Gout open that DJ Moore and zone touchdown touchdown Bears. I am Jeff Jonia Blitz is not don go what was like playing for Coche Good. I don't want to answer any questions like that pressure coming is a big trouble. Dotty goes Motest Sweat.
Bears, et Cetera brought to you by Miller Light with the voices that the Bears Jeff Joniac and Tom Sayer.
Well with every passing day, I gotta tell you Bears fans, uh, I'm getting overly excited about what is about to take place with the Chicago Bears. And I think you would all agree with Super Bowl winning Bears guard top theyre Jeff Joniac. Episode one thirty seven of the Bears et Cetera podcast are brought to you by Middle of Light. Tom. I've been dwelling on this and I've been on the road a lot, so I've been driving a lot of hours. I'm losing my mind in the car, but just contemplating
what's been going on. This feels different. Does it feel different for you? We've been through a lot of change in our long time together.
You know, Jeff, I like your excitement because I think a lot of the initial steps have been taken in the right direction. And when you look at where the Bears are going with identifying the head coaching candidate and then him putting together a quality staff, Ryan Poles and his scouting department, figuring out who are some key assets in the veteran free agency market that we need to target.
And they have gone out and done that.
Now Here we said one month before the draft, and you know one thing about football people, it's hard to ignore the draft because there's so many different opinions of the draft where the teams are going to pick, how they're going to pick, the decisions they are going to make, and then it's kind of a confusing draft because there are no clear cut Caleb Williams a guy that's guaranteed above them beyond the rest of being the number one
round draft choice. So I still think there's a lot of intrigue that we're going to talk about on these podcasts through the next month.
Yeah, I mean you mentioned it without the quarterback. Who would be the number one overall pick because teams are going to go for quarterbacks. I'm expecting cam Ward to be the number one pick. I don't think Travis Hunter would be, but maybe it would be in a normal situation if you're just taking will you believe will be the number one impact player Abdul Carter Penn State, you.
Know, I mean, definitely his name is up there for a consideration, just like it is for Travis Hunter. If you look at some of the quality offensive linemen in the draft, is there a team out there that's in a desperate need of a protector of their quarterback asset?
One of those guys could climb up the ladder. But this is probably the most confusing draft that I've studied in the last twenty or thirty years, just because every time I look at something coming out with their draft point whatever it is, it's changing in the direction of the picks. And I saw one this morning that the Bears picked Mason Graham at number ten.
That was Mike Tannembaum.
Yeah.
Yeah, So it's just whatever person that you have respect for or you believe in their investigative background, look at those mock drafts and maybe that'll tell you where things are going.
That's bread crumbs, Tom, bread crumbs, follow the bread crumbs. But you also got to take you got to take a look at this. So depending on how things fall in that top ten. Obviously, hey, maybe maybe Ryan doesn't even keep the tenth pick, maybe he moves down. Maybe you don't know, We don't know. But if Team X picks player A, that then will allow Team Y to
go and pick player B down the line. It's all based on it's not gonna be the top ten best players in this draft that will go one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. In my opinion, it's not gonna be. It's gonna be the flavor of the day for one of these ten teams. And that's gonna either push somebody down that's gonna make it an intriguing decision for Ryan Poles, or allow him to move down further to get a guy that you know, this is the guy we really want, so we can
get him here. I think that's how this draft is going to fall.
Well, you know one thing about this draft.
There is no defined mathematical equation that can tell you exactly who you're going to pick, why you're going to pick them, and the number associated to the reason you're picking them. Because when you look at all these mock drafts, and like I said, maybe I've looked at thirty different drafts since the end of the NFL season to write where we are when not right now a month before the draft, and I've seen Shador Sanders go from three
to twenty yeah, and everywhere in between. So when you have a player that one time was thought of of possibly the first pick in the draft now sinking down into the mid to late teens to early twenties, it's just, you know, every every ball is in the air. If you're a juggler man, you got to pay attention to every one, and there may be one added into the
hand that you have to be able to absorb. And so, like I said, the podcasts are fun, but I think each week it's there's gonna be a different intrigue.
