WEBVTT - Reaction to NFL Schedule Release Plus Conversation With Austin Booker | Chicago Bears 0:00:00.360 --> 0:00:04.720 Welcome in Tubble. Bears Weekly, a Chicago Bears Network production 0:00:05.160 --> 0:00:08.000 download the Chicago Bears Official act brought. 0:00:07.800 --> 0:00:10.360 To you by Verizon to follow the team on the go. 0:00:10.680 --> 0:00:14.400 Bears Weekly is brought to you by Advocate Healthcare, Athletico 0:00:14.480 --> 0:00:19.520 Physical Therapy, Beth Revers CD, telling Connie's Pizza by Gens 0:00:19.680 --> 0:00:24.000 Energy and Miller. Like Kira, your hosts Jeff Chioniac aka 0:00:24.160 --> 0:00:27.280 the Mayor of Bearsville and his sidekick Term the surf 0:00:27.360 --> 0:00:29.640 Maaster there well. 0:00:29.520 --> 0:00:31.960 One of the most interesting staggers we've seen in recent 0:00:32.040 --> 0:00:35.840 years for the Chicago Bears. Released this week for our peru. 0:00:36.120 --> 0:00:37.800 We'll break it down tonight and you're on Bears Weekly. 0:00:37.840 --> 0:00:40.760 Jeff Joniac with Super Bowl winning Bears guard top there 0:00:40.840 --> 0:00:43.960 and from Sirius XM moving the chains on NFL Radio, 0:00:44.000 --> 0:00:46.479 the former Bears quarterback Jim Miller thanks to Dan Barrilli 0:00:46.520 --> 0:00:48.920 and Jordan's tread Up. Our producers on the ESPN studios 0:00:49.120 --> 0:00:52.000 Sean Graeney. The executive producer of the Bears Radio Network 0:00:52.200 --> 0:00:55.200 is Eric Ostrotski. Good Evening one and all. Later on 0:00:55.280 --> 0:00:57.560 of the show, we'll have a conversation with Bears fifth 0:00:57.640 --> 0:01:01.520 round defensive end Austin Booker out of Kansas, Tom, Jim, 0:01:01.600 --> 0:01:04.320 how we feeling a happy schedule? Happy schedule? 0:01:04.720 --> 0:01:06.840 Yeah, you know, I don't know where the Bears. 0:01:06.680 --> 0:01:11.720 Schedule ranks amongst the toughest wherever however they rank them. 0:01:11.720 --> 0:01:14.080 But you know, I know that you always have a 0:01:14.120 --> 0:01:17.039 little bit of anks talking about the schedule before the 0:01:17.080 --> 0:01:19.720 start of the season because you say, you never know 0:01:19.760 --> 0:01:21.560 what's going to be happen when you get to some 0:01:21.640 --> 0:01:24.600 of these teams. In the difference, last year we played 0:01:24.600 --> 0:01:27.960 Green Bay Week one and then week seventeen. This year 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:31.880 again Green Bay Week seventeen, but we don't really get 0:01:31.880 --> 0:01:34.760 into the division until the second half of the season, 0:01:34.800 --> 0:01:38.640 which is really exciting for me. Yeah, because I like 0:01:38.720 --> 0:01:40.800 it coming down to the wire like that. I like 0:01:40.920 --> 0:01:43.480 the Bears to have some of these young guys get 0:01:43.520 --> 0:01:46.800 involved in this football team, whether it's anybody from Austin 0:01:46.880 --> 0:01:51.640 Booker to Caleb to Rome to Amagaji, whomever it could 0:01:51.640 --> 0:01:54.080 be to help this football team, and they're going to 0:01:54.160 --> 0:01:56.720 have a little bit of experience before they get into 0:01:56.800 --> 0:01:57.440 the division. 0:01:57.560 --> 0:01:59.560 Yeah, Jim, the carrots are going to be hanging there. 0:01:59.880 --> 0:02:02.560 I keep saying season doesn't begin to week eleven, and 0:02:02.600 --> 0:02:05.960 in most cases the season really doesn't begin until around 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:09.400 Thanksgiving anyway. It's about the after Thanksgiving football if you 0:02:09.400 --> 0:02:12.160 want to finish the job I just mentioned I Wada 0:02:12.240 --> 0:02:14.480 and Sylvie. Look what happened to the Eagles last year. 0:02:14.480 --> 0:02:16.600 Look what happened at Jacksonville last year. Look what to 0:02:16.639 --> 0:02:19.359 happened there the Chargers. Things just deteriorated in a hurry 0:02:19.520 --> 0:02:22.400 despite good starts, and you got to take care of 0:02:22.480 --> 0:02:26.280 businesses home and you