Jesper Horsted on making Bears roster | All Access

Bears fans here in twenty twenty one. Well, Jeff, when you talk about real football, it's something that starts on Wednesday of this week, because that's when real football starts, and every single football player throughout the course of time they talk about the realism of that first practice that's dedicated to game planning for an opponent. So it's not something we're waiting till next Sunday night. It's something Jeff, that when you get out of the practice field, it's

got to be for real. Well, the guys who haven't played, there are two days in the year when the speed cranks up. It's opening week of the season and the opening week of the postseason. That's when the reality will hit him, no question. Yeah, yeah, But you know, the reality that's got to soak in in preparation for the game is understanding that. Listen, you've got to be ready for four quarters. This is not something that you're going through three preseason games and you may play five snaps,

you may play two series of things. Go well, look, dude, it's a whole different frame of mind when you're ready for four quarters of seventeen weeks of football. What is your frame of mind? As now things are laid out. We still don't know some starting roles yet to be defined on the defensive secondary, but we pretty much know what the offense is going to look like. And let's take it one step at a time. Let's start on the offense. How do you feel about its positioning as

it goes up against this Rams outfit. I think this is the right way to go about business for Week one. You have the most experienced quarterback on your staff. You got a running back that you're really confident and is willing and has the role of all three phases of the running back game. You got playmakers and your wide

receiver position. When Darnell Mooney, A Robinson and the rest of the crew, and then you have a heavy, deep room of tight ends, the guys that can really be involved in every fast of your offense from short yardage to long distance. So I like what they put out there. I just need to see the development of the continuity of the offensive line to see how they can increase their role of importance on this offense. Like let's talk quarterback.

Ryan Pace was asked at his news conference earlier this week what the best case scenario for twenty twenty one will be the Bears. The best case scenarios is to win games with the roster that we have, and we feel that we can, Like you know, we feel like we've gotten strong in a lot of areas. We feel like you have increased competition a lot of areas. So we believe we can win games with Andy and then grow Justin at the right rate, and Justin would be

Justin fields Andy Dalton zeroed in on this first start. Yeah, I mean, I'm in a great opportunity right here. I knew that coming in that I'd get a chance to start here, and that's my focus is on this year. The rest of my career is going to take care of itself. But you know, my focus on what I'm doing now, and um, you know, this is a big

year for me, and it's gonna for me. I've got to go just play like an Oaken play and he can do a lot because he's seen a lot time and he's hoping for a quick start for this offense in twenty twenty one. Yeah, I think just some of the stuff that we've done in practice and some of the stuff that we've been implementing, and the way our guys have been been practicing and playing, I think that's been big for us to know the potential of what we can be and to be excited about what we have.

And you alluded to all that about what they have. He sees it, players see it in him as well. And again the idea that he has seen everything and now he's eleventh year. You know, Andy dald he's prepared for what he's gonna see in the rams. He's prepared for the atmosphere. When you talk about the difference in the cadences from you know, last year with no crowd to this year going in there in there and yeah, I don't know how hostile an environment it's gonna because

I think it's gonna be a Barras heavy crowd. But again, it's got to be complimentary football, Jeff. This is not solely that what the offense is going to do. The offense has to start fast and put points on the board to allow their defense and Sean to sign new defensive coordinator to be a little bit more aggressive. So again, whether it's through the legs of David Montgomery in the running back room or downfield through the receiver tight end game. So I do think that it's got to be a

real complimentary atmosphere from the Bears. So while that's going on, Justin Fields is getting ready because should there be a snap when Andy Dunton gets dinged or something happens, he's got to get out there and run the offense like he is prepared to do so. So the scout team aspect of it is part of the processes. Matt negu lad out this week, that's real and so for him, what we'll have to do is number one, mentally, you have to make sure mentally that you are completely prepared

within the game plan with whatever that is. So calling the place understanding now that you're that we're rolling like, so you know, something happens or there's a shoelace or something whatever, you got to go in there like there's no there's no setback and it's go time. Um So mentally,

you got to prepare yourself. That's easy. He can do that through through film and video and you know, whatever it is that he does physically is where you got to be able to, um, stay on top of that because you don't get the reps and so where do you get those reps? Well as your technique and fundamentals can still happen on the look team. That's where he's understanding. He stepped his game up with that. So now he's playing like a real quarterback and looked team. So he

gets it. He understands the why that's that part it looked him. But Dan, we got to be able to go in between periods and he's got to get those physical reps and then post practice get the mental and the physical. And we do some things with our younger guys anyway that we started last year where we're able to get some to get some reps for them of our game plan. So all of that said, every week that goes by, every play in minute that goes by, he just keeps growing and then we gotta Flip has

a great plan ready for him. What do you think He's still gonna have to go out there, run the scout team and try to be as challenging to the defensive defensive players as he possibly can. But he's also going to have to live in that Bears classroom in being able to absorb this offense that they're going to continue to install throughout the regular season and make sure

he has a competent and complete understanding of it. Until he goes in and he's the starting quarterback, he's gonna have multiple roles throughout the early portions are doing throughout the season. That's Tom there. I'm Jeff Joniak. Coming up, We'll be joined by veteran tight end. Veteran tight end, but a man who made the fifty three for the first time out of the gate, Jesper Horsted, will join us. Thanks for listening, everybody. Thanks to our producers Jordan trent

