WEBVTT - Hightower talks offseason, return to Chicago | All Access 0:00:01.160 --> 0:00:04.560 The following is a presentation of the Chicago Bears Network 0:00:04.680 --> 0:00:08.640 and Chicago Bears dot Com. Download the Chicago Bears official 0:00:08.640 --> 0:00:11.639 mobile app for up to the minute Bears content every 0:00:11.720 --> 0:00:16.279 day and now welcome to Bears All Access. You're All 0:00:16.360 --> 0:00:21.040 Access passing to Chicago Bears football. Bears All Access is 0:00:21.079 --> 0:00:25.040 brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Athletical 0:00:25.079 --> 0:00:29.120 Physical Therapy and CDW. Good to be with you, everybody. 0:00:29.120 --> 0:00:31.840 We're talking Bears again here on Bears All Access, a 0:00:31.920 --> 0:00:35.040 midweek version along with Tom Farmer broadcast partner from news 0:00:35.120 --> 0:00:38.360 radio one oh five nine w BBM. I'm Jeff Jonyak, 0:00:39.000 --> 0:00:42.479 the voice of the Chicago Bears, and I'm already missing 0:00:42.600 --> 0:00:47.720 football time. I want I was so interested just for kicks, 0:00:47.760 --> 0:00:52.000 to see the USFL draft last I just I don't want. 0:00:52.000 --> 0:00:54.480 I want football back already. Yeah. But you know, Jeff, 0:00:54.520 --> 0:00:57.240 for your own sake and your health and everything, I'm 0:00:57.240 --> 0:01:00.440 glad you got a second of downtime because you really 0:01:00.480 --> 0:01:03.720 need it. But now when you look at the near 0:01:03.840 --> 0:01:07.120 future here, when you get the combine ramped up, you 0:01:07.200 --> 0:01:10.720 talk about the franchise tag, all the rumors that are 0:01:10.800 --> 0:01:14.920 circular circulating around the NFL. Some of the biggest names 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:17.920 in the business are being talked about of maybe their 0:01:17.959 --> 0:01:21.960 next location if they're gonna stay on location. So you're 0:01:22.040 --> 0:01:26.480 never starving for information. But it's the actual game played 0:01:26.520 --> 0:01:29.600 on Sundays, which is always fun and a big ramp 0:01:29.720 --> 0:01:32.400 up to the weekend. I'm watching as many college players 0:01:32.400 --> 0:01:34.800 as I can right now, and you know, you know me, 0:01:35.080 --> 0:01:37.400 I fall in love with guys right away. I see 0:01:37.400 --> 0:01:41.240 a highlight tape and boy, you start imagining, how would 0:01:41.240 --> 0:01:43.040 this guy fit? And then you realize you don't have 0:01:43.080 --> 0:01:44.679 a first round pick, so you got to put that 0:01:44.760 --> 0:01:47.360 aside and we'll just we'll talk about that as the 0:01:47.360 --> 0:01:49.520 weeks go on. But you know, I always, you know, 0:01:49.840 --> 0:01:52.480 probably one of the worst things you could do as 0:01:52.520 --> 0:01:55.560 a general manager or a vice president of a football 0:01:55.600 --> 0:01:59.080 operations or a scouts fall in love with somebody so 0:01:59.160 --> 0:02:01.560 much that you can't see the forest through the trees. 0:02:01.960 --> 0:02:04.960 And that's a lot of times with just average fans. 0:02:05.000 --> 0:02:08.400 We fall in love with guys, and you know, every 0:02:08.480 --> 0:02:11.799 year and then you remember them unfortunately and you remind me, hey, 0:02:11.800 --> 0:02:14.000 whatever happened to that guy? Well, you know he never 0:02:14.040 --> 0:02:17.560 made a time. Well, you know, the reason is is 0:02:17.600 --> 0:02:21.040 that we have access to highlight tapes, and so everything 0:02:21.080 --> 0:02:24.440 you watch is great. Whether it's a reaction to a catch, 0:02:24.480 --> 0:02:28.760 it's a big block, it's an open, open space tackle, 0:02:28.840 --> 0:02:32.079 things like that. To me, I would rather see a 0:02:32.160 --> 0:02:37.079 video of a bad play and then the next play 0:02:37.240 --> 0:02:40.840 and how would they rebound, How would they answer a 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:44.960 poor a pass blocking on third down where maybe they 0:02:45.000 --> 0:02:47.600 gave up some pressure, how they how do they go 0:02:47.639 --> 0:02:50.360 about their business on