League
Speaker 1: Hall of Famer by the name of Larry Highball. Hey, Jim,
Speaker 1: we're gonna take a phone call here, real quick start
Speaker 1: us off tonight. Phil from Saint Charles, been hanging on Phil.
Speaker 1: Good evening. How you doing, Hey, good evening, How are
Speaker 1: you guys? Fantastic? Awesome. Yeah, I was calling because I
Speaker 1: was wondering, you know what draft picks the Bears have
Speaker 1: half this year and what players in the draft you
Speaker 1: think the Bears might try to target. Well, Jim, you've
Speaker 1: been working on it and you know it's gonna be
Speaker 1: best player available, always in Ryan Pace's eyes. But no
Speaker 1: first round picks, so you gotta hit on your two
Speaker 1: second rounders, right, That's what I think was the first
Speaker 1: part of the question was that the amount of draft
Speaker 1: choices and the play and the positions they're picking. And
Speaker 1: I think for for the Bears, like you said, I'll
Speaker 1: have to look and I'm not even sure what their
Speaker 1: picks are. Aren't they They owned like the forty third
Speaker 1: fifty at the start, And that's that's what the focus
Speaker 1: is gonna be on Willie package those Willie stay there.
Speaker 1: I mean, what types of positions were talking about here?
Speaker 1: But you know, you don't want to draft just based
Speaker 1: on need. You want to draft because you're drafting the
Speaker 1: best possible player at that spot. That's the way I
Speaker 1: would look at it. How are you guys looking at Yeah,
Speaker 1: I think like anything, they'll they'll target certain guys of
Speaker 1: what they want to do. If they want to package
Speaker 1: those picks where they feel that, hey, this guy's too
Speaker 1: you know, we don't want to lose this player, and
Speaker 1: if they want to trade up and get them, I
Speaker 1: think they would do that. You know, As for needs,
Speaker 1: I don't think the Bears have a ton of needs.
Speaker 1: You know, if you look at their offense, pretty much
Speaker 1: all the starters will be returning there. From that standpoint,
Speaker 1: you may want to target the offensive line. Um because
Speaker 1: of the guard spot and where that's at right now,
Speaker 1: they'll have to finish their evaluations on where they feel
Speaker 1: that the guard spot's gonna go um, I would say,
Speaker 1: from that standpoint, And then defensively obviously for Quikowski, are
Speaker 1: they going to resign one of these to return or
Speaker 1: is that an area of need that has to be
Speaker 1: drafted along with haha, Clinton Dicks being a free agent
Speaker 1: as well, So safety is an issue that probably needs
Speaker 1: to be addressed. You know, to me, most articles that
Speaker 1: I read throughout the off season are always the topic
Speaker 1: of tight end. In more of a bigger catching blocking
Speaker 1: tight end, not the U tight end that we've been
Speaker 1: introduced to a couple of years ago, that's more of
Speaker 1: a wide receiver type of a tight end. But if
Speaker 1: they can find that guy, if they can find that
Speaker 1: guy out there in college who can come in here
Speaker 1: and along with the personnel they do have on the
Speaker 1: team already, that can develop into that weapon at the
Speaker 1: tight end position to you know, take some catches away
Speaker 1: from the wide receiver but add a little bit of
Speaker 1: a relief to the quarterback position in terms of a receiver.
Speaker 1: So just you know, kind of the articles that you
Speaker 1: read throughout the off season so far, for me, it's
Speaker 1: been the time because of the lack of production last
Speaker 1: year and the injuries and everything that went wrong at
Speaker 1: the tight end position last year, it certainly is going
Speaker 1: to be a major topic of discussion and you hear
Speaker 1: it all the time. So that leads this to just
Speaker 1: something that you should you brought up to me really
Speaker 1: earlier today. So, Jim and Tom, out of all the
Speaker 1: guys that finished the year on ir or had injury
Speaker 1: issues last year, who do you think out of that
Speaker 1: group could have the biggest impact in twenty twenty. I'll
Speaker 1: start with Tom to me, it's to me, it's Trey Burton.