know, win hopefully half your games 0:02:26.280 --> 0:02:26.840 down the road. 0:02:27.360 --> 0:02:30.000 Yeah, it's you know, you're right, there's so many ebbs 0:02:30.040 --> 0:02:32.480 and flows to the season. I think even last year 0:02:32.680 --> 0:02:34.920 you saw that with the Bears, Right, they came out 0:02:34.960 --> 0:02:37.320 of the gate and Nate Davis and some guys on 0:02:37.360 --> 0:02:40.120 the offensive line were a little bit banged up, and 0:02:40.160 --> 0:02:42.359 then they started to run the football well once they 0:02:42.680 --> 0:02:45.360 settled that in and then played start playing really well 0:02:45.840 --> 0:02:48.680 towards the second half of the season. And hopefully that 0:02:48.720 --> 0:02:51.600 can be the build up for that momentum, because I 0:02:51.600 --> 0:02:54.040 don't think that's the worst thing in the world that 0:02:54.160 --> 0:02:56.560 the division, like you said, is going to get started 0:02:56.919 --> 0:02:59.560 in Week ten. Guys will be able to settle in 0:02:59.800 --> 0:03:03.680 with the new scheme offensively and Hopefully by that time 0:03:03.680 --> 0:03:06.600 of the season, you're starting to click offensively, and again, 0:03:06.919 --> 0:03:08.440 injuries are going to play a part of it, but 0:03:08.520 --> 0:03:09.280 that's no excuse. 0:03:09.320 --> 0:03:09.600 Guys. 0:03:09.680 --> 0:03:11.640 If one guy goes down, guy's got to step up 0:03:11.680 --> 0:03:14.200 and play. I think we play well. I think we 0:03:14.280 --> 0:03:17.840 know that's not always the case, but I do think overall, 0:03:18.440 --> 0:03:20.400 the Bears schedule reminds me a lot of the Steelers 0:03:20.440 --> 0:03:22.600 because they're the same way. Yeah, that's a tough division. 0:03:22.680 --> 0:03:25.359 You look at that AFC North, you know that that 0:03:25.400 --> 0:03:29.680 division will be a bloodbath and probably decided the last week. 0:03:29.760 --> 0:03:32.280 So I think this how the Bears the structure is 0:03:32.320 --> 0:03:34.320 going to benefit them for the schedule this year. 0:03:34.639 --> 0:03:36.160 You know, Jeff and Jim, if you look at the 0:03:36.200 --> 0:03:38.920 schedule and you break down those first seven weeks and 0:03:38.960 --> 0:03:42.680 you look at there's three experienced quarterbacks within that first 0:03:42.760 --> 0:03:46.119 seven weeks, there's a lot of inexperience at the quarterback 0:03:46.160 --> 0:03:49.120 position and the rest of those games they play. So 0:03:49.720 --> 0:03:52.840 I think that really gives Caleb an opportunity to go 0:03:52.960 --> 0:03:57.320 out there and really battle, to help the Bears battle 0:03:57.360 --> 0:04:00.720 in these games because you know ten see I think 0:04:01.040 --> 0:04:04.880 you know it's still uncertainty. Houston obviously CJ. Stroud, Anthony 0:04:04.960 --> 0:04:08.360 Richardson and Indy. Then you have experience with the Rams, 0:04:08.560 --> 0:04:13.200 Bryce Young with Carolina, you got the Jackson Jacksonville quarterback, 0:04:13.240 --> 0:04:16.960 and then Washington. So it's really gonna be interesting to 0:04:17.040 --> 0:04:21.960 watch the quarterback position specifically within those first seven eight 0:04:21.960 --> 0:04:22.920 weeks of this season. 0:04:23.080 --> 0:04:26.000 Jim ifi Math's right. I mentioned this to Tom earlier today. 0:04:26.279 --> 0:04:29.800 I think they're I think are eleven games or eleven 0:04:29.800 --> 0:04:32.000 teams now, I can't remember which one I said that 0:04:32.120 --> 0:04:39.560 have that Shanahan McVeigh offensive scheme systems, the branches, all 0:04:39.600 --> 0:04:42.760 these coaches, and it's in the entire division, including the 0:04:42.760 --> 0:04:47.560 Bears with their new offensive coordinator. How has it just 0:04:47.800 --> 0:04:50.520 play with me a little bit on this, Do you 0:04:50.600 --> 0:04:52.719 care about that? Does that help a team over the 0:04:52.720 --> 0:04:54.919 course of a season, because everybody has nuances to it 0:04:54.960 --> 0:04:57.080 and does it a little different, But