Hightower talks offseason, return to Chicago | All Access

We're talking Bears again here on Bears All Access, a midweek version along with Tom Farmer broadcast partner from news radio one oh five nine w BBM. I'm Jeff Jonyak, the voice of the Chicago Bears, and I'm already missing football time. I want I was so interested just for kicks, to see the USFL draft last I just I don't want. I want football back already. Yeah. But you know, Jeff, for your own sake and your health and everything, I'm glad you got a second of downtime because you really

need it. But now when you look at the near future here, when you get the combine ramped up, you talk about the franchise tag, all the rumors that are circular circulating around the NFL. Some of the biggest names in the business are being talked about of maybe their next location if they're gonna stay on location. So you're never starving for information. But it's the actual game played on Sundays, which is always fun and a big ramp

up to the weekend. I'm watching as many college players as I can right now, and you know, you know me, I fall in love with guys right away. I see a highlight tape and boy, you start imagining, how would this guy fit? And then you realize you don't have a first round pick, so you got to put that aside and we'll just we'll talk about that as the

weeks go on. But you know, I always, you know, probably one of the worst things you could do as a general manager or a vice president of a football operations or a scouts fall in love with somebody so much that you can't see the forest through the trees. And that's a lot of times with just average fans. We fall in love with guys, and you know, every year and then you remember them unfortunately and you remind me, hey, whatever happened to that guy? Well, you know he never

made a time. Well, you know, the reason is is that we have access to highlight tapes, and so everything you watch is great. Whether it's a reaction to a catch, it's a big block, it's an open, open space tackle, things like that. To me, I would rather see a video of a bad play and then the next play and how would they rebound, How would they answer a poor a pass blocking on third down where maybe they gave up some pressure, how they how do they go

about their business on first down? Or if they had a mental air, what did they do the next play? Because sometimes, Jeff, you get caught up in these highlight tapes and you know you never see a mistake may and that's just not the case when you're going against a two hundred and five pound college defensive end for a guy you'll never see in the future of your career going forward. How about a six two, two hundred and sixty one pound linebacker from Wisconsin LEO channel, where's

number five? Check him out today? I just I watched as much of him as I possibly could. Love the guy. But again again this is getting way too off track. But this is bears All Access. It's brought you by Gus Energy with Tom There, Jeff, Joni, and Jim Miller from serious X, I'm out of l radio coming up shortly. But this is a guy in his scheme at was constant. They just he just attacked the line of scrimmage relentlessly and blitzed NonStop. But he's two hundred and sixty one

pounds and he hurts you at the line. You know, you know there he'll hear you. Got it? Yeah, you got guys like that in the past. You look at the Levon Kirklands in the in the football life back playing in a four three defense in the middle where they are protected by two big defensive tackles and they could hold down the ford in the complete interior of an inside running game. So he you know, is there

a position for a guy with those types of traits? Yes, but you have to have the right support behind you and in front of you to be able to use your traits on the NFL level. Coming up at the bottom of the hour, we'll be joined by special teams coordinator Richard high Tower. He gets the big job with the Bears. He was here back in twenty sixteen as an assistant, so we'll talk to him, and of course

the combine starts next week. Tom, what position groups are you going to be keenly interested in as it relates to what the Bears needs are. What are you going to be focused on when you start popping on the TV this week, watching watching the forty, watching everything that goes on throughout the course of the week. You know, I'm definitely gonna pay attention to receivers that are over

six feet. I want to bring in some size of this team to help justin develop the identity of bigger targets down field, maybe get them and better matchups against some of the passive or undersized cornerbacks there are in the division, around the league. So you know, that's something that our great stat guy in the booth, Doug Colettie, has been talking about all year, is that you need to have some size at the receiver position. So I want to see what direction they can go with that,

because listen, man, I love Darnell Mooney. I liked what a Rob brought to the show. But when you look at the packages of the four and five and three receiver sets, you gotta have some size there. And you know, if they don't complete the defensive backfield for the Bears, and when you talk about the quarterbacks in the division,

the new head coaches where they're gonna go. You know, you got to go out there and be able to hold your own and that means a physical presence from the safety position and the ability to cover at the

corner position. And you're talking about all three right cornerback, left quarterback, cornerback at each side, and nickel corner because of their value to a team from what the Bears have suffered through maybe in the last couple of years, either having rookies and Jalen Johnson no offense to Jayalen Johnson, he is the one one guy that I feel I can count on back there. But you know, we gotta have we got to have the defensive backfields and you got to have them for the length of time. And

the tackle position. This is a position that we're going to talk about throughout the entire season. Yeah, I surprise you didn't start with the oir line because I'm starting with the old line and going right to the defensive lines and see if they're going to a four to three, I want to know what their plan is. But I'm gonna be looking at those two positions thoroughly. And then