In the latest MOCKWAB, I look at two defensive players too, defensive linemen that could be top five or they could be twenty five. Shamar Stewart from Texas A and M because he hasn't sacked the quarterback a lot, but boy, he's got every tool in the shed. He's a monster. James Pierce of Florida. Last year, I was listening to a podcast on the draft from ESPN. I believe it
was ESPN. Yeah, and James Pearce was considered to be the possible number one overall pick in the draft heading into the twenty twenty four college football season, regardless of position. So but that player may not be in the top fifteen or twenty. I mean, so, I just think it's it's again the breadcrumbs, whatever teams are allowing in for me to escape their building. It is the lying season, of course, and so you just try to put the puzzle together. That's why we love this. We love this.
I love the draft.
Love well.
In five years from night.
Right now, we're going to be doing a podcast, so we're going to talk about a second round or in this draft has elevated himself into one of the top picks of the draft.
And I think that always goes without saying.
And maybe it's an unheralded offensive lineman that's come in drafted into the third round that's a Day one starter and goes on to have a lengthy all Pro career, or a defensive lineman like you're talking about. Because Mason Graham, who was picked the tenth for the Bears today, he's
a guy that's been picked in the mid teens. But when you look at his background, his accomplishment, you know he's going to be a guy that's going to be hard and not to pick if he, you know, is passing the vision of a general manager.
Gotta remind you were brought to you by PNC Bank, the official bank of the Chicago Bears. We also got a great interview coming up Tom Eric Benemy. I sat down with him last week at Hallas Hall, the Bears new running backs coach. He brings the fire, he brings the heat. I love this guy. We'll hear from him
in just a moment. But you know, from the process of hiring Ben Johnson, then the meeting the man and who he's hired on the coaching staff, the moves to get Joe Tooney, Jonah Jackson in the trade market, signing Drew Dahlman, Grady Jarrett, just to name a few, the prior moves that had given the Bears this draft capital
over the last couple of seasons. The value of that tenth pick, five picks in the top one, fifty fourteen additions to the roster already nine on offense, five on defense, including a new b veteran cornerback Nick McLeod coming Aboard on a one year deal, played with the Giants in forty nine ers last season. Speedy ran a four to four to six half a snap special teams half on defense. Last year for the Giants in San Francisco, he was
an undrafted free agent. So I just that's why I feel I got, you know, again, being in the car for ten hours yesterday driving down to South Florida, I just started going over this in my mind and I just became very intrigued. And then to think about what Ben's going to create, what Dennis Sound's going to create. We really haven't talked about that, and I want to
talk about that a little bit on this podcast. But I'm feeling you share the same optimism, especially with what's been done in the trenches.
Oh, I do.
And I'm sure that you're the type of driver that keeps your blinker on too long because you're not paying attention that you've already changed lane and it's on for another couple miles time out because I know your thought captivated in the thought of football that every other sound you ignore.
Well, but yes, that's exactly what I do. And I don't know why it happens. Why can't I hear the turn signal? Why can't I hear the click click?
Why do you forget your car keys on the desk of a head coach and walk out with somebody else's But you know everything that the Ben Johnson has set his sights on to make sure that this team has improved before they ever take a meeting room or a field, I think is really important because when you talk about all those new guys that have.
Been brought aboard.
First of all, when you're a player and you walk into your meeting room and you don't know your position coach yet and they're getting to know you for the first time, everything is even. So this guy doesn't have expectations for you, or he doesn't have disappointment in you.
Already everybody is starting off, and then you come into these meeting rooms that you've brought a number of guys aboard, and there's some introductions that have to take place, because even though Grady Jarrett has been around for quite a while and he has the reputation of success that he has, there's some young kids in there that may not know him, may not know what he is able to accomplish. And so all these new pieces that are in place right now.
I think it's only going to increase the competition on the practice field, but it's also going to create competition in the meeting rooms when you get asked a question and a little bit of that you talked about with Eric b Enemy about learning this new terminology. It's new for everybody, so that is a way to compete that you know, your hand's never in the ground or you're never taking a step forward.
All right. With that being said, Tommy, open the door, so let's kick it open. Sit down with running backs coach Eric be Enemy coach, is a pleasure to meet you. Effort so much about you over the years, and I couldn't wait to meet you, honestly.
What nice meeting you as well. And it feels good to be a part of this family. I mean, I've had an opportunity to meet a number of people who've worked in this organization or played in this organization. So I'm looking forward to just getting something restarted with the new coaching staff and the new regime and ready to move forward.