the gist of 0:04:57.120 --> 0:04:59.960 it is something clearly the Bears defense is going to 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:01.839 get to know very very well. 0:05:02.080 --> 0:05:05.080 Yeah, Yeah, it's a scheme that it's a hot scheme 0:05:05.160 --> 0:05:08.520 right now. Why because it's quarterback friendly and look at 0:05:08.520 --> 0:05:10.680 the teams that have had success with it. You know 0:05:10.839 --> 0:05:14.000 obviously you know Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVeigh were in 0:05:14.320 --> 0:05:18.360 Washington together, okay, and so then it branched off from there. 0:05:18.400 --> 0:05:21.880 He gets the head coaching job San Francisco, McVeigh gets 0:05:21.920 --> 0:05:24.240 the head coaching or McVeigh gets the head coaching job 0:05:24.240 --> 0:05:26.680 of the Rams, and that's how it goes. And then 0:05:26.839 --> 0:05:29.480 Shane Waldron was a part of those staffs with the Rams. 0:05:29.520 --> 0:05:31.840 So he then goes up to Seattle because it's a 0:05:31.920 --> 0:05:35.560 quarterback friendly system. They want to get the Russell Wilson 0:05:35.880 --> 0:05:39.320 back on par and of course the development of Geno 0:05:39.400 --> 0:05:42.360 Smith and so. And then Dave Knellis who was under 0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:45.440 Shane Waldron, he goes to Tampa. He wants in because 0:05:45.480 --> 0:05:48.160 they were going to have a competition Baker Mayfield and 0:05:49.040 --> 0:05:52.159 Kyle Trask and wanted to get Kyle Trask up and running. 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:56.400 Baker won that competition, and so it's a very quarterback friendly. 0:05:56.720 --> 0:05:59.240 You can get it up and running. It's the inside 0:05:59.320 --> 0:06:02.880 outside zone concepts. You've got a lot of crossing routes. 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:05.440 Look at all the over routes that Matthew Stafford throws 0:06:05.800 --> 0:06:10.080 with McVeigh, and it really just puts it puts the 0:06:10.120 --> 0:06:12.279 defense in a bind because a lot of the plays, 0:06:12.360 --> 0:06:15.120 especially when you look at the Rams, and I would 0:06:15.120 --> 0:06:18.160 say that about Kyle Shanahan too. For the forty nine ers. 0:06:18.240 --> 0:06:22.200 Cayl Purty another example, young up and coming quarterback. Simple system. 0:06:22.560 --> 0:06:25.640 It's easy for the quarterback, but it puts the defense 0:06:25.680 --> 0:06:29.840 in a bind. They always have the play action off 0:06:29.880 --> 0:06:33.679 of the run run game, and everything looks the same, 0:06:33.880 --> 0:06:36.159 and it looks like a fast break because they play 0:06:36.200 --> 0:06:37.560 at a very fast tempo. 0:06:38.279 --> 0:06:42.479 So Tom can a defense settle in and I they 0:06:42.520 --> 0:06:45.279 can they pick up the signals over the course of 0:06:45.360 --> 0:06:47.960 the season here and get into a rhythm with some 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:49.920 of these offenses to stop them. 0:06:50.200 --> 0:06:52.840 You know when I was listening to Jim talk and 0:06:53.600 --> 0:06:55.960 you know the quarterback position and how it affects them, 0:06:55.960 --> 0:06:56.800 the different types of. 0:06:56.760 --> 0:06:59.400 Passes you called the influence of the head coach. 0:07:00.320 --> 0:07:02.200 I look at all these teams and I start thinking 0:07:02.200 --> 0:07:05.479 about their offensive lines, because there's something to the system 0:07:05.520 --> 0:07:08.279 you run. But do these teams have the offensive line 0:07:08.320 --> 0:07:10.640 to protect against what the Bears have been able to 0:07:10.680 --> 0:07:13.160 offer you in that second half of the season. And 0:07:13.240 --> 0:07:17.120 if they do, kind of find either a diamond in 0:07:17.160 --> 0:07:19.280 the rough with Austin Booker and it has some pass 0:07:19.360 --> 0:07:23.040 rushing potential to go with Montes sweat and does Javon 0:07:23.080 --> 0:07:26.160 Dexter Senior take that next step forward along with Zach 0:07:26.200 --> 0:07:29.560 Pickens and the rest of the guys. And the linebacker 0:07:29.600 --> 0:07:32.280 position came on so well, and the defensive backfield is 0:07:32.320 --> 0:07:37.080 super versatile. I think it's yeah, I think the defense 0:07:37.160 --> 0:07:41.200 can get connected to this, but it's really about can 0:07:42.080 --> 0:07:45.080 what type of protection to the offensive lines give these young, 0:07:45.120 --> 0:07:48.040 inexperienced quarterbacks that they're going to face in the early 0:07:48.080 --> 0:07:49.320 part of the season and. 