Welcome in Tubble Bears Weekly, a Chicago Bears Network production download the Chicago Bears Official Act brought to you by Verizon to follow the team on the go. Bears Weekly is brought to you by Advocate Healthcare, Athletico Physical Therapy, bet Rivers, Cddlling, Connie's Pizza by GIS Energy and Miller LIKEE Kira. Your hosts Jeff Chioniac aka the Mayor of Bearsville and his sidekick Term the surf Maaster. There.
We are now a month away from the start of training camp and still lots to discuss about what promises to be a wild ride in twenty twenty four with Super Bowl winning Bears guard Tom There. I'm Jeff Joniyak
from Serious X NFL Radio's Moving the Chains. We have former Bears quarterback Jim Miller thanks to Dan Brilliant, Jordan tread Up, our producers and of the ESPN studios Kevin z Pak Tonight, the executive producer of the Bears Radio Network is Eric Ostrowski coming up our conversation with Adam Rank from NFL Network. Always entertaining Fella's house.
Everybody doing.
We got lots to discuss and not a lot of time to do, so I'm going to start tom with DeAndre Carter coming aboard this week, another wide receiver, kick return, punt return candidate. He only played four games in two thousand with the Bears. He's been here before, but DeAndre Carter since twenty eighteen, I should say, number two in punt return yards, number four and kick return yards in the NFL.
It just makes me think that either is there either something more wrong le Deontay pattis that we don't know because he didn't really participate very much in OTAs in mini camp and number two, if he is healthy, it's going to increase the competition of that position.
Even more, both of the returners.
And I think with the inclusion of the new kickoff return game, if you feel that you've had a past with the player that you figure their talent is super electric for what the new return game is about, you want to bring every one of those guys aboard that you can.
And Jim Chris Batty had him in charge your land in twenty twenty two, second in the NFL and punt returns at eleven point seven, so he can he can doodge for him too.
Yeah, And you know I do. I think whether it's Petus or Baylis Jones, I think it's up to it. It's been kind of a slow burn with Bayles Jones Junior. I think we know that he's got to get going. He's got to get more production in terms of what he's doing. So when you bring in a veteran like this, I think it just amps it up a lot more, you know, and what's expect because it's going to be hard for him to crack that lineup with Roma Donze,
you know, just drafted for Bayless Jones. So it's got to be as a kick returner in my opinion, because you've got Dj Moore, you drafted Roma Dunes, and then you bring in Keenan Allen. You know, eleven personnel, which is three wide receivers for the listeners out there, it's the most used personnel grouping in the league. So for me, it puts more pressure on Bayleis Jones. How are you going to crack the lineup to get in? And it's
got to be as a returner in my opinion. So it's a good, healthy room, let's just put it that way.
Yeah, it definitely is.
Tom.
We talked about the running back room all the time.
Going to talk more about running backs here, but the depth at receiver and you've got a factor in Tyler Scott as well. He had chances to return the ball last year as well. I'm looking for him to have a really good training camp and really tackle some of the issues he may have had last season. Yes, the burners on Vallas right now too. I mean this is year three for Vallas Jones.
You know, a couple of weeks ago, we are introduced to the term dirty ball by Jim Miller talking about what the new kickoff could be. You know, Jeff, I don't think there's any athlete that's on the Bears roster that's not capable of being a kick returner. Because if you're not necessarily talking about a four second hangtime son in your eyes, trying to concentrate on the flight of the ball, maybe in a windy outdoor stadium or a
confusing indoor stadium. If you're a you know, a Cool Herbert, or if you're a Roshawn Johnson, if you're any of these guys that are.
Great with the ball in their hands, you are a candidate.
And it nowadays, in this new modern day return game to be a returner. So we're not so much anymore stuck on that proto type returner. We're gonna be looking at athletes and what they can do with the ball in their hands. That's why even in Pittsburgh the conversation of Justin is a part of it, and you know, you can't ignore it, and I don't think you can ignore anybody on the roster that's an athlete.
Yeah, they almost have to be like an outfielder in baseball. I think it was Special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn of the Chargers brought that up, because you're right, with that dirty ball, you're gonna need athletes that can field like a center fielder. You know, a line drive that just comes out and you've got to be able to, you know, to and if that ball hits the ground and is bouncing around, guys that can scoop it up and field
a ground ball and those type of things. So they're almost gonna be like center fielders, you know, on a baseball team with what they're gonna be asked to do. And normally you're center fielder is a guy who can run and get to those gaps like in the outfield to retrieve the ball as quickly as possible, and that ball could be bouncing all kinds of crazy ways.
Because if this new return infiltrates the college game and you see college returners, if they go to one knee and they catch the ball, they're down. So they're gonna have to change that rule if it ever does go into the college game to try to get more guys ready for the pro game. And so in the pro game, if you get down to that knee, like Jim says, an outfielder that's taking in an aggressive ball at you, boom, You're still alive until you're touched.
All right.
We usually save Tom's thoughts for segment five, our last segment. We're gonna throw one in here because we didn't get to it last week. Jim so he wanted to know division MVPs.
Of each team.
So I'll speak for Tommy at Goffer Detroit, Jefferson from Minnesota, love for the Packers, and then a debate about the Bears, Tom a four pack sweat, DJ Caleb, Jalen Johnson, Jim take the baton and then Tom can fill in the blanks.
I would definitely say golf for the Detroit Lions. I think for the Green Bay Packers, to me, it's going to be Jeff Haffley. He has to come through, dude. They haven't stopped the run in forever under Joe Barry, who is their former defensive coordinator, Jeff Hafley. They've been literally twenty eighth and thirtieth the last three or four years. They don't have the ability or have not shown the ability to stop the run. So I'd say halflee for them.
