Offensive line, cornerback breakdowns | All Access

So a lot of big names down there from guys that have played the game and then have become NFL stars in many cases, that's a great place to be. I heard, no, I heard, And how you doing, by

the way, I'm doing good. I'm doing good. Just you know, I listened to some of that show, listen to the introduction of some of the stars that were able to come up on stage with Jim and Pat, and you know, with Jim being an alumni of that game and sell, it's got to be a big thrill to be able to make one contact with a lot of those guys now as they scout. I always wondered this as well, because you know, the scouting combine is such a big

interview process. But I heard former Bears quarterback Jason Campbell, and I also heard Fred Taylor say, you know, the Senior Bowl was so much more important because you actually got to play football. You have to actually, you know, put on the pads. And I know that that doesn't happen at the scouting Combine in terms of actual contact in a game, but boy, that would make the evaluation process a little more intriguing. Well, you know, all right,

we had two subjects here. We got to talk about the scouting Combine because it's going to be able to move around the landscape of the NFL. Notice, however, you know when I came out of college, Jeff, you had the Hula Bowl, you had the East West Shrine Game, you had the Japan Bowl, and then that's when they introduced you to the Senior Bowl, where they were paying future NFL players to come and participate in that game.

But it was a much more serious of an atmosphere than those other All Star games that I talked about. I had a huge thrill of playing with Dan Marino and Jimbo Covert and some of the stars from the from the West side of the country. So you know, you kind of picked and choose where you wanted to go to and I wanted to go to the Hula ball. It was always a dream of mine. I was glad I went to that one. Well it's now why you

I go to Maria here? Yeah? True, true, But you know that was always the you know, the fantasy location. You know, my brother in law, John Scully played eleven years in the NFL. He went to the East West Shrine game. So it's different, and you're scouted differently, and the approach to the practices and stuff are are a little bit different to each of the games. Special thanks to our producers Jordan trut Up and Damn really for helping us out as always into the folks at the score.

We got to talk about that scouting combine because I'm a big fan of its staying in Indianapolis because it's such a convenient process. It's like a conveyored belt. They just go about their process, all the medical everything in one place, one stop shop, and it's just you know me, I'm a traditionalist. It's been there since nineteen seventy eight.

I've been to like twenty eight of them, and I will won't like the idea that it's going to now become something that is moving all over the country and it will be something to bid starting in the twenty twenty three off season. So that'll be great for fans that can't make it to Indianapolis, and I'll move it around similar to the NFL Draft and whatnot. But how do you feel about it? Well, you know, I'm forth staying in Indianapolis. I thought they did a nice job.

All the pieces were in place. They knew the hotel, they knew the routine of getting to and from camp, and that was the one thing that you got to put these players at ease, in a comfortable position as much as you can. When I came out of college, we had to go to one in Tampa, one in Detroit, in one in Seattle, and the one in Seattle seemed so far away. It changed the whole complexion of the

competitiveness of the combine. So I like the one camp centrally located, easy for everybody to get to, and they had a great facility to get everything done. And as we approach to start a training camp on July twenty seventh, earlier than that for rookies and quarterbacks up at Hoti saw for the first time, by the way training camp at Hatis Hall that that is going to be interesting. A limited number of fans will have an opportunity to attend. Don't know the total yet, but it'll be a great

experience for everybody who goes there. But with that, some of the new regulations and protocols are starting to trickle out. So we learned that players have until July second to opt out for the season. The higher risk players, they're entitled to a three hundred and fifty thousand out of stipend. Voluntary opt outs getting no pay this year. There were sixty seven opt outs a year ago. One of them included Eddie Goldman and there were some others including Marquis Goodwin,

who's who is now on the Bears. How do you feel about that second goal round because obviously the pandemic a quieting down, but not going to go away. You know what happens if you want to opt out, you really don't have a reason, but you language some type of reason that they have to trust that you're telling

the truth. I don't like it. I think it creates a really uncomfortable dividing line between a guy that maybe in the last year of his contract or a guy that's on the fringe of getting cut and maybe not even making the team. Going, Hey, I can opt out, and I can say it's a medical reason why I'm opting out and still get three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. That's more salary money than I made in any one year.