Speaker 1: I think a guy if he can get healthy and
Speaker 1: get back on the field, and you know, Matt has
Speaker 1: probably talked about that position is being beneficial to the
Speaker 1: offense more than any any any other position that can
Speaker 1: add value. And I do think Trey Burton has receiver skill. Um.
Speaker 1: I think that he is a good weapon of choice.
Speaker 1: He has a good relationship with Trubisky. But if you
Speaker 1: can take a guy that was completely injured throughout most
Speaker 1: of the season last year, if he can come back
Speaker 1: throughout this offseason, get himself where his body inserts confidence
Speaker 1: in him, I think that Trey Burton can be, you know,
Speaker 1: have a huge production next year. Jim, Yeah, it's not
Speaker 1: a good draft at tight end. I will say that.
Speaker 1: I'm not saying there aren't guys that are literally littered
Speaker 1: through there that you can potentially target, But I would
Speaker 1: think free agency is probably the better route if you
Speaker 1: want a tight end to produce right away, is what
Speaker 1: I'd say. It's probably not the deepest draft in terms
Speaker 1: of tight ends that will be available this year. Have
Speaker 1: you looked deeper into it at all at the college level,
Speaker 1: so well, you know, col comat's name comes up from
Speaker 1: Notre Dame obviously, and this guy from Dayton, Adam Troutman's
Speaker 1: getting a lot of play. Yeah, Troutman's getting a lot
Speaker 1: of love. There's no doubt. I thought. Bryson Hopkins performed
Speaker 1: well out of Purdue down at the at the ESA's
Speaker 1: Senior Bowl. He actually won the Player of the Week
Speaker 1: award at the tight end spot. But just overall, it's
Speaker 1: it's just not a deep tight It's not a deep
Speaker 1: tight end draft. So Jared Pinkney was another one out
Speaker 1: of Vanderbilt that performed pretty well down there. But you know,
Speaker 1: they're littered throughout. But to expect again a rookie to
Speaker 1: come in and produce that position and be dominant, it's
Speaker 1: is few and far between that have really done that.
Speaker 1: You know, you've got some free agents that are out there,
Speaker 1: like a Hunter Henry and guys like that that potentially
Speaker 1: could be available. And as Tom mentioned, Trey Burton, you
Speaker 1: need him healthy. I mean, he's more of the receiving
Speaker 1: tight end. You know, if you were bringing another guy
Speaker 1: as a compliment as a blocker, more in line those
Speaker 1: type of things. But certainly a healthy Trey Burton would
Speaker 1: definitely help out with the other part of it too.
Speaker 1: He knows the offense, so he knew it coming in
Speaker 1: and he knows it now, so that would be a
Speaker 1: great place to start to help boost that position. Healthy
Speaker 1: Trey Burton, I'm gonna throw two guys on the pile.
Speaker 1: He came back, but a Keem Hicks and Roll Quant
Speaker 1: Smith finished the year on injury reserve. I'm still looking
Speaker 1: for great things out of both of these guys. I
Speaker 1: think still we're still scratching the surface of Roll Quant
Speaker 1: Smith will ultimately become. I think he still has experience
Speaker 1: needed in order to configure and you know, and everything
Speaker 1: that's required of him. And yeah, and A Kim is
Speaker 1: the guy. You know, Kim he got he got injured
Speaker 1: by you know, sticking his arm and trying and trying
Speaker 1: to make a tackle. It wasn't something just bad. Yeah,
Speaker 1: it was just bad instance of timing that hurt a team.
Speaker 1: Happens every day in the National Football League, sadly, but
Speaker 1: that's part of the game. Everybody knows. It weren't wrong place,
Speaker 1: wrong time. This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports
Speaker 1: Radio six seventy score Back in a little bit. This
Speaker 1: segment is Bears. All Access is brought to you by CDW.