For the Minnesota Vikings, that's hard. I think that defense it's going to be Brian Flores, their defensive quarter because I think that defense is going to have to carry the offense due to Sam Darnold his issues with throwing the turnovers and things like that. And we may see JJ McCarthy by the end of the year, so I would say it's Brian Floor is there as well. And for the Bears, I agree with joh I mean, I
would go with Montes Sweat. He's the leader on defense, and much like what Adam Ranks said, they need to pass Rusher opposite him to really show up. And I think we know about to Von Dexter, But offensively, I'm going to say it's Caleb Williams. I just think less is more. He shouldn't put pressure on him to do more. Less is more for him in order for him to get his sea legs under him and get sturdy as a quarterback in the NFL.
But you know, I mean, you heard my other choices within the division. If I had to now narrow it down to one guy with the Bears, I would like to see Montese Sweat if he came up and he had a twelve or fourteen SAX season with the contributions of the other guys and the aggressiveness now that the defensive coordinator can have on against every one of the opponents.
If Montes Sweat has that type of season, You're going to look at some of that resulting in extra possessions for the Bears offense, time on the field, and we you know, having you know, a defensive MVP from the defensive end position from any football team, it really it sparks a lot of opportunities downfield for the by linebackers and defensive backs.
I'm gonna throw my angle in it. I agree Golf, I'm go Jefferson, Minnesota.
I love the idea of.
Hatlee Halfley for the Packers. Because that's the big change there, and because of the one ball. We'll discuss this with Chris Beatty coming up in segment three, the wide receivers coach, So one.
Begets the other.
If Montes and his group are killing it, the ball's coming out and the ball is getting intercepted. But what if Jalen Johnson returns a few touchdowns, cleans up some of those dropped interceptions a year ago, and shuts down everybody's top.
Weapon in the division.
He would definitely be a defensive MVP and MVP of the team because there's a lot of great receivers.
In the division. All Right, we got to take our first break.
Adam Rank of NFL Network joins us here on ESPN one thousand.
Of the Bears Radio Network is.
Bears Weekly with a voice of the Bears for twenty three years, Jeff Jonyak on the Bears Radio Network.
This segment of Bears Weekly is brought to you by Athletical Physical Therapy. Visit Athletical dot com to request an in clinic or virtual deployment that start feeling better tomorrow. Segment two of Bears Weekly here on ESPN one thousand and the Bears Radio Network, Jeff Joniyak tent there, Jim Miller, and our old pal Adam Rank, Chicago Bears fan but crazy NFL expert from NFL Network the Sick Podcast. Catch
him on that and mister Fantasy Football as well. Adam, thanks for getting up there in California for us.
We can see you.
We're only using the audio for the purposes of the show.
But boy, you got got quite the setup back there. I see a lot of a lot of bibblehead.
You got a fair bobblehead, a Miller bobblehead in the background.
What do you got?
You know, I'm still waiting for it.
You know what I think that they I think we should talk to the Bears administration. I think there should be some bobblehead. If there isn't, I have not been sent one, which is a grave mistake. And number two, we should have one, Like why who wouldn't want one? I know the Bears already do it job of packing the stadium, but that would be a hot ticket.
I'll tell you what a hot ticket would be, Tom and Jim, Tom, there should be the five blocks of Granite offensive line of the nineteen eighties through the nineties of you.
Guys as one big bibblehead.
I'm certain a combined bibblehead has never been done.
What do you think that's gonna come.
Be the only time that we were all the same height, because when he got Van Horne at six seven, me and Jay at about the six three six four, and Bortsy's sixty six and Jimbo six ' five, it sure would be the first time that we all saw eyed die.
Let me ask you this time because I remember whether it's uh, you know, whether it's Olin Crutz or big Kat Williams. You know, did you like wearing the darks or the whites? Because nobody liked wearing the whites because you look like michelin men out there. They always complained about the whites when we had to play with.
Yeah, you know, that's kind of funny because McMichael used to talk about that all the time because he was a big fan of the blue. Because as he pulled his white pants up so high, it made his torso look like it was about eighteen inches long. So I think all of us that carried a little bit of extra weight were more.
Fan of the blue than the white.
Hey, Adam, that's a great entree into what's going on with the Bears. We'll talk about the current iteration twenty twenty four bouts to unfold, but the Hall of Fame coming up, and then a matter of days really August first did the game, the induction a couple of days later of Devin Hester, Steve McMichael, and we got to give it to Julius Peppers as well. He had a great career obviously with the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers as well as a Bears fan.
It's a big day. It's a big day with a triple threat there.
No, it is huge, and I think for a lot of us, we've wanted to see Devin Hester in the Hall of Fame for quite some time. I think for a big reason why is during the era that he played, he was the biggest weapon for this team, and so much so that Tony Dungee fretted about it during the before the Super Bowl and was determined not to kick in the ball and then decided at the last moment or overnight or whatever, it.
Was like I'm not going to let somebody do this to me.
And then they kicked it to him and he returned it for a touchdown and then I don't know what happened the rest of the game, but still in that moment one of the brightest moments for a lot of people.
And so it was great to see him in And it's interesting too that he's going into the Hall of Fame the same year that the Bears took Tory Taylor at number four or in the fourth round, I should say, because we've been preaching special teams for the last six years, trying to get Devin Hester into the Hall of Fame. You're like, yeah, like this is this is how important it is, like how important special teams players are. So
it's great to see Devin Hester. And we've talked about see McMichael every time that we come on, and I can't talk about it enough about how great he was as a player. You know that that's one of the things about the eighty five Bears is the personalities. And it's hard to be, you know, with a with such a great team and still try to find your way is a part of it, and Steve McMichael is certainly one of those guys, and I think statistically belonged to
the Hall of Fame a long time ago. Finally getting his due and I remember I always joke about this too, because he was one of my dad's favorite players, and then he went into professional wrestling, which I was into, and like, oh my god, Michael's here.
