All Access: Cunningham ready for camp

CDW and four. All right, and away we go. Welcome back to Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy, a proud partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas, and home warranty products to over one million customers across the country. Learn more about IGS Energy at igs dot com. Happy to be with you tonight, this evening, Jim Miller, Tom Thayer with you. We've got one hour of Bears All Access. Have a couple of great guests. They're going

to join us. As running back Betty Cunningham should be joining us moment, Terrelly. We'll have Jay Hilgenberg at six thirty pm Eastern times, so make sure you stay tuned for that, and also look at the Bears. They report today. The Bears rookies reported and the veterans will report three days from now. First practice scheduled for July twenty first, And don't forget that's just around the corner because the Hall of Fame game, as they will be placed or

playing the Baltimore Ravens, will be Thursday, August second. But who better to break it down over the next hour, None better than my partner. Let's welcome in Bears former offensive lineman Tom Thayer to the program. Tom. Jim Miller here. Good to be with you, man. Always a great time of year when training camp and the rookies finally have to report. Yeah it is, Jim. I mean, all across

the landscape of the NFL. It's exciting because there's so many stories that are going around the league in terms of the stuff on the players and stuff. And you know what, Jim, as much as I hate extra preseason games, I think this is the one year that I'm kind of encouraged by an extra preseason game. Not only do I think the veterans need the practices, but I think there's a lot of young guys here that need to capture the attention of the coaches before the preseason starts.

In what better way can they do it? By getting a couple of exter practice plays cup plus a couple of extra game reps. In a Hall of Fame game like this, with a new head coach, you've got to become more familiar with your crew. And I think these between the Hall of Fame game and then down in training camp going to Denver for a week, I think it's great too, great building times for the Bears in

the future. Well, that's a great point because you just wonder how new Bears head coach Matt Naggie is really going to distribute the reps. You know, how much is Anthony Miller gonna get as a young receiver. Think about all the new players when you look at Allen Robinson or even Taylor Gabriel at the wide receiver position, Trey Burton as a new tight end for the Bears. So there's a lot of pieces to the puzzle that coming in place. And yes, you know, players may look at

five preseason games, but it's another week of work. Is they get this offense up and running and humming at really the pace they want to be? I mean, certainly they probably don't want to disclose and show all the things that they're going to do well offensively, But you and I have always tub up more reps is a good thing for some of these new players that will be outfitted in Bears uniforms. Oh heck, yeah, you know.

I mean, whether you're on the defensive and you've been the defensive portion of the ball and you've been around here for a little while with Vic Fangiona system, there still needs to be some young guys discovered. And when you're talking about a high draft choice and a couple of their draft choices, defensively speaking, everybody wants to see

those guys in the field. But I think when you're talking about offense in the preseason and it is so time consuming, and if you have a chance to get maybe one hundred and fifty extra reps during that week of practice before everybody else reports, man, that's when a guy like Anthony Miller can have three or four catches that open the eyes of the wide receiver. But there's also other guys out there, some free agent rookies out

there that they need to be seen. They need to create some type of attraction to them by what they do on the field. And so that's the type of practice, that's the type of reps and opportunities that a young guy, a young free agent, a young draft choice may emerge and all of a sudden he starts getting a little bit of notoriety because the way he's prepared to play,

whole new offense, new terminology. From all that standpoints, So young players like James Daniels and he mentioned Anthony Miller that probably will get more opportunities as the Bears get more work in with that extra preseason game. But when you flip it over the defensive side of the ball, Hey, everybody's excited that vic fan Joe is returning as a defensive coordinator. Top ten defensive year ago. We've said that

numerous times. But what are the odds of the hot rod Roquan Smith, the first round pick, a twenty eighteen sideline to sideline, a type of player and what he's asked to do, And you know, everybody assumes, at least I do, Tom, I expect him to be a starter Week one when the Bears line up to play the Green Bay Packers. You know, you know, Jim, it's it's weird.

I do too. I do as much of an ability as the way that the NFL is constructed nowadays, and first rounders aren't going to get an opportunity to perform as early as they can. But you know, when you're thinking about the role that he's going to play at an NFL level is going to be so much different. Even though he was with some of the best athletes

and the football landscape in the college conference. He came from the way they're going to try to take advantage of youth, the way they're going to try to take advantage of a young guy that had doesn't have a great deal of experience visually of seeing NFL offenses line up in front of him. So it's going to be interesting.

But I have high expectations for Roquan. I expect him to be a starter on day one, but I hope that increases the sense of urgency for the other guys in the interior, the Nick Kotkowskis and the guys like that that want to be better. And we've seen improvement by Nick, so I think he's a guy that is going to go out there and be as be as

competitive as any guy on the field. At the start of camp, you just wonder how aggressive Vic Fangiel because the early schedule is you got two great quarterbacks rate out the shoot when you look at September ninth on the road against the Green Bay Packers, Rogers back into the fold with them prime time, and then the Seattle Seahawks with Russell Wilson. So how aggressive will Vic Fangio be? Hold that thought, Tom, because we'll get to it on

the other side. And also we're going to talk to Bears running back Benny Cunningham is going to join us on the program. So get an excited training camp underway for the Bears rookie, So stay right here on Bears All Access. Get the latest Bears news, photos and videos delivered straight to your mobile device. Download the Chicago Bears official mobile app presented by Verizon. And with that said, we are going to go out to the guest line

and welcome in our guests tonight. He's a talented running back former Rams, spent last year with the Bears and now resigned with the Bears as well. So let's welcome in Bears running back Benny Cunningham to the program. Benny, Jim Miller, Tom Thayer, Bears All Access, thanks for joining us.