Speaker 1: People to get it, learn more at CDW dot com.
Speaker 1: Jeff Joni actomp there Jim Miller from Serious XM NFL
Speaker 1: Radio three one two six four four sixty seven sixty seven.
Speaker 1: They're going to hop on and ask a couple of
Speaker 1: questions before we get out of here. We had Trey
Speaker 1: Rovers and the Bears new cornerback from Illinois States on
Speaker 1: the program. Just a bit of go and I won
Speaker 1: a Great Cup. He had seven interceptions and twelve pass
Speaker 1: breakups in twenty nineteen, won the Great Cup in eighteen
Speaker 1: up there in Calgary. So what's the impact Jim of
Speaker 1: a wider field for a guy in those terms playing
Speaker 1: a boundary corner then making that transition back to the
Speaker 1: National Football League in a smaller distance. Yeah, I think
Speaker 1: it will be more compact form. And you do. You
Speaker 1: just have to cover a lot of ground and remember
Speaker 1: just how the motions and things happen. They can come
Speaker 1: on you. Those receivers can get on you pretty quick
Speaker 1: because they're running towards the line of scrimmage sometimes with
Speaker 1: their motions. Yeah, and I think it'll benefit them. And
Speaker 1: you know, he's he's got a past with American football,
Speaker 1: so although he had to adjust to the rules up there,
Speaker 1: it will be different down here getting back adjusted to
Speaker 1: the American game. But I think they'll benefit of it,
Speaker 1: a benefit from it. If anything. It will be a
Speaker 1: smaller track that's more compact form, where it will be
Speaker 1: able to react a lot quicker, and again those motions
Speaker 1: and stuff, and the game, in my opinion, will slow
Speaker 1: down a little bit because that's just again the way
Speaker 1: they motion up there, how receivers can get on you
Speaker 1: so quickly, even though say you're in off coverage. It
Speaker 1: just happens a lot quicker than what it does in
Speaker 1: American football, where it's more static in the least, emotions
Speaker 1: here are more lateral. Probably you're playing more elite talent,
Speaker 1: there's no doubt about that. But I think he will
Speaker 1: benefit being back on a normal sized track what he's
Speaker 1: used to. You know, I think the NFL will give
Speaker 1: him a chance to be more physical too, because when
Speaker 1: you talk about the width of the field, you're going
Speaker 1: to change your angle of approach and sometimes that will
Speaker 1: put you in a less physical position. Then Jim talked
Speaker 1: about the motion of the receivers in the Canadian football
Speaker 1: league where they can be coming at you and get
Speaker 1: on you so quickly, then you're kind of in a
Speaker 1: decisive position back paddle or coming forward. So, now if
Speaker 1: he can meet these wide receivers running back sweeps, wide
Speaker 1: receiver sweeps at the line of scrimmage towards the line
Speaker 1: of scrimmage where he's approaching, because I think that's one
Speaker 1: of the you know, when you look at his size
Speaker 1: and you know the value of his structure, I do
Speaker 1: think that he will benefit in the NFL and be
Speaker 1: more physical because of the limited space. Hey, Jim Tom,
Speaker 1: I heard Brian Kelly in her name's head coach at
Speaker 1: the Senior Ball on the broadcast of that talking about
Speaker 1: he prefers and he's an offensive coach. He doesn't recruit,
Speaker 1: or at least he is. Do I have it right right?
Speaker 1: He doesn't recruit high school dbs to play dB. He
Speaker 1: recruits wide receivers to be dvs. And I think coaches
Speaker 1: all have varying opinions about that, but there are plenty
Speaker 1: of examples. I don't know how you guys look at it,
Speaker 1: and is it, you know, translate for other positions as
Speaker 1: well as you project, you know, to me, I think
Speaker 1: it would probably be the most difficult transition there is
Speaker 1: almost in sports, just because you're doing everything going forward.