Up and Dan Briley. This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access, brought to you by IgGs Energy. Choose clean energy for your home at IGS dot com because every good choice adds up to a better world. Please to be joined with Tom there with Jesper Horsted veteran tight end. I love saying that young man's been here since twenty nineteen. Thanks for taking the time out and you made the fifty three for the first time right out of the gate.

What does that mean to you? I sure did, and thank you for having me. It means a lot. I think, you know, when I come here, that's obviously the goal, and then it's just like tantalizing to be on the practice squad and have it be so close to practice against the team every day and travel with the team but not really be a part of the team and

not really contribute on game day. And so it's just something that's absolutely been my goal obviously since I wanted to join the NFL, and it feels very very good to achieve it. Finally, you know, I really felt Saturday going into the game that you had made the fifty three man roster. Did you feel that you needed the performance that you had to make the fifty three? I did, yeah, And I think part of that's just kind of my mindset, and I knew that if I had a performance like that,

I'd be on the safer end. But I did not, by any means feel like I was a shoe in on the roster. You know, I just wasn't happy with my performance the previous game, So I just felt like I needed to put good stuff on film in a game that third preseason game, and I knew I'd have opportunities. Right, You got ninety two catches as a junior in college and he got seventy two as a senior. Was it better coverage against you or were you not? Or what

was the difference between that year? The difference was I think we averaged winning games by like thirty five points. So I barely played in the second half of my senior year. We went ten to Oh really, well, that's the first undefeated Princeton team since nineteen sixty four. Now it's hard to go on beating no matter what level, Right, So what was it about that experience? It's something you and your buddies from that team will never ever forget.

They can never take that away from you. Yeah, for sure. It's a quirky schedule to only play ten games and not have any playoff f that. So most time, unless you're the absolute best team, you're going to eventually lose a game, you know, for better for worse. I think we all would have liked to compare ourselves to other talent in the FCS and even in Division one football.

But yeah, it's really something special to go ten and know that was a really close team and a really talented team that has you know, other guys in NFL rosters as well, So we're constantly staying in touch. So does seventeen games sound like a lot to you? When you think about ten and oh, in college you bent through a sixteen game season and now a seventeen game Does that numbers sound like a lot off the bat

in comparison to what I did in college? I would say yes, But I also did baseball in college, and that's a completely different ball game as well, where you're playing games, you know, almost every single day. When you look at those minor league and they're playing one hundred, fifty hundred and sixty games, so it's all reference. But to me, seventeen games is absolutely a lot, and that's

not even counting playoffs. Jesper Horsted our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the score with Top There, I'm Jeff Jonahak tell us your background from Roseville, Minnesota clearly a sports junkie. Right, growing up you did everything And do you think all that and tell me everything you did in addition to baseball made you a better

football player. Yeah, I've kind of been pounding the table for cross training as I talked to younger athletes, because I just think there's so much you can only develop yourself so much for a certain sport by just doing

the same stuff over and over. You know, it builds incredible hand ie. When you're playing baseball and seeing thousands pitches every day that are coming in at ninety plus miles per hour with some crazy curve, like, you have to learn how to track the spin of a ball in a way that you might not just get if you're just running routes or playing catch with a quarterback. And in basketball, it's about high pointing and body positioning and finding open spaces and getting in front of a

defender to block. It's very similar to like a kickoff return play. So I think that I'm always pulling in skills that I've developed in other sports as I'm out there playing, and I'm always just preaching to younger people like I know there's gonna be a lot of pressure from coaches to get you to specialize, and I know that it just constantly seems like we're going in that direction. But you can really, really, you know, expand your skill

set by playing other sports. But you know, when you see guys like Adam feel in another Minnesota sports superstar. Now now you come in going you go from the IVY League to the NFL. Do you track a guy like that or was he off your radar? And you know, the Minnesota I mean, that's a heck come an accomplishment for what he did and now what you're doing, Oh are you kidding me? I was at his very first

preseason game. I've never met him personally, but like that was the guy that I looked up to and frankly still do. His story is unbelievable and I love the way that he approaches the game of football. So there were a lot of times when I had to remind myself of like how he was able to get where he is now despite a lot of setbacks and kind of just say you know what, like I got to just you know, stay on track. It worked for him, like maybe to work for me too. When you talk

about what you've been able to accomplish special teams. Was that in your role in college or were you exclusively such a high performing receiver that you didn't have to go to those lengths because that's the way that you were going to build your NFL careers. Frankly, was being on special teams just like the same thing for me. I was on a kickoff return my whole career exactly, and I didn't play much in high school nor college. Part of it was an injury my freshman year when