number three on my list is corner. I know everybody likes the sexy positions with the ball on their hand and who's gonna make the big play, you know, a wide receiver, tight end, running back. But right now those are positions of necessity right now, at least from my perspective and area. Well, we'll jump into the conversation with Jim Miller from Serious XM Radio, our weekly guest coming

up next with our producer Brian Callahan. Also Dan BARRELLI one of our producers tonight, Tom, I don't know if you knew that or not. Jordan Trudup has the week off, so Dan's filling in tonight for Employee of the Year at one time up at Allis Hall on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Hey everybody, welcome back to Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy. Choose clean energy for your home at igs dot com because

every good choice adds up to a better world. With Tom Payer, I'm Jeff Jonyak and our weekly guest, former Bears quarterback Jim Miller from Syria, Sexam, NFL Radio's moving the chains with Pat Kerwin joining us. Now, are you packed and ready for the combine? I know this is a long week. I know you're gonna have like three or four suitcases, some empty because you might have a few trinkets you might bring on back. You know, loads

of information on the NFL Draft twenty twenty two. You're ready, big Jim, I am ready, and no I travel lights. It'll be just a carry on and I will be ready to roll. But it's always an exciting you know, I have as much fun now in the off season as I do during the regular season. I mean it truly is three hundred and sixty five days a year, and we've kind of kicked off the business season looking already right now. You guys mentioned franchise tags. Look at

all the players released or restructure today. Pat calls them the three rs. Right, your restructure, you reduce your salary, or you're out. Released Anthony Hitchins released today by Kansas City Right saves about seven million bucks on the salary cap that we know is only going up about twenty million bucks. So the business season is already in full swing. Man Kenny Clark and Green Bay Tommy, we always circle

him when we get ready to meet the packers. You gotta stop Kenny Clark, so you know they're trying to make room for you know, and Gudkin spoke today, you know, the football fans out there, the general manager, the Packers, so they've got a lot. That whole debate is about, you know, for what's gonna happen obviously with Rodgers, but you know, are you gonna be able to find a way to keep Davonte Adams boys? That's yes, He's their

first domino that that has to fall. And you look at them, I mean, look at Davondre Campbell the year that he had. He's a free agent for them. How are they going to sign them all? When you look at Green Bay because Rogers is going to take a big chunk of it Adams minimum. They can put the tag on Adams if they if they want to go

that route. But I mean, if Aaron Rodgers leaves, I mean, and he already said today Guten Kunst that we're probably not going to take any trade offers for for Jordan Love and it's you know, they would be in I think they would be looking for a quarterback if Rogers were to hang up the cleats. But I don't know how they're going to resign them all. I really don't. They're they're over the cap as it is right now, and they've got some huge decisions that they have to

make in Green Bay. Yeah, they mean, they got all the drama that surrounds Aaron Rodgers and it's just getting overwhelming. Actually, it's even boring during the off season. But to me, the biggest shot across the bows when they went and hired Tom Clements. Tom Clements is not going to come out of retirement. Look, man, this guy's living a good life in California. He's an attorney. He's got a lot of different options in life in order to be come out out of retirement, and we want you to be

part of our coaching staff. It's gotta be because I don't think they're trying to bring in Tom Clements to be incentive for Aaron Rodgers. It's a conversation they had with Aaron Rodgers and what they needed to create incentive. So excuse me, I am concerned about that, and I you know, I everything else kind of overshadows it because you know, Davante Adams and all these other guys that doesn't matter because of Aaron Rodgers is not there. Then

we are all fighting for the division championship. All four teams. So that to you is your hook, right, you feel that's the hook to bring him back. I really do, just because he's been out of Green Bay now for what three or four years? He had I think year in Arizona and then you know it was you know, had you know, I think he was doing some commercial

or some real estate out in the West coast. But listen, you just don't bring a guy back into the mix after being out of the NFL for so long unless you have a player that has a role like Aaron Rodgers does in Green Bay. He's more important than any coach, any player in that organization right now, Jim, do you have Rogers fatigued? Huh uh. I'm unless taking this advice. I'll read a book. You know, you know I leaned

with what Tom said. It It sounds like, you know, what looked like everybody was put on a happy face and kind of grinned and bared it, you know, throughout the season, and then you know, things started to happen. It seems like everybody relented a little bit. They soften their stance, even Rogers recently on his buddy the Pat McAfee show. You know, I think all the things Tom just talked about kind a lead you to believe that he will be returning to Green Bay. He's the first

Domino to fall though big time. But even with him coming back, if they sweeten the deal, I mean minimum, he's gonna get probably add two years to his contract. It'll be forty million a year. How do you pay everybody you give Adams the tag, They're gonna have to restructure a lot more guys. I mentioned there's gonna be one of the Smith brothers isn't gonna be there. They can't resign to Andre Campbell. I mean, it's significantly gonna limit them with what they can do here this over.