How you feeling this camp is just around the corner, you savvy veteran, seething great man I appreciate youall for having me just excited to get back with the guys um and kind of put this in together and you know, get the season started. Benny, your experienced NFL veteran now seven hundred and seventy seven yards rushing, one hundred and eighty touches, one hundred and thirteen catches, nine hundred ninety

two yards. Is this a better offense, first, second, third down fit for you than the other offenses you've been around in the NFL? H Yeah, honestly, so like this since my style played more, um just because the Betsy get more involved in the receiving game. Uh, you know he does a good job of you know, trying to get it back in space. Um, also doing a good job of moving through around kind of getting him to

learn everything. So almost definitely feel like me individually, it's a it's a better fit, but also like it for you know, the rest of the group OF's oil well, Benny, they're just there's seems to be so much optimism about where this Beer's offense could go offensively, and just your ability to attack the defense is much better here in twenty eighteen. Last year, probably defenses were dictating to you guys offensively, where now you'll have the opportunity to dictate

to them what you're gonna do offensively. Maybe just talk about the options and the growth of this offense overall this offseason. You feel like, you know, Trabiski, you know how an excellent offseason. He has a year under his belt, so the game's really starting to slow down for him. You can see that he's starting to really own that leadership bro as he kind of stepped into later in the season last year. But I'm just excited to see,

you know how we all grow. We kind of want to put, you know, last season behind us and kind of take the one day at a time and just try to go out and compete with each other, get better, and kind of fill each other out because it's new for everybody's it's a new coaching staff, new roster spots, everybody coming in and ready to compete. So I feel like we just kind of try to get out there

and kind of missed together. Ben, you talked about your value on offense in first, second, and third down, but last year fake punt by Patrick o'donald, you caught a touchdown pass. You bring in a new special teams coordinator and Chris Tabor, does he have that fun up as sleeve like we saw a little bit out of the special Teams here in the last couple of years, And is Taybor going to be that kind of guy that will include all of your talents and everything you do

out there. Oh yeah, I'm most I'm most definitely feel like he opens it up for us kind of you know, he's also you know, learning the guys, filling out the team, trying to see what guys can do, where he can put guys, how I can move guys around. So I feel like once he gets more comfortable with the personnel and you know, kind of knowing who's who and who can do what, um, I feel like he'll open it

for us as well. Like I said, just going into account, you know, the coaches still want to see that this would be their first time seeing guys in past, how we practice, how we compete, So I feel like they're also you know, learning what we can do and what kind of guys we are, what kind of work is we are. So I feel like once he kind of gets a feel for that, he's most definitely gonna open

it up for us. And it sounds like from the new rule standpoint, obviously, the kickoff rules that are going to be implemented by the NFL, it's almost like a wait and see a approach. I've talked to other special teams coaches that they've taken their big guys completely off their kickoff coverage teams. And how do you view it as a player of how the officials are are gonna call it during games? Because I think that remains to

be seen, Betty. We kind of practice it. We kind of started the practice towards the end of you know, OTAs because Coach kind of felt like it would happen. But I feel like we pretty much won't change much, kind of stick to what we do and kind of feel our way through it. I don't think it's that big of a difference for me personally, and I don't feel like Coach feels like it's that much of a different either. So we kind of just gonna feel our way through it, and you know, we need to make

a justtions. I'm sure we will. Hey, you know, Benny, if anybody ever had a chance to see, you're a yoke guy. And now we talk about these new rules in the NFL that if you lower your helmet, you're gonna there's a chance that you can be kicked out. Have the coaches position coaches specifically been talking about techniques to conclude or run or what your approaches and how what are we going to see different out of the players. Oh yeah, I feel like coaches throughout the league probably

do a great job of teaching it. I know that we practice it just about every day. Proper placement of the helmet, how to fit the guy up, how to you know, try to avoid injury. Honestly, I just feel like in the heat of the moment, it's kind of hard sometimes think about that. You're being competitive, you're playing. Things are moving away faster than they look from the stands. So I feel like, you know, guys just get in the moment of playing football. But I feel like the coaches,

you know, they do as good as they can. The referees do a good a job as they can. You know, we're just out there all around, just try to do our best when it comes to that. Well, let me ask you this spending because and for the listeners out there, the officials will be in bourbon A and the players do get an opportunity to really question the officials of