I think I would have contributed in those phases. But yeah, that was a big you know, learning jump too, and something that I feel like I'm exponentially better at than when I came in here two years ago. And you're you're so right, like that is so fundamental for me to show what I can do in those phases to actually get to step on the field as a tight end. It totally comes second to being able to be competent

and special teams and more than competent. Ted and Jesper Horsted our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. This is Bears All Access with Tom There, Jeff Joniac We've been there together, Tom and Ike for twenty five years doing this. Tim obviously eleven year NFL career as a player. And a lot of guys try out for football as undrafted free agents. They think they want to play, they think they can do it, but then the reality starts to hit and the erosion starts

to take impact. Almost from the rookie mini camp and on down, maybe some doubt themselves and they don't want to do it anymore. Clearly, you are just the opposite. You came in as a converted receiver, projected to be a tight end with a two hundred and twenty pound frame, and now you've packed on another twenty six twenty eight pounds. You had to really want to do this. Am I on the right track? Or was there ever anything in your mind saying cash, I don't know, I'm an Ivy

League guy. I mean I could be doing a lot of different things now. I don't think that ever really crossed my mind, because inevitably, in football you can't play it the rest of your life, like there will always come times or I'll be able to fall back on my education and you know, sit at a desk and do all that stuff. But I my goal was always to keep playing sports as long as possible, and so it never really my mind, even on the worst days of camp or you know, yeah, at the worst times.

I enjoyed your answer when you joined us in the postgame show after what is grab some headlines. You're three touchdown performance obviously, and the catches were just phenomenal. We'll talk about those in our next segment. But with that kind of impact and that kind of direction that you are getting from Clancy Barrone and Matt Nage, your answer about that, yeah, I deserve a spot of the roster. I need guys to hear that if I want them on my team. And that's what you gave us on

Saturday night. So that's been bubbling up in you for a while, hasn't it. It has. Like I said, it was something I have worked harder for than you know, just about anything else I can think back on. And I really wanted my efforts to show on the field, and when they did, I wanted it to be recognized that like I was here because I felt like I can contribute to this team and I feel like I'm now at a level that I can, you know, help the Bears win games. Five tight ends on the roster

right now. That's up some what rare in the national football They got know miamis five. Another team has five right now, but plenty, plenty of time on the field to get the ball into the hands of the playmakers, and the tight ends are playmakers on this team. We'll continue on with Jesper Horstead after a break with Tom There, Jeff Joni Act on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you

by Athletical Physical Therapy. Visit Athletico dot com to request an appointment in clinic or virtually and start feeling better tomorrow with Jesper Horstead. Kind enough to spend another ten minutes with Tom and Jeff here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the score and advance of a weekend off and time to get back at it against the La Rams Sunday night, September twelf. It's gonna be a fun week up here at hallis Hall. All right, let's talk about all you know when you did the game tape.

I don't know, did you guys watch the game tape at all? Even as a tight end group, or is that history, because it's a heck of a performance. Five catches, a hundred and four yards, three touchdowns, and he drew a pass interference penalty that seems to be forgotten as well because that's that's the hidden yardage? Or did you take they'll look at what you did. We did not

as a group or team watched that film. I think after that last season game, you really shift the focus to what really matters and that week one regular season matchup. But I certainly watched the film the good and the bad. You know, I was out there for a lot of snaps and there's a couple I would like back whateverall, I was really happy with the performance, you know, and I'm looking at more than just the five catches, but

I show what I could do on special teams. I actually had some good blocks in there too, which I'm really proud of. So I watched it, but I don't think we did as a group. The skills that you develop as a wide receiver, how much has that helped you into this level of football? And is your speed significantly different from a wide receiver body to a tight end body. Wide receiver skills I think are totally transferable

as I'm running routes out there. It's the same stuff that I was coached on in high school and college, and now to have you know, Clancy and Matt be able to even further that education, it's been Yeah, I'm certainly a better receiver than I was when I played at Princeton or Roseville. I think maybe I lost half a step, but I think that's inevitable when you're putting on twenty five pounds on the body, and it's a little bit different coming out of that three point stance.