If they get rid of Kenny Clark, that whole defense becomes desfunt I mean even, I mean it's gonna be difficult for that defense to be successful on first and second down if they get rid of Kenny Clark, because he is the toughest guy, the toughest defensive tackle in our division. Unless a Kim Hicks is playing hard and healthy, you know he's he's right up there with him. But they have if they can't sign Kenny Clark, they don't. If they can't sign that Campbell and the Smith Brothers.

Matt Defense is going to take a hit. Hey, they found Campbell as a free agent a one year deal, they can find another one. I mean, I know he had a great year and he went to the years in all Pro. But I saw this from Andrew Brandt today and he used to be For those who don't know him, he used to be in the Packers organization and he's a media person now he's got his own website. But he says, I think around this time of year, fans are more obsessed and worried about the salary cap

than general managers and owners are. And maybe that's the case because you know, years ago we didn't talk about it like we do now, and we obsess. Oh my gosh, teams are in the red right now before the new league year starts. They gotta be. They gotta be above water. Otherwise you know you're not gonna be able to get this guy or do this or sign this guy. And things have a way of working themselves out, Jim. They

seemingly always do. If you're part in company with somebody because of a cap thing, then you really didn't want him anyone. I mean, look at Atlanta last year. That what they were fifteen million dollars over. Oh, let's just trade Huliu Jones. Fifteen million came off their cap. I think Dallas is in kind of the same situation. Dallas is twenty million over the cap. Guess what Marie Cooper comes in at twenty million dollars. Mari Cooper, I am

circled has gone. Yeah. Absolutely, But you can clear up a lot of cap space pretty quickly, is what Andrew Farrant is referring. You know, NFLA is also getting ready for the combine and just looking at teams and their needs. You know what's really sticking out and in some cases from some really good teams because of poor performances, because they are slotting guys in because of injury, or because of a lack of doe to pay somebody they wanted

to keep them put in the year before. To me, it's always got to be this way, but for some reason it's sticking out more this year. How many teams are going to be looking for offensive linemen in the draft. It is gonna be a whole bunch of people, and it's all about protecting the And you go right to Joe Burrow, who's been sacked over one hundred over one hundred times this past year with the playoffs, is that correct? Last year? Hundred hundred and two times he's been sacked.

And the first guy I think of is David Carr. Yeah, same thing happened him early in his career. But it's not just him. It's Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. Gotta find it. He threw a career high in interceptions. Got he's injured. You gotta protect justin fields. He gotta make sure he feels So there's gonna be So you ready for this? You ready for this? So fifty eight offensive linemen are invited to the twenty twenty two combine, the most since as the most, so they know that, so I think

that's why they they fudge the numbers that way. This will be the least amount of quarterbacks working out at the combine. Only fifteen guys we're invited. Uh, there's a dip in wide receivers. It's not as much talent as what they've been in the past. So there's only forty wide receivers. So that's one of the second fewest in the last twenty years that have been invited to the combine. But old lineman. This is a good year for old lineman,

really good year. You know, offensive lineman. You know you talk about it, and I'm not making a joke about it. It always should be a priority because that's where your football team is going to start. And when you talk about these quarterbacks protecting being protected, justin fields has to learn how to protect himself. And that's going to become with knowledge of the offense, understanding of the protection, and then being able to look at the line of scrimmage

and understand where your vulnerabilities come from. But then when you do get outside the pocket, you have to learn how to slide efficiently, stay away from taking the unfortunate hits, and just make sure that you're improving your own protection. That's time there. Jim Miller, Jeff Joni Yak Coming up at the bottom of the hour, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower.

Let's sake, let's step away and take a break here in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score well, come back to Bears and all access to this segment brought to you by Athletico Physical Therapy. Visit Athletico dot com to request an appointment in clinic or virtually and start feeling better tomorrow with Tom there, Jeff Jonahac Jim Miller, former Bears quarterback from Sirius XM's NFL radio, Moving the chains.

Tom was just scribbling notes today, Jim, so I sent you some of them and wanted to have some topics to discussed today. And so let's go with the position priority, Position priority topic, position priority, Jim, We're gonna start with Tom since this was his baby anyway. So position priority? Are we talking combine draft? Are we talking free agency?