So again, I don't like it. I wish that they would get back to normalcy as much as you possibly can, and you know, and get everybody that's under contract into camp. All right. So the Bears ninety man roster included three veteran additions tom after they veteran mini camp. So one

of them a tight end Jake Butt. Now, Jake Butt was at Michigan, very celebrated player, but towards Aco dropped to a fifth round pick, has had nothing but injuries, and they obviously did enough to become an intriguing possibility for the Bears because the tight end position with Jimmy Graham and Cole Commet and JP Holtz and Jesper horsted's

been here since twenty nineteen. They have an undrafted in Scooter Harrington and another undrafted rookie free agent and Tyrone Wheatley Junior, a former running back son, How do you feeld about it? I think it's a nice move. You know, anybody that follows football and as a fan of the college game in the pro game. When Jake Butt was going through his years at Michigan, he was a really good football player and it was kind of a really unfortunate, ugly incident that he got hurt so close to what

was going to be his rookie year. But now it's a matter of you know, you've had guys that have struggled to stay healthy throughout their NFL career. But if he can put together a couple of seasons where he has the ability to stay healthy, he can be an asset to anybody's program. He's the type of guy I'm really pulling for because that's the determination you like to see in some of these guys that haven't had the easiest road to the NFL. Another one, because it is

hard to find defensive lineman. Everybody wants them, They want those rotation pieces. And you know, we expect Eddie Goldman to be there at training camp, but the veteran Mike Pennell, Colorado State Pueblo undrafted rookie back in twenty fourteen played with Kansas City, the Packers, the Jets, the Patriots, back with Kansas City and now with the Bears. A big guy at six four plus three thirty two. That's a nice addition at this point in the offseason. Yeah, yes,

you know. I mean, he's got versatility, he's got strength in the middle of the defense because of the uncertainty of Eddie Goldman. When you look at having the rookie that they drafted Tonga from BYU and now you have another big body guy that can come in and compete along with the rest of those guys. So he has experience, he knows how to play the NFL game, and he's a guy that could be a contributor in the depth of that position where sometimes you need it the most.

All Right, this is in the intriguing Okay, NFL comes up with ideas because of the alternative uniforms. Now they are coming out with a new policy allowing teams to use two different helmets during that during the twenty two season though twenty two seasons, so teams compare a second helmet with the alternate So we're talking throwback of those color Rush uniforms. As long as it all follows the league policy. So the Bears did have a different logo,

the white sea with the helmet, the blue helmet. Would you like to see that come back? You know, Um, a helmet is so personal because you you break in a helmet, you have it form fitted around your head and it you know, it kind of it goes on like a glove. You know. Now you've got to start incorporating. Okay, we're gonna use this helmet for these practices. Now we want to use these helmets for these practices. It's just

not interchangeable like shoes or gloves. It's something about never considered that it's something that you need to break in and you know, and it is. Man, it's something that takes a while. You know. One thing we talk about, oh the you know, the third day of training camp is when you're gonna be your sorest. But the way that your helmet fits around your head and stuff, it also takes a while for your to become comfortable inside

that helmet. So again, I know it's a marketing tool, but I but I'm you know, really personable personal about my helmet. All right, So as we get closer to training camp, the questions are not stopping about Justin fields the regal quarterback from the House state. It is a constant question he's being ranked among the division quarterbacks, you know, and that's you know, there's time right now to do these types of things and to talk about these things.

But I know I asked you about this earlier this week. You know you are you still as you look at it, he's still comfortable with the plan that is in place with Matt Neeggie. Yeah, just like what you know what rookie is elevated to the immediate starting role, and across the board in every single team, there's always a pecking order that you have to work your way up, unless you're an emergency situation like the Cincinnati Bengals last year with Joe Burrow and then you see what happened really

in the long one. So I think Andy Dalton is a profess I really was excited to hear about the way that he has taken Justin under his wings and brought him into that group and it has helped him develop and be the quarterback ultimately he's going to be. But I also like every competition at every single position as high profile as the quarterback position or any offensive defensive lineman I like to see the competitiveness out there and you earning your opportunity. First segment in the books.