how new the new rules are going to be. And I think helmet to helmet is a new rule that you know, it could affect all twenty two players on the field, Betty, would you have any questions that maybe you'd ask the officials when you guys have the opportunity to sit with the zebras, not necessarily, you know, if something costing my mind, I'm sure I'll ask. But I feel like the coaches themselves have done a good job of pretty much explaining to us what to expect. It's

not that big of a change. All you always want to, you know, try to keep your head away from contact and use the right form when making the tackle. And most of the times when you see those things happening on TV, I feel like it's just the natural instinct of a player. I don't really think it's any guys intentionally trying to hurt one another. I just feel like it's the heat of the moment and guys just being competitive. But you know, if something comes up, I'm sure they'll,

you know, I'll ask a question, they'll explain it. But you know, for the most part, I feel like I have a pretty good understanding and you know what to expect. Hey, Benny, I was looking up the running backs who were drafted the year you came out, and you were a free agent coming out of college, and I think of the top twelve, there maybe one or two still in the league.

What has been your secret to success? Is it the ability to morph through all the offenses that you've been through, or just when an opportunity is presented you take advantage of it, because I think it's a great reflection for other guys that are free agents to understand that they have an opportunity just like the first rounders do. Yeah, I'm most definitely just feel like it's you know, just

trying to compete and also just being selfless. You know, whatever the coaches asked me to do, I'm comfortable with doing that. I'm not a me guy, you know. I just, you know, actually love to play the game. I love to compete. I love football in itself. I love being a great teammate to the younger players. And when you get guys like Trek that come in in my position, I have no problem telling him everything that I know, you know, to kind of catch him up to speed

and help him be successful, you know. Even if that means me playing less. I just want to, you know, continue to try to compete, and you know, when giving an opportunity to try to, you know, make the most of it. You know, I just feel like that's my secret. It's not really a secret in itself, just you know, working hard, competing and not being selfish. Well, you look at guys like Jordan Howard that made the jump from year one to year two and Tari Cohen everybody expects

that big jump this year. What about for a guy like Benny Cunningham, what have you been been working on to up your game? Because you're a savvy veteran, as I mentioned, you've been around a while know how to prepare yourself. But what areas of the game are you looking to better yourself in everything? All around? Um? You never know, you know what can happen in the game when you could get thrown into a game. So I just try to prepare myself for everything you can possibly

think of. I prepare myself as if I'm gonna be the week one starter at running back. I try to prepare myself as I'm gonna start on all four special teams, so you know, when I get the opportunity, I'm prepared for it and not confused about what's going on. Where do we study, what does the opponent like to do? I just try to, you know, take as much as I can and just be ready, you know, when I

get the opportunity. So is there any thought of going or investigating other teams, because you know, coach Naggie really is in and taking the energy and really has done a great deal so far in this early offseason without knowing a lot about him. Did you consider going anywhere else or was it Chicago that you wanted to come back to. I almost definitely wanted to come back to Chicago,

just the bond that I've created with the players. UM a young team, but you know, I feel like guys are starting to grow, Trabisky starting to grow into that leadership role. So you know, I'm excited to be around to able to see, you know, how he continues to grow on what he can do and what we can do is offense. UM talking to like Jodan Howard and Clariga was like no doubt in my mind that I wanted to come back and be around those guys for another season at least. UM. So you know, I'm happy

that I'm back. I'm happy that I got the opportunity to be back, and you know, hopefully I can stay around longer than you know, well, Betty, from from a preparation standpoint, again, you being around it, like you said,

you prepare yourself for everything. What have you noticed about Jordan, how in Tarik and their preparation, because that's a big part of it when you're a young player growing into the National Football League, not only up in your game in all areas, but just your overall preparation and your opponent blitzes, you know, coverages, all those type of things. What have you noticed from those two in terms of how they prepare much differently now as they grow as

young players. Yeah, I feel like Tarika is just a guy that just has a prere genuine love for the game. He has a very high competitive motor. It comes in and that every day ready to work, excited to work, happy that he gets the opportunity to do this for a living. So I feel like he just has a great understanding that it's a blessing to be able to, you know, play this game what we dream of doing as young kids. And Jordan is one of the smartest guys on the team. Probably one of the quietest guys,

but one of the smartest. NonStop film He's probably sending me cut ups of clips of me from my rookie year. You know, that's how much film he watches. So just excited to continue to watch them grow and you know, watch them be successful, you know in this upcoming season. Well, it's you know, it's it's here, and that's the exciting thing about it. I think for all the Chicago Bears fans, ever since they made the hire of coach Naggie and he brought in the staff, and they brought Vic Fangio,