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:52.080 To finish the season strong of those funs, you gotta 0:07:52.080 --> 0:07:54.960 be healthy. Healthiest team in the division is going to 0:07:55.040 --> 0:07:58.720 survive and compete for a playoff spots. That's how I 0:07:58.760 --> 0:08:01.640 feel about it, and I'm sure that'll be the case 0:08:01.960 --> 0:08:04.160 because it always is in the national football You gotta 0:08:04.160 --> 0:08:06.120 take our first break with Tom Thayer and Jim Miller. 0:08:06.120 --> 0:08:09.000 I'm Jeff Jonihac. This is Bears Weekly on ESPN one 0:08:09.000 --> 0:08:10.520 thousand and the Bears Radio Network. 0:08:10.720 --> 0:08:13.400 This is Bears Weekly with a voice of the Bears 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:17.880 for twenty three years, Jeff Jonia on the Bears Radio Network. 0:08:21.920 --> 0:08:25.280 Leg The Bears Weekly is sponsored by IGS Energy, The 0:08:25.360 --> 0:08:28.320 Town Bear. Jeff Joniac, Jim Miller from Serious x MNFL 0:08:28.440 --> 0:08:31.400 Radio and the former Bears quarterback on the show. Coming 0:08:31.480 --> 0:08:33.800 up in a couple of segments, we'll be joined by 0:08:33.880 --> 0:08:38.480 rookie defensive end Austin Booker. Jim. I saw this, read 0:08:38.520 --> 0:08:41.600 this and heard some about the schedule preparation, and it 0:08:41.720 --> 0:08:46.760 is a literal quadrillion different possibilities every year, and I 0:08:46.760 --> 0:08:48.400 don't know how they pull it off, but they do. 0:08:48.920 --> 0:08:52.760 But you know, the primetime games is what everybody talks about, 0:08:52.800 --> 0:08:55.360 and you kind of gauged and rated based on how 0:08:55.400 --> 0:08:57.600 many of you getting The Jets of course with Aaron 0:08:57.679 --> 0:09:01.040 Rodgers healthy and are getting six and Houston's getting a lot, 0:09:01.080 --> 0:09:04.320 Bears with three. That could change with flex, but that 0:09:04.559 --> 0:09:09.480 three twenty five Central time spot is the most viewed 0:09:09.520 --> 0:09:12.360 game of the week. I didn't really look into that before, 0:09:12.440 --> 0:09:15.120 but that's the prime spot well. 0:09:15.320 --> 0:09:17.400 And plus it's it's going to be interesting because of 0:09:17.440 --> 0:09:21.240 all the streaming services too. How is that affecting how 0:09:21.559 --> 0:09:24.440 fans are viewing the game? I think it was Pat 0:09:24.440 --> 0:09:26.440 and I were talking about this today. It's something like 0:09:26.480 --> 0:09:28.640 if you were to sign up for all the streaming 0:09:28.760 --> 0:09:31.520 that it's going to be on, obviously Netflix this year, 0:09:31.559 --> 0:09:36.520 you got Amazon, just Apple, it's over like a thousand dollars, 0:09:37.040 --> 0:09:41.199 so you know, to me, it could affect a viewership. 0:09:41.280 --> 0:09:45.000 But you know, as for the primetime games, Dallas is 0:09:45.080 --> 0:09:48.120 always going to command it because they're a big, big market. Obviously, 0:09:48.200 --> 0:09:53.640 they're always minimum they get five primetime games every year. Jets. 0:09:54.320 --> 0:09:56.600 You know, according to the NFL, they just they feel 0:09:56.640 --> 0:10:00.960 that that team with Aaron Rodgers it command because they 0:10:01.360 --> 0:10:03.520 lost it out on it last year where they wanted 0:10:03.559 --> 0:10:05.800 to feature them. They're hoping that they're going to cash 0:10:05.800 --> 0:10:08.400 in on that this year. I think a lot of 0:10:08.440 --> 0:10:11.680 times they get it wrong because there's already some under 0:10:11.720 --> 0:10:15.400 the radar teams that I think are really gonna surprise, 0:10:15.760 --> 0:10:18.120 and one of those to me is Washington. I think 0:10:18.280 --> 0:10:20.560 Washington is a very strong team. I know it's a 0:10:20.679 --> 0:10:24.520 rookie quarterback, but you look what they've added here this offseason. 