Yeah, that's the key in this sport. You got to move forward. Everything else is history. It does not matter. You know it does, but it doesn't and you know, a new page. But talk about just the intensity I would imagine of the offensive coaching staff, in particular here with Ben Jonson, and bring in all these different influences. I just got done talking to Press Taylor, for example, and just what those meetings might be like. I mean,
because you all come from very significant backgrounds. You've all, most of you have won a lot of games, won super Bowls in your case.
Coach Benn has done a hell of a job putting together staff offensively, defensively, obviously special teams. Wise, it's good having an opportunity to work collectively with some of these young coaches. We've got some brilliant minds, some very very
creative individuals. I'm just looking forward to us getting everything established, making sure that we can get everything on the same page, which we are, and just ironing out all the details, because when it's all said and done with, it's not about all the collective brains, you know, having a brilliant idea about what we can do or what we know. It's about making sure that we can hammer it down so our guys can go out and play more be
as efficient and effective as possible. And so that's what this process is about right now, just making sure that we'll all stayed and getting on the same phase.
And Ben even in a minute, you know, I didn't go about this just hiring friends or people. I know there's a couple from Detroit certainly, Antoine Rendel, Gt. Barrett for example. Is it a cool thing that he did by doing that, because a lot of coaches do they just they feel comfort in people that they trust.
He's done a hell of a job, but just going out and finding good people who happen to be very good coaches, you know, who are team guys that get the big pitcher. So yes, he's built a diverse staff of people, but on top of that, people that he's not really affiliated with. So he's bought a lot of different minds from different areas just so you can always help yourself to be better in certain areas. So the beauty of it is, it's it's it's fun because right now we're undefeated.
Oh yeah, nobody got a bloody nose yet nobody ain't black and blue.
But the beauty of it is is just listening to all the creative minds and then just really focusing in on some of the things that he has done and has success with at Detroit, and it's been fun learning that system and actually growing in it, and so I'm looking forward to it. This is a brand new journey for me. It's a different language, and I'm enjoying it. And the beauty of it is it just opens up the mind and it gives you an opportunity for growth.
Well that's a great point, right there, a new language for you, and you've been in the league a long time, played it at a high level for a long time. Ricky prol once told me, and it's been repeated many times. Learning a new offense is like learning Chinese in a week's time. Of the essence, I mean, I know there's a long time before kickoff, but not a long time before mini camp and training camp. So do you guys feel the urgency to get this playbook? Yes? Written?
Yes exactly. I mean there's a sense of urgency. Every single day, every morning we're spending time about four hours of just going through the offense, making sure that we're hammering out all the details, whether it's run game, past game, different situations that can be presented throughout the course of a game, but just hammering out all the details, making sure that there is a familiarity with it. Beauty of it is not everybody's gonna catch on, include myself. That's
why we take notes. We detail of notes as much as possible.
You can. Have to study.
You got to study, have to study. Yes, you got to take work home. That's the only way that you're gonna become efficient and effective. But also to give yourself an opportunity to become the expert at what you do. And so you got to take it home because those guys are gonna be looking back at me right you know, it's my job to make sure I can give them the answers, not early on. I may not have all the answers, but I'm gonna make sure I find something that.
You've had quite the career. Let's begin at Colorado. You were a hell of a player. I'm a big eight guy back in the day. I'm Iowa State cyclone. So you're the all time leading rusher at Colorado, all time leader in touchdowns. You were a third in the Heisman voting during that nineteen ninety national title season. So you learn how to win early, didn't you?
You know what I say this and bless us so coach Mats coach Bill McCartney did a great job of bringing a diverse group of men just to buy in to his dream and in his vision, and he gave us an opportunity to be a part of it and
buy into his dream. And it's amazing how much success some of those players, include myself, all of us have had, not just on the field, but also off the field, and just having that opportunity just to share that experience to be a part of a winning a winning team, not just winning on the field, but winning off the field. Because the majority of us has been in each other's weddings we've had I mean, I can't tell you how many times we've been all god parents to certain kids.
But it was an unbelievable, amazing opportunity to just grow, but just to be a part of history because coach Mack was a brilliant man that cared about his.
Players just recently passed away, and nobody has ever said anything different than you. Now, do you have you adopted kind of his way a little bit and how you treat players.
