Welcome in Tom Bears Weekly, a Chicago Bears Network production. Download the Chicago Bears official app brought to you by Verizon to follow the team on the go. Bears Weekly is brought to you by Advocate Healthcare, Beth Rivers, CD Dow, Connie's Pizza, and Miller Liked. Here are your hosts, Jeff aka the Marow Bearsville and his sidekick, Tom the Surfmaster Theyer.
Three weeks from the season opener of the Bears share the practice field with the Indianapolis Colts just outside Carmel, Indiana, with sold out crowds and an elevation and excitement, intensity and evaluation charged up. The best way to describe it. Hello everyone, Jeff, Joniak and Tom there with you on this week's edition of Bears Weekly. Our producer is Justin Pottinger in the ESPN studios with Dan Brilliant Jordan tread Up.
Our Bears producers coming up around six ' ten will be joined by running back Kylie ol Herbert and at six point thirty our Bears Radio Network sideline reporter Jason McKee makes his debut on this year's show. Tom a member of the Bears two two thousand and six super Bowl team. But I got the Super Bowl winning bear here nineteen eighty five version, and I've enjoyed the week so far just hearing YouTube telling stories.
Well, you know, it's a great experience for the team because you know, I think when you become a football player, you're part of a team. You go through all the same practices against the same guys. You know exactly what their tendencies are, and they know a lot about you.
But as we are down there talking to Cody Whitehair and now you have a chance to get some work against guys that really don't know your mechanics, they don't know your fundamentals, they don't know what you're going to try to do to them.
It gives you a wider.
Experience to work against opponents in the NFL, but also have you know, maybe one hundred and fifty plays in a couple day period against these guys to sharpen what you do well no matter what position you play.
I think it brought the best out and everybody so far. Cole comet Roshawn Johnson said the same thing after Wednesday's practice. The same thing will happen after tonight's practice as well. You know, it's hard to settle time on just what to look at, though we touched on it in our Bears, Etc. Podcast. Just who's doing what and how well at some of these practices. And if not for your eyes peeled for just about anything, you know, you'd really have a hard time.
Because somebody asked me, oh, you know who won the day, and that was on Wednesday's practice. Thursday's practice going on right now? Yeah, can't see. I mean there's wins and losses on both sides of the fence.
Well, since we've been around enough of these practices, it's all about observational positioning, and I think we can put that term inside the glossary of the NFL because you really do have to stand in the position where Okay, for example, the Bears defensive line against Indianapolis offensive line is doing one on ones at a certain period or
portion of the field. But then you have the seven on seven period going of the Indianapolis Colts offense against the Bears defensive backs and linebackers.
So if you can get into.
A position you can wash a one on one, you can turn immediately and watch the seven on seven play, but you can't watch both ends of the field. So you really do have to have, you know, be able to really be a positioned. Well, yesterday I focused on the Bears offense. Today I'm gonna focus on the Bears defense.
That means you're gonna be watching Anthony Richardson. Yeah, the Florida quarterback. He walked down the field. You could just see this is a unique sized quarterback. He It's not like those guys haven't been around a don take hol Pepper and Cam Newton certainly, but but there's just something something unique about the guy. I really like the fact that he walked over and introduced himself to Justin Fields. He stuck his hand out, Justin turned around and then
they you know, that was his rookie moment. I guess with a veteran quarterback and Justin Fields, but you're looking at the present day version of what an athletic quarterback looks like. In both cases.
Well, you know, yesterday on the field, we also had a chance to sit and have a conversation with Chris ballor the general manager of Indianapolis, and we are talking about the combine for Anthony Richardson, and he knew where he was positioned in the draft and he was convinced that was going to be the guy that he was going to draft. So you know, it's nice to be convinced as a general manager, and they were, and they
believe Anthony Richardson is their future. And you look at listen, Andrew Luck was a big quarterback, Peyton Manning was a big quarterback. Jacoby Brisker is a big quarterback. But there's nothing like Anthony Richardson. That dude is special with his side, speed, athleticism, strength, everything, And so it's going to be interesting to watch his
career develop over time. And how unique is it to have probably two of the best quarterback athletes in all of the league on the same field at the same time.
Jacoby Brussette still yes, But now that it's becomes now the sixth different starting quarterback in six straight years for the Cults.
Well, hopefully they've hooked on somebody that's going to be here for the next ten because actually, when you look back at the life and the career of Andrew Luck, we probably thought that he would still be here if in fact that he stayed in the NFL, but he's not. Indianapolis was a able to move on. But you know what,
we learned about justin last year. We need to watch him take the second step throughout his career, just like he's got to see what the initial stages of Anthony Richardson's going to be.
Like, Bears waived injured linebacker Buddy Johnson. They picked him up really in camp from the Steelers and added another linebacker who also will be wearing number fifty. It's Davion Taylor, a former third round pick of the Eagles. Down played nine games and started six and twenty twenty one and then he suffered an injury practice squad all of last year. He is presently now the fastest linebacker the Bears have. He ran a four to four six forty. He is
unique in that regard. He's got closing speed and he's a really good special teams player. So we'll see what he is. But clearly, you know, Ian Cunningham ties to Philadelphia, probably caught that attention there. So Davion Taylor with some speed. They've been adding speed throughout the entire offseason and continuing now just keep a speed.
Davion Taylor's best friend is going to be t J. Edwards.
Because if you have a player that used to play the same position, and he can feed you a lot of information as quickly as possible. Then you're going to be picked up the speed a lot quicker. You don't have to sit there with the position coach all day every day. Sometimes you can just have a little off the sideline conversations with a guy like TJ. Edwards and he can expedite your learning curve.