And so for a lot of people who who.
Enjoyed wrestling who might not have been, you know, either alive during the time of the Bears playing in the eighties or just didn't realize, like, no, he was an excellent football player too, So it's good to see him there.
And I know that you're.
Being very nice to Julius Peppers. I don't know that I will be, but those two guys, it's great having them.
You know.
I want to ask one question about the Hall of Fame game, because we're talking about Devin Haster, we're talking about Steve McMichael, we're talking about this short term career that Julius Peppers had with the Chicago Bears. But and I don't know if he'll play a player, no plays. But we don't talk about Caleb Williams at all. And that's his first NFL game, first time he's going to walk onto a field. But we're talking about being ductees,
not about the newcomers. So I find that kind of funny that as much as attention as we are giving Devin and Ming and so on and so forth, that we're really not given a lot of attention to a cast of players.
Including CJ.
Stroud, who came on and have one of the most explosive rookie seasons of any quarterback in the history of the league.
Yeah, it'll be interesting.
I was thinking about that too, and I'm actually curious to see how Caleb sort of handles it because everything that he's done since he's been drafted, he's really ingratiated himself to the Chicago community. You know, you see him around town, you see him at ballgames, you see him joining in chance with the fans, and so I'm curious how he plays this because he's done such a nice job.
I want to see.
I'm sure there's gonna be something, you know what I like. I'm sure there's gonna be some sort of homage, And I'm excited for the Bears to really embrace this. And it's one of the things that I've really enjoyed about the short tenure of Ryan Pole.
Not that the Bears have never embraced.
The past, but there's really been an emphasis on owning the Bears legacy, and it's always been kind of a shock to me because you know, this is a team that's won nine NFL championships. I know, the super Bowl, the last Super Bowl win hasn't been since the eighties. But there is still a great lineage here for this team. So I'm I'm curious to see how it plays. But like you said, you know, you would think that it would all be about it would be all about Caleb because this is gonna be the friend.
He's probably not gonna.
Play, and he'll be on the sideline and he'll be you know, interviewed during the game at some point. But it is about the guys going in and I think that's a that's a nice tribute to those fellas.
You know, it's interesting, Adam, because this new kickoff rule, I think one of the reasons why it passed because of great players like like Devin Hester. You know, nobody's done what he's done in the game as a returner and it you know, you look at the Bears, they just signed DeAndre Carter. Teams are teams are investing now back into special teams and just how to you think it's all going to play out? We may not see
a lot in the Hall of Fame game. Maybe teams don't want to show what they're going to do in the preseason, but you know it's going to be interesting how it all plays out.
No, and I think a lot of people too were talking about Baylis Jones junior, you know, how this could be an opportunity for him to really show himself. They and they brought in Carter, as you said, because they want a competition there, because they know how important it is. And so for me, I thought it was kind of a disservice to get rid of that part of the game. And again we're spoiled because we're Bears fans. We had Devin Hester for so so long.
But it's like the.
Kickoffs used to be exciting, Like growing up that was that was a real exciting time to watch those kickoffs. And I understand player safety is of the utmost importance, but you really want to go out there and bring back that element of the game, bring the special teams back into it. And so again, with what the Bears have done during this offseason, it shows me that they're really serious about special teams and making this a huge advantage.
And so I again like you, I don't think we're gonna see much of it in the Hall of Fame game, but I can't wait to see a play out during the season.
Heck, justin fields are turning a kickoff at the start of the Madden twenty five revealed trailer apparently today, how about that? But yes, wearing his number two, but it was a double reverse again kicking off the idea literally that there are going to be some very exciting plays in the return game in twenty twenty four and beyond.
Hopefully, hopefully, I would love.
To see that. I know that there was a joke made about it, but at some point, you know, and people are, you know, oh, we don't want to risk our back up. But like remember when Cordell Stewart was playing like that was such a huge advantage. Anton Randall l you know, was a good college quarterback in Indiana and went on to be a special team's ace. And I think there's a real you know, like there's a
way to really embrace what you're good at. You know, if you think back to Tim Tebow a couple of years ago, like he kept giving it a go at quarterback, and not to compare these two, but it's like, you know, at some point he realized, like I need to find other ways to really to get on the field, and he realized it too late. I'm curious to see what the Steelers do and the special teams.
Aspect of it.
That's something that I thought about, and it's a Madden player.
I'm interested in it.
And I did not check Twitter today, so I haven't seen it yet.
So I'm sure, Oh, it's out there. It's out there, Adam.
I'm sure people let that go without without many Yeah, knowing the Internet.
Adam Rank our guest here on He has been one thousand of the Bears Radio network. Here on Bears Weekly, Jeff, Tom and Jim, you obviously never turn your football mind off, even in this so called down period. You're always thinking, you got this, uh, this fantasy Lounge series. I caught it on I think Instagram. Somebody sent it to me and so and you had a picture of Montes' sweat, I believe in the background and a little old Caleb Williams. So where you hat on fantasy for these Chicago Bears.
Well, it'll be interesting because the Bears for the for the first time in a long time. It's I mean, I guess you could say, you know, when Brandon Marshall and now Jeffrey were there and Forte, it's similar to that, where it's there's a lot of good players and a lot of good options, and it's curious because we don't know what We don't know what Caleb Williams is gonna do yet, don't We don't know where he's going to
funnel his targets. Now, we knew when Jay Cutler was playing quarterback that all the balls were going to Brandon Marshall.
Okay, that was easy.
We don't know because there's a lot of varieties and a lot of options. You know, Dj Moore obviously was fantastic last season. A big reason why Justin Fields was throwing to him because kind of, you know, one of the few guys who was getting open on a consistent basis. But now you bring in Keenan Allen, who's coming off his best season, you use a first round pick on Romadonda, you still got Cole Comet, and you've got a bevy of running backs to try to try to figure out which way you were going.