Here on Bears All Access, this week's version brought to you by IGS Energy. When the broadcast partner top there, I'm Jeff joni Ac. Thanks for sitting by and watching the things we talk about leading up to training camp. It should be an exciting time to be a Bears fan here in twenty twenty one. Back after this on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score, Welcome back to Bears All Access, brought to you by IGS Energy. Choose clean energy for your home at igs dot com because

every good choice adds up to a better world. And broadcast partner top there. Jeff Joniac here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. I hope everybody had a great week. What a great telethon on the Score this week, Danny Parkins at Sam Acho and the entire Score broadcast crew raised what will be upwards of six hundred and sixty seven thousand, or six hundred seventy thousand dollars for

the Austin neighborhood and that grocery store. I mean, unbelievable commitment from better than four thousand listeners at the Score. I know Bears chairman George McCaskey was on the show. The commissioner was also on the show for the NFL, mister Roger Goodell. So a lot of great stuff, a lot of great conversation, a lot of great things happened. So hats off to Danny Parkins, Sam Matcho on the

higher fan base that participated in that big time. Yeah, you know, to the adults who took part in organizing this thing, and once they had the dream and the idea of getting it done, they stayed whip it until

the completion of the Valda Radio on. But some of the young people that Danny Parkins and all the cast and crew of The Score interviewed in their contribution to the Austin District and this store in what the future is I'm telling you, man, I was as inspired by the kids, the young people I don't want to call them kids, as the young people that are participating in this opportunity as I was all the other big names

that you just mentioned. Because these young people are level headed, energetic, they're learning so many different trades and traits of business. What it can do for their neighborhood. Man, I'm telling you I was, and and I listened to it. I drove home from Sheboygan this morning, got in my car at five o'clock this morning, and I listened to it for a few hours, and I was inspired. Yes, certainly the case in the Austin harvests food martin the Austin

neighborho the benefit and the residence around there. So again, congratulations on that. All right, we turn our attention to the Bears. At this point in the offseason, we start to do previews. We do position previews. We'll start talking to some of the our cohorts in the NFC Central time to break down the division, which should be up until this moment, a wild ride with or without Aaron Rodgers up in Green Bay. But then also previews some of the matchups early in the season that the Bears

will have. But I'd like to start in your specialty, the offensive line, because as much of the conversation as they're going to be about quarterback, the defense will turn back into that takeaway, devastating unit that we saw in twenty eighteen. Honestly, what matters most is to me is that offensive line. How that offensive line is going to be put together, how they're going to perform, will it stay healthy, and who will emerge in various roles on

that offensive line. And I think we're both very excited about the interior three. We're going to talk about those guys right out of the gate because Sam Mustaffer has added a significant amount of strength and size. Confidence has always been there. He is a leader in that locker room, a leader on that offensive line, and flanked by Cody white Hair on the left and James Daniels on the right. You know, but the key element here is the coach

is familiar with the talent. You know, when you bring in a new offensive line coach, it's it's almost like a pitching coach where he has to observe every single one of these pitchers and see how they fit in the staff. And that's similar to an offensive line because there aren't a lot of similarities between the build, the stance, the balance, the structure, the strength and the weaknesses of five different individuals on the offensive line, and then you

add another five with all the backups. So I think it's important that the coach is familiar with the talent. And now when you talk about Sam muster for Cody white Hair, James Daniels inside. That's a very strong, intelligent group. These guys are good athletes. They bring a lot of strength to the table. And when you look at Jermain Effetti what he's been able to turn into, what he's been able to morph into at that right tackle position. He brings a big body, he's a good athlete. He'll

work well with James Daniels over there. And then hey, we're gonna have to probably give your reports almost daily from training camp about the development of the left tackle position, one of the most difficult positions in all of football to play. It's a whole different balance than any right handed guy that you put on the right side of

the offensive line because everything is natural to him. When you talk about the balance on the left hand side of it, especially out of the tackle position, you're talking about a whole different balance that you have to perfect because it doesn't come naturally. And when you look at the group over there that's going to compete for that left tackle position, it's gonna take us, jeff every single day at training camp to sit there and pay specific

attention to that position. I know, really that doesn't is not where your eyes wander to me? It does nine on seven, one on ones. I'm gonna live at that position. How often do I stand shoulder to shoulder with you? Not quite because I'm a short guy. How I'm there

for the one on ones. That's what we may be going shoulder to shoulder, but you're facing one on ones and seven on seven and how faceing the offensive lineman defensive lineman one ers But no to get back to that position, you know, one Castillo has been getting his message across since he's had a hands on approach with some of these young guys. He see their their traits and their talents right now, and he understands the veterans because he's been around him for so much time now.