Went to Colorado. But get this, in high school, he could not play on a Friday or Saturday. His family was Seventh Day Adventist and so he was not allowed to play. And he begged his mother at some point in order to get a football scholarship, and she gave her blessing to go and do that. He missed. He was a sprinter, a state champion sprinter as well, and he missed championships and all that. So quite an interesting story.
Yeah, you know, there was.
You know, parents that handle their children in a lot of different waves. I admire, you know, the way he's stuck to it and the way his mom helped him. And now he's here on an NFL field fighting for a job like every one of the players out here.
All right, Colts lost a really good player yesterday though to a torn acl wide receiver at Ashlyn Doolan had a great career, going All Pro Special Teams player name last year, but a torn ACL yesterday.
I know, Hey, that's the unfortunate side of football, you know. And whether we see that practice at the at the Hallis Hall, if the Bears are practicing by themselves or just the happenstance of happening in a joint practice with the Bears in Indianapolis Colts.
Unfortunate forever anybody.
But you know the thing about it is, how does it challenge the mentality of the guy that's waiting in the wings, that's next in line. Is he going to be up to? You know, what the coaches are going to expect of him? And you know that's just the challenges of competition and depth in the NFL.
Ashton Doolan really good player for the Indianapolis Colts. They had some other injuries as well, but nothing official from them. And the injured Bears that are working their way back, I'm interested to get your perspective. So Nate Davis impads yesterday had a few snaps and this progress now, I'm sure it's kind of a quote unquote a ramp up to get him back. He's missed the entirety. You know, that's first dam pads, so what you know.
And again I've been one of the guys that have been really disappointed Nate Davis hasn't been out there because I think he was a type of guy that was going to come in here and immediately help Darnel write the first round right tackle. However, the snaps I did see out of Nate Davis, I was super encouraged. So it's probably the first guy that I'm mentally okay with giving him a ramp up period because I want him to be ramped up for Week one against the Green
Bay Packers. I don't care about him playing in any preseason games, but if he can get you know, maybe two hundred and fifty to three hundred reps before the regular season gets gets here, you're going to have an indication. And it's great that he's playing a practicing against Indianapolis Colts, because I think you want an indicator against an opponent. You don't necessarily want an indicator against the controlled practice against your own personnel.
Any concerns on your part, No Jaquan Brisker, Tremaine Edmonds, they're not back just yet. I'm trying to think who else would be. Oh and Chase Claypoll. Those three are certainly key components of what all you want to do here.
Oh huge, They're a huge part of the Bears in the positions they play. Am I concerned, No, because they have veteran experience. Aside from Jakawan Brisker is just in a second year, but we all see what he's capable of and how well he's been doing in practices up
until this point. But you know, I think they're fortunate that you have that two week opening before the start of the regular season, because if they don't come back until then, at least they're going to have three to five full speed practices before they get on the field.
That's not there. I'm Jeff Joniakin coming up next, dude, you're running back. Khalil Herbert joins us on Bears Weekly here on ESPN Chicago and the Bears Radio Network.
You were tuned into Bears Weekly with Jeff Joniak on the Bears Radio Network. Is Bears Weekly with a voice of the Bears for twenty three years Jeff on the Radio network.
All right, welcome back to Bears weekly here on ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network. Kind of enough to join us here in Indianapolis is Khalil Herbert, our Bears running back entering his third year from Virginia Tech. I love the way this guy plays the game. He plays the game the right way. He checks boxes as a Chicago Bear. We're talking grit, we're talking physicality, we're talking speed. You got it all, brother, and it's been fun to watch.
You appreciate it.
Now.
It's been fun. You know, these three years flying by. You know, I jok with my girl that you know, it feels like I just started and I'm already in year three. So it's been fun.
So your first thirty NFL games, you're averaging five yards of carry that that number, just like in Neon lights hit you and you've caught eighty two percent of the passes throwing your way. So we're talking about complete by air by ground. But as you continue to grow in this system and this scheme and in your NFL career, aside from the obvious and victories, what matters to Khalil Hibbert when you hear numbers like that, I.
Mean, really all of it just I think the biggest one for me is being a person that can help my team in any way. So it's trying to find a way to help the team where it's on the ground, in the air, whatever it is. I feel like that's that's one thing I always try to do and one thing I strive for.
So you hit the gas on the screen. I believe it's one of the more deadlier plays in football. If you run a screen to perfection, it puts defenses in a whole lot of conflict and bam, we hit them with two screens back to back. Take us through that play, because this has been your m throughout your whole college career. You've always had big gains here with the Bears, You've had big gains. So you do have finishing speed when
you get out there. But just the execution of a screen, a lot of things have to go right.
Yeah, one hundred percent. You know, they ran a blitz the back, so it kind of worked out perfect us. You know, I just had a bluff the blitzer and the second guy was supposed to have be in man, but he got he got kind of tripped up, and then you know, I just I wanted to get out fast.
Because I know they're blitzing, so justin you know, he made he got some extra time, rolled out to the left there and I seen the guys out in front of me before I even caught the ball, so I know, I know there was a lot of room to work with. And then after catching it, just you know, setting up my blocks downfield. We got a bunch of guys blocking downfield, Receivers blocking down field, old line blocking downfield, so it's
pretty easy for me to just maneuver. And then you know, one thing I'm focusing on a lot was finishing my runs in the end zone, you know, not getting caught within the five. You know, we got a big fine for that. So I was trying to find any way to get an end zone, and you know I was able to.
Yeah, So when you talk about bluffing the blitzer, what what's the what's the what's the technique of that?
Really just make it look like you're gonna block him and then last second get out the way. You don't really don't want to want to get any contact with him because it could mess up the time of the screen.