I think the expectations are unique. Even though you do have young quarterback and you said young players, the expect the expectations from this football team from the fans and from the support. I think we have high expectations for this football team. And I'm sure that you guys have the same. Going in the day one a training camp, Yeah, most definitely. You know, you know everybody, Well, I think we lost to their Betty, You're still there, Betty, we

got okay, there you are there. You are go ahead of my friend. Yeah, my bad. But I feel like everybody has it. You know, go sit to you know, win a super Bowl and make the playoffs. But I feel like for us, just with that being a big goal, you break it down and you just take it one day at a time. So when we get back, the first goal is everybody past the conditioning tests that make yo all will be you know, executing the first practice and just taking them one day at a time and

building blocks. And ultimately I feel like if we just take things one day at a time and focus on the task to hand, we'll be successful and we'll accomplish what you want to. All right, Betty, this is not your first rodeo going to training camp. What give the Bears fans? What's the last thing you splur John before you had the camp and get serious? Nothing? Nothing, nothing. I usually just try to take a trip somewhere just

to clear my mind where this. I've done Hawaii before, I've done Jamaica this offseason, just to kind of clear my mind away from everything, relax, then come back, spend a little bit of time with family, and you know before after that it's time to put on a hardhead and go to work. All right, Well, Betty, good luck to you hear this training camp? Good luck to you on the season as well. We appreciate your time in this evening. Thank you, Thank y'all so much. I really

appreciate it. Bears running back Benny Cunningham as the veterans, they will report to bourbon a July nineteenth. Rookies reported today training camp is here. We'll come back more to discuss. Plus, Jay Hilgenberg is going to join us on the program as well, so don't change that now, keep it right here on Bears All Access. Welcome back to Bears All Access. Jim Miller, Tom Thayer. Hey, make sure you sign your

child up for some fun. Check out the non contact Chicago Bears Youth football camp, brought to you by Gatorade and Athletical Physical Therapy. All you have to do is visit www dot Bears camps dot com and you get to save fifty dollars today. Again, our thanks to Bears running back Benny Cunningham, who just joined us on the program. We'll talk to Tom's old teammate, Jay Hilgenberry. He'll join us a little over six thirty pm Eastern time. But wanted to return to the conversation we had about the

Bears defense. You think of that early schedule, tom on the road against the Green Bay Packers. As I mentioned primetime that will be September ninth, then September seventeenth, facing another savvy quarterback. When you look at Russell Wilson, that also will be primetime game a Monday nighter to be exact. But you know, you just wonder how aggressive will Vic Fangio'll be. Will they feel that they have to protect a young offense until they have to catch fire. But

thoughts we already talked about Roquat Smith. You and I both think he's going to be a Day one starter for the Chicago Bears, and how aggressive maybe this defense could get early against some top tier quarterbacks. You know, you know, Jim, when we watch preseason, I think we're probably going to see the most vanilla defense on the

game fields that we've ever seen. Yeah, when you come to practice and you pay attention and you start studying the little things they're doing, maybe some of the line stunts are doing some of the coordinated blitzes that they have gone And I think if Vic Fangio can build this defense through the training camp practices all leading up to that game one against Green Bay, I do think he's gonna have the opportunity to be way more aggressive

Aaron Rodgers the first game of the year. You still don't understand the speed of the tempo because Aaron Rodgers doesn't play in the preseason. And yeah, he has practice reps, but it's different in the game. And I'm really interested about, you know, the thinking of the Bears leading up to

that first regular season game. I know they have a lot of work to go through before then, but when we sat here a year ago leading into the start of training camp, he had no understanding of what the defense was going to look like because of the uncertainty of the defensive backs. And when you have guys that develop like Kyle Fuller and Adrian Amos, it changed it a little bit. So I think they're going to be

have a chance to be more aggressive early. But if you're coming to training camp, pay attention to the practices because that's when you're gonna see this stuff. I don't think you'll see it in preseason games. Yeah, that's a good point too, And plus Green Base probably gonna look a lot different. No, Jordy Nelson, You've got Jimmy Grant there now. I mean if Roquan is playing. I don't know, will there be one on once against a you know one A. He's a red zone nightmare. He had ted

touchdowns a year ago for the Seattle Seahaks. So I think offensively Green Base is gonna shift a little bit different to maybe what they were under Jamichael Findland before he retired and had to walk away from the game. I agree, And that's, you know, that's the one unknown is well, how is Jimmy Graham going to affect the offensive the green Bay Packers? Because this is well and you know, Drew Brees is the one heck of a quarterback, but in you know, Aaron Rodgers is right up there.

So I mean, he's having an opportunity to play with really tremendous quarterback play throughout his career in the NFL. But now, you know, what is the offensive line for Green Bay? Are they going to be able to hold up to allow Jimmy Graham to get into his routes. I know he's going to be a mismatch. You know, he's gonna be a matchup nightmare. He's always gonna win the size battle. But again, it's about how Aaron Rodgers controls the cadence at the line of scrimmage and how

well the Bears they can they can play upfront. Yeah, and two quarterbacks that can extend plays. Granted left to see how Seattle Seahawks offensive line shapes together in Week two, But there was a time period there where Russell Wilson was making tremendous plays. You know that we're breaking down in terms of the pocket and his ability to move.