So UM, it's gonna be a fun battle to pay attention to. UM. I love the fact that there's depth when you got guys like Larry Borham that you were introduced to in the fifth round, who when you look at him, he has all the qualifications when you look at an offensive lineman that should be able to come and have a superpetitive competitive career. And it's gonna be fun to watch the development. I really think that the battles even for the swing positions, and the depth on

that will be very, very heated. It's it's going to be a very interest because guys had a taste of starting like Alex Bars. You know, once you get a taste, you know you're gonna fight right. You're gonna fight for that because you know you can do it. And Alex Bars did a nice job last year at Garret. You know one thing about Alex Spars, Jeff I'm almost gonna change him daily at what position he's going to practice at.

I'm gonna give him snaps at left tackle. I'm gonna give him snaps at left guard, at center, at right guard. You know. The only one I wouldn't probably is right tackle because there's a nice depth line behind Jermaine Effetti. But Alex Bars and I'm glad you brought that up because it's really an important role in the success of a game day roster when you have that swing position. Man, if you have a guy that can play every one of them, you know that's a role at Alex Barr

can take on. He's a super intelligent guy and he knows the assignments at every single position. And I really believe he can play him. His rookie year, he was playing competitively at the left tackle position in training camp. We saw what he did at center last year with a moment's notice, and you know he was doing the same at OTAs and the mini camp as a couple of weeks ago. Tremendous value and a guy like that as versatile as he can be and as talented as

he can be. Right there, I bring back you know what you said about familiarity. So from an organizational standpoint, aside from one castio, they have a fourteen offensive lineman. Eleven of them are homegrown, meaning they were brought in this is their first place, this has been their stop. They were either drafted or undrafted free agents. Do you see any significance in that, Oh, of course, you know these guys that have been scouted for months by multiple

viewing eyes before they ever got here. If you're home grown, you're homegrown because of they identified you throughout your college career, back to your high school background, and to have the talents and the traits to come in here and create

competitiveness on the offensive line. I'm not dismissing the guys that aren't home growing, but there's a lot more eyes on scouting approach to this whole group of the homegrown guys that the Bears are brought in than of Wilkinson, who I like what I saw out of him throughout OTAs in the mini camp. He's a good athlete over there competing at the left tackle position. That's time there. I'm Jeff Joniac and this is Bears All Access time for a break. We're brought to you by IGS Energy

here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy. The score be back in a few Welcome back to Bears All Access. The Chicago Bears Network presents Inside the Bears, brought to you by Verizon. Anthony Adams and Lauren Screeden cover the world of Bears football on and off the field every Sunday night at ten thirty five pm on Fox thirty two Chicago, or watch anytime at Chicago Bears dot Com around the Bears official app. With Tom There, I'm Jeff Joniac.

Thanks for being with us, everybody. Hope your week went well. Uh. Speaking of Anthony Adams, you know, you never know what you're gonna find. He's been kind of quiet on his own Twitter handle, Tom, since you don't have one, you wouldn't know. But I saw him doing a promo with Laurence Greeden and promoting Inside the Bears. And here he's singing. Now, he's doing a lot of singing, serenade the audience to

turn him on. You know, I was up and, like I said, in Wisconsin, and I thought I saw a commercial with him sat introducing some type of interview with an athlete from a different sport. And because I asked the people I was sitting with, do you know who that guy is? You know, that's Anthony Anthony Adams. He's a hell of a football player. But now, by the way it was shot, yeah, yeah, there you go, there you go. I bet you the two of them could have a good time up about NBA basketball and whatnot.

I mean, that's the beauty of double A. He can he can relate to just about anybody super still nobody. There's a lot of personalities in NFL locker rooms like Anthony Adams. Uh you know he's but he's brought it to a whole different level from any time I ever get a chance to see him. His humor is second the nonymy. He was a great football player as well. Tune in inside the Bears. Can you imagine today's world

of opportunity and all these social platforms? What your bunch, the eighty five world champion Bears, who would have been having national TV shows and whatnot if there was a different time and place. Honestly, it would be the cupboard wouldn't be bear. There was a lot of talented individuals who can open their mouth and make something funny happen, for sure. You know, you see guys like Dan Hampton, how talented he is. You know he has a band that played at an event the other day a couple