But for the most part, I lost a lot less speed than I expected, and I still feel like I'm pretty fast, and that's an advantage I have as a tight end out there. How long did it take you to learn a three point stance? Because there's a real question because I'm an offensive lineman, Jesper, I live out of a three point stance still, when you're a wide receiver.

When you're a wide receiver and you transfer that type of size into a three point stance, how long did it take for you to feel comfortable in a stance and out of a stance? Longer than I expected? Frankly, it's an unusual stance. You know, I had done, like I said, other sports and track, and I've come out of stances before, but it's different when you need to be powerful immediately out of the stance and quick out of it too, because otherwise the defender is going to

have a step on you. So I would say like I didn't necessarily feel comfortable throughout that first year, and then in that offseason, I was like, this is something I need to be like confident and comfortable out of. So I spent more time coming out of the stants. You know, anytime I was running on my own, I was just like, all right, I guess I'm going to do it out of a stance this time last year. Really honed in on in the practice squad and now

feel very comfortable. But it took longer than I thought, really. Jesper Horsted our guest here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the score, Jeff Joni Act Tom There. So the hands, the hands are big. That's the aspect of your game. Yes, you can use your body to seal off a defender. You can run the right routes, but if you don't have good hands, they don't have a place for in

the National Football League? Were they always good or have you spent a significant amount of time working on those hands. I mean, it's a given you're gonna work out it no matter what. But tell me about that story. Yeah, I think it's kind of been my strength as an athlete from the beginning. And I go back to the

cross training that comes with playing multiple sports. And I'm going to throw an unusual one out there, but my parents had me playing instruments from the time I could walk all through high school, and I think that actually did develop my hand eye as well. I was playing piano, via in bass, guitar, and I still do to this day. And I think I played a little bit of a factor. I think most of it comes from, like I said, baseball and basketball and obviously football too, but I think

there's something there too. Well. You know, you can tack the time's brother in law, John Scully, who played center at Notre Dame and they were roommates. And he's a concert pianist, right that's playing center. But yeah, I mean, yeah, it's his whole life. He's played music. You know. I know you look at me and feel sorry for my head of hair. So let's talk about the I know, let's talk about the genesis because I look you up

on the internet everything. Man, you got that boy scout hair cut, and now I see you growing these flowing locks like h you know, Goliah, David and Goliath. So what's up with that? That's a good question. My last haircut was at the beginning of the previous camp, so last year's camp, and I didn't tell anyone about it as the first time telling anyone, but I was kind of just like, I don't think I'm gonna cut my hair to lie. I'm on the active roster, Like I

am just gonna see what happens. I've never grown it out long before. Maybe I make it this year and no one ever notices, or maybe next year, or I don't know, hopefully not two years down the road. But um, it was just kind of like an internal little goal and I didn't want a jink set, didn't want to bring it up. And it kind of became fun and took kind of life of its own, and now you know, like the internet has a field day every time I'm out in the field because my hair is so crazy.

But um, yeah, it's it's fun. It's kind of annoying. At times, and it's probably gonna get trimmed up a little bit this weekend, not for sure. Um, don't lose the juju. Yeah it's true, maybe not maybe talking me out of it. So react from coaches and players to it. Lots of good, good natured jabs here and there, or you got a nickname out of this? A lot of good nature jabs. People definitely seem to like it. Um, yeah,

I haven't gotten a nickname out of well. I got a couple here and there from the hair, but none of them are sticking, thankfully. So just bro Horse did our guests and bears all access tell us what it's been like working with Clancy Barrone. I love his personality to me, it seems like he's a straight shooter. And then just the Jimmy Graham impact he's impacted Cole Cole apparently is taking that to a new level as well. I mean, is is that just what that room is?

It's a great room, it really is, and it starts with Clancy. He, like you said, he's straight to the point, a very seasoned veteran coach, and he just you know, is always there as a resource and always there as a great coach but does not over coach. I think that's one of the best attributes he has. Like anytime I go to him, he has a concise answer for it, but he's not going to spend forty five minutes describing something that you know, I as a player, can understand

in a couple of minutes. I think he has such a good feel for that and just the knowledge is off the charts. And I'm gonna say the same with