So it'll be interesting how Vic van Joe uses, like you said, that aggressiveness or you know, whether they can correl these players because a lot of time, nine times out of ten, for both those quarterbacks, it's what they do outside the pocket as well, right, Jim, You know, and Jim, every year we sit here and talk about Aaron Rodgers and what are you gonna do? How are

you gonna do vince him? Oh, I'm gonna make him move to his left, yeah, Right, Aaron Rodgers is in control of the game, and no matter what you think you want to do to him, that means you're winning a lot of battles up front to force Aaron Rodgers into a space that he doesn't want to be in. But he can throw the ball from anywhere He's accurate in any type of moving pocket or moving throw. So

you know that's still the leader of the division. All right, Well, next segment, I get to take a back seat because two former teammates are gonna go down memory lane. That's right, Jay Hilgenberg, He'll be on Bears All Access next. Keep it right here. The segment of Bears All Access is orchestrated by c d W CDW people who get it. Well, I'd hate to go to trade camp back when Tom Thayer and Jay Hilgenberg were going twice a day in pads at one of the best defenses ever formed in

the NFL. But as our pleasure right now to go up to the guest line and welcome in Jay Hilgenberg, five time All Pro and seven time Pro bowler, one of the reasons probably why he got to be so good. So Jay had to be just a pleasure lighting up in pads every day against that top tier defense. Oh yeah, we looked forward to that twice a day, especially one hundred agree weather Jim. It was for six weeks, no less, for six weeks of it brutal. I mean we used to.

You know, people the players nowadays think that, you know, we didn't. That's when we started working out. Was a training camp. We worked out year round, so we were in shape when we went into camp. It was just total over training and we knew it as players, and the coaches I think knew it too, But just it's

one of those things. I mean, it's just everybody did it and so just that was what you did, and it just takes a successful team to doing something different than Arabay also follow that, you know, j I think we drove to every single training camp together in Platteville and it was the most miserable four hour drive of the year, and there was nothing like the reward of driving home at the end of training camp. I mean, you imagine going down to Kaka Key, forty five minute drive,

nice opens Illinois fields with everybody's supporting. Yes, so it would be more fun going to this training camp than the old school, right I met We had a nice trip up through the one time when we got the Harley the motorcycles and drove those up. But the problem was the next day when we started two days we were so sunburned putting the pads on and everything was just miserable for about three four days, right, But you know that, you know that was the funny thing about it.

I never told my family I bought a motorcycle, and then they had the picture on the front page of the Sun Times of us driving into Platteville. My mom called me crying. That's what I got out of it. Well, when you look at it, Jay, I mean back in the day, I mean normally the morning practice was more run play action type of pen then you come back in the afternoon, you line up in the pads and

do more pass pro and things like that. Maybe maybe talk about the challenges of James Daniels because a lot of these young offensive linemen they don't get the whole in their skills because they're just not going to get as many reps as players like you were, Tom or

or I had had the benefit of background. You're right, Jim, it would be difficult, I think mentally more so now for offensive linemen going into games to have that that confidence in the back of your mind, because there's no question that you know, the days that Tom and I played, the reps that we had at the one on one pass blocking and the team but pass blocking drills, you know, twice a day for as you said, six for six weeks. I mean, we were prepar ready to go for that

that opening game of the year. Um, And it's just nowadays, it's just there's some way that these coaches got to come together and give these guys confidence that they are already and you know, I think they do it with a little more aggressive pass blocking. Your last couple of segments or something like I heard Tom talking about a little about something like that, how pass blocking has gotten to be a little more aggressive. You see less of the seven step drops and I the RPOs. That's that's

what it is. That's what Tom was talking about. And uh, I agree that that that takes the pressure off the line. I think that's important for for the offensive coordinators and to give the offensive line guys a break, because you've got to give these guys the confidence to come off the ball and hit people in the face and try to, you know, be aggressive dominate guys. All right, Jay, you eat me and you talk about it every season. Do

you think that the offense, I say offense more. Do you think the offense should play more in the preseason this year unlike any other years? Or because they have five games? Do you kind of you know, delegate, how much you're going to play some of these guys. I really think that they should be playing more. I mean, you don't they don't have the two days so that

they're not getting the reps during the week. So I without question, I think they should be playing through to the halftime, if not, maybe a couple of these games, just a series in the third quarter, just to be ready to go. I just just so frustrated over the year some of the old line coaches that the Bears have had. I remember Mike Tyson, well, you really don't know what you have until the fourth game of the year.

I mean by that time, you're you're out of it, right, all right, you gotta be ready to go day and there's no you got sixteen games I don't want to hear. I think all that era is behind the Bears. I think with Naggy here and and Vic staying here, I'm think this is a great quality coaching staff they have, and it's it's gonna be exciting. This team is going to show law of progress and it's really it's going to be the attitude going up to Green Bay that

first game of the year. They got to believe in each other and believe that they're going to win the game. Well that's the weird Yeah, Jim and I were talking about that Vic would probably have a chance to be a little bit more aggressive that first game of the year because they're familiar with the system. He's got a better understanding of his defensive backs and the nickel and diamond everything else. But it's about the guys up front, right,