of weeks ago. For Steve McMichael, a guy like Steve McMichael, his personality, he was second to none. If you gave him a platform that allowed him to use his colorful language, Oh yikes for you know, and and hey, when you when you put guys you know, like you know McMahon on you know, all the nighttime late night television shows, along with Mike Dick, along with William Perry, all right, there are so many personalities in that room that they

could they could have filled a week of TV. Well before we went to the break, we're diving into the offensive line. I was focused on the interior, but you know, we touched down the tackles as well. And I'm bringing this up because earlier this week news of David DeCastro getting let go by the Steelers looks like he's got

an ankle problem that may force him to retire. It's a six time Pro Bowl or two time All Pro and so you look at that because the Bears are playing the Steelers, you know, in mid season in Pittsburgh on a Monday night, and you talk about a Super Bowl contender. That division has several teams, including the Ravens and Browns that you can always put in that categor glory because of the quarterbacks they have right now and

the defenses they play with. But again, the offensive line they got, Marquise Pouncey retired, David DeCastro cut, Alejandro Vienneueva left in free agency, I believe for the Ravens, Matt Feiler left in free agency. So that's a total remake there.

Do you feel more comfortable with a team like the Bears bringing everybody back with the addition of Tevin Jenkins and Larry Borham through the draft to develop and make an immediate impact somehow, some way, or a situation like that, where you're starting, you know, a bunch of new guys on an offensive line with an aging quarterback. I'm not going to say he's it's past him, but you know, Ben Roethlisberger coming back for another season with a brand

new offensive line. You know, before they got rid of DeCastro, I was looking at an evaluation of that division and they had Pittsburgh last in the division already before the season never start. So I think there's a little suspicion about Ben Roethlisberger. How mobile is he because he's gonna have to be more mobile this year with a developing offensive line then in a lot and that he has

been for years. I know they brought new running backs on board, so they're going to have to be able to run the ball effectively in order to either have a really good play action pass to protect Ben Roethlisberger a little bit. But yeah, I it's a scary division to be playing in when you're trying to put together

five guys. To me, I feel more confidence in what the Bears that were able to accomplish last year, kind of the positive note that they finished the season on and now with one Castillo having a better understanding of his talent group and how everything's you know, when you're talking about the offensive line, you can never talk about the offensive line and only talk about the interior three.

You got to talk about him as a group. So I'm talking about the tackles here though, too, because you know what happens with training camp, whether the fans or if it doesn't go well, out of the game for somebody. Okay, there's on a red flags pop up a training camp. And when you got two rookies like this, Tevan and Larry and they're gonna go do their one on ones and they're facing you know, Khalil Mack and accomplished past Rusher and Robert Quinn and you know, you've got Eddie Boldman,

you got a Keem Hicks inside. They're gonna be stunting. There's gonna be a whole lot of competitive If a guy gets beat, it's not the end of the world. You know, you're you're working your craft, you're working your technique to get better. So what advice would you give both for him and Jenkins. They go to work for their first NFL training camp and Jenkins making a position change over to left tackle from his college days at right,

you know you have. First of all, when you talk about eleven on eleven football, you've got to know your assignments. That's non negotiable, Jeff, because if you don't know your assignments, you're gonna put the other ten guys in jeopardy. You're gonna kill that play. But when you talk about a drill like one on ones, you go to the line of scrimmage and you have such a great understanding the rhythm of that snap count that you're moving before that

defensive lineman. If you're late and you're thinking up there and you're getting off the ball slowly, the defensive players already going to be in a winning position, whether you're talking all the talented guys that they have coming off the edge. So number one, it's going to make sure that you invest a lot of time in your tablet during this downtime to understand the assignments of the offense.

But when you go to those individual drills, you go there confidently to the offensive line, get in your stance, become balanced, and know how to react to that snap count, because that's the way that you're going to put yourself in a winning position. And then the coaching starts when Wan's going to observe you in real time and he's not going to be able to go in depth to

coach you at that moment. The coaching is going to come when you get into the meeting room where you're coaching yourself and you're also being coached by veterans and the offensive line coach. Talk to me about Jamaina Fetti, what you thought of his performance last season? Now going back to right tackle. You know, I like the size that he brings to the offensive line. He's got a

good power base. He works well with his interior offensive lineman and has a good understanding of his role in working with a tight end and h back or a running back in a blocking position. He didn't make menelaires. I think at the longer he played at right tackle, the more of a comfortable position he got in. He was durable. He was there every day in practice, and I think when he gets an opportunity to work alongside

James Daniels, he's going to understand his traits better. And so you've got a big you know, you're talking about a three hundred and twenty five, you know, two three hundred and thirty pounders on the right side. That is a big offensive line. And now as long as you talk about the development of this offensive line, you're also going to have to under Matt Maggie's going to have to understand what is the strength of the offensive line.