So the Bears could end up being one.
Of those teams that's one of the top offensively, but still a little bit fuddling to fantasy enthusiasts. We're trying to figure out which combination, which player that we're going with, and.
Guys are not getting overdrafted for that thing.
The one player that I really like, I think DeAndre Swift has an opportunity to really break out this season.
He was fantastic for the Eagles.
Last year, but we all know that when they got near the goal line, it was going to be Jalen Hurts. It was the brotherly Shove who scored fifteen touchdowns. Like that has a huge impact on your fantasy running back. And I truly believe that Caleb Williams is not going to be put in that position when they get near the goal line, which should breed opportunities for DeAndre Swift, which I think, you know, ever the optimist here that he's going to get a lot of those chances. So
I think it's going to be fun. I think it's it might be one of those things. I anticipate Jeff going out there and people complaining about, look, well he doesn't DJ Morgan all like, okay, sorry, they're winning games. I don't care they're scoring points.
I don't care.
I think Caleb's actually the guy that you're gonna want because he's probably going to show his athleticism running the football a little bit, not as much as Justin, but still enough to give you a little taste, and they're going to be moving the ball. I really do believe that. So I think that Caleb is a really good option. And of course I would draft him over any of the rookie quarterbacks like the Bears did. So I think I think there's some good chances, some good opportunities there.
Hey, Anda, let's stay in the fantasy world and you look at this division, because I don't think in my lifetime I've ever seen the entire division have the receivers that they have, whether it's a receiver, tight end or double receiver combination. Where do you think these receivers rank in terms of just in the division? When you look at a mont Saint Brown and their tight end, you look at the two receivers in Minnesota, you look at what or what Green Bay has to offer, and as
you mentioned, all the weapons here in Chicago. In the fantasy world, where do the receivers rank in this division?
Well, I think Jordan Love ruled out the Packers receivers by saying none of them were in number one. So I got those are Jordan Love's words, not mine, So I'm sorry Christian Watson and Dantavian Wicks. Jordan Love himself said none of you are number one wide receivers. I'm gonna let I'm gonna that stand as far as a duo, as a duo goes, nobody beats the Minnesota Vikings because Justin Jefferson, we'll see how he rebounds from his injury, and his.
Quarterback, Kirk Cousins, was pretty good like that.
I know that we made our jokes about Kirk Cousins, but that's a really good quarterback, one of the best, actually the best downfield thrower since two thousand and twenty one, I think, statistically, statistically speaking, one of the best, the best, no, the best downfield thrower, which benefited guys like Justin Jefferson and Georg Daddison's really good.
So those two guys are good.
Aman Ross Saint Brown might be the best singularly, like, might be the best number one guy. Listen, Justin Jefferson's coming off that injury. I think a mon Ross Saint Brown's in that conversation. I was talking about this a couple of weeks ago, about my top five receivers in the league, and I was like, justin Jefferson, it was Jamar Chase, Tyreek Hill. Those three pretty unanimous. And then it's like, who are four and five? And there's all sorts of combinations. I think a Mon Ross, Saint Brown,
and DJ Moore belong in that conversation. So but I look at the Bears, I think because they're so deep as a trio. Again, Keenan Allen is a wonderful wide receiver and somebody who lives out here in southern California go to a lot of Charger games because it's right next to the NFL Network studios. He is the If he's not the best route runner in the NFL, I would like to know who is. I would really like
to know who is. And I think the best the best part of his game this season will be anytime the Bears are facing like a third and eight and you're like, Okay.
Who's covering who?
Like, Keenan Allen will be wide open nine yards down the field, first first down. So you've got those two guys and then you've got a mon roster or you've got excuse me, Roma Dunza, who to a lot of to a lot of people, he was the he was the number one prospect on some boards at wide receiver. I know Marvin Harrison got all the pub and everything like that, but there's a real big buzz for Roma Dunes. So I think that trio unbiasedly puts the Bears as
the top trio in football. Real football fans see football all that.
Yeah, that's what's going to be fascinating to watch for me, adam Is, because when you look at the Bears, they were the number one rushing team last year, and what they've done to insulate Caleb Williams. You know, I think, if you know, for all being honest, we'd ranked the quarterbacks in the division Jared Golf probably then Jordan Love.
And it's going to be interesting how Caleb Williams And we'll see what happens with Sam Darnold, but he could be replaced by JJ McCarthy and how that plays out. Because I think the Bears have insulated Caleb were he could have a fantastic rookie year with what is around him. Because you mentioned the three wide receivers a Doonza added, you know, Cole Comet, the running game, the specialty players around Caleb Williams as a whole, I think are pretty darn good.
And you and Jerald Everett is actually a pretty good receiving tight end as well, and it kind of goes under the radar, but he's pretty good. And then we're hopeful, you know, our guy Tyler Scott is going to step up.
You know, this is I was I was talking a Tyler on draft night and I said, this is you know, I know it's disappointing, but it's like a real good opportunity because Deanna, you need depth at wide receiver and that that's one of the things that I really really appreciate what Ryan Poles did is because listen, you know as well as I do, years ago, they would have signed there, they would have traded for Keenan Allen been like, Okay, we're good, we're good at We're good at wide receiver.
It never never addressed it again until something happened. But now you really you by adding Roman Dunes and having Tyler Scott, who I think at times last year really showed some stuff. He's got some things to work on, but This is a perfect learning opportunity for him. And if he goes out there and he kind of studies under these guys and just takes advantage of his opportunities, we're going to be looking at four wide at times and it's going to be really special.
Final moments with Adam Rank from NFL Network. So you pick every teams record. I don't know how long that took, but you did it. You had to blove it at twelve and five the Lions in ten and seven and swept by the Bears.
I love that.
Listen, we we led that.
We listened to me. I still do this.