Jimmy Graham. It has been so beneficial for me to have him because he's a pretty similar not necessarily body type, but position wise or both, you know, like more pass catching receiver verse, and he sees the game so well and so like like I think I said on that interview after the game, like all those three routes were stuff that I had talked to him before about what would you do in the situation, Like if it is man, how much are you really stare stepping to you know,

get yourself open on that? And he, you know, he's done it all. Like he's in the league for so many years and has caught somebody passes runs so many routes that he's just a database for how to get open as a football player, and on top of that, has a really good knowledge of run game, which is something I'm always learning, you know, fronts and where to work on double team blocks and stuff like that. And he gets it from a receiver's perspective. So yeah, I

can't say enough of him. And there's more people involved too, Like it's not just those two. Jesse's a great database and has been on a couple of teams, which I think is really helpful. You know, talk about stuff that's scheme and talk about stuff that's like, you know, what do you think about the way that we're being coached on this? Have you learned some other way? And Yeah, JP's one of my best friends in the team, and Cole is just a star and knows a lot more

than you'd expect for a second year player. You know, Jasper year touchdown catching the rollout pass by Justin, did you realize that you were a real option in that touchdown catch or was it just kind of a reaction because Justin threw the ball because I Jeff's call that night on the radio broadcast was you know, kind of unexpected excitement from what we see above. What did you think as the ball was coming in your direction. Yeah, I would say I wasn't really supposed to be there.

I just kind of started playing football when I saw Justin was rolling out. And you know, I think, like I said in that interview after the game, I didn't really stop to ask questions or wonder why the ball was coming my way because I knew I had a chance to make a play on it. So not necessarily meant for me or how you draw it up on a card, but that's not how football is played anyways, And so I was glad the ball was coming my way in the end zone. All Right, we've been having

fun with the guys. In our last last bit of questions, it's we'll call it a five pack, all right, five quick hitters. You opened the door with the instruments. So what's your favorite instrument? What's your favorite music? Um? And if you've been in a band, I have not been in a band, favorite instrument is guitar. I transitioned from the other strings enough find myself playing guitar a lot more. Um.

I really think I appreciate all genres of music. In the last year, I think I've especially gotten into classic rock that I may be missed when I was younger or wrote off and I've just been loving the you know, the classic you know, stones Zeppelin, all of them. So here go the lawn here, Yeah, perfect, Sephine, all Right, favorite book? Favorite book? Um, that's a good question. I think it's constantly changing, but I'll go with it's called

Name of the Wind. It's a fantasy book, which isn't usually my genre, but it was just really well written, produst achievement. Mhmm. Yeah, it actually might be, you know, I like, I'm trying to think of what I would have answered for that question beforehand, and I think it might be the fifty three. But that being said, it's it's weird because it feels great and it's thing I've worked so hard for, but it's not the end goal.

Like I don't just you know, quit because I made the fifty three and there's a whole lot more I would like to do now that I have the open door to do it. So yeah, for now, we'll say fifty three, but hopefully there's a better answer coming. Favorite app uh Spotify, Spotify? The music Man? Maybe your new nickname from me? Is that? All right? The music Man? Maybe sweet music down the field and the superpower you'd

like to have if you could um time travel. I think it would be so cool to go back and see how different things were in different area eras and first stop, it would be your first step. I would love to see the dinosaurs, honestly, I just read Jurassic Park and tie back into the books. Would and again I need a button that can like get me out

of there immediately too if I need it. I don't really want to mess around with them, but I would love to see what they were like, and then you know, come back to modern times or the nineteen hundreds or who knows what. Very interesting stuff. Well, again, the fifty three is a great accomplishment, but you got your your journey is just beginning in that realm. Yeah, thank you very much. It's always a pleasure to come on the show, and hopefully there's a lot more as I continue to

progress on this fifty three. Absolutely go get the rams. Maybe a little chip block and Aaron Donald on the way out to catching a touchdown. Got it all right, Jess for Horsted, our guests, we'll continue on. We'll talk with NFL Network to Andrew Siciliano. A little sneak peek at the Rams when we're coming back next here on

Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you by CDW People to get it With Tom Thayer, I'm Jeff Joniak, and this version of Bears All Access, we're taking a look, a little sneak peek the appetizer, if you will, for the La Rams. The countdown to kick off on September twelfth.

On this night, we bring in our good friend and former Chicago radio star Andrew Siciliano, now a superstar for Direct TV and the NFL network, kind enough to join us because he's also the preseason television voice of the La Rams. Andrew, thanks for joining us. What you learn about the La Rams in the preseason? Guys, that's tough to learn a lot from the Rams in the preseason. First of all, you're way too kind. That was quite an introduction and everything I know I learned from both

of you. As for what we learned in the preseason, I think the big question that remains answered or unanswered rather because let me turn it that way, is what does his defense look like? You're taking Brandon stay least three to four from a year ago, which was the number one defense in football. You still have Aaron Donald,

you still have Jalen Ramsey. You lost some other key pieces, John Johnson, Troy Hill, Morgan Fox, most notably here, and you're bringing Raheem Morris, who's been a Tampa two covered two guy, a four three guy, and he's trying to put his spin on it. We had Jalen Ramsey on our preseason broadcast on the sideline during one of the games. When we asked him about it, he was rubbing his hands with this huge grin on his face when asked by my partner Keip Delete what his role will look

like this year. They're going to move him around a lot. He's going to be inside outside, not think too you know, earth shattering here. But they are very excited to see how this defense looks. But I think at the same time, there might be a little uncertainty as to whether or

not they can keep up being number one in football. Hey, Andrew, if I was going to be the head coach of the Bears, I have first thing I would do when I was getting my team prepared to play against Rams, I would kind of explain the vulnerabilities and how we are going to attack the Rams since you've seen them, and if you were in that room, where would you say the rams vulnerabilities are at this point in this early season process? Okay? Are we talking defensively here? Tom? Defensively?