And then with this fun business. So when you're saying, like I practice, you guys finishing the end zone throughout training camp. But you know that hasn't happened to you often? Yeah, they track you down inside the five, has it? I don't recall.
Only one big one I know is Washington last year. Okay, that's the big one.
Was that on a passer or a run?
I was on a run.
Okay?
Other than that, no, But so, and.
What do you do to accentuate or enhance that finishing speed?
You just gotta find a way. You gotta find a way, whether it's you know, pushing extra five yards or running through somebody, you gotta find a way to get in the end zone. And you know, that's kind of one thing we practiced it every day and practice, like you said, and having that mentality of, you know, find a way to finish an end zone regardless of what happens.
Hilbert our guest here on Bears Weekly on ESPN one thousand time. There will be long after this segment to rejoin us and talk Bears football. Here in Indianapolis practicing against the Colts. Let's talk about that, because you just were telling me it's your first time away in one of these dual practices. It looks like it's the wave of the future. So I mean the culture going to take on the Eagles next week. Same thing. You know,
the Tennessee Titans. If you didn't know they were going to Minnesota, they get home day Tuesday, went up to Minnesota. Then after the Minnesota game they're going to New England to do the Patriots too. I don't know how you feel about that. I was talking to Cody White here today about that, and he e likes it is it's a little different. It gives you a little better, better test maybe for what you're going to face in a real game. But how do you feel bout it?
I mean, I love them, you know. I don't know about doing two back to back like some other teams, but having one definitely just to switch up, you know who you're going against every day in practice and getting that competitive attitude and that competitive nature that you only usually get on game day during the week, you know, I feel like you get a practice and see different types of looks, see different types of things that you know you never usually get to go again. So it's fun and I love them.
So yeah, from your experience, then does the game take on a different feel then? Because you're now you're face them for two days. You get to know them a little bit, not just from watching tape. And I don't even know how much tape you guys watch in a preseason. I mean, I'm watching it because I have to, you know, identification purposes.
But yeah, it's definitely different. The game is a lot, you know, especially preseasons, a lot slower. So practices is usually a lot more intense. They're calling their stuff that they would call in the game. You're getting a bunch of different looks, a bunch of different blitzes, and then preseason it's a lot down down.
This is a weird question because every snap is on tape doesn't matter if you're in practice or walk through. So you have to mind your piece and q's and you got it because if it looks bad on tape, you're gonna get you're gonna hear about it. Right, But when you're practicing against somebody on tape, now they're watching you too, and they're taking a look at you in their rooms, does it just ratchet it up a little bit like game day? Yeah? Yeah, it does, right, Yes.
It does, especially you know you're going against somebody else. It kind of reminds me of Little League. You have those like jamborees, okayo, the preseason games that they might not count, but it's still a game. You know, You're still going against a different opponent, opponent, and you still want to put on the show and do what you're supposed to do.
You and I have talked to in other features we've done television or whatever. American Heritage High School here again, I'm preparing. I just finished my board and we got two more on the team over here for the Colts. Isaiah McKenzie over from Buffalo last year. Excellent player. So by Mike count, now there's twelve alumps and eleven are active from American Heritage High School in Fort Lauderdale.
A couple more on the way to.
No kidding, So what's the story there, man? What is going on?
I don't know. I mean, we just you know, especially South Florida, you know, we produced a lot of players, but you know, just American Heritage, the great football school, great academic school, and you know, we just all happened to be there at the same time and kind of started, you know. Sony Michelle is kind of the first one that started the pipeline. To college and the pros, and
you know a lot of us follow suit. But now it's just on and ongoing program producing the conveyor belts and you know, hopefully some more of these guys in college right now.
A pass rusher Carolina, Brian Burns, Patrick Surtan the second and James Houston, who's tearing it up there for Detroit. That's an excellent player. Dangerous, he's dangerous. Uh did you have to chip him or do? Were you were you asking? I know you were an ir last year but for a bit, but I forgotten. Now did you have to face him?
I did?
Yes, He's a mess to deal with.
First play was funny because the play we ran, we scored on, but I had to go cut him. I was like, damn, I hate to do this, Like this is my dog. I gotta do what I gotta do. And you know, we were working out in the off season together, so I heard about it a little bit.
But a couple of nuggets about its coach, David Walker, the Bears running backs coach. Did you know he coached a year in Carol City down in Miami.
Yeah, yeah, we talk about it. We talk about it, especially you know, we got three guys from South Florida in our room right now, So you know that connection and you know, everybody knows everybody and there's ties down there.
So and did you know he also coached here in Carmel, Indiana in between jobs Colts to the Lions. Buddy coached here. Oh is that right?
I believe it was?
Okay, yeah, but he was the offensive coordinator here in Carmel, Indiana. That's what we are. We're in Carmel.
He got a house. I think he was like ten minutes away or something like that.
That so, all right, what about your game? Did you really try to enhance in this offseason? As we want this interview up a couple other more questions.
Ago, definitely, you know, being all around back finishing on my long runs, pass protection, catching out the backfield, just being able to do everything my mobility, you know, just to enhance, enhance my longevity, you know, working on different nicks and injuries that I had to prevent him. So just doing a lot of things, preventative work and uh, you know, all around work to get better.
So do you believe you have good hands to be a good rice?
Yeah?
Yeah, I do.
Do you believe you have the ability.
To pass partes ser definitely do.
I also agree with you. I think you know when the fun I don't want to be labored to this, but so justin completes three passes in a game that people were criticizing just because it was short catching runs, Are you kidding me? I mean, what what you cannot win? You can't win. But you know, out of the you know my favorite of the three. I get that, you guys, but Kyrie blasting game. He got a touch, he got eleven yards. That guy is a dangerous receiver if given the opportunity.