first down? Or if they had 0:02:50.400 --> 0:02:52.440 a mental air, what did they do the next play? 0:02:52.520 --> 0:02:56.840 Because sometimes, Jeff, you get caught up in these highlight 0:02:56.880 --> 0:03:00.280 tapes and you know you never see a mistake may 0:03:00.400 --> 0:03:03.400 and that's just not the case when you're going against 0:03:03.400 --> 0:03:06.600 a two hundred and five pound college defensive end for 0:03:06.760 --> 0:03:09.880 a guy you'll never see in the future of your 0:03:09.919 --> 0:03:12.200 career going forward. How about a six two, two hundred 0:03:12.200 --> 0:03:16.120 and sixty one pound linebacker from Wisconsin LEO channel, where's 0:03:16.240 --> 0:03:19.880 number five? Check him out today? I just I watched 0:03:19.880 --> 0:03:23.240 as much of him as I possibly could. Love the guy. 0:03:23.600 --> 0:03:26.320 But again again this is getting way too off track. 0:03:26.440 --> 0:03:28.720 But this is bears All Access. It's brought you by 0:03:28.800 --> 0:03:30.880 Gus Energy with Tom There, Jeff, Joni, and Jim Miller 0:03:30.880 --> 0:03:32.960 from serious X, I'm out of l radio coming up shortly. 0:03:33.560 --> 0:03:35.800 But this is a guy in his scheme at was constant. 0:03:35.800 --> 0:03:39.279 They just he just attacked the line of scrimmage relentlessly 0:03:39.600 --> 0:03:42.280 and blitzed NonStop. But he's two hundred and sixty one 0:03:42.360 --> 0:03:46.600 pounds and he hurts you at the line. You know, 0:03:46.640 --> 0:03:48.960 you know there he'll hear you. Got it? Yeah, you 0:03:49.040 --> 0:03:50.880 got guys like that in the past. You look at 0:03:50.880 --> 0:03:53.920 the Levon Kirklands in the in the football life back 0:03:54.040 --> 0:03:57.160 playing in a four three defense in the middle where 0:03:57.200 --> 0:03:59.920 they are protected by two big defensive tackles and they 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:04.360 could hold down the ford in the complete interior of 0:04:04.440 --> 0:04:08.080 an inside running game. So he you know, is there 0:04:08.480 --> 0:04:11.920 a position for a guy with those types of traits? Yes, 0:04:12.400 --> 0:04:15.120 but you have to have the right support behind you 0:04:15.200 --> 0:04:17.440 and in front of you to be able to use 0:04:17.520 --> 0:04:21.160 your traits on the NFL level. Coming up at the 0:04:21.200 --> 0:04:23.320 bottom of the hour, we'll be joined by special teams 0:04:23.360 --> 0:04:26.400 coordinator Richard high Tower. He gets the big job with 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:29.000 the Bears. He was here back in twenty sixteen as 0:04:29.000 --> 0:04:31.480 an assistant, so we'll talk to him, and of course 0:04:31.520 --> 0:04:35.480 the combine starts next week. Tom, what position groups are 0:04:35.520 --> 0:04:38.320 you going to be keenly interested in as it relates 0:04:38.320 --> 0:04:40.360 to what the Bears needs are. What are you going 0:04:40.400 --> 0:04:42.279 to be focused on when you start popping on the 0:04:42.279 --> 0:04:45.719 TV this week, watching watching the forty, watching everything that 0:04:45.760 --> 0:04:47.440 goes on throughout the course of the week. You know, 0:04:47.520 --> 0:04:50.360 I'm definitely gonna pay attention to receivers that are over 0:04:50.440 --> 0:04:53.240 six feet. I want to bring in some size of 0:04:53.320 --> 0:04:57.520 this team to help justin develop the identity of bigger 0:04:57.560 --> 0:05:01.440 targets down field, maybe get them and better matchups against 0:05:01.520 --> 0:05:05.880 some of the passive or undersized cornerbacks there are in 0:05:05.920 --> 0:05:09.720 the division, around the league. So you know, that's something 0:05:09.760 --> 0:05:12.719 that our great stat guy in the booth, Doug Colettie, 0:05:12.720 --> 0:05:15.159 has been talking about all year, is that you need 0:05:15.200 --> 0:05:18.120 to have some size at the receiver position. So I 0:05:18.200 --> 0:05:20.240 want to see what direction they can go with that, 0:05:20.360 --> 0:05:23.320 because listen, man, I love Darnell Mooney. I liked what 0:05:23.480 --> 0:05:26.000 a Rob brought