Where are the we the most competitive for a bread and butter play that whether it's third and one, third and two, they know we have to run it, where do you want to run behind? And what type of power is on display? That's Tim there, I'm Jeff Joni Yak.

Time to step away once again. Our third segment coming up, we'll take a look at some of the defensive battles at the cornerback position and that is a big one as well because two spots are open, including the nickel spot, and we'll look bet and break that down as well. As the Bears gear up for training camp starting on July twenty seventh up at Halisau, but the very first time after not having a training camp a season ago.

This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you by Athletical Physical Therapy. Visit Athletico dot com to request an appointment in clinic or virtually and start feeling better tomorrow with Tom There Jeff Joniyak in this week's edition of Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. Thanks to our producers Jordan Trutup, Dan Bally, and the folks at the Score. I alluded to it coming out

of the last break. I want to talk about the cornerback position because it is one of the three spots that I'm looking at position wise of significance. There's a special team component to this because those guys are also very significant on a special team side of things. We know we got Jalen Johnson coming back, feels he's healthy from his shoulder injury he's had several Is there anything

let's start with him. Is there anything that he needs to do physically to kind of ease that concern about shoulder injuries and all, because you know, he didn't show any events of it last year, from the beginning of the season against Detroit all the way to the end when he did have a little bit of a hiccup.

I think Jayleen Johnson is a good place. I think he provided probably a little bit more than what was expected of him out of Bears fans because you don't know a lot about him, considering where he played his college career. Then all of a sudden, he's thrust into a starting role Week one of the NFL, and he's able to put up against every single challenge at his face.

I think he is a good, courageous tackler. I don't think, even when we are listening to him on his final Zoom interview, that he has any concerns about his shoulder. And that's the key ingredient is is you can't go and play football and have a lingering thought always in the back of your mind about some injury that you've already suffered. If he's not thinking about it, nor should we.

I think Jalen Johnson has a super bright future ahead of him, and I think defensive coordinator Shawn Decide is really fortunate to have a young guy in the early development stages of ultimately what he's gonna be. But he's already taken on a roll of a veteran in the early stages, right. I think being around Kyle Fuller, watching him being in his tablet every day every day, I mean every day, also helps. He admitted that, and I do think he's a mentally tough guy. He's not going

to put that injury concern in his head. I think his next step is obviously he made plays on the ball. Now the next step is to take those balls away. Yeah, you know. And he's fortunate to have a defensive back coach that has experienced in the NFL that can give him some predetermined thinking processes about how to play different quarterbacks, different systems, and different receivers. And he's the first guy to tell you that every defensive back thrives on interceptions.

And I think if you can get the front to match the cornerbacks, you will provide more opportunities for all the defensive backs to get them to create those turnovers. And I think when you talk about, you know, the influence of Vic Fangio on Sean to say and what the defensive was capable of a couple of years ago. Hey, if Eddie Jackson is the one that's getting the interceptions because Jalen Johnson is doing a good job and his outside coverage, I'm okay with that too. I want everybody

to get their hand in it. But you know, when you look at the good fortunes that Jalen Johnson had throughout his rookie season. I think getting the judgment is when you take that next step, it's going to be about grabbing some turnovers. Bears have eighteen defensive backs on the roster right now, the ninety man roster. At the safety position, you've got six. So the other group is a large one, and I think they put a lot of bodies in here, some undrafted guys, some guys that

have been around the NFL with experience. In fact, there's quite a few. There's only one undrafted rookie in that secondary on this roster at the moment. Otherwise they're drafted or they're guys with veteran experience. At the cornerback position, you obviously begin with Desmond Truffont, the former Detroit Lion cap casualty up there. He would be a prime candidate to compete for that starting job. You got Alreadie Burns,

who unfortunately suffered an injury last year. You've got also Michael Joseph coming off an injury, but he's been exposed to Sean de sign how since the twenty eighteen seasons, so he got a chance last year in preseason to make some plays. Xavier Crawford, who was a very good