0:10:24.640 --> 0:10:27.920 Dan Quinn will get that team up and running very quickly. 0:10:28.280 --> 0:10:30.760 Tampa won the division last year and down on the 0:10:30.880 --> 0:10:34.480 NFC South, everybody thought that was a surprise. Well everybody's 0:10:34.520 --> 0:10:36.679 coming back and that is going to be a very 0:10:36.840 --> 0:10:39.720 good team that's underrated and kind of flying under the 0:10:39.800 --> 0:10:42.200 radar right now. That is going to be a good 0:10:42.200 --> 0:10:44.679 team move forward. I think the Rams everybody's got. San 0:10:44.720 --> 0:10:47.360 Francisco is the favorite every game out there in the West. 0:10:47.640 --> 0:10:51.000 I think the Rams are the team, believe it or not. 0:10:52.960 --> 0:10:56.559 And that's even with Aaron Donald retiring. Think about that. 0:10:56.120 --> 0:10:59.520 That offense is a fast break with Matthew Stafford and 0:10:59.520 --> 0:11:01.640 they're getting Cooper cutback on offense. 0:11:01.720 --> 0:11:05.320 It's gonna be interesting, Tom. I hope Jim thinks the 0:11:05.320 --> 0:11:07.000 Bears are also going to be one of those teams. 0:11:07.080 --> 0:11:09.480 Yeah, I do. I think the Bears are under the rate. Yeah, 0:11:09.559 --> 0:11:12.760 you know, you know, for the city of Chicago, they're 0:11:12.760 --> 0:11:15.920 as excited as all can be. You know, again, is 0:11:15.960 --> 0:11:18.560 this team ready to make a Super Bowl run? Well, 0:11:18.600 --> 0:11:21.680 I temper your enthusiasm a little bit. They've got a 0:11:21.720 --> 0:11:23.960 lot of work to do, but they'll be able to 0:11:23.960 --> 0:11:26.319 line up and compete. And they're a lot better than 0:11:26.320 --> 0:11:28.079 what people are talking about, that's for sure. 0:11:28.880 --> 0:11:30.560 Well, you think of some of the messages that have 0:11:30.640 --> 0:11:33.640 already started in this offseason, whether it's Jalen Johnson or 0:11:33.679 --> 0:11:36.520 Montes Wett talking about the importance of what they need 0:11:36.559 --> 0:11:39.200 to do within the division and who they need to 0:11:39.240 --> 0:11:42.600 beat with regularity. And I think that's important that that 0:11:42.760 --> 0:11:45.880 kind of spills in the into the entire locker room 0:11:45.920 --> 0:11:49.520 from the very beginning and pick up that intensity and 0:11:49.600 --> 0:11:51.280 training camp because I think you. 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:55.680 Have realistic football at the practices in order to get 0:11:55.720 --> 0:11:57.559 Caleb ready as soon as possible. 0:11:57.920 --> 0:12:00.360 And then when you talk about all the other p is, 0:12:00.400 --> 0:12:04.600 you know still DJ and Keenan, Gerald Everett, with Cole Comet, 0:12:04.679 --> 0:12:07.640 DeAndre Swift and that whole group of guys, you have 0:12:07.760 --> 0:12:13.360 to formulate an offensive line that practices together during training 0:12:13.440 --> 0:12:16.319 camp be so they're ready for Week one of the 0:12:16.400 --> 0:12:17.280 regular season. 0:12:17.720 --> 0:12:19.760 And I think the Bears should. 0:12:19.400 --> 0:12:24.040 Have people want to call them unrealistic expectations, I think 0:12:24.080 --> 0:12:27.160 the Bears should have expectations that are as high as 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:29.800 they've been in a long time. The question mark for 0:12:29.840 --> 0:12:31.959 me of any teams in the NFL is of Dallas 0:12:31.960 --> 0:12:35.840 Cowboys because the last time that they were on TV, 0:12:36.480 --> 0:12:39.520 they were getting beat pretty convincingly by one of the 0:12:39.559 --> 0:12:43.640 teams in our division. And they did nothing in the offseason, 0:12:44.040 --> 0:12:46.920 and they have a quarterback that is accounting for so 0:12:47.120 --> 0:12:49.960 much of their salary cap. It's going to be interesting 0:12:50.000 --> 0:12:52.080 to see how things unfold for them. 0:12:52.120 --> 0:12:53.360 But it's about the. 0:12:53.320 --> 0:12:56.960 Bears in that Tennessee, Houston, Indianapolis start. 