Well, yes, it's forever. It's all about winning, but it's all about getting to know the people that you're working with. But on top of that, developing the relationships and finding out their limits and how to push them and get the very very best out of them. And like I always tell young men when I'm coaching them, I said, listen, I'm gonna coach you hard, I also coach fair. I'm gonna be your biggest advocate when you do it the
right way. But it ain't personal. I'm coaching that behavior that you put on tape because that behavior is at some point in time, if it's not done the right way, we can impact a game. We can also cast somebody an injury or whatever. So we want to make sure that we're doing things fundamentally right the right way, but also making sure that we understand that accountability goes a long way in this industry. And if we can be accountable,
now we got a chance to grow. Now we have a chance to become a winning organization.
I got to ask you what your definition of hard coaching is, because some players like it, some don't, some want it, so deal with it. I mean, it's all different across the rainbow, and.
It's basically challenging your guys more than anything just to get the very best out of it and more than anything, just demanding a certain type of ethic. There's gonna be a code and how we handle ourselves. You know, I'm from the old school. Always tell them, if you don't work, you don't eat, all right, And if we're not eating, we're not giving ourselves a chance to be the best that we can be. So it's important that we understand.
It's gonna be an imaginary sign outside that door every single day that says hiring all applicants, because if we're applying ourselves, that means we're not wasting any opportunities. We have to learn how to make sure that we're not taking anything for granted. And if we're not taking anything for granted, we're doing the very most of it because
now we're learning to make second effort to happen. And if we're playing with that second effort, now we're giving ourselves a chance not only to be the best running back group, we're giving ourselves a chance to be the best team. Because if we put that infectious behavior on the tape, players are going to want to follow that.
I don't know if there's any room in your room, I like to sign up, because you got me excited right now. I'm literally breaking into a sweat right here on the roster as it's currently constituted, Guys like Roshan Johnson, Guys like DeAndre Swift, Travis Homer re signed recently. You've had a chance to look at these guys, obviously, but in a different context, different offense, but just your familiarity with the names and the men that they are. How do you feel about this group.
I feel pretty good about the group. I've had an opportunity to watch DeAndre, spent some time with DeAndre when he came out during the time when he doing the draft, so I know all about him. A very very hard working kid that doesn't take anything for granted. He loves to work now more than anything. We just got to make sure that he understands that he can find four and a half in between the tackles, but also hit the home run when he needs to. But he's a
great young man that works his tale off. Roshan young up and coming player, big key it plays hard, doesn't take anything for granted. Looking forward to working with him. Travis's by far, first of all. He brings a tremendous amount of energy. He does a hell of a job on special teams. He's a four phased guy, you know, which you love that about him because you can't have
enough of those team players. And then we got a young kid by the name of Ian who's coming off Ian Wheeler and Ian, I mean just terrific preseason exactly, and he showed flashes. So we want to see exactly what all we can continue to develop with him and see how we grow. So I'm excited about the group.
Nobody's got bigger thighs than Travis Homer. He works on those bad boys. He works on those bad boys. But does it help you as a coach when again, players don't know you. They know you by reputation, but you know you coached Adrian Peterson, Jamal Charles. I could go down the list so many great backs, Kareem Hunt. I know I'm missing a few, Maurice Jones, drewid UCLA.
Does that help?
It helps spread the word. It's all they got to do is pick up a phone because everybody knows everybody nowadays, you know what it helps.
But I'm not gonna have these guys do anything that those guys didn't do. And like I told those guys when I coached him, I'm not gonna have you do anything I didn't do, And so my thing is just to make sure that I'm getting the very best out of them, but also too challenging myself, making sure that I'm presenting them the right information so they can go out and be as sound and as sharp as they need to be to put their best on tape every single day.
I know it's the era of throwing the football and everybody loves that, but I have a feeling Bear's gonna run the football too, aren't they now? Right, Eric, Bears gonna run the ball.
I'll say this, we have fun running the football.
Yeah, exactly. I love the idea, all three phases. The mindset that Ben Johnson is kind of cemented here is that we're gonna be physical, nasty and tough and not just on offense and not just running the ball, but three phases, and that that excites me in a town like this, Yes, it's lacking blue baby exactly. Eric, thank you so much, pleasure to meet you, finally, welcome to Chicago.