special teams player. He's competing. Thomas Graham is the draft pick competing, that's all at the cornerback position, along with Duke Shelley, Kendallville Door, Trey Robertson, Jalen Tabor, Tease Tabor who also was NFL experience, and rojesterman Ferris a free agent. So Kendall Vildor is the guy, the name that everyone is talking about right now, and he did impress during that mini camp showing that he's got some some veteran experience, are ready to be have that swagger a little bit

on the outside, which is vitally important. Well, you know, you know the veterans that you brought up. We're still getting introduced to these guys like Trey Roberson, like already burns, true fat and stuff. But when you look at it, a guy like kendallville Door, you got to know a little bit about him last year and throughout the training, the mandatory mini camp, he looked different. He looked more confident. He carried himself in a way that he wanted to

put himself in consideration for that starting role. And that's what I want, because listen, man, this is not a shy group. This is not a group of guys, the cornerbacks, the defensive back that kind of walk around with their head down. No, man, they want to come up here, they want to make plays in practice, they want to celebrate. So I like the fact that you know Jayalen Johnson, He's the type of personality you like at the cornerback position,

because Kyle Floller wasn't a super outgoing guy. He just played football a day in and day out, and that's what I kind of give the reflection from Jayleen Johnson. But when I saw kimdle Vildor go through his paces at the mandatory camp, Hey, that's why there's a lot of tension focused on him. Because he was making plays. He did stand out. He looked bigger, and that's the type of investment that I want these guys to be

making in themselves. But the list of the other guys, I still have a lot of interest because before Artie Burns got hurt, he looked fast, he looked low it, he looked like he belonged on an NFL football field. I want to see what Trey Robertson can bring from the Canadian Football League down to the NFL. So I'm still, you know, interested to look at a lot of these characters that are going to get a lot of reps

in training camp. Luke Shelley obviously got some reps at the nickel spot, and we can't underscore enough the importance of that position. So to me, that's one of the most important battles. It's a very difficult position to play. You got to know what the other ten guys are doing at all times. You got to be able to deal with a big tight end. You gotta deal with a running back, you gotta deal with a receiver, you

gotta deal with everything. So that's going to be a hard one to call until somebody really shows that, you know what, I'm up for the job, you know. But I think they're really fortunate, Jeff. But they are bringing back both starting safeties for the first time in quite a while because the role in which they communicate with the safeties that that inner slot cornerback or that nickel cornerback, whatever title you want to give them. I think they

combine their relationship really well together. So I think Eddie Jackson, with the years of experience that he has in this system with Shawn to sid with Gibson himself. Now, I think it's really important the role that these two safeties can help in the development of that nickel corner. And hey, if Duke Shelley is first in line, he's the type of guy that walks around. He's got a little bit of swagger in himself, and it's something you need at

that position. All right, that's Tim there. I'm Jeff Joni Ech. Time for our final segment and a break before we come back here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. This segment of Bears on Access is brought to you by CDW people to get it one more round to go with Tom Thayer. I'm Jeff Jonik, the radio duo on News Radio seven eighty and one or five point at FMWBBM. Here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. You laugh, but you know he's starting to make plans,

making plans. We're gonna be at games this year, somehow, some way, we're gonna hit the road. And it is excited to think about what we're gonna do. But you know there are hurdles to climb still, obviously, so you can't diffuse the excitement level right now. Full stadiums and getting back in those stadiums to call games town. I think you and I are both very excited about that. Oh I can't wait. I you know, I can't wait

to see the role that the fans play. Well, you know, and because there's gonna be some away games that you're gonna go to, like that Rams game the opening week of the season, I think there's gonna be as many Chicago Bear Fans supporters there as there will be LA fans, and they haven't had the opportunity to go inside their new palatialist state of this their new stadium. So I'm excited for football fans to get back into that frenzied

atmosphere that they create. And we're at the stadiums went home and away so early that you get that we get to watch that intensity build up. Is once they sound the horn in the door, the front doors are open, and those people that are running to their seats and they're surrounding the lower ball. It kind of gives you chills when you think about the importance the role of the fans play in the NFL. All right, this was

many weeks ago. I don't know who put this together, but somebody ranked the quarterbacks in the division, backups and starters, the projected backups and starters. So when you look at it, you get so you got golf, you got mind. Jordan loved, Nick Foles, Andy Dalton, Kirk Cousins, justin fields, and we'll throw Aaron Rodgers a bone and say he's gonna be bad.