I'm I'm embarrassed because with with tomm and Jeff, I always feel embarrassed when I do this in front of former greats. We were beating the Lions for one hundred and sixteen minutes last season, okay, and then everything fell apart. And that's again like everybody's like, well, you thought they'd be twelve and five last year. I go, you know, honestly, like they had those three games where they had over a ninety percent chance of winning in the fourth quarter
that they did not finish. It should have been ten and seven, should have been ten and seven to the point like Week eighteen wouldn't have mattered. They would have they would have probably sat justin fields, they would have started Tyson Bagent, nobody would have cared, and they would
have went to the playoffs, probably lost. But whatever the thing is is like the team is much better than everybody wants to give them credit for him And it's something that the Lions went through last season where people are like, Okay, you were fine last year, but are you really good? Then the Lions went out there and proved themselves. And I think the Bears are in a very similar situation with a team that's top to bottom
very good. The one, the one leap of faith that I was taking with that is that they're gonna address the extra edge rusher position, which I truly believe it's gonna happen. Whether it's unique in Goatkway or whoever it is, There's gonna be somebody, somebody's gonna be brought in. There's either gonna be a trade and free agent signing. Something's gonna happen, and this defensive line is gonna be even better by the time that we get to training camp or maybe through training camp.
So I think I feel comfortable with that.
I think that the Bears and the Lions are the two teams that are I think they're they're above everybody. The Packers are good. Like I didn't say that they were not bad. I didn't say they were bad. Yeah, good, they were good. I'm I'm curious. I know that they they were able to vilify Joe Berry and like now we'll have it. I'm like, there's still something about your organization. It's fine, you're good, but are you good like it's it's been a thing.
I don't know.
I don't want to I don't want to use this time dashing. The Packers and then the Vikings, I think just have a lot of question marks. We love Kevin O'Connell. I actually really like Sam Darnald. I'm interested to see what he does. I feel like I feel last year brought purty when he was injured, got healthy real quick. Because I think there was some like don't don't blow up my spot here, because if Sam Donald came in and played well, then I think that things.
Could have been different. But it'll be interesting.
But I got a lot of confidence in the Bears, as I always do, and I think it's justified. I think the season sets up perfectly for them to gain some momentum. I think having a first game against the Titans, against a first year head coach, a quarterback who in his second year, who didn't play a lot as a rookie, you couldn't ask for a better opponent at home, the noon game at home, like, no, keep us out of prime time, keep us out of Green Bay. That first week,
we're fine. And then and then I think there's a real chance to put some momentum together early in that schedule before we get to the back end of it where you play all the division opponents.
Adam, real quick, hard knocks. Are you a fan? Do?
What do you want to see and is there anything you'd like to see them cover?
I would like I want to see it.
I do, And I think too, Like I know, people think about distractions and everything. These kids grow up with phones in their faces since the time they were born. For us old guys, god, a distraction. For these young bucks. They know what they're doing. They're savvy, especially Caleb. So I'm interested to see it. My breakout star is going to be Tevin Jenkins.
Oh okay, very good. That's a good topic.
As we pick up the conversation as we leave you beast to your summer vacation.
Adam Rank, appreciate it so much.
Thank you, thanks for having me always honoring a privilege to be hog with you.
And coming up next, our conversation with Bears wide receiver coach Chris Beatty. This is the ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network.
This is Bear's Weekly with a portion of the Bears for twenty three years Jeff Joni on the Bears Radio Network.
This segment of Bears Weekly is sponsored by IGS Energy.
Jeff, Tom and Jim. You're on Bear's Weekly.
At the end of the offseason program, the wide receiver coach Chris Beatty, among the other offensive assistants available to the media, had a chance to visit with him about his arrival in Chicago and.
What he has to work with in that room.
And I started the conversation fellas with a simple question about do the young guys ask questions?
But they don't ask him quite as much when they vests around. So those guys, you know, you can answer questions that they are a little bit embarrassed to ask when the older guys are there.
And since you.
I aint never considered that honestly, you know, the whole classroom thing we get a little interesting.
It does.
And Rom is really really smart. I mean, he's a really smart guy. So at the end of the day, he's got a lot of really good questions.
All right.
So you've obviously had a great success where you've been and with Keenan and other receivers DJ, but to have them all together now in this new group as well, how exciting are you.
As a coach?
Extremely?
I mean DJ, I've known for the last ten years or so, and then having Keenan the last three. You know, I know how good those guys are, and they know how I coach, so it's kind of a good, you know, melding of each other. And then you know the rest of the room is trying to catch up to those guys. They all aspire to be in the position that DJ and Keenan aren, So those guys are hungry and trying to learn and trying to get in a position to
be successful themselves. So it's really exciting time for all of us, I think.
And and how would you describe that way you coach?
Yeah, I'm you know, I would say you know. I I always say I'm fair but firm, you know, I I I don't. I rarely raise my voice. That's really not my style. But at the same time, I wanna make sure I we get things done a certain way.
You know.
The great thing for me is DJ knows how I coach. Keenan knows how I coach. So those guys, you know, can give those other.
Guys ahead the work.
Yeah, Hey, this is how coach deals with this, and this is h kind of my attitude towards things. So these are the things that I like. So those guys, you know, it makes it easier when you have people in the room that know your personality, you know, So that's always a bonus not to mention those guys are really good.
Yeah.
Are they fun in there too?
I mean the personalities, I mean things that pop up them in an intimate setting of a meeting room like that.
Yeah, I mean it's it's interesting to say the least. You know, you got different personalities and then you got different areas as far as where they are in their career stages in their careers. So there's people that feel good and open to be themselves, and then some people that aren't quite there yet, so they're like just wanting to keep to themselves, stay there and leaning until they establish themselves. So but you know, I really like our room.