I appreciate you having me and thank you all right.
Any thoughts from me? Tommy Hope Hope, I mean, I wish you were there. With me because he had me ready to go. I said it, and I literally was breaking out in a sweat. He's not that old skull thought that you carry Tommy.
I like this guy. I like his attitude.
I like his reputation that he's developed since he's been a coach in the NFL, the success you talked about that he had at University of Colorado, the seriousness and the work ethod he expects of all of his players. He's become familiar already with the group of talent that
he's going to have in the room. He acknowledged the difficulty in learning the terminology, and sometimes there's a chance where you might have to ask a player or another coach a question about what you guys are all learning together, and then player expectations. I you know, with Eric Bienemy, and you know, Mike Dicka used to say it all the time, and I really enjoyed hearing it out of his mouth. I'm never going to ask you to do anything that I haven't done.
And so when Mike Dicka.
Was out practicing for Tom Landry or the other coaches he played for, and you know he played in an extreme era, coach allis Yeah, coach Hallis, but we probably played in a more friendly era. And I think that's
the thing about coach b Enemy. He's not going to ask his running backs to do something that he's not already done throughout his career, and so I'm super excited to see where he takes that next level of competitiveness, not only at the running back position, but at the offensive line position in the offensive meeting room, because he's got a world of experience at every level of football that you need.
This podcast is brought to you by the official beer partner of your Chicago Bears tastes like Miller Time Chicago. Go to Middlelight dot com Slash Bears Pod to find delivery options near you. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ninety six calories three point two carbs per twelve ounces. Let's stick with the theme at running back, because there's a bunch of them, and I know you've looked these
over as well. The type of back that the Bears may or may not be interested in adding to the stable given the skill sets of DeAndre Swift, Rosehawn Johnson, Travis Homer, Ian Wheeler, is there a particular kind of back a change of pace, a power back. What do you think Ben Johnson could utilize to his advantage and get this offense in a level where you're running the ball efficiently, you're picking up first downs when you need to on third down, and you're making things easier on your quarterback.
I need some lightning, Okay, No, I need the guy that is you know, once he gets in space, as a foregone conclusion, you're only reading the back of his jersey until he crosses the goal line. You know, you have a variety of skills and a guy like DeAndre Swift, do you have a variety of skills? In row Seawan Johnson and the other running backs is of the Ian Wheeler,
the young man that got hurt last year. I really liked him last year, and Travis Homer, but all the other guys they have and you look at the success that Ben Johnson has in the overall big picture development of his offense. He had thunder and lightning in Detroit
with Montgomery and Gibbs. So is there that guy that is that lightning bolt of this offense that can run wheel routes, that can run outside zone plays, that can run away from linebackers or nickel coverage defensive backs and create that super play for you that only comes with the attachment of world class speed.
And both those backs up in Detroit catch the football very well. Of course, David Montgomery does, and so does the lightning bolt up there in Detroit. Jimior Gibbs that lightning bolt. So Matt Miller from ESPN, he also does something NFL Draft Scout put together the top five players at each position, and he broke things down a little bit. So I'm just gonna so he has Ashton Genti from Boise State number one. I'm Marion Hampton number two from
North Carolina, catub Johnson of Iowa number three. And then the two Ohio State kids, which we both like, Gwin Shawn Jenkins and Trayvon Henderson. Those two cats are lightning bolts. Would you agree, Oh yeah, one hundred percent.
You know one thing too about all the Bears running backs right now that they have in house. They can all catch the ball. So they have a variety of skills. We saw a lot of screens run last year that those guys are capable of running screens and how to read blocks as a maneuver off field. But then they can also be reliable blockers and outlet receivers on third down.
So that's one thing that the skill level that's already in the running back room, as these guys can do everything that's required of them out of a three downs. But when you talk about that one guy that you know, sometimes you're kind of take taking a back because you see how quick they are. You know, to me, that's the one guy that would really help the room quite a bit.
Yeah, and Matt picks tray Von Henderson as the number one third down back from Ohio State, Jaden Blue of Texas, Trevor Etn of Georgia, RJ. Harvey Central Florida, and Donovan Edwards of Michigan who did not have as big a year last year, but boy, he was fantastic in his sophomore season two sixteen in the fourth quarter against Ohio State with a couple of big touchdown runs. But here's a back for you from Virginia Tech that has my attention. Tom.