to the show. But when you look 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:29.159 at the packages of the four and five and three 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:34.240 receiver sets, you gotta have some size there. And you know, 0:05:34.440 --> 0:05:39.200 if they don't complete the defensive backfield for the Bears, 0:05:39.240 --> 0:05:41.719 and when you talk about the quarterbacks in the division, 0:05:41.760 --> 0:05:45.840 the new head coaches where they're gonna go. You know, 0:05:45.920 --> 0:05:47.480 you got to go out there and be able to 0:05:47.480 --> 0:05:50.080 hold your own and that means a physical presence from 0:05:50.120 --> 0:05:53.800 the safety position and the ability to cover at the 0:05:53.880 --> 0:05:57.280 corner position. And you're talking about all three right cornerback, 0:05:57.360 --> 0:06:01.200 left quarterback, cornerback at each side, and nickel corner because 0:06:01.240 --> 0:06:04.560 of their value to a team from what the Bears 0:06:04.560 --> 0:06:07.159 have suffered through maybe in the last couple of years, 0:06:07.200 --> 0:06:11.120 either having rookies and Jalen Johnson no offense to Jayalen Johnson, 0:06:11.920 --> 0:06:14.680 he is the one one guy that I feel I 0:06:14.720 --> 0:06:17.080 can count on back there. But you know, we gotta 0:06:17.160 --> 0:06:21.600 have we got to have the defensive backfields and you 0:06:21.720 --> 0:06:23.719 got to have them for the length of time. And 0:06:24.240 --> 0:06:26.760 the tackle position. This is a position that we're going 0:06:26.839 --> 0:06:29.680 to talk about throughout the entire season. Yeah, I surprise 0:06:29.720 --> 0:06:31.400 you didn't start with the oir line because I'm starting 0:06:31.400 --> 0:06:33.440 with the old line and going right to the defensive 0:06:33.480 --> 0:06:35.160 lines and see if they're going to a four to three, 0:06:35.200 --> 0:06:37.240 I want to know what their plan is. But I'm 0:06:37.240 --> 0:06:41.440 gonna be looking at those two positions thoroughly. And then 0:06:42.120 --> 0:06:45.080 number three on my list is corner. I know everybody 0:06:45.160 --> 0:06:47.280 likes the sexy positions with the ball on their hand 0:06:47.279 --> 0:06:48.880 and who's gonna make the big play, you know, a 0:06:48.920 --> 0:06:52.960 wide receiver, tight end, running back. But right now those 0:06:53.000 --> 0:06:55.880 are positions of necessity right now, at least from my 0:06:55.960 --> 0:06:58.520 perspective and area. Well, we'll jump into the conversation with 0:06:58.600 --> 0:07:02.000 Jim Miller from Serious XM Radio, our weekly guest coming 0:07:02.080 --> 0:07:06.000 up next with our producer Brian Callahan. Also Dan BARRELLI 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:08.920 one of our producers tonight, Tom, I don't know if 0:07:08.920 --> 0:07:12.960 you knew that or not. Jordan Trudup has the week off, 0:07:13.000 --> 0:07:17.120 so Dan's filling in tonight for Employee of the Year 0:07:17.160 --> 0:07:20.280 at one time up at Allis Hall on Chicago Sports 0:07:20.400 --> 0:07:26.480 Radio six seventy the Score. Hey everybody, welcome back to 0:07:26.520 --> 0:07:29.760 Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy. Choose 0:07:29.800 --> 0:07:32.760 clean energy for your home at igs dot com because 0:07:32.840 --> 0:07:35.800 every good choice adds up to a better world. With 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:38.600 Tom Payer, I'm Jeff Jonyak and our weekly guest, former 0:07:38.640 --> 0:07:42.360 Bears quarterback Jim Miller from Syria, Sexam, NFL Radio's moving 0:07:42.400 --> 0:07:45.760 the chains with Pat Kerwin joining us. Now, are you 0:07:45.840 --> 0:07:48.560 packed and ready for the combine? I know this is 0:07:48.880 --> 0:07:51.600 a long week. I know you're gonna have like three 0:07:51.640 --> 0:07:54.760 or four suitcases, some empty because you might have a 0:07:54.760 --> 0:07:58.000 few trinkets you might bring on back. You know, loads 0:07:58.000 --> 0:08:01.520 of information on the NFL Draft twenty twenty two. You're ready, 0:08:01.560 --> 0:08:04.760 big Jim, I am ready, and no I travel lights. 