Are we talking both? I'm talking look into the future of the Chicago Bears when you think of the conclusion of the season, the new coaching staff coming aboard and what they have in place and where they need to go a position wise. All right, so you want you already touched on it really in the second second. But receiver with size are complete rather the secondary with five guys you can trust. And then okay, so let's pick

on this one. The offensive tackle starters with depth. Yeah, these starters are right now, No, because first of all, you got to allow the offensive line coach to get in front of the athletes he has and then where does in his mind as he feel they fit the best, they give you the best opportunity to win. To me, I'll still hold my ground, and I think it's bore Um left Jenkins the right tackle to start the season.

And that's why I say offensive tackle position with depth because I want guys to come in here and compete against these two young guys. I don't want to hand either of them a job. I want them to earn it from some guys that are are fighting for that position themselves. Jim, do you want to pay for a tackle or are we gonna go with young guys and try to develop them. I think you go with young guys, but you sign a veteran so that you're covered, is what I think. So free agent said, you know that

are out there. Obviously the bearers aren't gonna say signed Toronto Armstead. You know, obviously he'd be the starter if that were the case. But there's some guys out there that you know that that have experience, that have played. But I think you want to go young. You know, it's a new coaching staff, it is a young quarterback, and that's why I think you would want to bring in a savvy veteran from the free agent point of view. So that you're covered if you go with these young guys.

I like the athleticism of both of them. I think they'll play. You know, Tevin, it's unfortunate he had to have the back surgery and didn't get in the mix till late in the year, but he was kind of thrown right in there, and obviously he knows he's got a lot of work to do and what's going to be counted on for him moving forward. And then where else you're looking, what's your number one and number two? I'm probably with you. You got to put more around

justin field. So receiver, it's going to be a big one, you know, with Marquis good one being a free agent and Alan Robinson being free So receiver, I would think safety and corner, probably another corner first and then a safety. But the Bears don't have that first round pick, right, They're not taking to what thirty nine, thirty nine I think, So you're gonna be looking, you know, at the at the second round guys that are available, So everybody's gonna

throw out, oh, that can get the number one corner. No, they're not. The Bears will not be in that. You know, They're still gonna be good players there, like I think the Penn States safety will be their Briskers is one I like that Jalen Petree from Baylor un down and Mobile. I think he was voted one of the voted the player of the week for the safety position down a Mobile. So there's some talented players that will be there in

the second round for the Bears. And of course they can trade up, trade down if they need to to target the guy that they're looking for. But I'd say receiver, H corner and safety because Sean Gibson, I don't think we'll be there, and they've got to be guys that can run run for you before I give you my three real quick? Do you get influence because you're at the senior boat you watch all the practices. There is

not that luxury. You can see workouts only with the combined guys, the underclassman that come in and now you're project acting a little bit interviewing them seeing them work out. Do you get influenced heavily by senior boat players? And do you think teams do versus just saying okay, I know there's a lot of guys the underclassmen get going in the first round but do you get do you get personally, personally as your own scouting eyes to get

influenced by what you saw. Sure, absolutely, because they're competing against the top talent in the country, So that's a bonus that you get to see. You get to see how they practice and evaluate that all week again, you can get a lot out of the practices. You know, it's not just about the game, it's just how they conduct themselves in practice. The interviews, teams are already able

to interview those guys down there. So all thirty two teams where they're granted, the teams that were coaching the Lions in the Jets probably get the most intel because they you know, they're they're they're coaching the guys, so they get the most intel in the meeting rooms and things like that. But the interviews, you're getting ahead of the game on these guys, and you can fall like you know who, I fell in love with that Boston College offensive lineman, Zion Johnson. So that's gonna be He's

gonna be incredible. Yeah, he's he'll blow it away in the interview. He will knock it out of the park. Yeah, he definitely is somebody that I'm keeping my eye on, but remind me before the show's over, I want to talk about underclassman as it relates to what you see at the senior ball. All right, my three not too much different from Tom and Jim. But okay, is there a way to find a playmaker offensively, a go to chain mover, third down machine who scores touchdowns? You know,

those guys can be found. They can be found outside the first round. A dual threat receiver that's dangerous can put him in the slot three three position type of receiver or a tight end. Also is somebody and then a defensive line dominant at every spot coming at you in waves. Offensive line settle with some angry young men, powerful to built guys and that can move in space. Those are those are my? All right? Coming up next, we'll be joined by Special teams coordinator Richard high Tower

back with the Bears. Coming back here on Bears All Access were brought to you by IGS Energy with Jim Miller and Tom There. I'm Jeff Jony acc on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the score. This second of Bears All Access is brought to you by CDW people who get it. With Tom Bear Jeff, Joni Ac, Jim Miller from Serious Sex and NFL Radio's Moving the Chains, our weekly guest and our special guest. Tonight we walkome in Special Teams coordinator Richard high Tower. Are we doing? Thank