Speaker 1: Now you're doing everything kind of in reverse in a backpedal.
Speaker 1: You know, when you change a defensive lineman to an
Speaker 1: offensive lineman, it's because they have the size, they have
Speaker 1: the template, and there's a lot of things that are transferable,
Speaker 1: as your stance and your balances and stuff. But when
Speaker 1: I heard Brian Kelly say that, and that that was
Speaker 1: a direct quote by him, he says that all the
Speaker 1: six one quarterback cornerbacks coming out of high school, Nick
Speaker 1: Saban has him already anyway, So you got to go
Speaker 1: out there and you have to get creative. Is you know, Jim,
Speaker 1: is that information transferable again from a wide receiver to
Speaker 1: a dB when you're trying to, you know, increase the
Speaker 1: difficulty of the game and trying to change position at
Speaker 1: the same time. Yeah, I think so, because you got
Speaker 1: a lot of hip flexibility. You know, for bigger receivers,
Speaker 1: you got to get in and out of your breaks, right,
Speaker 1: I mean, so you got to be able to sink
Speaker 1: your hips, be fluid. From that standpoint, probably there's a
Speaker 1: lot of guys that do make that transition. Probably the
Speaker 1: most recent that comes to mind was Tony Lippett. Tony
Speaker 1: Lippett was out of mission. He became a starter down
Speaker 1: there from Miami. But Mark D'Antonio, he started out at
Speaker 1: wide receiver. They moved him to defensive back, then they
Speaker 1: had injuries, they moved him back to wide receiver, and
Speaker 1: then finally got he got drafted as a corner and
Speaker 1: that's what he ended up playing for the Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 1: So he's bounced around the league and things like that.
Speaker 1: But yeah, I do think there's there's carryover from that
Speaker 1: standpoint and just the hip flexibility. And a lot of
Speaker 1: times too is because these receivers are just getting bigger
Speaker 1: and bigger and bigger. I mean, there's probably literally about
Speaker 1: forty receivers that potentially could be drafted this year. The
Speaker 1: average for the draft is about thirty wide receivers. But
Speaker 1: because of the more multi sets that you're doing, you're
Speaker 1: seeing a lot of college coaches that are taking whatever
Speaker 1: receivers can't make it at receiver, they're switching them over
Speaker 1: to dB. Why because one they're over six foot and
Speaker 1: somebody's got to guard these monsters. Well, somebody has to
Speaker 1: guard these guys. I mean, you can't just have you know,
Speaker 1: the Tim Jennings of the world that are five to nine.
Speaker 1: Remember when Tim Jennings played for the Bears. Receivers that
Speaker 1: are coming out this year. I just mentioned Michael Pittman.
Speaker 1: There's probably about twelve to fifteen guys that are six
Speaker 1: foot four at receiver coming out in this year's draft.
Speaker 1: You need guys to guard them. And I think a
Speaker 1: lot of teams are starting to convert those receivers that
Speaker 1: maybe don't catch the best put them on the defensive
Speaker 1: side of the ball because somebody's got to guard these
Speaker 1: Even some of the corners that you mentioned a couple
Speaker 1: of segments ago, and I went to look it up.