0:12:57.400 --> 0:13:00.400 They got to have that conversation. 0:13:00.000 --> 0:13:02.040 As much as they wanted to talk about Green Bay, 0:13:02.600 --> 0:13:05.480 that they have the ability to win those three games. 0:13:05.559 --> 0:13:08.839 I'm not saying it's it's a four gone conclusion they will, 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:11.440 but they have to have a lot of positive chatter 0:13:11.800 --> 0:13:13.960 amongst the veterans and the rookies. 0:13:14.120 --> 0:13:16.040 But again, at the same time, I know, you know, 0:13:16.120 --> 0:13:18.679 Week one is always that it's the thumb right if 0:13:19.040 --> 0:13:22.400 with a hammer, it's gonna every you know, but it's 0:13:22.480 --> 0:13:24.200 it is. We talk about it all the time. It 0:13:24.240 --> 0:13:26.440 is the great unknown. If you lose Week one, your 0:13:26.480 --> 0:13:29.560 season's not over. People talk about must wins in week one, 0:13:29.920 --> 0:13:32.160 but it would it would put it this way, it'd 0:13:32.200 --> 0:13:35.520 be a nice starting point to get some breathing room 0:13:35.559 --> 0:13:37.520 and confidence brewing in that locker room. 0:13:37.840 --> 0:13:37.960 Uh. 0:13:38.120 --> 0:13:40.280 Not that they didn't pick it up at the end 0:13:40.320 --> 0:13:42.240 of last year, but this is a different team. There's 0:13:42.240 --> 0:13:45.160 different players, and every year it's a frankly, it's a 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:46.679 different team every week in the NFL. 0:13:46.720 --> 0:13:50.280 Because let me let me would you agree with that, though, 0:13:50.960 --> 0:13:53.479 let me interrupt you with one quick question. So Tennessee 0:13:53.600 --> 0:13:56.880 Jeff opening week of the season, who do you introduce 0:13:57.040 --> 0:13:57.680 the offense? 0:13:57.720 --> 0:13:58.559 Are the defense? 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:00.439 You come out as a team. 0:14:00.600 --> 0:14:01.640 No, you don't do that. 0:14:01.720 --> 0:14:04.200 You get you're gonna introduce one side of the ball. Jeff, 0:14:04.240 --> 0:14:05.559 Please don't answer like that. 0:14:06.960 --> 0:14:08.959 A lot of teams come out as a team. 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:12.800 No, you're you know, you're just you're a Debbie downer. 0:14:13.000 --> 0:14:15.080 I you know, because I think you. 0:14:15.480 --> 0:14:17.600 Want me to play with you here, I'll say no, no, 0:14:17.960 --> 0:14:22.600 I'll say I'll say defense. Okay, save the big because 0:14:22.720 --> 0:14:25.840 when when Caleb comes out, the place is gonnat you roup. 0:14:26.080 --> 0:14:29.640 Yeah, I agree with Jeff. I don't think like last year. 0:14:29.680 --> 0:14:31.280 I just want to take you back to last year. 0:14:31.560 --> 0:14:34.840 Think of all the goodwill and hope that was built 0:14:34.920 --> 0:14:38.280 up to the season. There were some analysts out there 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:42.040 predicting that Justin Fields was gonna be MVP of the league. 0:14:43.200 --> 0:14:45.240 And then you go out and you get spanked by 0:14:45.240 --> 0:14:50.560 Green Bay opening week and all that was lost. All 0:14:50.600 --> 0:14:53.680 that was lost, all that goodwill, all that hope of 0:14:53.800 --> 0:14:56.160 what was going into the season. And that's what this is. 0:14:56.200 --> 0:14:58.640 The offseason. It's all about hope. When you talk about 0:14:58.680 --> 0:15:01.680 the draft and all those things, that gets everybody's hopes up. 0:15:02.160 --> 0:15:04.000 At the end of the day, you got to go 0:15:04.040 --> 0:15:06.680 out and do it. You got to go out and 0:15:06.760 --> 0:15:08.520 do it, and they didn't do it, and they lost 0:15:08.560 --> 0:15:10.880 that and they were off the rails for about the 0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:13.520 first six weeks of the season till they started to 0:15:13.520 --> 0:15:16.760 turn it around. For all the reasons for exactly what 0:15:16.800 --> 0:15:19.320 you said, Jeff, the ebbs and flows of the season. 