no question. You know. I had a conversation with John Fox, didn't. I didn't have many when he was here, but he was telling me about his first game he coached for the Bearers. It was against the Packers in Chicago, and at halftime it was a close game, and Fox told me, at halftime, he comes walk in the locker room, the team's excited, loud kind of cheering the locker room, and he goes, oh no, he goes, He goes, look at I mean, these guys don't expect to be close to

these guys, they don't expect to win. So he and that's I think the thing is is Naggy and his coaching staff and Ryan Paston, everybody has to get these guys that have to add you if these guys come together, they can beat anybody in the league. I mean, it's just a matter of coming together and having that common goal and everybody be on the same page. Great, great point, Jake, Well, we talked about Tom and I did Roquan Smith. We expect him to be a Day one starter and an

impact player for the Bears. Not for you to give some Iowa Hawkeye love, but you know, when you look at James Daniels, he's I mean, this guy is a really good football player from Iowa both center guard. And maybe your early impressions of James Daniels and what he could do potentially in his NFL career, Uh yeah. I watched James play every snap he played at Iowa, of course, and he was a fun guy to watch. And I'm

really excited to see the Bears draft him. And I was the pleasure of coming going up to Hollishall and then meeting him. The Bears had a little thing for all the rookies before Mini camp with some of the veterans and said down had dinner with James and just a great kid. Can't believe how young he looks. I mean he is, he is young, but kind of surprised that originally they put him at guard. But I do understand it seems like, you know, today's la these guys.

I mean, it's out like when Tom and I played, you know, we were specialists that we call why was the center? He was a guard. We didn't we didn't move around. But nowadays, you know, these guys got to play different positions. Well that's that's the thing about it is you got Cody White, Harry, you have James Daniels, you have a Horonis Gris Sue, you have Eric Kush. You have these guys that have a lot of versatility

on the inside. So I think Harry is going to have his work cut out for him because even a free agent, they signed an Earl Warford, who's a heck of a football player. I think he's gonna make it really hard on some of the veterans to earn spots. So I think that you know, that'll probably be one

of the more interesting positions to play. Pay attention to is the interior the offensive line, Right, I heard you talking about him, and I'm excited to watch this guy played because they they do sound like this is going to be a solid three guys in that middle of that offensive line. I mean, you don't know who they're going to be, but it's they're all good candidates, right right,

that's good, and throw James in there. I think it's great that they're starting him off at guard because he's a quality center and if he gets that confidence in that guard position, then he's gonna be really valuable to the Bears. But I don't think I think James, by the time it's all said and done for his career, he's going to be known as a pretty top center in the NFL. Well, let me ask you both this,

because I know Tom thinks highly well. He thinks the world of Dick Stanfeld and how he was coached and things he taught him, and how here you got Harry he stand coming in as the offensive line goes, how quickly for a veteran from your standpoint in terms of offensive line techniques or maybe some things that maybe Harry he stand majors in that the veterans can quickly pick up pick up on because for the rookies they're going to know this moving forward obviously, but for maybe the

veterans to change some things and for maybe Harry he stand to reach them, say hey, maybe look at this a little bit differently, whether it's a kickstep, maybe it's hand placement. I'd like to get both your your thoughts

on this, and I'll start with you Jay. Yeah. I think that's a good point, Jim that I've always thought that with coaching changes, a new coaching, new coaches coming in, that the new, the young guys, the new guys really kind of have an advantage because if you have some real to vesterns and they're not and if they're stuck in their way that they want to do things, that's that's just not gonna go very well. So I but but I think the Bears are so lucky to get

Harry back. I mean, this is part of that great coaching staff. They have to get him back because I Dick Stanfeld with that que. I mean, he's a Hall of Famers, He's the greatest offensive line coach in the NFL, and what he taught is is really not coach today. But I think Harry comes about as close as possible as you can. I had a conversation with Harry too, and he understands the whole hand placement, getting the hands inside and fighting, getting position on guys and try to

dominate guys. So it's it. That was a that was a huge pick up to get Harry back here. You know. You know what was interesting during our time and our career is when we started meetings at training camp. We used to have this playbook that was probably three hundred pages thick. But at the beginning of a section, Dick Stanfeld had a page written out about what he expected out of the techniques, and he kind of gave a

description of it. And we went around the room and everybody read a paragraph to learn to have him tell you what he wants you to learn, and then he goes out and teaches you on the field. And I think that was a really important description for us, you know, Jim, because when you go from college to pro everything is so different. The talent is great, you know, McMichael is different than Hampton, and Hampton's different than Fridge, and so you have to trust your technique against all the different

body styles you played against. And I do think it was helpful in an adult playbook to read it in front of your peers to get a better understanding of what your coach expected out of you. Yeah. Well, Jay, you touched on something a little bit of go about if these guys jealous a team come together and believe, and we've seen it a year ago. Look at what the La Rams did under under first year a head

coach Sean McVeigh. And you know, I guess your expectation because there is such optimism about the season because so much has changed a year ago from the Chicago Bears and it did not go well. I think we all understand that, but there are multiple variables and changes and just you your thoughts are I guess your expectations for the Chicago Bears in twenty eight team, Hey, my expectations that they should be right there for the fight to be in the playoffs and go to the Super Bowl.