He is, and you know, once he gets a full head of steam, it's good luck trying to tackle him him.
All right, some quick whip rounds, all right? Ready? Pet peeves, pet peeves?
People chewing with their mouth open.
I've heard that more than one. Not about me. You got a favorite vacation spot?
Definitely somewhere in the Caribbean. My family's from the Caribbean, so anytime I could get down there.
Feels that home and we're again in the Caribbean.
My dad's from the British Virgin Islands, Tartola. My mom's from Jamaica.
All Right, your mentor my.
Mentor give me more than one. That's a good question.
I don't really we can revisit, yeah, pregame ritual.
Pregame ritual. I mean I guess the ritual every time I get to the stadium. When I go out to warm up before the game, I run, I take a lap around the full field.
One thing you can't live without.
One thing I can't live without, probably my wife and my dog.
Good answers, good asent. Okay, have a great week of practice, have a great game on Saturday night here against the Cults. And really appreciate you, man, sir, I appreciate you having got little Herbert our guest here on Bears Weekly. When we come back, Tom Payer and I break down the Bears and Cults here on ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network.
You were tuned into Bears Weekly with Jeff Joniak on the Bears Radio Network. This is Bears Weekly with a voice of the Bears for twenty three years, Jeff jon on the Bears Radio Network.
This segment of Bears Weekly is brought to you by Athletical Physical Therapy. Visit Athletico dot com to request it in clinic or virtual appointment.
That's dark.
Feeling the better tomorrow, Jeff Joniak along with Tom Thayer. We've got Bears weekly rolling here. Just heard from Khlil Herbert Love talking to him. He was here with me visiting yesterday, and I like his attitude.
Tom.
I like how he runs the football and admit it, we made a big thing. As you heard in the interview just about and even afterwards, we were discussing about just finishing runs, finishing big runs, finishing any run. Just make sure you finish everything. And that's kind of the theme for this team actually, you know, finish your rep, finish your sack, finish your takeaway, finish your catch, play through the ball, get you know, all these things, and
finish games which they couldn't do a year ago. I think that's a you know, I know, it's just it's normal NFL vernacular. It's cliche. Every coach in the world uses it finished. But to me this year, finish is big.
Well, you know, yesterday standing behind the nine on seven, the run period and some of the team works and I was kind of in my left ear. I was listening to the pre snap comments by Chris Morgan, the offensive line coach, and then I was listening to the comments by the running backs coach, and.
That's what it is about.
It's about the offensive line have a good, powerful get off to make sure they get in control of their blocks, so the offensive running backs can make those types of finishing decisions. They have to see where the holes are going to open up and how they can anticipate the point of attack. So you know, Khalil Herbert, that guy is not afraid of contact at all. But it's got to start with the offensive line that finishes with the
running back at the end of a positive run. So I think it's a team effort and it's interesting to listen to some of the comments made before the play ever gets started.
David Walker is running backs coach. As we talked about in the interview, he coached Carmel High School here offensive coordinator one year. In between job, he's coaching his kids. So he left the Colts and he was going to go to the Lions for a bit before he came to the Bear and he was coaching here at Carmel. Isn't that interesting?
It's awesome, you know, because you know that's one thing about coaches is uniquely enough they care about the players they're coaching, and whether you're coaching on a high.
School level to college to pros.
And it's interesting that a guy is willing to do that with the talent to come up to this level and be an NFL coach.
All right with this is kind of the midpoint of what between the start of camp and when we're going to play the opener against the Green Bay Packers. So I thought we'd take the time, because we do it to preview the season. Let's do it right now, you know, from what we've seen to this point, because the training camp portion is over after this Colts thing and it's going to be more behind the scenes and media won't
have eyes on what's going on. So we used to do these Bears reports all the time, you know, giving your camp balls and everything. So we're going to talk about some of that stuff. So get ready for that big time. But let's do the defense here. Let's start on the defensive line. DeMarcus Walker obviously has been injured, so I don't know when he's coming back, but rashiem Green, Dominique Robinson, Unik, and Goc Way, we know what he is.
He's just getting his ramp up. Trevis Gibson, Terrell Lewis, Jalen Harris, some of the guys on the defensive line. Do you feel better about the defensive end position now with these additions?
Yes, So the first three guys you mentioned, I have high expectations from them. I didn't know what to think about Trevis Gibson. I liked the length in the size of Terrell and Jalen, and those guys have really showed a good practice yesterday. It wasn't an anomaly that they got pressure on the quarterback against Tennessee and that resulted in sacks, that resulted an effort. But how do you carry that over into a practice in how does it filter against talent that haven't seen you yet?
And you haven't seen so.
All those guys, especially Trevis, I would really love to see him have a game as profitable as he did against Tennessee, because now you're talking about what is that seven defensive ends that we've talked about, and then you get a guy like Jervon Dexter. When you look at his size and his structure, he can move out the defensive end easily. So you know they're gonna have a whole slew of guys that are gonna, you know, make cuts difficult this year.
Justin Jones, Andrew Billings, Javon Dexter, Zach Pickens, Travis Bell among the defensive tackles, all of them have flashed something of importance here obviously. So when you talk about what we've discussed at length about making sure the line of scrimmage is short up as best as you can right now, how do you feel about it as a group those defensive ends and defensive tackles. Do you feel the mix and match and a wave of seven to eight guys in a game can put some heat on a quarterback.
Because obviously the Bears were last in the league.