0:15:19.560 --> 0:15:22.280 The Bears weren't healthy all through training camp at their 0:15:22.320 --> 0:15:26.920 offensive line the whole time. We knew they needed another 0:15:26.960 --> 0:15:30.480 pass rusher. That didn't happen till they made that trade 0:15:31.080 --> 0:15:34.320 right for Monte Sweat. So so much could happen. But 0:15:34.440 --> 0:15:35.960 at the end of the day, when you have that 0:15:36.080 --> 0:15:40.080 hope and goodwill that's built up, you gotta go out 0:15:40.120 --> 0:15:42.240 and do it. And I think they'll be able to 0:15:42.240 --> 0:15:45.280 do it defensively and we'll see where it goes offensively, 0:15:45.480 --> 0:15:47.720 because they got to be ready to roll week one. 0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:51.640 You know, like Kevin Byron and Terry Stevenson, they give 0:15:51.720 --> 0:15:53.640 me a lot more hope at the beginning of the 0:15:53.680 --> 0:15:56.080 season rather than the question marks we had at the 0:15:56.120 --> 0:15:59.040 beginning of the season last year. Right because when you 0:15:59.080 --> 0:16:02.120 think about coming back from an injury at the safety position, 0:16:02.680 --> 0:16:05.560 you didn't know how and then you know Tyreek started 0:16:05.600 --> 0:16:07.600 to turn around on the second half of the season, 0:16:07.640 --> 0:16:11.400 and he's a he's a legitimate NFL cornerback. But I 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:14.720 think the reason I was asking about the introduction is 0:16:14.760 --> 0:16:17.400 because I think that when when you're thrown out of 0:16:17.520 --> 0:16:21.200 Montes what you're thrown out A TJ ed Ords, Trumaine Edmunds, 0:16:21.440 --> 0:16:23.840 you know, just this whole group of characters, and you 0:16:23.880 --> 0:16:27.040 think about the Bears and the reputation of this team 0:16:27.120 --> 0:16:30.200 over the years, it's from great defensive play and week 0:16:30.280 --> 0:16:33.680 one it would be great recognition of that part of 0:16:33.720 --> 0:16:36.760 the team. Yeah, because I don't think their young quarterback 0:16:36.800 --> 0:16:40.480 Caleb Williams needs any more, right, you know, fanfear. Let's 0:16:40.560 --> 0:16:43.080 that that crowd would erupt if they were to say 0:16:43.120 --> 0:16:46.200 starting quarterback Caleb Williams and that opening series he throws 0:16:46.200 --> 0:16:49.000 a pick six. That's the last thing you want to happen, 0:16:49.160 --> 0:16:52.960 in my opinion, you know. So there's that kid doesn't 0:16:53.000 --> 0:16:55.200 need any more pressure than what's on him. 0:16:55.400 --> 0:16:57.120 All right, one last thing before we take a break 0:16:57.120 --> 0:16:59.880 to Charlotte Carey, the NFL director of Broadcasting, told k 0:17:00.120 --> 0:17:02.760 Adams on Up and Adams Today on the strategy of 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:05.280 why the division games are pushed so far. It just 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:07.800 happened that way. It falls that way. But her quote 0:17:07.880 --> 0:17:12.360 was Bears her exciting team. We're really counting on using 0:17:12.440 --> 0:17:16.160 them strategically across the different windows. It falls where it falls. 0:17:16.200 --> 0:17:19.159 The NFC North in general is really exciting and a 0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:22.520 super fun run down the stretch for the entire division. 0:17:22.800 --> 0:17:25.320 She could not be more right. That's Tom Thair, Jim Miller. 