0:08:05.400 --> 0:08:08.160 It'll be just a carry on and I will be 0:08:08.200 --> 0:08:10.600 ready to roll. But it's always an exciting you know, 0:08:10.640 --> 0:08:13.000 I have as much fun now in the off season 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:15.360 as I do during the regular season. I mean it 0:08:15.440 --> 0:08:17.840 truly is three hundred and sixty five days a year, 0:08:17.880 --> 0:08:20.000 and we've kind of kicked off the business season looking 0:08:20.080 --> 0:08:23.200 already right now. You guys mentioned franchise tags. Look at 0:08:23.200 --> 0:08:26.160 all the players released or restructure today. Pat calls them 0:08:26.160 --> 0:08:29.760 the three rs. Right, your restructure, you reduce your salary, 0:08:29.880 --> 0:08:34.400 or you're out. Released Anthony Hitchins released today by Kansas 0:08:34.440 --> 0:08:37.160 City Right saves about seven million bucks on the salary 0:08:37.160 --> 0:08:39.520 cap that we know is only going up about twenty 0:08:39.559 --> 0:08:42.120 million bucks. So the business season is already in full swing. 0:08:42.200 --> 0:08:45.680 Man Kenny Clark and Green Bay Tommy, we always circle 0:08:45.760 --> 0:08:47.800 him when we get ready to meet the packers. You 0:08:47.800 --> 0:08:50.840 gotta stop Kenny Clark, so you know they're trying to 0:08:50.840 --> 0:08:54.160 make room for you know, and Gudkin spoke today, you know, 0:08:54.360 --> 0:08:57.160 the football fans out there, the general manager, the Packers, 0:08:57.160 --> 0:08:59.400 so they've got a lot. That whole debate is about, 0:08:59.600 --> 0:09:02.600 you know, for what's gonna happen obviously with Rodgers, but 0:09:02.679 --> 0:09:04.360 you know, are you gonna be able to find a 0:09:04.360 --> 0:09:07.480 way to keep Davonte Adams boys? That's yes, He's their 0:09:07.480 --> 0:09:10.200 first domino that that has to fall. And you look 0:09:10.200 --> 0:09:12.720 at them, I mean, look at Davondre Campbell the year 0:09:12.840 --> 0:09:14.640 that he had. He's a free agent for them. How 0:09:14.640 --> 0:09:15.960 are they going to sign them all? When you look 0:09:16.000 --> 0:09:17.679 at Green Bay because Rogers is going to take a 0:09:17.760 --> 0:09:20.480 big chunk of it Adams minimum. They can put the 0:09:20.520 --> 0:09:23.160 tag on Adams if they if they want to go 0:09:23.520 --> 0:09:26.560 that route. But I mean, if Aaron Rodgers leaves, I mean, 0:09:26.840 --> 0:09:30.559 and he already said today Guten Kunst that we're probably 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:33.120 not going to take any trade offers for for Jordan 0:09:33.200 --> 0:09:36.520 Love and it's you know, they would be in I 0:09:37.000 --> 0:09:40.040 think they would be looking for a quarterback if Rogers 0:09:40.040 --> 0:09:42.000 were to hang up the cleats. But I don't know 0:09:42.040 --> 0:09:43.760 how they're going to resign them all. I really don't. 0:09:43.840 --> 0:09:45.840 They're they're over the cap as it is right now, 0:09:45.840 --> 0:09:48.560 and they've got some huge decisions that they have to 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:50.920 make in Green Bay. Yeah, they mean, they got all 0:09:50.920 --> 0:09:55.040 the drama that surrounds Aaron Rodgers and it's just getting overwhelming. Actually, 0:09:55.040 --> 0:09:58.080 it's even boring during the off season. But to me, 0:09:58.679 --> 0:10:02.120 the biggest shot across the bows when they went and 0:10:02.200 --> 0:10:05.200 hired Tom Clements. Tom Clements is not going to come 0:10:05.200 --> 0:10:07.600 out of retirement. Look, man, this guy's living a good 0:10:07.640 --> 0:10:11.400 life in California. He's an attorney. He's got a lot 0:10:11.440 --> 0:10:14.959 of different options in life in order to be come 0:10:14.960 --> 0:10:18.040 out out of retirement, and we want you to be 0:10:18.160 --> 0:10:21.440 part of our coaching staff. It's gotta be because I 0:10:21.480 --> 0:10:24.400 don't think they're trying to bring in Tom Clements to 0:10:24.440 --> 0:10:27.720 be incentive for Aaron Rodgers. It's a conversation they had 0:10:27.720 --> 0:10:30.840 with Aaron Rodgers and what they needed to create incentive. 