you for joining us? How's everything going up there at Hall us all? You certainly didn't need a map, right because you've been here before. Yeah, definitely. How you guys doing doing great? Doing great? Has it been fun to wear the new colors again? And what's it like now after being away for a few years and being in this position for yourself and if you had time to get your feet on the ground a little bit and and take stock of how far you've come and the

more you've landed here. Yeah, well, I'll tell you what, Jeff has been outstanding being back and thank you guys for having me on tonight. This has been an outstanding transition so far. Excited to be back and definitely put the colors on again, and excited about the opportunity to work with these players and this organization. So it's been an outstanding so far, and and I can't wait to get started when we do get that opportunity to get

with the players. Hey, Richard, this is Tom Fair. Congratulations and welcome back to Chicago. It's it's it's nice to have you back. So I have a question. I was watching the sit down interview on the Bears website between you and Jeff, and Jeff asked you a question, give me a description of yourself, and you said that you're a teacher and a mentor. But I want to know

one thing. Are you an encourager for the kickoff recurrent guy to be able to take it out of them all the little of the end zone a little bit? Because me, I was on kickoff return my entire career through my last game in the NFL. Richard, and I'm kind of disappointed in the college game, but I've been encouraged by the Bears and their willingness to bring it out of the end zoner make that decision by the

kick returner. What's your philosophical thinking about that. I'll tell you what, Tom, that's a great question, and he's always good to talk to a Super Bowl champ. I know you were going that kickoff returned team. It depends on it depends on what kind of guy you got back there. You got a playmaker back there, all right? You can help the offense, and you want to get that ball in a really good field position and not take it to the house yourself. Hey man, you gotta you gotta

bring it out right, tom of course I'm with you. Hey, Richard, what's your what's you're thinking about using starters on special teams because it seems like that goes a lot of different directions, and just to getting to know you a little bit, what's you're thinking about that? Yeah, well, you know, when it comes to using starters on special teams or anybody, obviously that goes. All of that stuff goes to the

head coach. But if they got a helmet on and they're available on Sunday, then you never know, we might have use them. So they objective is to win and win at all costs, you know, so if they got a helmet on, you never know you might see them out there. Well, coach Jim Miller here, welcome back to Chicago. And everybody always says, don't take the foot out of football, but you took the foot out of Green Bay twice

in the divisional route. I mean, did you know going into that game because you know we cover obviously the Barrison watched jakeem Grant have a ninety seven yard punt return, you end up getting the punt block for a touchdown and the block field goal that we're huge. I mean, it really was the deciding factor in a huge playoff game on the road in Green Bay. Yeah, I'll tell you what. It was important to get that win in

advance to the NFC Championship. And I know none of us like Green Bay, you know and I but it wasn't about Green Bay, you know. It was we wanted to come away with a win against every team we face and rather if it's in the regular season or the postseason, just wanted to come away with a win. But I'll tell you what that one, that one felt good for obviously, and it felt good for the players, and I was just happy for the players. You know. Well,

touch on too when you put the special team. We say it all the time here on Bears All Access. Special Teams. Coach is an interesting coach because you kind of got to know everybody on the roster, whether it's the backup linebackers that are on you know, core special teams, or receivers who are gunners and you know, maybe just touch on that getting to know everybody on the roster

because it's so important for you to accomplish your job. Yeah, I mean, I think that's one of the things that I just really thoroughly enjoy about my job is that I get to talk to and coach everyone on the team. So it's really it's really a privilege to be able to do that. Obviously, I've coached on offense and coached on defense before, but I just really enjoy getting to know that backup linebacker, getting to know even some of

the starters that you have to use situationally. But to get a guy that's on the practice squad, or get a guy that was drafted in a six or seventh round and take those skill sets that the scouts saw and develop those and make those guys go out and

just accomplish their dreams and eventually become starters. Like give you a couple examples that just I really feel great about for those kids, or like a Dre Greenlaw or a ridem Moster, or those guys that have had a chance to work within the pad, you know that go on and do something special. It's all about teaching those guys and inspiring those guys and motivating those guys and getting them to put a great product out there to

help the football team win. I just I mean, that's why coach seems so I could go I could go on and on about that, but I love it. I love your question and that's why I do it. Richard hight Tower our guest here on Bears All Access. It's brought to you by IGS Energy with Jim millertomp there, I'm Jeff Joniac with a new Bears special teams coordinator. So you know, you interview a coach who wants to have you on their staff as much as they interview you,