So I was having a conversation about Joe Klecko, who's going into the Hall of Fame. And when you talk about the sack exchange of the New York Jackson, for you, some of the younger kids go look, go YouTube some of his highlights because before they had an identified three technique defensive tackle, those noseguard defensive time and when you talk about the guys on the inside for the Bears, they can be that Joe Cleco style of penetrating noseguard
defensive tackle. And you have to have a wide variety of skills, and so I was just thinking of what he meant to the New York Jets sack exchange in what every one of these guys that you just mentioned. Although Billings isn't a huge guy, Travis Bell is not a huge guy. However, they play very powerful. They got good athleticism, and they bring power against their opponent, especially if they play against the tall offensive lineman that loses leverage immediately.
Billing six to one, three eleven and Travis Bell six feet three ten. They also have braveon Roy they brought in here recently, six one, three thirty. He's a little on the heavier side of four year veteran that's competing to make this roster as well. I got a question though, so explain again for those who are interested in this kind of stuff. The deep xes and o's of which we love. The deep nose tackle over the center Andrew Billings, so he doesn't line up face up most of the time,
he's landing out an angle. Why him? What benefit is that?
George Perliss, a former defensive coach head coach throughout football, college and pro. He used to angle the noseguard because then you had to have two blockers dedicated to him, and sometimes if the play, if he was pointed to the point of attack, you had to try to get movement and that allowed the linebackers to have a little bit more freedom. So when I played against at Notre Dame against Michigan State, when George Perliss was there, they did it. When you come into the NFL, you play
against the Pittsburgh Steelers, they did it. So it's just you know, trying to make more blockers dedicated to an angled position nose tackle instead of just having Okay, the center's going to be able to handle him all by himself and then you can get to that second level. No, if you're an offensive guard and you got a hip in a half of a button your way, now you have to get movement to him in order to get
to that second level. So anytime you look at the positioning of a defensive linemen, it's what offensive linemen are dedicated to those defensive linemen and how does what affect the freedom of the linebackers.
Right, let's lift to the linebackers Edwards Emmons, Sanborn, Noah Sewell, Dylan Cole, who's a little banged up DeMarcus Gates, Michael Baskerville and undrafted rookie Barrington Wade with the interception of the end zone and the game against Tennessee. And a couple of new linebackers added this week. Debian Taylor is one of them and Michael Walker from Atlanta. We don't know much about the latter two. Analyze that position, but
then tie it into the front seven. Can the Bears stop the run which they could not do a year ago.
Well, it's going to be because of the penetration or the ability for the defensive lineman to create stalemates on the line of scrimmage and I to allow these linebackers to run. But look at the size variety of those linebackers. You have the roster right there. You start with Edmunds and work its way down. You're talking about six ' five plus and then you talk about TJ. Edwards six '
to three and then right down the line. So they got line on this team that are two hundred and fifty pounds that can run all the way down to the two twenties that can run. And that's what the linebacker position is about. Predictability where the play is going to open up in how quickly? Can can you get there? And that's one of the main assets of a guy like Jack Sanborn. Hey, here's a free agent. Can he make the NFL? Listen, He's got as good as instincts
as any linebacker in the NFL. And that's what quality linebacker play is about.
Defensive back, let's start at corner. Jalen Johnson, Tyreek Stevenson, Kyler Gordon. Those are the assumed top three. Turoll Smith coming back from injury, competing for the other starting job, Jalen Jones special teams demon could be their best guy on kickoff return, and then there's a whole bunch of other guys. Do you feel good about what's going on at corner? And then we'll get to the safety position after that.
I feel as good about the corner position as I have in quite a while. And you know, having a chance over the last few practices to talk to Charles Tillman and get some of his observations. But then only then watching the effort, watching the willingness of these guys to come up and make a tackle. I love their enthusiasm, but it's all it's more about tackle courage and every
single one of these guys have it. I think a guy like John Hope, the defensive back corners coach, is the type of guy as that is his main requirement. And if you're not willing to do it, the likelihood of you being here, you're not going to be here just because you're a special teamer.
Josh Blackwell is in that category, special teamer, but can play that inside nickel and keep an eye on Greg Stroman. He's made some plays. And there's always somebody that's going to come up in surprise you on the roster all right, Eddie Jackson, Jakwan Brisker at see you backed up right now by Elijah Hickson, AJ Thomas. You got Adrian Colbert and Kendall Williamson.
Brisker and Eddie Jackson. You know they're going to have to have big years. Eddie Jackson may have to have a career year. He made some claims early on social media and now I have high expectations because he put him in my head. But I think the talent group of the safety position is stronger. I think when you talk about the guys that are behind Brisker and Eddie Jackson, they're all very willing hitters. But now It's about making
sure to communicate the right responsibilities. Because if you look at the first game against the Tennessee Titans, there was a little bit of mental There's a couple of mental airs that resulted in big pass plays. If they can continue to develop their community communication, look for those guys to step up to the front.
All right, that wraps up our look at the defense. If you had to give a camp ball, who would you give it to? On defense?
Your guy ty well, you have you brought him up months ago. But however, he's flashed. He's been everything that you said he would be. He's a willing tackler against the run, on the edge. He's got real good coverage skills.
All right, that's Tom's camp ball. Yes, it's Tyreek Stevenson coming on to the defense. We are joined by Jason McKee j mack our sideline reporter on ESPN one thousand. You're listening to Bears Weekly on ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network.
You were listening to Bears Weekly on the Bears Network. This is Bears Weekly with the voice of the Bears for twenty three years, Jeff Jonyak on the Bears Radio Network.