His name is Base Sholtot and he was at the senior both for the national team just twenty one, five eight and three quarters two eleven. I don't have his combined numbers here, but elite acceleration and speed. He reached a top speed of twenty miles per hour in college according to GPS. Great pass catcher as well, but just a lot of explosion in his game six point three yards per curry for his career and also returned kicks. Uh, that would be a middle round type of cat. But uh,
these there's so many in this draft. I mean, we can go down the list.
Maybe you could give me stand is there is Jaden Blue? Is he a guy that has unique type of speed because I remember seeing one of these guys in the college playoffs in the college system, and I thought it was Blue from Texas that had like edge speed that once he once he got in the open, that he was an uncatchable guy.
Maybe I'm just now you're you're right four three eight forty for Jaden Blue at the combine.
So yeah, right, So he's the guy.
He's a guy that from the college football season through the combine up until now, you know, he's kind of that lightning bolt guy that if you get him to that outside zone play and he's always played with a good offensive line at Texas that you know, he's a type of running back spark that I was also interested in.
Duton also ran a four three to two. Ye, so yeah, that that's exactly what you're talking about. Tommy, I'm picking up with you're laying down. Thank you to our partners CDW and Lenovo who make amazing happen. Learn more at CDW dot com slash Lenovo. Okay, let's now talk a little defense if I may, because I'm trying to figure out what exactly Dennis Allen wants and we think of him as a guy that you know, he said it. You know, you gotta affect the quarterback. You gotta affect
the quarterback. So you're thinking, Okay, this guy a big blitzer. I know. Jim Milder told us from his research that in the top five of defensive coordinators called third level blitzes from the safeties and corners and whatnot. But you dig in. You know, he blitzed less last year than the Bears did as a team, so he doesn't blitz very much overall. So he realies according to what I've been digging into, more get there with four. But he
uses a lot of stunts and twists. So this leads me to you as an offensive lineman, and then as you evaluate defensive linemen. Is everybody good at it? The twist is sent just because you call one. Is the twist and stunt effective based on the technique used or the physical traits of the player doing the twist and stunt?
You know, when you talk about winning a stunt, you know Grady Jared O'dangbo, these guys are really good at it because they have certain tools. The explosiveness and the quickness and the instant earning of leverage by Grady Jared, the length and the ability to occupy a lot of space for Odangbo. These guys are really going to be incorporated well with the rest of these guys and the
athleticism that the Bears already have. But Steve McMichael always used to talk about it, if you're going to be a really good stunt running team, you're going to have to have one guy that's supremely unselfish and he's got to be that type of guy that is able to occupy space and at tension and get two offensive linemen
out of position. And then those two offensive linemen that are out of position, they don't have the recover ability to take that other looper, that other guy that's coming around on the stunt and it's listening to you know, hamp and Ming and Richard and all these guys talk about it because they used to run a lot of stunts and we used to run against them and practice all the time, and it is it is about Jeff.
You got to have a guy that's unselfish. He knows that he's going to get hit by two guys, but he's also is going to be the reason why Montes Sweat gets a sack because Grady Jarrett was able to give up his body.
And if you go back and you.
Look at some of the highlights of Grady Jarrett throughout his career. He can line up pre snap that puts two offensive linemen in a really unbalanced power position, and then if he gets one guy out of position. In what out of position I mean is you're not coming back on the same plane. There's an interruption in that plane. Now there's a gap, and all of a sudden, that defense lineman is able to win it. So unselfishness is a key ingredient if you're going to be a team
that runs stunts really well. But one thing about Dennis Allen, because I think if you talk about a team. If you're a blitzer, if you're a stunter, what are your vulnerabilities? Is it a guy like Jared Goff that doesn't have great escapability? Is a guy who or there's an offensive lineman that maybe there's a vulnerability in his position and strength. So I do think before we ever take say what Dennis Allen is, I think what is he up against?
Well, for example, the Bear's going to play Lamar Jackson this year in Baltimore, Lamar Jackson. If you stunt a quarterback like that, where there is a gap for somebody to get into, that gap is also available to him though too, to out athletic him, right, to out maneuver him. So are those days you know? Do you do? You not do those against quarterbacks like that?