It's whenever, both offense or defensive, Like, where do you think the most need for improvement is in the Rams? Okay? I would say defensively. First, obviously you're running away from Aaron Donald, but that's far easier. Said they've done. You have two or three guys there, you also have yet rather you put two or three guys on him and then you try to run away from him. That said, I think depth on D line right now is definitely an issue. A Sean Robinson is not going to be

healthy for the first couple of weeks. He had his nie scope last week, So they're gonna have some young guys up on the D line that perhaps you can take advantage of. And they're thin at corner. They only have four corners now. When I say thin, Darius Williams and Jalen Ramsey are legit. After that, you know it's kind of a crapshoot here, but you also don't know what they're going to do defensively. Offensively, you have a

new center. He's a familiar face. His guy that took a couple of years ago but really has lost maybe the last year and a half as he's come back from a knee injury, and that is Brian Allen. He has never been that stout Tom. You could see that on tape far more than me. He has gotten stronger really in the off season. And it was a big surprise that they moved Austin Corbett away from center. He

was a starting right guard. They put him at center and everyone thought that was his job, and then they moved him back to right guard and put Austin Corbett at center. So you have a new center who's played the position before, but not the biggest with a new quarterback here, and to me, that's a question mark. Now. Brian Allen a local kid from Hinsdale and Michigan State, so excited to see the local guys get the playing time. He is a tough guy inside, no question about it.

You mentioned the quarterback new quarterback, not to us, not in any way, shape or form. We know everything there is to know about Matthew Stafford and the fact that the matter is the man was not complimented very often with a running game. Will he be complimented with a running game in La Yes he will, But that running game is gonna look a little bit different than maybe

they had planned. A couple of months ago when cam Acres, who they firmly believe, and if you look at cam Acres numbers in December and in the postseason, you could see that he was an ascending player. They firmly believe that he was going to be a number one dog, and then they lost him, and so they had to figure out what they're gonna do. They love Darryl Henderson, but Darryl Henderson's had injury issues and they're concerned that they could keep him upright for seventeen weeks. So they

went out and they got Sony Michelle. Now Sony Michelle is going to play week one, but how much don't know. They love the fact that he's a one cut guy, that he can get up field, but Daryl Henderson is going to get the first shot at it. There's also a rookie named Jake Funk from Maryland who's coming back from a couple of acls, and he has made the team. You're going to see him someone third down. They still

are heavy outside zone. There was a thought that they were going to mix in a little more power this year. That remains to be seen, however, if they stick to that thought. Now that Cam Akers is out the conversation, there's two two thirty nine year old offensive tackles in this game. Yeah, I know there's a lot of conversation about the Bears thirty nine year old offensive tackle because

he just came on board. What about your Guys' is thirty nine year old offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, who turns forty in December. He's back for one more ride. He is a he's really a coach. He's a coach slash left tackle because he coaches tom more than he practices. Sean McVeigh is nice to his veterans, whether it's Wit or a new guy like DeShawn Jackson. He's going to take care of you and he's going to make sure he doesn't wear you down. Andrew Whitworth is really the

assistant offensive line coach. With the new guy Kevin Carberry who came in from Stanford in the offseason, they are fine at left side. Eventually he will wear down. They hope it is not this year. Joe Nopoom, who they took a couple of years ago pretty high at a TCU they thought to replace him, is the swing tackle and he is waiting in the wings. But the health of this offensive line is a, if you want to go back to the first question, a big question mark.

If they stay healthy, and right now they are. If they stay healthy like they did in twenty eighteen when they were there for the entire season, they think they can put together one of those seasons. If they don't, then everything you asked about the quarterback on the running game I think comes into question. Andrew Ceciliano, our guest here from NFL Network at Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. This is Bears Oh Access, A little sneak

preak at next week's Bears Rams openers. We've circled We've been excited about, yep, a number one defense a year ago, and I noticed that all the writers and the analysts are pegging this game as a Bears offense with a new quarterback and some question marks on the offensive line and a new defensive coordinator against Matthew Stafford and the number one defensive football That's all last year, and you've noted that already, that there are changes that could affect