Speaker 1: So Jeff Acuta of Ohio State maybe widely regarded as
Speaker 1: a top corner. He averaged over twenty four yards a
Speaker 1: catch in high school down in Grand Prairie, Texas. So
Speaker 1: he played receiver and also played corner. C J. Henderson
Speaker 1: of Florida played running back in corner down in Miami
Speaker 1: at a high school down there. Damon Arnette from Ohio
Speaker 1: State played at that famous high school in Fort Lauderdale
Speaker 1: Saint Thomas aquinas linebacker and wide receiver, another corner, Treyvon Diggs,
Speaker 1: Stefan's brother, right wide receiver. What about Devin Hester remember
Speaker 1: that experience. I don't think they could ever figure out
Speaker 1: what position that he You know, I think there was
Speaker 1: complications both at wide receiver. We'll pick it up, but
Speaker 1: I think it's hard to evaluate when they're coming into
Speaker 1: hard to evaluate defensive back. At high school, right, you
Speaker 1: know your best athletes are going to play the skill position,
Speaker 1: plays quarterback, runback, receiver. You play against a team like
Speaker 1: Jolie Catholic that doesn't throw the ball, and now you're
Speaker 1: a cornerback to standing out there? Still have schools like that? Yes,
Speaker 1: yes they did. We win down there. Jim Miller, Jeff
Speaker 1: Jonny Act, this is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. The
Speaker 1: score back in a few back on Chicago Schorts. I
Speaker 1: Tim just made me laugh because he goes, I'm not
Speaker 1: mister social, but you are. You are mister social, but
Speaker 1: you just choose to be social when necessary. Jim Jim
Speaker 1: Miller with us as well up in Michigan enjoying it.
Speaker 1: Are you supposed to get hit hard too? Yeah, we
Speaker 1: coast get hit hard with the cold here. But like
Speaker 1: I said, I'm heading down your way. I'm looking forward
Speaker 1: to it. So, who's Manny's favorite player in the NBA? Oh? Everything, Zion?
Speaker 1: You know that? Well, I don't know that, but it's
Speaker 1: about Luca, Tom's favorite. If he talks one more time
Speaker 1: about Luca. I mean, he'sa mas love that guy. He is,
Speaker 1: he is, he is, He's creating, he's creating, so creative. Well,
Speaker 1: I just know that Manny was just so happy. He
Speaker 1: ended up going to the Pistons game. Uh, and it
Speaker 1: was a day. There was a day too early because
Speaker 1: Zion ended up playing the following game, and so many
Speaker 1: was upset about that. I ended up getting Pistons tickets
Speaker 1: and unfortunately you couldn't see Zion. But the following day
Speaker 1: is when he made his debut, which my son was
Speaker 1: still extremely upset about. Set upset about. Oh, Zion's tearing
Speaker 1: it up right now. Yes, he is kind of unstoppable.
Speaker 1: You can help deserving families donating a gently used Winner
Speaker 1: coach to the Chicago Bears Jewel asco coach driver. The
Speaker 1: participating Jewel asco locations now through February twenty eighth. Donations
Speaker 1: benefit the Salvation Army with Tom there Jeff Joni Eck
Speaker 1: and Jim Miller are show tonight three two forty four
Speaker 1: sixty seven sixty seven with a few minutes left in
Speaker 1: tonight's program, about ten minutes before we turn it back over. Yeah,
Speaker 1: I want to finish our discussion about because you mentioned about,
Speaker 1: you know, receivers that are converting to cornerback, and I'm
Speaker 1: glad you brought up Treyvon Diggs and for the listeners
Speaker 1: out there, he's the younger brother of Stefan Diggs of
Speaker 1: the Minnesota Vikings, and that it was funny because we
Speaker 1: just had him on seriously the day and I said, well,
Speaker 1: what why the conversion? Because Alabama had him starting out
Speaker 1: a receiver. He played receiver, he was a kick returner,
Speaker 1: pump returner, and all those things. But a lot of
Speaker 1: times what happens is through happenstance. When you've got other
Speaker 1: receivers like Jerry Judy, I say, Jerry Judy's in the way,
Speaker 1: and Henry Ruggs, who's also pretty highly rated, and so
Speaker 1: Nick Saban said, well, you know, Anthony Everett and all
Speaker 1: these other corners started to get drafted out of Alabama
Speaker 1: and so there's an opportunity there and a lot of
Speaker 1: these players like they're just like, hey, I want to
Speaker 1: get on the field. I want to play. And so
Speaker 1: that's kind of what's what decided it for Digs down
Speaker 1: there in Alabama. He wanted, he wanted to get on
Speaker 1: the field, not that he didn't love playing receiver, but
Speaker 1: he saw an opportunity to get on the field. And
Speaker 1: that's a tough lineup to crack a four receiver, And
Speaker 1: much like what happened with Tony Lippett Michigan State, you know,
Speaker 1: that opportunity rose for him. He said, yeah, I'll switch
Speaker 1: back over to the defensive side of the ball any
Speaker 1: day of the week. And and luckily it's says a
Speaker 1: lot about Trey Von Dix because he is that talented
Speaker 1: and he's and he's good now it's a good corner
Speaker 1: and he understands how to run defend wide receiver routes.