You know, sometimes with a guy like Lamar as you try to have that pocket that keeps him contained and they don't give him that escape patch, and then all of a sudden you try to make him throw the ball because you know the profit that will get by throwing the ball if it's a completion, whatever the down distance is. But it could be an incompletion, it could
be a tip ball, it could be an interception. But you just don't want to give consistent escapability for a guy like Lamar because we've seen what he does and that's why he's an MVP candidate each and every year. So you know he's one of the great ones. But you know there's there's a lot of others as well.
If you practice against it every day, is I mean, this is probably a dumb question, but your offensive lineman, if they're facing those stunts and twists in practice every day during training camp, are they getting better at stopping them? And can be they Can they be real creative? Can you can you have a guy like you and Donald
used to go. You know, he could go through over two gaps to get the stunt finished and he'd still get there and have the speed and acceleration to put his foot in the dirt and get up field and get the quarterback.
You know, one thing about offensive line, you got to develop the familiarity and the habits of each of the guys that you play next to, because you got to be able to go to the line of scrimmage and not necessarily yell out what the protection is, but make sure that if a guy comes into the gap, I'm going to be able to pass him off to the center, and I know he's there one hundred percent of the time, and that I gotta as soon as you pass someone off,
you got to be ready for who's coming around. And some of the habits that you develop as an offensive line are you never have to communicate them.
You become aware of them when you go.
To the line of scrimmage second, long, third and long, and they got the pass rushing group in there that that's what they that's what they like to do, and if they are running stunts. That's why you practice that period every single day in training camp because you you become familiar with the habits of the guys next to you.
And hopefully Haleb becomes more creative with the snap count, because the more creative you can become with the snapcount, the more you can create a little tells or signs of exactly where the defensive line's going, or maybe get them a half a second off balance that puts that offensive lineman in a winning position.
Tom, you were big on the offensive line ten yards splits on the forty yard dashes at the scouting combine. So for example, Will Campbell, he led the group he at a top speed of sixteen point four to seven miles per hour at his ten yards, and he reached the top speed of twenty miles per hour on his forty run. That's just one example. Do you also factor in the ten yard splits for the defensive lineman or does that matter less to you?
What?
Oh?
No, it matters to me as much.
Yeah, because when you think of the explosiveness, and you know, let's you know, take two guys. You know, you can take a guy like Andrew Billings, or you could take a guy like Aaron Donald, and then look at what they're and Andrew Billings is a weight room guy, so I expect him to be explosive. But the body size of two different types of defensive linemen. That's why you have a three technique, and that's why you have a nose. That's why you have a defensive end or a five
technique defensive end. It's because of their initial explosiveness, not only how quickly they get off the ball, but how quickly they disengage from their blocker. And it's just like
you talk about the explosiveness of Will Campbell. Redirective power in your feet is something that a lot of people don't talk about, but it's probably one of the most important elements of sustained success buy an offensive lineman, because first of all, I'm going to come out of my stance and I'm going to have an approach to you.
I'm going to have.
A punched you on a pass blocking responsibility. That defensive linement is going to try to swipe my hands.
Now, I got to.
Keep my balance, but I also have toct redirect my body positioning with power into into your position. And so if you're out there and you don't have power in your legs and you don't have bendability, you're going to get pushed backwards into the path of the quarterback. You're going to lose your block and your strength upper body, and then you're going to lose the block more immediately
if you can't redirect with power. And so that's one of the things that I always liked about the feet of Will Campbell is you know, he stays competitive within his assignment because he has the feet that are up to his you know, capabilities and his expectations.
So in the draft, James Pears the Tennessee edge one his ten yard split that led all defensive ends and edge rushers common outiver of Oklahoma State had a one five seven and Shamar Stewart at Texas A and M.
We talked about him earlier, one five eight. Those are the only three guys under one point six seconds Tommy and at defensive tackle it was an SMU defensive tackle Jared Harrison Hunt won six', NINE Uh georgia defensive Tackle Tyreon Ingram dawkins one six' nine And, ty robinson who's an excellent Athlete from nebraska one seven to one and a, Local PRODUCT. Tommy cj west Out of nazareth one seven, to three the defensive Tackle. From indiana how do those numbers rate? For you does anything stick?
Out right, you know the immediate comparison to.