0:10:30.960 --> 0:10:35.240 So excuse me, I am concerned about that, and I 0:10:35.480 --> 0:10:38.320 you know, I everything else kind of overshadows it because 0:10:38.679 --> 0:10:41.040 you know, Davante Adams and all these other guys that 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:44.400 doesn't matter because of Aaron Rodgers is not there. Then 0:10:45.200 --> 0:10:50.360 we are all fighting for the division championship. All four teams. 0:10:50.400 --> 0:10:52.840 So that to you is your hook, right, you feel 0:10:52.920 --> 0:10:55.040 that's the hook to bring him back. I really do, 0:10:55.200 --> 0:10:57.440 just because he's been out of Green Bay now for 0:10:57.480 --> 0:11:00.280 what three or four years? He had I think year 0:11:00.280 --> 0:11:03.080 in Arizona and then you know it was you know, 0:11:03.200 --> 0:11:05.880 had you know, I think he was doing some commercial 0:11:06.120 --> 0:11:09.679 or some real estate out in the West coast. But listen, 0:11:10.080 --> 0:11:12.960 you just don't bring a guy back into the mix 0:11:13.000 --> 0:11:16.800 after being out of the NFL for so long unless 0:11:16.920 --> 0:11:20.200 you have a player that has a role like Aaron 0:11:20.280 --> 0:11:24.000 Rodgers does in Green Bay. He's more important than any coach, 0:11:24.440 --> 0:11:28.000 any player in that organization right now, Jim, do you 0:11:28.000 --> 0:11:32.040 have Rogers fatigued? Huh uh. I'm unless taking this advice. 0:11:32.040 --> 0:11:37.240 I'll read a book. You know, you know I leaned 0:11:37.280 --> 0:11:39.440 with what Tom said. It It sounds like, you know, 0:11:39.520 --> 0:11:42.480 what looked like everybody was put on a happy face 0:11:42.520 --> 0:11:45.079 and kind of grinned and bared it, you know, throughout 0:11:45.080 --> 0:11:48.240 the season, and then you know, things started to happen. 0:11:48.360 --> 0:11:51.040 It seems like everybody relented a little bit. They soften 0:11:51.480 --> 0:11:55.520 their stance, even Rogers recently on his buddy the Pat 0:11:55.600 --> 0:11:59.040 McAfee show. You know, I think all the things Tom 0:11:59.080 --> 0:12:01.040 just talked about kind a lead you to believe that 0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:03.600 he will be returning to Green Bay. He's the first 0:12:03.600 --> 0:12:06.040 Domino to fall though big time. But even with him 0:12:06.040 --> 0:12:08.520 coming back, if they sweeten the deal, I mean minimum, 0:12:09.520 --> 0:12:12.000 he's gonna get probably add two years to his contract. 0:12:12.000 --> 0:12:14.760 It'll be forty million a year. How do you pay 0:12:14.800 --> 0:12:17.680 everybody you give Adams the tag, They're gonna have to 0:12:17.720 --> 0:12:20.240 restructure a lot more guys. I mentioned there's gonna be 0:12:20.400 --> 0:12:23.120 one of the Smith brothers isn't gonna be there. They 0:12:23.160 --> 0:12:26.800 can't resign to Andre Campbell. I mean, it's significantly gonna 0:12:26.800 --> 0:12:28.600 limit them with what they can do here this over. 0:12:29.040 --> 0:12:32.240 If they get rid of Kenny Clark, that whole defense 0:12:32.360 --> 0:12:36.440 becomes desfunt I mean even, I mean it's gonna be 0:12:36.480 --> 0:12:39.920 difficult for that defense to be successful on first and 0:12:40.000 --> 0:12:42.520 second down if they get rid of Kenny Clark, because 0:12:42.800 --> 0:12:46.400 he is the toughest guy, the toughest defensive tackle in 0:12:46.440 --> 0:12:50.600 our division. Unless a Kim Hicks is playing hard and healthy, 0:12:50.840 --> 0:12:52.640 you know he's he's right up there with him. But 0:12:52.920 --> 0:12:55.400 they have if they can't sign Kenny Clark, they don't. 0:12:55.440 --> 0:12:59.760 If they can't sign that Campbell and the Smith Brothers. 