I like the guys in it. They're working really hard and at the end of the day, we're all learning because this is a third different system for me in three years. So you're trying to make sure that you get all the intricacies of it down so you can teach it to them, you know, and be in the right language, being the right friend of mind of everything, trying to get done the right way.
Yeah, you don't have the luxury right to have. I often hear about new new systems, new playbooks and and granted it's similar to what these guys did last year, but you gotta.
Know it Cole.
Now, So is that being a challenge for you with three different Nah.
It always is.
And the challenge is not necessarily the place a similar it's the language, you know. It's being able to speak the exact way that Shane wants us, you know, cause sometimes you you catch yourself calling something that you used to, particularly with Keenan being here. So like Keenan will look at me and I'll say it's old this, or it's old that as opposed to Hey, it's this, because I know he'll understand what it is. But I wanna make
sure that I get all the burgers down that Shane wants. Yeah, and say it in the same language, cause that's important. It's important one to let to set the tone the Hey, we're all in this together as a coaching staff, and it's important to be able to communicate. So if it's not me saying it, they're ex understanding what Shane is saying, or they're understanding what Carries or Thomas is saying. So we're all talking the same language.
And when when you keep looking at make sure that the language is gonna come out.
Right Day one, Yeah, there's no question.
You know, my son's already waiting for me to bring the iPad back so he can read the calls to.
Me, there's one ball, a lot of weapons. How does everybody stay content within? And I would I would say it requires a great deal on selfishness because there are a lot of great players on this offense.
There's one football.
Yeah, but how do you address that?
Yeah?
Winning?
You know, at the end of the day, it's it's winning, you know, Like when I got here. One of the first conversations we have in our room was like, DJ, how many Playoffs have you been to?
DJ was like none.
You know, Keenan, how many have you been to in twelve years? He's been to three? You know, we went to one together. And so you say back, it's hard to make it to the dance, you know, and if you don't make it to the dance, you can't make it to the to the super Bowl. So at the end of the day, you know, whatever you have to do to sacrifice to get there, it's gonna be worth
it when you win. So of course you want the numbers, you know, in that process, But at the end of the day, you know, w we all gotta work together. Like it's it easier with Keenan and DJ and Gerald and Cole and DeAndre Swift and all those guys. Sure, yeah, right, Will your numbers be the same as they were when it was you and somebody else? Maybe not, But that
sacrifice is worth it if we all wins. You know, everybody always just takes it for granted, you know, and then you can't like it's you know, I go home and you talk to your college buddies or whatever. And they go to bowl games every year. You like, it's six and six ain't getting us to a to a playoff game in this league. So the end of the day, it's a lot harder than than it is, you know, perceived.
Like one more question, because dj Ab I've always been impressed with when he makes even a sideline catch that he's his suddenness to create separation is really, in my opinion, makes him the special play there. Keenan does that with his movements and the way he gets in a position to run away with the ball. Are these things just instinctive for these two particular talents, in addition to being talked to proper well over the course of their life.
What's what's the what's the key ingredient? Yeah?
I think there's a little bit of both, you know. I think you want to teach them how to attack the ball, how to make sure they create space to give them a chance. That's one of the things Keenan and I have been working on for the last two years is trying to be better after the catch, and that starts with creating space on the routes, you know, and that starts with us calling plays to give them a chance. To create space, So all those things kind of go together. But then a lot of that stuff.
Is natural too.
You know, we all want to take credit for things that God sometimes blessed people with or they're hard work busts them with too, So you know, I think it's a little bit of both. You know, DJ has been unbelievable with the ball in his hands for a lot longer than I've known, and you know, those things haven't changed. And you know since he was at Maryland or at Emo Tip in Philly, you know, those things, they just more people see him.
Yeah, you project Rome to have that kind of impact as well after the catch.
I also, you know, he did it in college and I think he's shown right now he's got the ability to do it, and he's got a great frame to be able to make you know, he could play a lot of different ways because he's rugged, and he's quick, you know, and he's got speed, so he's got a lot of things to be able to create space and have run after the catch. So definitely looking forward to working with him, you know, and building up that to where we got a lot of run after catch capabilities.
All right, So Chris Beaty a real interesting perspective because he knows DJ Moore so well, Tommy knows Keenan Helen so well from his few years in LA with the Chargers. What was your takeaway in that conversation.
Well, I'm glad he encourages the guys who ask questions, because I think going into an experienced specter in room, the most difficult thing is for a rookie to either show he's a better understanding of what they're talking about or the courage to ask a question in front of veterans.
So I like to hear that, but I'd like to hear the experience coming out of Baby's mouth, understanding that he could take something from every single one of his coaching stops talking about bringing his iPad home and he and his son going over the information, because it's equally as important for him to learn the new information as it is any one of his players. So you know, it is still we'd look at this four weeks left and before they get underway a training camp this time.
Is probably or is as important to the new.
Coaches on the staff that as it is to any new player trying to make this team.
Yeah, it's interesting to me how he just talked about the entire room. You know when we talk about the wide receiver room, because there's a big spectrum there. You know, you've got these two established veterans that command a lot of respect in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, and then you've got this youngster in Roma Doomsay and Baylis Jones and Tyler Scott and all the young guys that we've
talked about that are probably pretty shy. When you go in that room and you got those two veteran guys that have done it all on every level, and they're probably a little bit you know, shy about, you know, chirping up a little bit. They're going to kind of keep them in check and say, hey, this is what you need to know. And I think Coach touched on that that how those guys, well, it's an exciting room, but how those guys really understand the young guys, I
should say, understand that. Just watch what these guys do. I guarantee you Coach Baty, he doesn't have to say a lot in that room because those veterans are leading the way and he knows they'll bring those young guys along.
Coming up.
One of the biggest stories in the NFC North in twenty twenty four with Tom and Jim. I'm Jeff Joniyak on Bears Weekly and ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network.