Speaker 1: I asked him once the last time he covered his brother?
Speaker 1: He goes, I cover him every offseason. That's that's his workouts.
Speaker 1: He's covering a pro right wide receiver in his own family.
Speaker 1: Stephanon Diggs a tough out, yes for sure. All right
Speaker 1: back to the phones, Jim three two four sixty seven
Speaker 1: sixty seven, let's bring in Wayne Wayne Good evening. Hey, guys,
Speaker 1: how's it going? Man? Fantastic? Hey, it's always always great
Speaker 1: talking to you guys. Some of my heroes that you guys,
Speaker 1: I hate, I hate, I hate one of the Super
Speaker 1: Bowl come along because there's a big black cloud over
Speaker 1: the earth for a while, because there's no more football
Speaker 1: for a while. But well now you got xfl out
Speaker 1: of Dane. Well, hey how about that. But hey, guys,
Speaker 1: of all these free agent quarterbacks that are out there, um,
Speaker 1: who do you who would you like to see the
Speaker 1: Bears maybe try and pick up? And who do you
Speaker 1: think we really realistically have a chance to get and
Speaker 1: who who would be the best fit for us that
Speaker 1: of all these free agents that are out there, all
Speaker 1: great and complicated questions will start with the quarterback himself,
Speaker 1: Jim Miller. I personally, you look at Andy Dalton. He's
Speaker 1: led a team to multiple postseasons. Supposedly he's available for
Speaker 1: a trade with Cincinnati. His contract comes at seventeen million.
Speaker 1: But I think he's a good point guard, you know,
Speaker 1: and he can run the style of offense. And ironically,
Speaker 1: the person who knows him more than me is Bill Laser,
Speaker 1: who coached him there and was their offensive coordinator there
Speaker 1: for the Cincinnati Bengals. Andy Dalton has been extremely productive,
Speaker 1: has won a lot of big games, has led teams
Speaker 1: multiple times to the postseason, and I know his name
Speaker 1: may not sound sexy to everybody, but he can compete.
Speaker 1: But there is an influx of a lot of free
Speaker 1: agent quarterbacks out there that will need to find a home.
Speaker 1: So if it's not Andy Dalton or the price isn't right,
Speaker 1: there are other guys that are going to be available,
Speaker 1: and it could be all the way up till training camp,
Speaker 1: quite frankly, because I don't see a lot of these
Speaker 1: guys finding a home right away, so it's going to
Speaker 1: have to find so because there's too many guys for
Speaker 1: the position, you know. I think ultimately for Tom Brady
Speaker 1: and guys like Drew Brees, they're gonna find out it's
Speaker 1: better just to return home, you know. If they think
Speaker 1: there's a big payday out there, Drew Brees, it's it's
Speaker 1: not always going to go the way you want it.
Speaker 1: As an older player in the NFL, Tom will probably
Speaker 1: have the most interests, whether it's in Tampa, whether it's
Speaker 1: an indie, whether it's in Tennessee. But I still don't
Speaker 1: see those teams breaking the bank for him, nor do
Speaker 1: I see teams wanting to break the bank for Drew Brees.