Want VIP access to every Bears home game, exclusive seating, sideline credentials, and more are now available. To get the ultimate VIP fan package of this season by visiting Chicago Bears vip dot com. Jeff Joniac, Tom Behar here on Bears Weekly at ASP in Chicago and the Bears Radio Network, and are brand new, spanking new, got his feet wet, dipped his toe in the pool, sideline reporter for the
Bears and the network. Please welcome to the program for the very first time here on Bears Weekly, the fullback Jmak Jason McKee, you're you know, you're the one thing you're not inexperienced that is playing football and announcing, because you've been doing a lot of stuff, So welcome man. How you feeling. How do you think it went? I think you know your maiden voyage.
Thinking went good. I listened to the re listened to the broadcast on the way here, thinking we're good. I just want to add a little spice to it. And you guys have been doing it for a long time, obviously do a great job, and just trying to bring the fans in and give him a different perspective in terms of sideline reporting.
A full back is nothing but a guard that can catch passes. So to have J McK and I a part of the broadcast because it's not a glory position. You got to be dedicated to be a football player if you want to play full back or offensive guards. So I think it's a great choice and the best is you have to come.
All right, we're gonna break down the offense. We just finished with the defense. We heard Khalil Herbert earlier in the program, so we might as well start at running back and how that breaks down. We'll start with Herbert, Roshawn Johnson, Deontay Foreman, Travis Homer, Trstan Ebner on that list, all of them aren't going to be on the roster, I would assume, But boy, it's a really good competition. What has sparked your intrigue with this group?
It's a solid room. I think you have. Each individual guy has their own skill set. I think obviously Khalil's that home run guy. Deontay Foreman is your hammer. I think Roshan can do a little bit of everything. Travis Core you know, your forfaced special teams guy, but he also does bring some He can make plays on offense and I was really impressed with you know, we talk about Roshan, you know, his performance in preseason Game one. I was really impressed with Travis Homer. I think he
hasn't gotten a lot of credit. I think he had a great game with the limited amount of carriers that he got. He played special team. So I'm excited. You know, it's a great room and that's a good thing. You know, make it hard. You know, the scouties always say make it hard for us, and I think with this group that you have, I think it's going to be some tough decisions that have to be made.
Tom Rochean getting some first team snaps in the last two practices. We'll see what happens tonight. But I you know, we mentioned this on our Bears et cetera podcast yesterday. He really my ears perked up when he says I use my body as a weapon. I mean when I heard that, I was like, WHOA. I like where he's at.
Well, first of all, you got to be convinced that you've done enough to your body in the weight room and in the off season to be able to use it as a weapon, because if you're not if your body's not accustomed to that.
You're only going to be around for a little while.
When I look at Roe Sean, he's the type of guy that has built his body and put it in position to use it as a weapon. And he showed evidence of it as what was the term you used, contact balance? Yeah, contact balance, and he has it. He puts it on display every time that he hits somebody up the middle. But you know j Maack, I like his inside vision, his instincts to hit the interior holes.
Yeah, And it's just surprises me to think that, you know, coming out of high school he was one of the top quarterbacks in the country and then to make that transition when he goes to Texas and say, you know what, now you're going to be a running back, and it just shows that the God's football player. And you can tell he has that hunger to work on his craft because he made that transition from quarterback to being, you know, one of the solid running backs in the country last
year behind Bejhon Robinson. And you know he's got all the tools. You know, I know you've you've been raving about his past protection obvious he could run the ball inside, you get run about out on the perimeter, but he can also be effective in the passing game. And the thing that was really impressed about that really got my juices flowing yesterday, was he called a check down from Justin Fields. He takes a hit from the coast linebacker. I don't remember his name, but he took.
A shot and I was there with you when he jumped up and we.
Talked about it. And the whole coat sideline, the defensive sidelines, they're chirping at Roshan. So he starts chirping back, and a couple of plays later, he rips off a nice run for some chunk yarders and then he gets up and he starts chirping back at the Colt sideline and that really, that really gave me goosebumps, And like, that's the type of guy that you know his he just infects like that energy just permeates the entire team, and
that's what you want. You know, He's a Bears running back for sure.
All right, let's talk quarterback. We're going to Justin Fields, PJ. Walker, Nathan Peterman, and Tyson Bagent. We've seen a lot of these guys. Obviously, it's all about QB one. We feel what progress is being made and it just got to continue to keep being made. I know we use the term incremental. I think sometimes that makes people crazy. They don't want to hear incremental. They want want to hear a huge jump, and we are expecting a huge jump. Where is he at halfway through training camp here?
Yeah, I think he's progressed well. I think you know, the beginning of training camp, you see him getting back in the swing of things, being away from the guys in the offseason. You see him get back and start taking command in the huddle, start taking command of that offense. You know with the day they had a lapse in practice where the defense really you know, shut them down in that training camp practice justin fields brought the offense up and say, you know what, this ain't us. Let's
get it together. And that's the type of leader. Shouldn't command you want, you know, from your franchise quarterback. As he goes, this offense will go, but also as he goes, his team will go. So he's got to be that bona fide leader. He's thrust it in that position, whether he wants that responsibility or not. Because you are the face of the franchise. You have to be the you know, the franchise quarterback. You got to be the guy, and then we.
Go to the trenches because this is where it's at.
You know what.
Just the last thing about the quarterback position, it's almost like Luke Gatsi has two pair. It's like a poker hand because he's got uh, you know, Justin and PJ. Walker that they have a simpler, templess, similar style of place, similar athleticism, and then they got Peterson Badget they have similar styles that look at the same you know, So you kind of run the offense in a different type of tempo with the four different quarterbacks, but they're all
progressing equally as well. It's going to be an interesting decision at the end. But like you said, you want to make those decisions difficult.
To the trench as we go. Yes, just instead of going piece by piece here, what do we got? What are we looking at?