I'm certain, because that's how every walk of life. It's what they tell you you're supposed to do. What with Mattieberflus, he's a defensive guy that's now the head coach of a football team for the first time. How do you evaluate where his impact is in terms of dedication to time on task for special teams? Because some coaches they all look at it a little differently. Some put a huge emphasis on it, others, you know, maybe lesson you

gotta make use of a limited time. Well, what's the takeaway on what his feeling is about special teams and what it means to the Bears from your p active. Yeah, I think first of all, Coach Fleus is an outstanding leader and a great teacher of been working with him here now since I started, and he just really has a really detailed plan and he knows how he wants to execute its planned. So that's been a great deal

working with him. He has a really good vision for special teams and it's a high priority for him, and obviously it's a part of the football team that really matters. So just hearing the way he talks about having speed, physicality, guys that strike, guys that finished the hits principle that we believe in, it's really got my blood boiling and and and really got me going and want to want to be here and work with him. So he's been awesome with that stuff. You know, Richard and your return

visit your return time here at Soldier Field. When you talk about the kicking conditions down there, when you're talk about it on a game day, is it something that you'll go down there with your kickers and punters and snappers, or is it that you'll go down there in game day you'll kind of take the conditions in and then talk to your specialtists about it, because you know you've been here enough. You're gonna have nine home games this year, and you never know what the condition is going to

be on any given Sunday. So how helpful will your experience be that you've been here before? But how much details coming to play on game day? Yeah, I think that's a wonderful question. I mean, it's the conditions or so much of a factor when it comes to special teams. I think more than people realize when you're kicking the ball, like what type of wind or you getting or you're getting a down win or you're getting a cross win. You know, is it blowing to your bench? Is it

blowing opposite? Can you punt the ball this way? Can you kick a field goal and hit it in this spot? You know, those those things that be advantages for disadvantage for you if you don't know what's going on with the weather. So obviously, well we'll talk about that a lot.

We'll practice down there, and then obviously on game day we'll go out and check the conditions before and talk about it quite a bit, and check the conditions throughout the throughout the game, quarter to quarter, minute to minute you know it changes well, coach, obviously special teams, they've they've had all these new rules. We see a lot more touchbacks on site, kicks have gone down in terms of recovery. Are you worried because they still want to

make it more safe? I mean, how in tune are you with it if there could be more changes or what's coming down the pipeline, because it sounds like it will be discussed again at the NFL owners meetings, And how you how challenging it is for all your special teams coaches that have to adjust to the new rules that are in place. Yeah, I think I think that's the fun part about the job, because you know, all thirty two teams have to play by the same rules,

and you have to develop your game plan. You have to implement your game plan, and you have to see what works and what doesn't work. Um, I really I'm all for safety, you know, I think the league has done a great job with player safety and and by still taking care of the players, but by still keeping the game fun and exciting. You know, we had some

kickoff return this year. You know that that we're really big returns, you know, so some of that stuff is good we're keeping it safe but still having excitement in the game. So I'm not too concerned about it. But I mean I'm all for players safety first and foremost so by the wallets with Richard Hightower, our guest here on Bears All Access, he's the Bear Special teams coordinator.

All right, just uh, this is a moment of gratitude maybe for you because you know, going back in your history, and we'll leave you with this, if I'm not mistaken you, you really entered the league and you played to Texas and you're a great special team's player. You came out of a tough a tough inner city part of Houston. You walked out of Texas and Charlie Casherley hired you as a marketing intern with Houston Texas. Is that was that your entry to the National Football League? Do I

have it right? And how the heck did you get here? You do have it right? I mean, breath, Yeah, that's awesome. Uh yeah, it's you know my you know, my father, I mean, God rest his soul, but he always told me, you know, you just try to get your foot in the door wherever you can, and you work hard and if you want to be successful, try to attach yourself to successful, successful people and learn from those people, and

just try to work hard. So that's really I mean, in long and short of it, really that's all I did, and just was lucky to be around some really good coaches, and Charlie Casserley was instrumental in my development and really just taking a chance and giving me a shot. So I don't ever think I can repay him for what he did, but I just want to try to, you know, bust my tail to make him as proud as I can. And everybody else I was lucky enough to work with

along the way, well well said. And it's exactly why I'm friends with Jim Miller and Tom Fair. You know you attach yourself at Winters so well, Richard, It'll be good to see it. It will be good to see you around the building and certainly at the combine next week. I know you guys have a lot of work to do, and I have been meeting every day to get this thing rolling for twenty twenty two. Thanks for taking all the time, appreciate it. Take care. Special Teams Coordinator Richard

Highttower or the Bears. Let's take a break one more segment to go. Jim and Tom join me next here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score up until the time of the hour and they will hand it off to our good pal hub arc Is. It's top there, Jeff Joniac, Jim Miller with you and Jim want to touch on the combine because that's the build up this

this week. Obviously, everybody heads out there and spends the entire week gathering information and opinion, and it is a great time. Is the It is the big It's the best way to describe it to people. It's a convention, right, it is a football coach and player convention. But one thing I want to bring up, and there's some things I know they're they're tweaking the drills and stuff. And maybe we've talked about this in the past, So it goes back to that Senior Bowl discussion in our second segment.