Speaker 1: So if Tom wants to end on a high note,
Speaker 1: and Drew Brees wants to end on a high note,
Speaker 1: why not just return home. Tom's best bet to win,
Speaker 1: to win a world championship is in New England, And
Speaker 1: I would say the same thing for Drew Brees. You know,
Speaker 1: it may sound nice to go to another place, but
Speaker 1: I think we know that the history of that happening
Speaker 1: is few and far between. Of the Peyton mannings in
Speaker 1: the world that it worked out with Denver, and a
Speaker 1: lot of that was due to the defense. All right, Jim,
Speaker 1: let me ask Let me ask you this real quick.
Speaker 1: So if you were starting an expansion team and the
Speaker 1: same quarterbacks were out there right now, and you had
Speaker 1: your choice of any of them, which one would you pack?
Speaker 1: I'm going Tom Brady. I think Tom can still play.
Speaker 1: I still think he's got the arm strength. Yeah, like
Speaker 1: all of them, they've all lost their fastball. Philip Rivers
Speaker 1: has lost a little bit, Drew Brees has lost a
Speaker 1: little bit, and so is Tom. But Tom's still playing
Speaker 1: at a high level. I think it's more about Tom's issues.
Speaker 1: I think with New England are more about what's around
Speaker 1: him right now. It's probably was one of the worst
Speaker 1: supporting calfs that he's had over the past year, and
Speaker 1: here they were still battling to the end. So, you know,
Speaker 1: I just think for him, he can still play. He's
Speaker 1: still got a couple of good years left. But it's
Speaker 1: going to be interesting how it sorts out because I
Speaker 1: think Rivers, we know what's done for him for the Chargers,
Speaker 1: So I think for Rivers, his best spot is either
Speaker 1: Indianapolis with Frank Reich, who has been with him before,
Speaker 1: in Nick Siriani their new offensive coordinator, or potentially Tampa.
Speaker 1: It is out there, but again, it's got to be
Speaker 1: the right situation for those guys. But you you almost
Speaker 1: you know, you kind of connect dots and you find
Speaker 1: it somewhat easy to put the puzzle together if the
Speaker 1: money's right in each situation. But as it relates to
Speaker 1: the Bears and what they want to do, yeah, you
Speaker 1: know what, I just want to see, well, eliminate all
Speaker 1: those guys because they're not coming into Chicago to compete.
Speaker 1: The start because that's the situation it is. I mean,
Speaker 1: Nick or Mitch Robiski is the quarterback, but you're bringing
Speaker 1: in competition to compete with him, and if he were
Speaker 1: to falter, somebody that you can turn to, almost like
Speaker 1: the Ryan Tannehill. You want somebody that if yes, if
Speaker 1: things are not going right, that you can still win
Speaker 1: with yes. And because of well, I think that's the
Speaker 1: thing about it. You have to look at the situation
Speaker 1: you're in. So Jim, you know, he described what Andy Dalton.
Speaker 1: You know, is he going to be the guy that's
Speaker 1: gonna be a you know, a good reserve at the
Speaker 1: you know, like Ryan Tannehill was until they came in
Speaker 1: and then made the change and he was able to
Speaker 1: capitalize what he does. I mean, you know, at ultimately
Speaker 1: at the end, I don't think Ryan Tannehill is the
Speaker 1: guy that they want to invest heavily in the Tennessee Titans.
Speaker 1: So you know, but if you were looking for a
Speaker 1: backup for a young, inexperienced guy, Andy Dalton would probably
Speaker 1: be that guy. If I was starting an expansion team
Speaker 1: and I had a choice of any of these guys,
Speaker 1: me I would go with Drew Brees, you know, because
Speaker 1: I just you know, his commitment to the sport. You know,
Speaker 1: his commitment to making sure that he can help develop
Speaker 1: receivers in an offense, his commitment to all that. So
Speaker 1: you know, it's it's it's weird how you'd have to
Speaker 1: look at it because never in the history of you know,
Speaker 1: paying attention to the NFL, have I've ever seen guys
Speaker 1: with these type of credentials. Well look, I mean even
Speaker 1: you know today, you know they say, okay, Ben roethlisbigger,
Speaker 1: He's going to be okay, the health will be fine.