I mean these you know, these years or each year is a valuable year to these players, and you know there's enough transition every year in the NFL that that goes around that and it's a for four months or five months. You know, let's get these these guys come together training camp and they can stay together and just have that everybody have a similar goal to go out and started off by going beating Green Bay. I mean,

good things will happen this year. The only thing I'm scared about this season going in for all of us who have a long time here is the fact that the rules of the lowering and the helmet and when we see a player offensively or defensively get kicked out because of the infraction, it's it's gonna lead a lot of you know, conversation throughout this season when those types of rule changes take effect. Yeah, it's gonna be that. That's gonna be interesting to watch this time. I really

haven't thought about much. I got the well, I mean, Tom and Jim, you guys gotta be up more on me. I don't get involved until the regular season. You guys got to be ready to go preseason. So but I worry about it. Yeah, well, Jay, I worry about it like goal line in short yardage situations. I mean, what, you know, who's to say if elect left tackles kickstep and in a defensive end or outside lives bull rushing them in a tackle headbuts the outside linebacker, is that

going to be called? Or say you're pulling out a G power. You know, imagine that time if you're pulling out a G power and maybe you'll lower your helmet going up into the hole as you're trying to take out a linebacker. I mean, it's gonna be interesting. I think that that could be a factor. Earlier when we had Benny Cunningham on and he said, you know, you just have to react as a football player. You're not going to be able to have an instant thought go

through your head and specifically change an angle. So that's the frustrating thing for all of us, is when a player gets kicked out for just doing something football related and reaction related, it's it's gonna be a tough it's

gonna be tough pill to swallow. Well, you know, if they start finding autentive lineman for loaning their head on blocks, then that that may be the straw right there that breaks Camel's back, because I mean, how can you, I mean, it bothers me so much nowadays in the NFL, how they can take these this money away from these defuntry backs for making reactionary plays out there. It's just it, it's not right. And so I hopefully this is not a rule change, you know, to try to to find

players a little bit more. I don't think it is. I'm sure I take it for what it is for the safety of the game, but I just hope. It just isn't an avenue for a bunch of fines for oftentive linement. Well before we let you go, Jay, while you and Tom were driving up to platte Fille sulky and feeling sorry, but but you know what, I would still drive back there and go to Pizzario Uno. That's what I was gonna say. What was your last spurs before that first practice? Jay? Oh? We I think we

used to go do um we see it healthy? I used to we see it healthy pretty much the whole summer, and then like the night before, Tom and I used to go and get chicken wings. Someplaces these as may chicken right, we proably should well. Jay, always a pleasure to talk to you. Thanks for taking a few moments of your night and coming out. Bears all access. Yeah, Jim, Jay, Thanks Jay Hilgenberg. Everybody, let's hit the last break. We'll come back. Hey, we'll open up the phone line three

one two sixty four sixty seven sixty seven. Any questions Tom and I will answer him. As training camp officially starts for the Chicago Bears, veterans will report on the nineteenth. So just around the corner, folks, so get ready football season at finally here keep it right here on Bears All Access. Welcome back to Bears All Access. Make sure you check out this week on Inside the Bears, Roquan Smith's journey from Smalltown to Chicago and Allen Robinson hangs

with Spice in Big Guys in a Bends. Inside the Bears air Saturday's at six pm on CW fifty Chicago and Sundays at ten thirty five pm on Fox thirty two Chicago. You can also watch show segments online at Chicago Bears dot com or on Chicago Bears Official App. Anytime Jim Miller Tom there with you. You can join us at three one two six forty four sixty seven six seven. I believe let's go out and hear from Ryan. I believe he's calling from Naperville. What do you got today? Ryan? Hey? Ryan,

how you guys doing? Jim, Tom, what do you got that? Good to have you? Thank you? UM. I mean basically I was just calling it. I just wanted to kind of follow up on what on Jay was talking about. UM. And obviously this is no disrespect to Jay thinking about the Bears are gonna go. You know, this is gonna

be a year that they're gonna do something here. This is just something I think, and I think a lot of US Bears saying think it might take to about twenty nineteen, twenty twenty until we see this team turn around and actually be a contender for you know, the playoffs or you know, or even some kind of super Bowl contention. I mean, I I don't know if that's what you guys think, but that's kind of where I'm

going with it. I mean, I think I'm very football knowledge where that you guys have you guys have played in the NFL, I played college football. I'm just using this as I feel like I'm I'm a pretty good

judge of character and kind of where we're going. But we're going in the right right No, Ryan, I think you're right, and I think you know, when when you look at the Bears and the super Bowl, you know, you got to try to make that super Bowl before Mitchell Trubisky gets to a second contract, so that that gives you four years. So I'm kind of in the same time frame you are. However, I do think there has to be a change of culture inside the locker room.