Team success So the rams went and took two defensive linemen last year in. The draft in the one guy you came back bragging from the senior ball that this guy, is legit and when he got to the combine He.
Was braden fists if, you, Want.
Yes fisk so if you want to talk about, in comparison what were there times and if you ever were able to look up what their times were and what they immediately did to, that defense it'll kind of tell you what these guys should be capable of being because of.
That ten yard time one six' Eight. For, braden fisk okay so that falls that have false right in line with. What you're saying tommy, at defensive tackle that would be that would be number one at defensive tackle in the twenty twenty five combine if he had participated in the twenty, twenty, Five. Guys right yeah.
And then the outside Rusher that the rams brought, Aboard as well he's another guy that had some. Super athletic traits and if you want to talk about outside guys, and inside guys you have. Comparative analytics there.
That would be The Outside linebacker jared verse his ten ONE. Point six zho this podcast is brought to you by the official beer Partner Of. Your chicago Bears Tastes Like. Middle time Chicago go to miller light Dot Com slash bears pod to find delivery. Options near You Celebrate Responsibily, Miller, Brewing, company milwaukee wisconsin ninety six calories and three point two carbs, per Twelve Ounces and. Hey bears fans steinhoffels is a
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game plan for your recovery with no prescription. Or Referral Needed athletical physical therapy is where your. Comeback story begins athletico proud to be the official physical therapy Partner Of. The chicago bears how's, Your? Pt going tommy as a knee replacement that reaches what seven, eight weeks ago.
Seven, Weeks ago yesterday, it's going, great you know just everyday process and you know it's you know a lot of times that they tell you about a, positive, mental attitude dude and there's never been more true about the lingering rehabilitation process of. A Knee replacement so, i'm all, good super positive.
Ready to roll as it made you, ready to hit tough and ready to go at least, On the board you'll be on the board you're going to be on that board. In a MONTH that's what i. Want to know, not a chance.
NOT a chance i respect the guys too much that are on the board and what they're.
About To undertake now i'm talking, about the surfboard. The long, Board, come on TOMMY you lost. I LOST you then i would thought you.
Were joking about being on. The, big board no the only.
There's only one board you, would be on not on, a board room but a board. On THE water so i expect. That. To, happen tommy hey we got to do a shout. Out and Congratulations. Welcome To, Chicago laura anderson senior Vice president of administration And, chief financial Officer joining the Bears From, the big ten where she worked. For seven, Years chicago, Native illinois grad so welcome, To The. Friendranchise laura anderson we'll see YOU. Up at hallishu uh
you got any final thoughts before we break. For, the week.
No NOT really, Like i said i'm interested every day to do a little bit, more, research about uh. The draft anticipation now that these guys are going through a lot, of pro days and you See that cam ward had ninety guys at, his pro day yesterday when there's only going to be one team that has the opportunity. To pick them and it's it's something, THAT you know i came from the area that we didn't. Have pro days we went to the combines and. That was it and so.
Would you have benched at the combine and the pro day if you were just knowing? Who you are would you have done? It both times would? You, be satisfied yeah you know you want to.
Watch me, Bench come in let's go in.
The weight, room put, it you know get, a belt on less rock.
And roll in we got to.
Wrap this up but do you have a story about somebody that was like challenging you and you blew their mind with how many reps you threw up or or just? OR just weight i mean, at ANY point because i would dare say you Were, one cocky, yeah no weightlifter because you.
Can do it the first time that we were At Down, in tampa bay there was an OFFENSIVE guard that i was spotting and He Was an all american and he only did like three reps, and no WEIGHT but off i picked it off OF him AND i, and, i said hey are?
You all right?
Is something, wrong, he, Goes, OH no tom i ain't much, of a weightlifter, AND right there i GO.
Right and I thought that i really would do it enough.
To impress him but he ended up getting drafted in, the second round got injured, during training camp never really PLAYED and and i think weightlifting was an important part of his inability to hold up to the physical requirements.
Of. The job interesting always, Have a, Story appreciate it buddy special thanks To Our, guest eric bannemy the bears new running back coach. For, A Time There. I'm jeff joniek. Thanks. For listening everybody please subscribe Now On the chicago, Bears, Official, app, apple spotify YouTube or wherever you. Get Your, Podcast, bear down everybody