Speaker 1: He's turn of thirty eight next month, Jamis Winston. You
Speaker 1: hear Bruce Arians today saying, you know, our priority is
Speaker 1: improving the defense, but we're going to see on the
Speaker 1: quarterback situation and m Matthew Stafford rumors of the Lions.
Speaker 1: You know, he's not a guy that can be traded
Speaker 1: in terms of salary cap implications. So these rumors that
Speaker 1: we're hearing, but it's all these older veteran quarterbacks. It's
Speaker 1: it's rather interesting this year. I think it's going to
Speaker 1: be intriguing this entire free agent process. But you know
Speaker 1: what I think about us, Look look at the difference
Speaker 1: between all these quarterbacks we're talking about in Kyler Murray
Speaker 1: because there is such a difference in size and a structure.
Speaker 1: I mean, didn't you have opinion too, Yeah, I mean,
Speaker 1: it's just it's just it's just crazy how the quarterback
Speaker 1: position has changed because you know, um, you know, when
Speaker 1: Cam Newton came out, man, this is the new quarterback.
Speaker 1: This is what it's going to be, the six six,
Speaker 1: two hundred and sixty pound quarterback. And then ten years later,
Speaker 1: here's Kyler Murray, you know, at the opposite end of
Speaker 1: the spectrum in terms of size and structure. Yeah, and
Speaker 1: the two fifty pound quarterback has been often injured, you know, yeah,
Speaker 1: and he's still you know, there's a lot unknown there
Speaker 1: and people are speculating what's going to happen down there
Speaker 1: with the you know, he got a new head coach
Speaker 1: and Matt Rule and will ultimately Cam Newton won, will
Speaker 1: he be healthy enough, and will he even be a
Speaker 1: Carolina Panther. There's speculation that he could be traded as
Speaker 1: well and could be available. But but again, all those
Speaker 1: points are moote is what it means to the Bears,
Speaker 1: because those quarterbacks want to start. Drew Brees not going
Speaker 1: anywhere else but to start. Same with Tom Brady, same
Speaker 1: with Philip Rivers. They're not signing somewhere to be the
Speaker 1: one to compete to start or to be the backup.
Speaker 1: So it kind of eliminates all those guys from the Bears.
Speaker 1: Now you're looking at the guys like Andy Dalton. You're
Speaker 1: looking at guys like Marcus Mariota, guys that are willing
Speaker 1: to say, hey, yeah, I will sign with the Bears
Speaker 1: in order to compete to start, and if Mitch falters,
Speaker 1: maybe I'll get an opportunity to go in and show
Speaker 1: my wars again. That Tennessee situation. Ryan Tannehill signed. There
Speaker 1: a lot of speculation about him, would he be healthy
Speaker 1: and all that, and all he wanted to do was
Speaker 1: position himself to get an opportunity to play, and once
Speaker 1: Mariota struggled, he was inserted in the lineup. And that's
Speaker 1: all you can ask for. That situation worked out for
Speaker 1: him and the way he wanted to work out, And
Speaker 1: that's how quarterbacks are going to look at the Chicago Bears.
Speaker 1: Can you bring me in to compete? And if I
Speaker 1: get my opportunity, if Mitch falters, I'll then I'll be
Speaker 1: able to step in and play and hopefully play well.
Speaker 1: Thank Jim. That's traveling music. Have fine on your All
Speaker 1: Star weekend. Tell Manny he said, Hello, alright, drafts good pictures.
Speaker 1: Don't let him drive. That's Jim Miller for Tom There,
Speaker 1: I'm Jeff joni Ak. Thanks to Mike Chen, Chris Dickens,
Speaker 1: your phone calls, and for Trey Roberts in the New
Speaker 1: Bears Cornerback. You've been listening to Bears All Access on
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