Super super excited about Cody. Obviously he's a true leader of this football team. He's got that veteran type of quiet leadership that every offensive line needs. But then they got two bookend offensive tackles. Hopefully that we're all sitting in a different hotel room at a different joint practice in ten years, and we're talking about the development of
Darnell Wright in Braxton Jones. But I still think because Nate Davis has just come back on the scene and Tevin Jenkins is at the left guard position, they still are going through the evaluation process. But Chris Morgan offensive line coach, and maybe some of the most difficult decision is who is going to be that sixth, seventh and eighth man, And I think the competition is still wide open.
There's nobody out there that's head and shoulders above everybody, so that could probably be one of the most difficult decisions left to be made on this team.
And we just signed the Logan Stenberg, so we haven't seen much of him yet too bring to the mix. Unless you got a thought about the O line, I'd like to go on to wide receiver where Dj Moore and Darnell Mooney, Moore and Money are one to two, Chase Claypool working his way back. You got Tyler Scott, the rookie has been impressive, battles with guys like Doris Fountain, Symba Webster and of course Veaalis Jones junior. That's just a handful of the receivers. Dante Pettis working his way back,
Isaiah Ford is to the time. I like this player. There's something, there's some juice to this player. I like the way he plays the game. You got Echlamenia, Saint Brown, a lot of receivers to choose from his that position group, as advertised, better than it was a year ago.
Definitely. I mean there's a lot of guys making plays and out of evidence. Yesterday in the one on ones, I mean there was all kind of guys making plays. Isaiah Ford you mentioned as symbol. Webster did really well. It was good to see Vayala's rebound after what he did in preseason with that muff punt. We all know what happened there, but to have the mindset to say, you know what, I have to respond. I've got to make plays in the passing game. And he made two
huge casses yesterday in the joint practice. So I was encouraged to see that. I want to see more of Tyler Scott, you know, I think Dante Pettis is good to see him out there, you know, working his way back in getting ramped back up in practice. But you know, we're light years ahead. Of where we were last year in terms of this wide receiver room.
Who of the wide receiver group is not going to play special teams? So that's dj In, probably Darnell. Every other one of those guys, including Chase e Q Saint Brown, they may have to be contributors to the special teams. And again when you talk about the difficulty of decision for coach High Tower, the special teams coach, the wide receivers coach, and the head coach, you gotta figure which one of those guys can contribute.
Take tight end Buddy cole Comet, Robert Tunyan, Marcedes Lewis, and then a choice between guys like Jared Pinkney, Stephen Carlson, Lackland Pitts, who's new to the mix for the Bears at tight end? Well, all right?
Can I group carry blasting game in with this group? And the only reasons making a team, the only reason I am is because when you talk about every one of those tight end candidates, Jay Mack and Jeff you know that these guys play h back, backside tight end, they can play full back, they can be in the short yardage goal line, multiple tight end sets.
You're not going to teach Mercedes.
Lewis a lot about with football. He's going to teach all of us a lot what he's already learned.
Hey, we got to go here in thirty seconds. But you and I coming back from breakfast this morning, walking down the hall and Marcedes Lewis walks by and he grabs your attention.
He's huge, He's huge in it. Just one of his secrets, like what did you do to stand in the league? As long he's a guy.
This segment of Bears Weekly brought to you by CDW. People to get it. One more segment to go have some fun. Segment five with two Super bowlers, one who happen to win one the other one probably thinks about it to this minute about that loss here in Indianapolis. I know he doesn't really like the Colts. That's j Mack and Tom There. I'm Jeff Joniak ESPN one thousand of the Bears Radio Network.
You were listening to Bears Weekly on the Bears Radio Network. Is Bears Weekly with a voice of the Bears for twenty three years Jeff Jack on the Bears Radio Network.
Welcome back to Bears Weekly, and this segment is brought to you by Athletical Physical Therapy. Visit Athletico dot com to requested in clinic or virtual appointment and start feeling better Tomorrow with Tom and ies Jason McKee, our new sideline reporter, getting you set for the start of the regular season. Breaking down the camp, Tom shows Tyreek Stevenson as the defensive camp player of twenty twenty three. We're
gonna put Jason on the spot as well. But Tom, what about offense and special teams?
I'm gonna go special teams first because when you look at the effort by Jalen Jones in the preseason game and he made three tax on kickoff coverage, you don't have a chance to work that full speed when you're in camp, So you really don't know how a player is going to react to his opportunity until you get to see him in a preseason game. In that, I don't think it's any secret who I'm going with in the offense because he means so much to the benefit
and the building block of this football team. And it's Darnell right because he can make an entire position which concludes five guys better, he can make the tight end better, and he can make the offense better. So I know that you guys may see the field differently, but for some reason, my eyes gravitate from offensive line backwards.
All right before I did Jason Stotts to give him a little more time to think, I'll give you My offense had to be Dj Moore just a tremendous impact right out of the gate. It's a field stretcher, it's a tackle breaker, it's a speed machine. He gives justin somebody can really rely on on the defensive side of the ball. I'm gonna have to go. I can't. I can't do the same as you. But I'm gonna give it to Kyler Gordon because he came back ready to go,
and that secondary has really got my attention. If Tremaine Edmonds would have been stayed healthy, I would have probably gone in that direction because he means so much of the defense. He become a leader there talking defense with everybody on that roster and uh special teams. Because I'm going with Patrick Scales because he just keeps coming back. Tom He's mister reliable back there at training camp. He probably is the guy who.
Signing bonus every contract.
Yes, yeah, come on, I'm going Patrick Scales. How about you what he got Jason.