0:13:00.160 --> 0:13:02.080 Matt Defense is going to take a hit. Hey, they 0:13:02.120 --> 0:13:04.200 found Campbell as a free agent a one year deal, 0:13:04.240 --> 0:13:05.920 they can find another one. I mean, I know he 0:13:05.960 --> 0:13:07.559 had a great year and he went to the years 0:13:07.559 --> 0:13:10.559 in all Pro. But I saw this from Andrew Brandt 0:13:10.600 --> 0:13:13.120 today and he used to be For those who don't 0:13:13.120 --> 0:13:15.240 know him, he used to be in the Packers organization 0:13:15.280 --> 0:13:18.600 and he's a media person now he's got his own website. 0:13:18.760 --> 0:13:22.720 But he says, I think around this time of year, 0:13:23.040 --> 0:13:26.520 fans are more obsessed and worried about the salary cap 0:13:26.720 --> 0:13:30.040 than general managers and owners are. And maybe that's the 0:13:30.040 --> 0:13:32.720 case because you know, years ago we didn't talk about 0:13:32.760 --> 0:13:35.720 it like we do now, and we obsess. Oh my gosh, 0:13:35.880 --> 0:13:38.199 teams are in the red right now before the new 0:13:38.240 --> 0:13:40.760 league year starts. They gotta be. They gotta be above water. 0:13:40.840 --> 0:13:42.520 Otherwise you know you're not gonna be able to get 0:13:42.520 --> 0:13:44.720 this guy or do this or sign this guy. And 0:13:45.080 --> 0:13:48.040 things have a way of working themselves out, Jim. They 0:13:48.120 --> 0:13:52.040 seemingly always do. If you're part in company with somebody 0:13:52.360 --> 0:13:54.640 because of a cap thing, then you really didn't want 0:13:54.679 --> 0:13:56.920 him anyone. I mean, look at Atlanta last year. That 0:13:57.040 --> 0:13:59.240 what they were fifteen million dollars over. Oh, let's just 0:13:59.320 --> 0:14:03.120 trade Huliu Jones. Fifteen million came off their cap. I 0:14:03.160 --> 0:14:05.920 think Dallas is in kind of the same situation. Dallas 0:14:06.000 --> 0:14:09.160 is twenty million over the cap. Guess what Marie Cooper 0:14:09.200 --> 0:14:13.000 comes in at twenty million dollars. Mari Cooper, I am 0:14:13.040 --> 0:14:16.560 circled has gone. Yeah. Absolutely, But you can clear up 0:14:16.559 --> 0:14:19.400 a lot of cap space pretty quickly, is what Andrew 0:14:19.400 --> 0:14:23.240 Farrant is referring. You know, NFLA is also getting ready 0:14:23.280 --> 0:14:26.480 for the combine and just looking at teams and their needs. 0:14:27.520 --> 0:14:31.240 You know what's really sticking out and in some cases 0:14:31.560 --> 0:14:35.080 from some really good teams because of poor performances, because 0:14:35.080 --> 0:14:39.680 they are slotting guys in because of injury, or because 0:14:39.840 --> 0:14:41.960 of a lack of doe to pay somebody they wanted 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:44.480 to keep them put in the year before. To me, 0:14:45.360 --> 0:14:47.640 it's always got to be this way, but for some 0:14:47.720 --> 0:14:51.720 reason it's sticking out more this year. How many teams 0:14:51.760 --> 0:14:54.920 are going to be looking for offensive linemen in the draft. 0:14:55.360 --> 0:14:58.520 It is gonna be a whole bunch of people, and 0:14:58.560 --> 0:15:00.720 it's all about protecting the And you go right to 0:15:00.800 --> 0:15:03.920 Joe Burrow, who's been sacked over one hundred over one 0:15:04.000 --> 0:15:08.440 hundred times this past year with the playoffs, is that correct? 0:15:08.160 --> 0:15:11.240 Last year? Hundred hundred and two times he's been sacked. 0:15:11.960 --> 0:15:16.040 And the first guy I think of is David Carr. Yeah, 0:15:16.200 --> 0:15:18.320 same thing happened him early in his career. But it's 0:15:18.360 --> 0:15:20.920 not just him. It's Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. Gotta find it. 0:15:21.120 --> 0:15:23.800 He threw a career high in interceptions. Got he's injured. 0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:28.000 You gotta protect justin fields. He gotta make sure he 0:15:28.040 --> 0:15:30.440 feels So there's gonna be So you ready for this? 0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:33.720 You ready for this? So fifty eight offensive linemen are 0:15:33.760 --> 0:15:37.280 invited to the twenty twenty two combine, the most since 0:15:38.480 --> 0:15:42.160 as the most, so they know that, so I think 0:15:42.200 --> 0:15:44.960 that's why they they fudge the numbers that way. This 0:15:45.000 --> 0:15:47.120 will be the least amount of quarterbacks working out at 0:15:47.160 --> 0:15:51.920 the combine. Only fifteen guys we're invited. Uh, there's a 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:54.360 dip in wide receivers. It's not as much talent as 0:15:54.400 --> 0:15:56.760 what they've been in the past. So there's only forty 0:15:56.800 --> 0:16:00.440 wide receivers. So that's one of the second fewest in 0:16:00.480 --> 0:16:02.840 the last twenty years that have been invited to the combine. 