that ranking, but you cannot affect the kind of player, the wrecker that Aaron Donald is. So give us a Bear's perspective as they match up with Aaron Donald and the Rams. Listen, you guys know this far more than me, is that the Bears offensive line is, even if healthy, a question mark, when not healthy, even more so of a question mark. I don't know that there's any interior, oh live who can walk into a matchup with Aaron Donald and go, yeah, we're good, We're good, we can

handle this. Yeah. I mean the ideas you get them upfield and you're run away from him, you trapple, I gas. But it's far easier said than done. There's a great piece that Jordan Roderigue did in The Athletic a couple of weeks ago about Sean mcvay's favorite plays that Aaron Donald has ever made. She sat down with him during training camp in Irvine and he put together a cut up, and his cut up hardly any of him were highlight

real sacks that people see, you know, in commercials. They were plays where he took two or three guys to block where he freed a teammate up to get a sack, where he said an edge when you know, he looked like a superhero. I don't know that you can really contain him. He is the most disruptive defensive force in football. Andrew. The personality of Jalen Ramsey, it's kind of abrasive to

anybody who's on the other side of the Rams. Does he fit in good with the new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. Is it something that that Morris is going to have to look to embrace or is he going to allow him to have the freedom to have the same type of, you know, on the field personality that he shows. Raheem's not messing this up and they are. They are BFFSTI already, Tom. The Rams love them some. Jalen Ramsey. I think the biggest stink in the offseason was who's going to get

number two? And they allowed the jersey changes and Sean mcfayh had to give it to Robert Woods because of his seniority here and Jalen switched to five. That was the biggest Jalen Ramsey controversy we had here. He is going to have the freedom they're going to move him around a lot. Brandon Staley put him in what he called last year the star position. And I think the one thing from Raheem Morris that we've gotten is he does not want to screw up the success they had

a year ago. And you'll see Jalen in the slot sometimes. You'll see him in essence playing linebacker sometimes, and you will see him traveling when need be if there is a wide receiver that warrants it on the other side of the ball. He is the ultimate chess piece, like a queen on the board that can go anywhere and do anything. And they are not a friend like Sean McVeigh.

Joke last week actually was Raheem I'm sorry joke last week that he thinks that if he had to, he could put Raheem, he could put Jalen Ramsey at three technique. Those are his words, not mine, and I think he meant it when he said it because he was comparing him to Ronde Ronde Barbara, who he coach obviously when he was young, and he said he was the greatest nickel of all time. And not to say that Jalen Ramsey is simply a nickel, but you can play him anywhere.

That was his comparison and said, you know what, I bet you could play him at three technique. All right, Andrew a final question before I let you go, appreciate the time. As we look at young corners Jalen Johnson, we assume Kendall Vildoor and Duke Shelley the three nickel and outside corners against guys like Cooper Cup, Robert Woods, Van Jefferson and the speed demon veteran to Sean Jackson. As you look at that matchup, what would you say?

I would say that be wary of the deep ball, and that last year the one thing that eventually doomed Jared Goff his fault a bid. He didn't react well to pressure when the line broke down. Certainly everything was condensed because they didn't have a deep threat last year without Brandon Cook, so that was not his fault. But last year they do, or this year I spoke, this year they have that deep dead. They have the Sean

Jackson back. Sean is going to stretch the field. And when the Sean Jackson did practice this year, he got behind people, not only against the Rams, but he got behind the safeties for the Cowboys. He got behind the safeties for the Raiders as well in joint practices. He still has that extra gear and they are going to take their shots. The jet motions coming back to two

at well, probably some of that. And Jeff, like you and I talked about last year at one point, nobody blocks like Robert Woods, and no one likes to block like Robert Woods. When he comes in motion, he is looking for someone to crack back on and he revels in it. So circle those guys. Sounds like a great scouting report. Andrew, thank you so much. Andrew Ciciliano from NFL Network and you'll catch him on Direct TV quite busy starting Sunday. Andrew, appreciate your time. Thank you. All right,

I'm a good call, guys, Love you. Thank you, Andrew Siciliano. Along with Tom there, I'm Jeff Jony acc Let's take a break. One more segment to go with Tom thayre here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score final segment of Bears All Access with Tom Thare Jeff Joni Acc here in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy Score. We're brought to you by IGS Energy, thanks again to Andrew Siciliano. He gave us a great

breakdown on the Rams. He does their preseason games obviously, and that leads us to what this Rams offense we'll be able to throw at the Bears. Tommy, you've already taken a peek, and one of your intriguing things is how those routes are running. It's the Bears secondary with Matthew Stafford. Will you have time in the pocket to extend the routes to go deeper on that secondary or will the pressure be so much that it'll be checked down?