This is Bears Weekly with a voice of the Bears for twenty three years, Jeff Jonyyak on the Bears Radio Network.
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Jeff, Tom and Jim on Bears Weekly.
Fellas want to talk about the biggest stories in the division. I'm gonna start with the Bears. I'm gonna throw a wrinkle in here. I know everybody and.
It is about the quarterbacks.
But I'm gonna go back to our discussion last week because Bears dot com Gebbi Haidu did an article on Javon Dexter and he's put out there some goals. He's got it on his phone. Eight sacks, fifteen tackles for lost Pro Bowl, All Pro. He's thinking, Big Tom, how important is that just to have that out there in his mind? Cleaned up his body, nutrition, diet, lost ten pounds of fat, added five pounds of muscle, and still a young man and a growing frame.
What Dicky used to say, what your mind believes your body can achieve, and that's what kind of the way that you have to think about that in numbers as a defensive lineman, as an offensive lineman, my whole life, my goal was to limit the penalties and start every game because you didn't have a lot of things that you could really attribute to numbers.
And if Jervon Dexter is.
Able to climb to those numbers in year two, expect even better numbers.
In year three and so on and so forth.
Gervon Dexter is proved throughout his rookie year that he never really hit a rookie wall and he was improving fundamentally and technically throughout the entire season. So now he's had this time off during the offseason to kind of get away from things unlike a year before. Now, if he comes in there and he compliments Montese Sweat, and Andrew Billings and mar DeMarcus Walker and the rest of those guys in the defensive line, that means the defensive
line is going to take a significant step forward. If you're talking about eight sacks in double digit and tackles for loss, and I would love.
To see him be able to do that.
Yeah, I think it's good to have overall goals. Like as a quarterback, obviously you want to limit your turnovers. But I never put numbers on any of that stuff because at the end of the day, card keep your
mouth shut and good things will happen. The numbers will be there if you're out there working, doing what your job is, what your responsibility is, and strive to get better every every single game, every single snap, every single practice, all those things in at the end of the day, that your numbers will be where you want him to be.
Yeah.
The biggest thing for him, I think, and naturally because of his length and I'd like to study some of those other long defensive tackles and those playing three technique is just that pad level, right, Tommy, keeping it down as best as possible on every snap, because what do you always say, you know, fatigue impacts that over the course of a game.
Well, you know the thing about Travon Dexter, unlike a lot of the other guys, well montes sweating, he's a much bigger guy.
After meeting him on the night of the draft, and you kind of what you.
See on TV, Travon Dexter is always going to have to be coached to have that great bendability, just like every tall defensive lineman, because once you start losing the game of leverage against these strong offensive lineman, you're going to lose the battle on the line of scrimmage. So it's just something that guys that are uniquely are just tall and have that length. Even a guy like Hampton, he understood how to use his length as a weapon.
And if Javon Dexter can learn how to use his length as a weapon, he's going to be even more difficult to block.
Hey, Jim, we had Gary Fencik on our podcast that will drop next Wednesday, Bears, etc. On all the Bears platforms or wherever you get your podcasts, and he mentioned the loss of the forty nine ers by the Bears that preceded their Super.
Bowl winning year in eighty five.
And I'm looking at the Lions because sometimes teams don't recover from that. But you believe the type of coach and the way the Lions are built that that will not even be.
In their mindset.
They're thinking really big right now like the Bears did in eighty five.
Yeah, I don't think it's slowing him down. I mean, Dan Campbell was, you know, He's going to put the pedal to the metal, you know, and push those players even And I think they the type of players they've drafted are mentally tough players. You know, Jared Golf has been through the fire. When they traded for him, Brad Holmes, the general manager, knew that he knew what he was getting, and Jared Golf when he traded for him because he had drafted him out there or seeing him work and
seen him take a team to a Super Bowl. So I think Detroit is a mentally tough team where I do not think that, you know, what happened last year and how they lost that game to San Francisco, is even going to come to the equation. They're not even thinking about that.
Tom Jordan Love, is there any chance you could have a sophomore slump?
And I say sophomore.
I know he's been in the league a while, but as a starter, could that rear its ugly head?
I don't think so.
I think it's more up to the health of Watson, who hasn't really been an on field guy much, even though he's got world considered world class type of speed.
And there's a lot of changes on his offensive line.
If he's running away from pressure more than he is being protected, you know, he could have that a little bit of slump. But I think what he learned of the game and his time on the bench, I think it allows him to carry carry on what he's been able to do throughout his rookie year, all right throughout his first year as a starter.
Yeah.
And then lastly the Vikings again back to the quarterback. Does some Donald have something that he hasn't shown yet in your mind, Jim, because I think you keep alluding to. Yeah, by the end of the year, JJ McCarthy will probably be the starter. But could he surprise I think, well, a Geno Smith type comeback, you know.
Yeah.
Adam Gasee coached him in New York obviously for the New York Jets. He Sam Donald has all the ability in the world, all right, He's got a great arm, he's athletic. But his issue is he never know when a play. He never understands when a play is over. Okay, at USC he had over thirty turnovers and that's been kind of his history in the National Football League. He'll go out there and try and do too much, which can lead to a bad play and to a bad
series that ends up in a turnover. He's talented. I think if Kevin O'Connell's gonna have to be very careful in how he calls plays to what are in order to corral that. But his history is that's always come out. And so for Minnesota, I think at some point, if those turnovers start happening, they're going to make a change. And they did that last year after Kirk Cousins got hurt.
You know, whether Allen was in there and all those players, Joshua Dobbs and they were rolling through all those quarterbacks. He always pulled them as soon as they start having turnover issues. That's why they went through four quarterbacks after Kirk got hurt.
Next up, we talk running backs, a deep Tom Thoughts discussion.
It's coming up next here on Bears Weekly.