If you go into this, if you drive to the stadium, you think there's no chance we're gonna win, or you get to halftime and you have the lead and you're so excited you go out and falter the whole second half. I think Jim or Jay and I feel the same way. I think there needs to be a change of confidence, a change of culture. And I know Aaron Rodgers is great, and I know Matthew Stafford is a heck of a quarterback and what they got in Minnesota and everything, but

this is about the entirety of the team. And I think that there has been a little bit of a change, that it's the momentum starting that way. But it's gonna take a big win. It's gonna take a couple of division wins, and it's going to take some able to chase or you know, chase for that division crown. I always believe it, especially for a young team, it takes

a signature win to really get a team to believe. Now, whether that's on Week one, punching Green Bay in the mouth, and I think that they got to know that they can hang and they can hang with the best. And I think, you you know, you got to go out there and do it. And I think everybody just says, hey, we're a lot better than what people are given a given credit for. And I you know, and I think Ryan Pace has done a good job overhauling this roster.

You know. Again, even when John Fox became the coach, they were one of the oldest rosters that have been overturned and churned to one of the youngest rosters in the NFL. And that continues to happen even this past

offseason for the Chicago Bears. But but I'm a big believer in that in that time, I mean, I think you you think you're good, but you gotta go go out and get that signature win and say, hey we we can hang with Anybody's kind of you kind of set that standard for yourself and then have to live up to it every single week, right, you know. And and I've been on teams where I knew we were

going to win the game going out the door. But I also there's seasons that I was a part of that we had losing seasons that it was gonna talk, it was gonna be tough to go out there and compete. But the culture that Coach Dick had created during our our term, there was one of confidence, one of belief that you are the best and the toughest and the biggest and the baddest in the league. And so you know that that that's the mentality that has to develop

your big strong guys. They got to be big and strong. You're great athletes. They have to be great, and that's the way that you're gonna mold this whole thing into a winning team. Well, in terms of you know, we always talk about trust among players. You know, over the past few seasons, I did, whether it was Mark Trustman, I didn't get the feeling players trusted one another to

do their job. You know that That's just my take on it, you know, and what I saw, And when you see players second guesting or maybe out of position, and I think Naggie moving forward at least in terms of that belief factor or that buy in factor, and you know the presence of Vic Fangio and obviously what Naggie wants to accomplish on the offensive side of the ball. With Mark Helfrik, I've got a greater sense of trust even though they're learning the new system offensively. At least

that's the way I felt, Tom. I got a greater sense of trust among these teammates here this offseason and what they're trying to build, you know, you know, Jim, I think there's um going to be more on the line for a lot of these guys. Because last year when it was John Fox the head coach, Vic Fangio defensive coordinator boom right there, and then you had Dal Loggin's the leader of the other side of the ball.

I just don't know if it was the game plan was constructed well enough to go out there and gain confidence that earn you victories. And I think it I like coach Naggie and Mark Helfrich on the offensive side of the ball, with Vic being on the defensive side of the ball and Chris Tabor being the special team's coordinator, because I think that's when you get the most efficient amount of work out of the coaches and the and the high chair positions that will help this again, the

development of the team. Well that's a good point, you know here. You know, even a year ago they didn't trust Terre Cohan to do multiple positions, and then this year you hear he's lining up all over the place, you know, and then you know, I think that's part of it is the trust in those players in their new head coach and how players are going to be called and how they're going to be utilized. And it goes both way between coaches and players and players and coaches.

And again it just whether it's from Mitchell Trubiski or Kyle Long or the receivers or the tight ends, the players that we've heard from and how they're going to be utilized, you just get a greater sense of trust and what should I say, confidence in the players and what they're going to be able to do this year and what they're going to be asked to do this year.

From from that standpoint, like to get your thoughts on that, well, you know what you know, last year, going into the training camp, my biggest concern was the defensive backfield as a whole. Would it be able to hold up in the division? Would it be able to hold up in the season. And it did improve weekend and week out, And that's some of the concerns that I have going into this season. I'm I'm I'm not concerned because I think the tight end position is going to develop into

a quality position on this team. And I'm talking about Dion Simms and the and the young guy. I think Trey Burton is going to be a tight end that's gonna be on the Adam Sheheen and Trey Burton's going to be the outside and the tight end position on the line of scrimmage is going to be that job of Dion Simms and Adam Sheheen. So I have high expectations for that position because they was completely forgot about last year after Zach Miller was hurt and Zach Miller

had was he was like a Swiss army knife. He could do everything that was asked out of the tight end position, and I don't think that's going to be the same. I think there's going to be delegated assignments to the personnel they have at that position. And that's my biggest need for help in the offense going in

this year. Well, it started in with the OTAs and obviously the three phases of the offseason, and now it builds again as training camp is finally here, and then the preseason games they've got the Baltimore Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Denver Broncos, and of course the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, and then the season will be fast upon us. So Tom always enjoyed it here on Bears All Access. I'll see it down at training camp by friend.

Look forward to a big Jim. Thank you, buddy. Thanks for everybody for joining us tonight. Bears All Access football season just around the corner. Have a great night, everybody. Thanks for listening to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access. Podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot com and on iTunes boards download the official Bears mobile app. Bears All Access has been brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by CDWPNC and Ford