0:16:02.880 --> 0:16:05.400 But old lineman. This is a good year for old lineman, 0:16:05.600 --> 0:16:08.240 really good year. You know, offensive lineman. You know you 0:16:08.320 --> 0:16:11.040 talk about it, and I'm not making a joke about it. 0:16:11.040 --> 0:16:13.640 It always should be a priority because that's where your 0:16:13.640 --> 0:16:15.960 football team is going to start. And when you talk 0:16:16.000 --> 0:16:21.160 about these quarterbacks protecting being protected, justin fields has to 0:16:21.240 --> 0:16:24.160 learn how to protect himself. And that's going to become 0:16:24.160 --> 0:16:27.640 with knowledge of the offense, understanding of the protection, and 0:16:27.680 --> 0:16:29.960 then being able to look at the line of scrimmage 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:34.240 and understand where your vulnerabilities come from. But then when 0:16:34.280 --> 0:16:37.080 you do get outside the pocket, you have to learn 0:16:37.120 --> 0:16:41.520 how to slide efficiently, stay away from taking the unfortunate hits, 0:16:41.760 --> 0:16:45.600 and just make sure that you're improving your own protection. 0:16:46.280 --> 0:16:49.400 That's time there. Jim Miller, Jeff Joni Yak Coming up 0:16:49.400 --> 0:16:52.160 at the bottom of the hour, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower. 0:16:52.240 --> 0:16:55.080 Let's sake, let's step away and take a break here 0:16:55.080 --> 0:17:00.240 in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score well, come 0:17:00.240 --> 0:17:02.360 back to Bears and all access to this segment brought 0:17:02.360 --> 0:17:05.480 to you by Athletico Physical Therapy. Visit Athletico dot com 0:17:05.520 --> 0:17:08.320 to request an appointment in clinic or virtually and start 0:17:08.359 --> 0:17:10.880 feeling better tomorrow with Tom there, Jeff Jonahac Jim Miller, 0:17:10.920 --> 0:17:15.280 former Bears quarterback from Sirius XM's NFL radio, Moving the chains. 0:17:15.760 --> 0:17:19.720 Tom was just scribbling notes today, Jim, so I sent 0:17:19.760 --> 0:17:22.040 you some of them and wanted to have some topics 0:17:22.080 --> 0:17:26.560 to discussed today. And so let's go with the position priority, 0:17:26.840 --> 0:17:31.439 Position priority topic, position priority, Jim, We're gonna start with 0:17:31.520 --> 0:17:34.840 Tom since this was his baby anyway. So position priority? 0:17:34.880 --> 0:17:38.560 Are we talking combine draft? Are we talking free agency? 0:17:38.600 --> 0:17:42.719 Are we talking both? I'm talking look into the future 0:17:42.760 --> 0:17:45.400 of the Chicago Bears when you think of the conclusion 0:17:45.480 --> 0:17:49.399 of the season, the new coaching staff coming aboard and 0:17:49.800 --> 0:17:52.560 what they have in place and where they need to 0:17:52.640 --> 0:17:55.399 go a position wise. All right, so you want you 0:17:55.480 --> 0:17:57.359 already touched on it really in the second second. But 0:17:57.760 --> 0:18:03.480 receiver with size are complete rather the secondary with five 0:18:03.480 --> 0:18:06.280 guys you can trust. And then okay, so let's pick 0:18:06.320 --> 0:18:09.760 on this one. The offensive tackle starters with depth. Yeah, 0:18:09.960 --> 0:18:12.840 these starters are right now, No, because first of all, 0:18:12.880 --> 0:18:15.080 you got to allow the offensive line coach to get 0:18:15.119 --> 0:18:17.840 in front of the athletes he has and then where 0:18:17.880 --> 0:18:20.480 does in his mind as he feel they fit the best, 0:18:20.520 --> 0:18:23.119 they give you the best opportunity to win. To me, 0:18:23.240 --> 0:18:25.480 I'll still hold my ground, and I think it's bore 0:18:25.560 --> 0:18:28.800 Um left Jenkins the right tackle to start the season. 