0:17:25.320 --> 0:17:28.399 I'm Jeff Joniyak. When we come back our visit with 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:31.040 Austin Booker, the Bears fifth round pick Defensive End out 0:17:31.080 --> 0:17:33.240 of Kansas. This is Bears Weekly out of SPN one 0:17:33.240 --> 0:17:35.080 thousand of the Bears Radio Network. 0:17:35.240 --> 0:17:37.920 This is Bears Weekly with the voice of the Bears 0:17:37.920 --> 0:17:42.359 for twenty three years, Jeff Jonyak on the Bears Radio Network. 0:17:47.680 --> 0:17:49.920 This segment of Bears Weekly is brought to you by 0:17:50.119 --> 0:17:53.159 Athletical Physical Therapy. Visit Athletical dot com to request it 0:17:53.200 --> 0:17:56.280 in clinic or virtual deployment and start feeling better tomorrow. 0:17:56.320 --> 0:17:59.280 Welcome back here on Bears Weekly on ESPN one thousand 0:17:59.320 --> 0:18:02.280 of the Bears Radio Network. Jeff Jonihak, Tom There and 0:18:02.359 --> 0:18:05.439 Jim Miller will be along after our interview with rookie 0:18:05.800 --> 0:18:09.800 Defensive End Austin Booker. It feels good, Austin. Thanks for 0:18:09.840 --> 0:18:12.280 taking the time to join us. I'm sure to hear 0:18:12.320 --> 0:18:15.840 your name announced now as an NFL player, rookie defensive end. 0:18:16.400 --> 0:18:18.119 This is just the beginning of what you hope is 0:18:18.160 --> 0:18:20.040 going to be a real long journey. Is it sunk 0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:21.760 in really that this is where you're act? 0:18:22.119 --> 0:18:23.760 It has the past couple of days, been around the 0:18:23.800 --> 0:18:26.200 vets a little bit, and it's just been a dream 0:18:26.200 --> 0:18:28.720 cone true. So I'm just gonna take full event of 0:18:28.760 --> 0:18:30.400 it and keep working, keep getting better. 0:18:30.600 --> 0:18:32.680 Kind of crazy stuff at the age of twenty one, 0:18:32.720 --> 0:18:33.000 isn't it. 0:18:33.080 --> 0:18:33.640 Yeah? Yeah? 0:18:34.040 --> 0:18:37.280 I think about this, and there have been guys. I mean, 0:18:37.480 --> 0:18:40.000 there was a guy a Molby Ay. He was a 0:18:40.040 --> 0:18:42.760 defensive tackle. He was drafted high, I think by the 0:18:42.880 --> 0:18:45.040 Houston Texans. We had him here for a bit, but 0:18:45.119 --> 0:18:47.439 he entered the league in nineteen oh wow, and he 0:18:47.480 --> 0:18:49.040 was the youngest guy in the league. And I thought, 0:18:49.080 --> 0:18:51.120 oh my gosh, how I mean, I think of myself 0:18:51.160 --> 0:18:54.159 at that age and just think about just three years 0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:57.840 plus you were wrapping up a state championship in Indiana, right, 0:18:57.920 --> 0:19:01.280 I mean, did you envision that three plus years ago? 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:03.040 I did this was a goal I told myself I 0:19:03.080 --> 0:19:04.919 was gonna be three and done, And I mean I 0:19:04.920 --> 0:19:06.879 didn't see it happening at first, not playing at all 0:19:06.880 --> 0:19:08.960 at Minnesota. Yeah, but I get to Kansas have a 0:19:08.960 --> 0:19:10.919 great season, and everything came together. 0:19:10.960 --> 0:19:11.840 So I'm just grateful. 0:19:12.440 --> 0:19:14.960 This is gonna sound maybe a weird question to an 0:19:15.000 --> 0:19:17.520 athlete who's got a lot of confidence. But given the 0:19:17.560 --> 0:19:20.000 fact you didn't get in many snaps in Minnesota, did 0:19:20.040 --> 0:19:22.080 it scare you a little bit? Like, oh my gosh, 0:19:22.640 --> 0:19:23.359 what am I gonna do? 0:19:23.440 --> 0:19:23.600 Yeah? 0:19:23.600 --> 0:19:25.280 One hundred percent, But it just makes you better, Like 0:19:25.960 --> 0:19:27.359 you realize you have to get bigger, You have to 0:19:27.400 --> 0:19:29.240 realize you have to get stronger to get on that field, 0:19:29.600 --> 0:19:32.000 and once you do that, sometimes it's just not a 0:19:32.000 --> 0:19:33.800 good fit. Sometimes you still don't get on the field, 0:19:34.000 --> 0:19:36.880 so that's when you kind of have to look other 0:19:36.920 --> 0:19:39.040