Thinking about that pick? No disrespect? I think no disrespect, all right, So I'm gonna go offense and and and my pick was DJ Moore. You took it away from it, and I gotta go to DJ. I think he's been he's been better than advertising. A lot of pressure with him coming here. You know, you're the bona Fie number one, but he's made plays every single day at camp. In his first touch as a Bear, we saw what he did. He took it to the house. I mean, that's unbelievable.
I think he's he's going to elevate the play of all the receivers in that room. And I'm just excited that he's here. Special teams wise, I've got to with you know, Jalen Jones, it's it's the first three tackles on kickoff in preseason game one. He's a guy who you know, we overheard coach Hye Tyler Raven about his playmaking ability on special teams yesterday during that joint practice. So I'm excited for him, excited to see what he's
going to continue to do here in camp. And defensively, it's tough, you know, I think I'm gonna go with Trevis Gibson. Now here's a guy who there. I don't think they were happy with the production last year. Comes out, you know, that depth chart thing comes out, he says, Hey, I don't have social media. I'm not looking at this. I'm just gonna play ball, and what are you do? In preseason game one, he was a wrecking ball. He
was in that Titans backfield each and every place. So I'm excited about him because I gotta go with the underdogs myself. I was an underdog and he's and he's he's in an underdog roy now right now, but he's making the most of it. I'm excited about, you know, seeing what he does here in preseason game number two.
All right, So we've had the occasion to have shared a breaking bread here a few days, and the stories are endless, and one of the ones that caught my attention time that we got to dig a little bit deeper into just the routine of what players did. And you told me some funny stories over the course of your career, and it spanned many many years. You didn't really have many. You just wouldn't let anybody mess with your business.
I never took a team bus to an awake again, That's what it was. I took a cab every single game up until my last game with the Miami Dolphins. I like getting to the stadium just abusively early, like I still do. I wanted to take my time. You know, we didn't have offered massages when I was with the Bears. We didn't have the luxuries that they have these days. And hey, I'm glad that they have them, but I never have been in a hot tub. I never said,
oh my god, my body feels so bad. I got to sit in the hot tub for a while, because it just I like, if my body's in a working condition, then leave me alone, give me the weight room, give me the practice field, and just you know, leave me alone. So yeah, it was I superstitious, no, but you know, I just had a routine. I mean, man, there's plenty of guys that were crazy, and they're Cavin Butler, ar Kicker, Steve McMichael stretching every sock out. Just some of the
routines that these guys had. And listen, every guy is an individual on game day, get out of their way, leave them alone, let them do what they want to do.
And get ready, however you get ready.
My deal was I had to listen to James Brown The Big Payback before. No kidding James Brown. For some reason, I just I've always been to James Brown fan. I've always listened to his music before, you know, high school games, college games, and brought there here with.
Me to can you give us a little James Brown? Can you give me a little get down?
I'm my girlfriend. That ain't right, but that was That's my guy, and and you know it's it's a lot guys do a lot of different things. So my locker was next to Adrian Peterson. And Adrian Peterson, you know, you're in the locker room, so you got your headphones on. So Adrian would he'd be, he'd be, you know, he'd be listening to music and then he would start rapping it out allowed him like what is he listening to? Like ap, what are you doing? But it was just
fun to see all the guys different pregame rituals. You know, I can recall Rubyen Brown in the locker room. He had his war chant. He's beating his chest and you knew when Ruby Brown walked across your locker and he starts beating his chest and he would yell out this little like this barbaric roar.
You knew it was time.
You know what we're calling. We talked about it. You know what plays we were calling?
A gunli He took two showers before every game, get out he working, Yeah, two showers, had to have the two otherwise he just wasn't going to be right. I mean that's kind of interesting.
Yeah.
You know Michael Jordan's think I did. I did a feature on this long time ago, his Anita Baker. He hit a big Anita Baker song for him was I think given you the best that I've got. Was his pregame.
When I first got in the locker room, the first thing I would do is I wanted to put my game pants on, because you know, our pants back then were real tight. Had to stretch him out and had to get you know, get used to it. So the first thing I would do is put on my pants. And everybody looking at me like you're going out right now? What? No, I just's my thing, James Brown, my game pas, Yeah, getting my mind right.
You know all right, I'm going to divulge a little secret here. So I I like so dramatic. I like my uniform super tight because I was a sweater and the more I sweat, the looser.
God.
But back in the day, back in the eighties, our jerseys went all the way in between our legs and we had five buttons underneath that we would button them.
It would be like a big onesie.
And so because now in a defensive lineman tried to grab and tuggy you to use a move, your jersey wouldn't move and most of the time they slipped off. So as you look at those pictures of the back in the eighties, just know that underneath our our body area, we had five buttons that were holding our jerseys tucked dead.
I mean, the things you learn. All Right, we're out of time, but thank you so much, fellas a good time had by aud Jason. Hope to have you back again. We'll see you on Saturday. Don't be late, yes, sir, I'll be The Bears and Colts kick off at six o'clock, seven o'clock Eastern time. Justin Pottinger in the ESPN studios helping us out, Dan Brillly, Jordan tread Up and thanks to Khalil Herbert as well as our guest coming up next, Tyler Acki and Jeff Miller take you the rest of
the way tonight. This has been Bears Weekly on ESPN Chicago and The Bears Radio Network.
Good night, everybody, Thank you for listening to the Chicago Bears Network presentation The Bears Weekly, hosted by the Mara, Bearsville, Jeff Juniac and Surfmaster Tom Thayer. Podcasts are available on the Chicago Bears Official lineup. Brought to you by Verizon and Apple Podcasts. Bears Weekly has been brought to you by Ben Rivers and Miller Life