So you watch the seniors and you watch these guys that you know are invited to kind of prove themselves in front of coaches in that kind of environment. But we don't do that with the underclassman I guess the biggest question is would that ever be allowed, permitted, begged upon to do that with underclassmen and just have their own little version of Senior Bowl to get the same kind of knowledge you're getting on the guys that you bring in that have played four years of football there.

That has been to discuss that would they just do it? You know, like you said, an underclassman Bowl, and that has been brought up. I mean, because right now at the Senior Bowl, underclassmen they have to graduate in order to play in that game. So there are guys that do it for that very reason to get showcase. Because ninety eight percent of the guys in Mobile, they will

they get drafted. Now, so that's one hundred and fifteen man roster for for both teams, or like a total, I should say, so basically over a hundred of them are getting drafted. So I mean it's kind of a lock for that game. But yes, that I talked to Jim Nagee about it, the executive director of the Senior Bowl. One either they change their rules to allow underclassmen in there, which I think is going to be hard to do,

or they just have an underclassman bowl. Yeah, now you're gonna get you know, the first thing that's going to happen.

Based on what we heard this week time from agents that you know, took exception to the rules because of COVID, still a bit of a problem in terms of what they were able to do for their workouts and who they could bring with them, because you know, they got a lot of different people working around these high priced athletes that are underclassmen and likely first and second rounders.

Many well there's only thirty two first rounders, but many of these guys are potential elite players, and so the agents would have a fit more than likely putting their player in jeopardy of injury. You look at the bowl game situation and a lot of these guys are pulling themselves out of that to get ready for the combines. So I'm thinking it'll never happen. Well, you know, Jeff, the agents aren't running next to them at the forty yard dash. Tell them to slow down if they feel something.

I think they should just keep the distractions away from these guys, let them commiserate with all the other guys that are there. Because to me, when I went to the combine. That was the fun of it. It was the camaraderie. It was kind of learning about guys that you read about, maybe from a different program, and you finally got a hands on or eyes on approach. I don't think an agent being there. You're not going to have a trainer that's doing any extra work with you.

Why you're so exhausted from the work that the NFL's asking you to do. To me, it was just as soon as the NFL said we would like to protect these guys, then all of a sudden, the agents got involved and started whining because they're more concerned about themselves than they are the players. And I just think if they would let the players go to a four day combine, do what's asked of them, and then if they don't want to do it, you know, address it, then sounds plausible, Jim,

sounds plausible. What do you think about some of the changes and what they need to do? Again, you heard a lot of opinions about what people think of the combine that are in and around the game, and I still think it's vital. I mean, you're making some major decisions, but you know they don't. There's a lot of people and including the players union unfortunately that are not big

fans of it. Yeah. Well, first and foremost, it is about the medical you know, so you know all those tests, and you know all the NFL teams share that that information. And let's be honest, the NFL has actually saved players lives. I mean, we always bring up Star Low to lelee here. He's a first round draft pick of the Carolina Panthers. He goes to Indianapolis, they do the heart tests on him, they find a heart defect. He is sent home, not allowed to work out because it's too dangerous for him

to work out. He has to get a procedure on his heart, and then he comes back for the combine you know, check up, like where you come back and they check up again, and then he's able to go out and work out for teams knowing that he's fully healthy from that standpoint. But so it's done that through and through. I mean, every year they catch a guy with a broken bone. Julio Jones, remember him, fifth metatarsal.

He went out there and started to work out with a broken fifth metatarsal, and the NFL doctors came out there said, no, he's done. We just got his test back. He's got a broken foot, and Julio Jones, I just I remember him because it was called he goes man. I was wondering why my foot was bothering me. He's out there, He's out there running around with a broken foot.

So it is about the medical. Yeah, I'm sure that they can change and do some different drills, but there are certain drills that do have those common core tests, whether it's change your direction and all the drills that you do from that stated point, and the fluidity, you know, the tracking of the ball for the receivers over there over their shoulders, you know how a quarterback throws. I like it because you can compare apples to apples. Well,

that's just it. You got, you got some standardization, right, yeah, exactly, and go back for decades to look at it. But do you ever, you know, I'm Tom, what do you get out of it? I mean, do you do you? I mean, are you worried that maybe it'll go away and they will just be medical and it doesn't matter