And he asked in one thousand of the Bears Radio Network is Bear's Weekly.
With a voice of the Bears for twenty three years, Jeff Junior on the Bears Radio Network.
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Joniyak the running back discussion. Tom jogged my thoughts and memories. So I filed up with some research. But he talked about the back of the decades in the division and who that might be here in twenty twenty four as the Bears get ready to go. And Tom, since you brought it up, what sparked this thought in your mind? Because we talk about only it seems eleven personnel. What team has a tight end that can threaten the seam the quarterback that's going to give him the ball?
No, I was just thinking about some of the great backs within our division through all of our lifetimes. You know, Jim and yourself and myself, we're at an age that we remember these decades well. And when you go from Walter Payton, you go to Barry Sanders, you go to Adrian Peterson, and then and I really I'm glad you brought up Matt Portey because then I went immediately went to Aaron or Aaron Jones, And I was thinking throughout
the course of our lifetime. You know, the great backs, you know, Hall of famers, guys that are on the list of all time greats in the history of the league. You know, where is the running back position of this division going? Are we going to have those runners that we've become accustomed to in this division or are we going to have to look at multiple personnel backfields, in
multiple dimensional athletes at the running back position. And so that's where we're at, and you know, to ty twenty four in where are we going with that position?
Yeah, it's in true.
You know, it's you'd very rarely see the bell cows anymore. You know, I think right now in the NFL we probably say Derrick Henry's one of the last big bell cows that Baltimore just picked up that. You know, you could probably give him the ball thirty times just running it and he can grind it out and finish a game. It's more of a specialty gam unit now where guys are put in situationally we see running backs split out
as wide receivers. Now see them coming out of the backfield in motion, and they're more of a say like Jamier Gibbs of the Detroit Lions. They use him more as a as a receiver at the end of the day. So it's just more of a specialty position. I think in the Belcow backs, the Campbell's of the world, and the Walter Payton's of the world, and herschel Walkers of the world, and these guys that could just do it down in and down out and just carry the load. That's kind of gone away by the Dodo yep.
So who's the best in the division? What back's the best in the division? Start with Jim.
I'd say it's Aaron Jones And I'm telling you you watch this Jamiir Gibbs and what he does is his second year for Detroit. That is a specialty player who is very special.
I like Gibbs and but I like DeAndre Swift, and I like what he can do when you look at the weapons that he has already downfield. I think, when if you can get an offensive line that keeps their pieces and in place for a majority of the seventeen games, a guy like DeAndre Swift could come into this division and light it up because you have four playmakers downfield when you're talking about the three receivers and Cole Kmet So.
Here's something interesting.
This is only rushing yards, so it's not a fair representation of well you consider the best overall back during and this is league wide. I just went back, So the seventies, the top back in yardage was OJ Simpson. In terms of production, Walter Payton was fourth on that list. Eighties it was Dickerson number one, Eric Dickerson, and Walter was number two. So Walter bridging two decades yeh right, nineties, EMMITTT. Smith far and away in the two thousands, Ladanian, Tomlinson.
Thomas Jones was number eight on that list, playing for a couple of different teams in the twenty tens.
This one shocked me.
Lashawn McCoy Shady McCoy twenty twenties Derrick Henry that comes to mind, but Josh Jacobs number three on that list, with Dalvin Cook at four, David Montgomery six, and Aaron Jones at number seven.
I just find it good conversation, funny and interesting.
It is because you just bring off names at the top of your head and then you start doing some real investigative work like that, and then you know you're reintroduced to some names that maybe you weren't thinking about because we didn't see him twice a year, or they weren't on our teams as kids.
So it's it's interesting to bring up those types of numbers.
Personally, Jim, I want it all around back that the defense has to account for. And you know, if he's going to be a three down back, I don't know if he's catching it on backfield, I don't know if they're just going to run it. But you're right, I do believe multiple backs will be used in all four cases in the division for sure.
Yeah.
I do think it's it's become a substitution game. It's become a down specific game where you're going to use specific traits of players and what you're going to showcase and what you're trying to accomplish to get the matchups that you that you want, and so there's this you know, it's that's why it's kind of been devalued over the past couple of years. You know, you look at Christian McCaffrey.
He just got the big bump and pay out there for San Francisco because what that guy is literally he's probably about ninety eighty to ninety percent of their offense is going through him with all the other players that they have there, but he sets a lot of it up and he's he's a special back.
But at the same time, Tom, if your defense is in staff of the run, you're in big trouble. So it's gonna it's gotta haunch you on that side of the ball. With all these different types of backs, I.
Mean, we could have a complete show about running back choices and like a fantasy world. Okay, you got Christian McCaffrey on the board and you have Eric Dickerson on the board.
Where are you gonna go.
Are you gonna go with the guy that's six ' to two plus that has the frame of Eric Dickerson and what he's accomplished, or are you gonna go with an undersized guy like Christian McCaffrey. Where if you put Eric Dickerson on a team like the modern day forty nine ers, would eighty nine, eighty or ninety percent of the offense.
Still go through his trades.
I I just think it would be and be a really fun discussion you know about you know then and now?
Yeah, Walther Peyton would fit in any era, correct, not even a discussion fellas, we are out of time.
Thank you once again.
We'll talk to you next week for Tom Thaird, Jim Miller and Spank to our special guest from NFL Network, Adam Rank, and thanks to our produce Kevin z Pak coming up next Black and Abdalla. Thanks for listening everybody. This has been Bears Weekly on ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network.
Thank you for listening to the Chicago Bears Network presentation The Bears Weekly, hosted by the Mayra Bears, Bill, Jeff Junia and Surfmaster Tom Thayer. Podcasts are available on the Chicago Bears Official Bears Weekly has been brought to you by Apple Podcasts, Ben Rivers, Igs Energy and Miller Lite