You know, you think about it. I would take any number of these quarterbacks in the top four as as the best quarterbacks in the division, and they're on the Chicago Bears. I'm inside of Rodgers, of course, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. So to me, I'm still Aaron Rodgers to me, is still one of the best two players in the National

Football League if he plays. When you look at what the Bears can put out there, I think the Bears if you want to put a number two out there and you give a normal training camp, I think what the Bears have been able to do the Minnesota Vikings. I think when they beat him five out of the last six times. I think Andy Dalton could take a command of this offense and you know, and be a huge part of a early season spark for this football team.

And hey, there's no denying what justin fields is going to offer the Bears and what the experience of Nick Foles has already been in the NFL. But again, I like what the Bears are going to put out there in the quarterback position, and I think it's going to be super competitive and it's gonna make it overall a better football team and a better offense. All right, this is in the weird category. I saw this from Mike Tannenbaum,

former executive. So this twenty seventeen draft class, all right, pass rushers like Sona Reddick, t J. Watt, Miles Garrett, Trey Hendrickson, Carl Lawson, a lot of guys. The top three players in sacks from that class. So t J. Watt number one at forty nine and a half for Pittsburgh, Miles Garrett forty two and a half. The third player is not a pass rusher. Do you care to guess who it might be? Third highest sack total of the twenty seventeen draft class. I know you're putting yeah, you're

putting me out. You're putting me on the spot. Now you'd have to tell me. Adams at safety twenty one and a half sacks, which which leads me to this conversation, I get the sense because we don't know, we won't know until we actually see these guys play games in the regular season. They're not gonna give it all up in the preseason. They're not going to show it in practice.

But do you have any suspicion that even though Vic Fangio was not this type of guy that brings pressure outside of looking forward from four up front, that this might be a team become very aggressive and have the types of players that I love, the corner blitz, the safety blitz, a Roquan blitz. Do you suspect that that

might happen at all? Well, I'll tell you this, if Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn, if they come up and they you know, they don't necessarily have to have career years, but they have to have a lot of influence and how the offensive blocking scheme is constructed against them, the better they are, the more chances for exactly you want is going to happen. Because now you got these offensive tackle and offensive guard that are so concentrated on stopping Khalil or making sure you get feet in front of

Robert Quinn. That opens those outside opportunities and it gives more of a threatening opportunity for a quick dB to run over a lackluster blocking back. Different topic, now, Thomas, you're there's so many things tied to the Bears right now. With the exploration of Arlington Park's facility. There, you've got the new Bette Rivers and the Rivers Casino multi year exclusive partnership, the official sports book partner and official casino

partner of the Bears. They've been looking for those deals. But the Bears and the Chicago Public League launching girls flag football in conjunction with the NFL Flag Slash Nike program. They're going to kick it off in September with twenty two teams from across Chicago Public school System, the first football league flag at the high school level in Illinois. There are six of them throughout the country. And you got a former Bear helping out spearhead this in the

Public School's director of sports, Mickey Pruit. What do you think about this? Six states, it's a varsity sport and Matt Nagee is donating cleats providing for all players thanks to hid donation and a grant from Bears Care. I think it's one. I think it's awesome. I love it, you know, because I want to tell you I do. I do have a family that our friends of mine from Canada, and their daughter plays in a flag football league up there. She's one of the most talented pass

catching athletes I've ever seen. And I kind of sent her a note and I go, hey, Johnny, they're opening flag football here. Can you come down and you know, play in the US. But I think it's awesome. But you know, hey, listen, go to any female sports. You go to look at the wrestling program, and you go look at some of the female Olympians that are going to participate in the Olympics. Listen, they have they have great athleticism. They I think it's super exciting and I

can't wait then. And I hope that Mickey Pruitt, you know, he's been involved with the Chicago public school system now for a long time. I hope they put a great deal of effort into it. I'm excited to watch it. I'm excited to go see him. Hey, a lot of bragging rights out there, and I still brag about the performance in my high school football team, and I would like to see it start bragging about that program, all right, Sam it's gonna wrap us up, appreciate all your time,

and we're back next week talk more Beers football. They'll head up to training camp for our producers Jordan trude Up and Dan Barelli and everybody at the Score. Thank you all for listening for Tom there, I'm Jeff jonih xing. Good night. This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score.