to you? Um? No, it means I mean, listen, if you just wanted to go to Indianapolis and get the medical out of the way and have these interviews and get a you know, kind of like I said, an eyes on approach to some of these players, because all these guys go home and say, oh, I'm not going to run a forty. I'll do it at my senior day. So to me, you know, again, it was it was about the combines and very few times did guys come

to you, you know, and work out. I think the only offensive line coach that came to Notre Dame and worked me out my senior year was Jerry Woffler, who was the offensive line coach at the time for the Philadelphia Eagles. So you had everything taken care of at the combines. And if you did everything, you know, I don't need to put that on display again at my college day. I did it enough for you at the combine, Jim. But it won't go away when you stop. It's it's

now become a big moneymaker for the NFL. An event. Yeah, it's gonna start. They're gonna you know, travel it around. It'll be much like the Super Bowl. I think teams are going to bid on it. They'll move it around, dependent on you know, if you've got all the places that can do the TESTA normally every downtown, Like say, if the Combine was in Chicago, I mean, you've got all the medical facilities there where they could do it downtown.

So yeah, that's what I think's going to happen. And you know, this could be the last year it is in Indianapolis. I mean, some don't want that to happen because typically the NFL has been pretty traditional. Obviously, you know here we're just talking about the Senior Bowl. It's always been down in Mobile, Alabama. But I think the NFL is open to moving not only that, but moving the Combine around and to other cities. That way other fans could experience it. You know, we've already seen them.

They open up Lucas LL Stadium, a certain amount of fans are in there just watching guys work out and running forties and catching footballs and things of that nature. So I think the NFL is all four all right. A couple quick hitters before we go, bears related only here. First of all, happy forty first birthday to Charles Panet Tillman still blows my mind. Number one in NFL history most forced fumbles by a dB with forty four. The closest guys are Charles Woodson. And Brian Dawkins at twenty

eight force fumbles. So that's crazy for a non defensive end edge rusher who's sacking the quarterback and ripping the ball out of the waist. So Charles, happy birthday? All right? Does Montgomery and Khalil Herbert need increases for the offense to work in bigger chunks? That's a top there line. What are you referring to from big place? Well, no, you know, David Montgomery is a really good receiver, and I think Khalil Herbert is too, but he didn't get

enough of an opportunity. If you take a guy that has the athleticism of justin fields and he could stretch a defense in one direction and rely on a receiver like David Montgomery or Khalil Herbert, maybe you can get those bigger chunk plays if you have defensive awareness about the tight ends and the receivers that they're facing. So where does Dave Montgomery excuse me, need to go in

this offense? Is it more rushing yards per attempt? Or is it being more of a reliable receiver after a pass blocking responsibility on second, long or third third down. I think I think David is a heck of a receiver, and you could probably get more profit out of him if you were willing to use them more. Jimbo Uh, I think, just judging by the you know, just how Indianapolis ran the football, I think it's going to be a hot hands situation. You know, I do I think

any of these guys got breakaway beat like a Jonathan Taylor. No, I don't think that. But I do think it's going to be heavy on running the football to protect their young quarterbacks. So I think it's going to come down to the hot hand who's ever feeling it are going to get more carries from From that standpoint, and I think both are talented. I really love David Montgomery. I do think you'd like to get him about twenty carries. It seems to be twenty carries or more. But I

think Herbert is going to earn more opportunities. I like what I saw from Khalil this past season, and if you need different flavors, you talk about offensive lineman numbers at the Combine. I think it's a record for running backs right showing up at the Combine this year. They have thirty six running backs. It's the most since twenty fifteen, where they also invited thirty six running backs. Yeah, that's

a lot plus a bunch of free agency. All right, the last one then, are we okay with Mac quinn and Travis Gibson being defensive ends in this style of a defense that Mattiberfluss bringing uno the table? Or do they need more size start with Jim and we only have two minutes. Yeah, I would say, well, Quinn's played in both and I think Mac's goodenough athlete more than a good enough athlete. Yeah, he'll be fine as a

defensive end. Or you know, if they're looking for specifics, like I said, I still think they need to address a three technique. You know, could any of those players be trade bait? You know it's I really believe that because you look at when the Indianapolis really started to turn the corners when they made that trade for Horse Buckner. I think Bear's got to focus on that first. Get the interior, and that's really going to set up the outside. I think Khalil and Quinn can both play the position.

I'm not so sure about Gibson the at at this level. But if you want size in that position, you're Neil, You're gonna have to get bigger, all right, Good job boys. We'll talk to you next week. Jim. We'll see in Indianapolis and Tom will tell you all about it behind the scene story with Miller and Joni Yac. I'll be watching it. Thanks again to our producer Brian Callahan and our guest Richard Hyower. For Tom there, Jim Miller, I'm Jeff Joni Ac. You've been saying that the Bears All

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