0:18:29.160 --> 0:18:32.479 And that's why I say offensive tackle position with depth 0:18:32.800 --> 0:18:35.720 because I want guys to come in here and compete 0:18:35.760 --> 0:18:38.560 against these two young guys. I don't want to hand 0:18:38.720 --> 0:18:41.280 either of them a job. I want them to earn 0:18:41.320 --> 0:18:45.000 it from some guys that are are fighting for that 0:18:45.080 --> 0:18:47.240 position themselves. Jim, do you want to pay for a 0:18:47.320 --> 0:18:49.199 tackle or are we gonna go with young guys and 0:18:49.240 --> 0:18:52.000 try to develop them. I think you go with young guys, 0:18:52.000 --> 0:18:55.439 but you sign a veteran so that you're covered, is 0:18:55.480 --> 0:18:58.320 what I think. So free agent said, you know that 0:18:58.359 --> 0:19:00.919 are out there. Obviously the bearers aren't gonna say signed 0:19:00.920 --> 0:19:03.520 Toronto Armstead. You know, obviously he'd be the starter if 0:19:03.800 --> 0:19:05.720 that were the case. But there's some guys out there 0:19:05.760 --> 0:19:08.520 that you know that that have experience, that have played. 0:19:08.520 --> 0:19:10.000 But I think you want to go young. You know, 0:19:10.000 --> 0:19:13.520 it's a new coaching staff, it is a young quarterback, 0:19:13.560 --> 0:19:15.120 and that's why I think you would want to bring 0:19:15.160 --> 0:19:18.560 in a savvy veteran from the free agent point of view. 0:19:18.600 --> 0:19:21.440 So that you're covered if you go with these young guys. 0:19:21.560 --> 0:19:24.000 I like the athleticism of both of them. I think 0:19:24.000 --> 0:19:26.159 they'll play. You know, Tevin, it's unfortunate he had to 0:19:26.200 --> 0:19:28.680 have the back surgery and didn't get in the mix 0:19:28.800 --> 0:19:30.639 till late in the year, but he was kind of 0:19:30.640 --> 0:19:33.760 thrown right in there, and obviously he knows he's got 0:19:33.760 --> 0:19:34.960 a lot of work to do and what's going to 0:19:35.000 --> 0:19:37.760 be counted on for him moving forward. And then where 0:19:37.800 --> 0:19:41.080 else you're looking, what's your number one and number two? 0:19:41.200 --> 0:19:43.679 I'm probably with you. You got to put more around 0:19:43.720 --> 0:19:46.360 justin field. So receiver, it's going to be a big one, 0:19:46.440 --> 0:19:48.440 you know, with Marquis good one being a free agent 0:19:48.480 --> 0:19:53.359 and Alan Robinson being free So receiver, I would think 0:19:53.680 --> 0:19:57.960 safety and corner, probably another corner first and then a safety. 0:19:58.040 --> 0:20:00.199 But the Bears don't have that first round pick, right, 0:20:00.240 --> 0:20:02.880 They're not taking to what thirty nine, thirty nine I think, 0:20:03.280 --> 0:20:06.320 So you're gonna be looking, you know, at the at 0:20:06.320 --> 0:20:09.040 the second round guys that are available, So everybody's gonna 0:20:09.040 --> 0:20:10.879 throw out, oh, that can get the number one corner. No, 0:20:10.960 --> 0:20:13.480 they're not. The Bears will not be in that. You know, 0:20:13.480 --> 0:20:16.040 They're still gonna be good players there, like I think 0:20:16.080 --> 0:20:19.119 the Penn States safety will be their Briskers is one 0:20:19.200 --> 0:20:23.360 I like that Jalen Petree from Baylor un down and Mobile. 0:20:23.440 --> 0:20:26.560 I think he was voted one of the voted the 0:20:26.920 --> 0:20:30.560 player of the week for the safety position down a Mobile. 0:20:30.680 --> 0:20:33.199 So there's some talented players that will be there in 0:20:33.240 --> 0:20:34.920 the second round for the Bears. And of course they 0:20:34.920 --> 0:20:37.040 can trade up, trade down if they need to to 0:20:37.040 --> 0:20:39.600 target the guy that they're looking for. But I'd say receiver, 0:20:40.720 --> 0:20:44.360 H corner and safety because Sean Gibson, I don't think 0:20:44.359 --> 0:20:46.040 we'll be there, and they've got to be guys that 0:20:46.080 --> 0:20:48.359 can run run for you before I give you my 0:20:48.440 --> 0:20:51.640