Charlie right, You know, I think one of the things you have to understand is the athleticism by Matthew Stafford that the Bears know well, He's not the type of guy that's going to be able to run away from pressure. It's going to be about the decision he makes with immediacy at the line of scrimmage. And now if the coverage can match the pressure up front, Because I do believe there's vulnerabilities up front on the Rams that the Bears defense is going to be able to take advantage of.

You got to put Matthew Stafford in that hurry up frame of mind. Because if you just allow the speed of the Rams to run uninterrupted downfield, you could have a tough time containing type that type of speed. So it's gonna be about the position, the uncomfortable position that you put Matthew Stafford in. Well, he challenges everybody. He doesn't care how take your coverages. He will try to

force it in there. So therefore this defense which wants to take the ball away will certainly have that opportunity. That is the case with Matthew Stafford. He trusts himself significant now safety to Sean Gibson gave us a sneak peek this week as well breaking down this Rams offense. That's why this is the most difficult team when it comes to a discipline standpoint, because man, sometimes you may see guys on film the ball. It'll be a jet sweep here, another one here, and you will see a

guy just stuck, he don't know where to go. And you got a guy like Robert Woods getting a reverse running twenty yards up the sideline. Your odds gotta be huge. And that's the that's the that's the hard part about it. Because we're taughtest defense man. You want to play fast, play fast. The fast team, fast, physical, but sometimes man, you see too much to see something fast. Man, that's a big play waiting to happen against offenses like this. So definitely, you gotta have your odds trained and I

understand what you see and not play too fast. It's crazy that may sound, because you're you're taught man to the fastest team. Man. Defensively, those are the most effective team. So you know when you look at that, man, you gotta really just take a step back, slow down, understand what you see. Indian react. So I think that that's

gonna be huge for us. Man. Obviously, we got a two week has start compared two years probor Man, so we're definitely excited about that oppenitony Man, and we're doing some things to get us ready for that. All right, So he brought up some interesting things there with I discipline time. You know, they want to be a fast offense. They'll do a lot of jet sweeps, there will be

a lot of motion. But you got to somehow get through all that window dressing and slow the game down a little bit from your eyes as a member of the secondary, because they're gonna want to play fast and make you start quickening your pace, but maybe you don't. Maybe you just calm it down so you trust what you see. You know how they always talk about the

quarterback goal. In the second or third year of the system, things are slowing down for me, Roquan Smith maybe calling the signals and the huddle defensively, but to Sean Gibson is the quarterback of that defense. On the back end, He's gonna have to make sure that everybody is a pre snap proper position and they understand who their responsibility is. And then if someone may be on the wrong page,

to Sean Gibson has to make up for that. So he is going to have a lot on his plate and if he can slow it down, that is going to be a huge important role for him next Sunday night. You know, twenty five interceptions in his career as an undrafted free agent out of Wyoming. I appreciate his journey and what he's done. He's thrilled to be on the team. He's an wonderful spokesman right now. It really gets into detail and speaks his mind. And he's very high on

Jalen Johnson. We heard that earlier in this offseason. He brought it up again he says, you watch mark my words, it's going to be that kind of year for Jalen Johnson. And what a great stage on Sunday Night Football on September twelfth, a week from Sunday. How that will all play out? You know, I'm high on Jalen Johnson too, Jeff.

You know, we got to go out to practice every day in training camp and watch his daily improvement, and then we had a chance to meet him in person for an episode of Bears All Access a couple weeks ago, and then you get to have a chance to meet

a guy face to face everything. He presents himself as professional, and I think that he had a lot of pressure put on him last year when he had no training camp and was the starter immediately, and I think he's living up to the expectation so far set for him,

and he cherishes the opportunity. All Right, we only have about a minute to go, but we heard Andrew Ceciliano explain how difficult it is to deal with Aaron Donald is a disruptive of a player that there is in the NFL, and has been over the last three to four years, certainly a two time Defensive Player of the Year winner, take a look at it from an offensive lineman perspective on what this front five is going to have to deal with. That guy and the rest of

the bunch. You have to respect him, but you can't fear him. Whether it's back in our day going against Reggie White or Keith Millard when he was defensive MVP of the league. Somebody is going to have a difficult to Simon every once in a while. But there's a lot of double teams and you got to be physical against him. Matt and Aggie's got to call the right plays against Aaron Donald to kind of put him on an island of a double team. So you can't make this about Aaron Donald and the Rams. You got to

make this about the Rams defense as a whole. Can't wait to break it down even further next week, Tommy. That's going to wrap us up. Appreciate your time. Also thanks to our producers Dan Burreally, Jordan Trdup, and the folks at the Score. Thanks to our guests tonight, jessper Horsted and Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network. That'll do it for us. Thanks for listening, everybody. This has been Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The score, good Night, everybody,