Previewing the Vikings, WRs | All Access

six seventy. Good to talk to you guys, a lot to discuss. The best news of all Tom and Jim is that every stadium has been cleared now for one hundred percent capacity. The cults for the last one to come through, and so boy, we are tapping on the door of normalcy, Big Tom and Jim. Yeah, how happy does that make every owner in the NFL? Because when you talk about how much that means to what the team can do in the future, they need season ticket

holders in the seat. But then when you look at it from the fan respective you love the anticipation of the crowd fill in the stadium. Whether you're home or away, you like to see how important their role is to the NFL. So I'm excited the seats and the stands are going to be filled and it's going to be

an exciting year in the NFL. Yeah, I think everybody's looking to get back to their traditions, whether it's going down to Soldier Field and tailgating, going in and sitting in their seat, and they know the people right next to them that probably been season ticket holders for so many years and they just want to connect again and rout and cheer for their football team. So it's good to see. I'm glad the Colts finally were able to make that happen, and I think every fan in the

NFL is excited to get this season going. Night, jem I stick with you. We didn't get a chance to talk to you last week. You at the Senior Ball Hall of Fame, which was outstanding by the way to listen to all the different guys and listening to their perspectives on life right now in football from their day's playing it and what's going on and who wants to be in the big Hall of Fame and can't in Ohio, etc. But the news regarding the Bears over the past couple

of weeks. Obviously the big news was the anticipation of putting an offer in to the Arlington Park site and how you feel about that as an ex Bear who played at Soldier Field and just what that due diligence means. Yeah, you know from my perspective, and I obviously was playing for the Bears when they toured out Soldier Field and we had to play a couple of years in Champagne, and I always felt the stadium meaning news Soldier Field, it was shortsighted. You know, they can't even host a

super Bowl. They can't even you know minimum you have to have seventy thousand fans to host a Super Bowl. Bears only seat sixty one thousand and Soldier Field. So to me, it just it makes a lot of sense to really do it right this time. And what I mean by that, if you do a domed stadium in Arlington, You're able to host the Big Ten Championship game, You're able to host a Final Fours, You're able to host

all kinds of events. I think, what more, what city is more perfect for hosting the Super Bowl than Chicago. You've got all the accommodations there. You've got great restaurants, you've got great hotels. That was the concern in Indianapolis. They had to build that Jwmryott Hotel in order to really get it approved. The Bears in the city of Chicago already have that infrastructure in place. So to me, it makes all the sense in the world for the Bears to want to pursue this, and Tom you've you've

felt similarly, and again it's all about assets. So whether or not it happens or it doesn't, the investigation is worth the squeeze, no question. Yeah. I mean they could build an on site practice facility that are Arlington you know one thing, living downtown and you drive by Soldier Field from the end of the football season till when the weather returns, it sits there dormant. There's no activities.

And when you talk about what dome stadium retractable roof could house during those dormant for a stadium you're talking about everybody's going to be able to capitalize on that. And it's not an egregious drive from the city of Chicago out to Arlington Park. So if they were able to host that big ten Championship Game, the Final Four, a super Bowl, all those wintertime events. Everybody's going to benefit from it. It's not going to be people within

a three block radius of the Arlington facility. So I think from all of us, we're all of UI and Jim, we're all fortunate to see every stadium that's been built in the NFL, and you see what the possibilities could be here in the Chicago land area. I think they have to investigate the opportunity and we'll be headed to La to see so far which we were not able to go last year, called the game from the studio at WBBM, and then also the Vegas facility. We're gonna

check that out as well. Jim, you'll be touring training camps again. I am assuming so that'll be a recharge for you as well to get out of the office and get out of the studio, get out of your home a little bit, because you do learn a heck of a lot. Where are you scheduled to see? Who are you scheduled to see this summer? Yeah, we're gonna hit the Jets, We're gonna hit the Patriots, We'll hit the Buffalo Bills, we'll hit the Pittsburgh Steelers, will head

south and hit the all the Florida teams. We'll head out west, hit the San Francisco forty nine Ers in Seattle, Seahawks, in Denver, Broncos. So we've got a big slate of camps that we're going to. When we always try to go when they're in pads, I think you get a really good indicator of what a team is when they're in pads, when they're actually hitting. I think you get a sense of their toughness. I think you get a sense of their identity and what they're going to materialize

and ultimately be here this upcoming season. You know, Tim everybody asks the same question and it usually comes with an answer before you can get your answer out. Okay they Okay, you meet some fans like I did last weekend downtown Chicago, Hey, what are you looking forward to

the most of training camp? You know? And then they say it's got to be justin fields, right, And you know, I look at the broader scope on so signaturely looking at just the quarterback position, but I think it's inescapable. That's what everybody wants to see is the young quarterback. But there's still a lot of other things to see.

So beyond justin, what else would you say are on your list of on your checklist of things you've got to see you want to see a training camp Listen, if the Chicago Bears fans completely ignore full pad contact drills, one on ones and nine on seven team work of Tevin Jenkins, I think you're ignoring a bigger factor going into the state into the season than justin fields, because, look, you've got to solidify that left tackle position, and when we have a chance to talk to people around the league,

they understand how important that role is to the overall success of the offense. If you have versatility and athleticism at the quarterback position, you can kind of, you know, have a plan of attack and how you're gonna you know, figure out where are you vulnerable up in the offensive line, and you can make adjustments accordingly. But you have to see Tevin Jenkins and how he fits in against all those different types of drills that you're going to see

him face. I think it's enormous to see. And I also think you're gonna have to pay attention to the cornerback position opposite of Jalen Johnson, You're gonna have a line there of guys that are looking to fulfill the obligations to that position. In that role. The cornerback position has an equally important role as the left tackle position in overall offensive defensive success. Jim, as you look at the roster, what are you what are you looking forward

to seeing? Yeah, I'm with Tom Left tackles important, Desmond Truffont does he still have it? The gas left in the tank? Op scorer? Hey, I want to see Eddie Goldman. He's been away from football for a year. Can he solidify the defensive front and be stout up front? That's going to be a key component to the Bears defense and stop of the run. I want to see Sean decide how was he going to be as a play caller. You've got a new play caller at the defensive coordinating position.

I think all Bears fans should want to keep their eye on that as well. And NFL players have until tomorrow to opt out of the seasons or my second so that'll be interesting if anybody does. And of course, the angle gym of Aaron Rodgers taking that chance, because he'd still preserve a big chunk of his money if he chose to do that, he may mysteriously come down with diabetes and opt out. I don't know. You know, anything can happen in these times that we're in right now.

So you know, someone tells me he's gonna show up. He seems to have a really, really affection for his teammates and has affection for his coaches. It's really more geared towards the front office. So something tells me he's going to be there. All right. More to come, including our annual visit with the analysts of the Minnesota Bankings that would be in our tour through the NFC North. Pete Versage that's coming up next here on Bears All Access,

don't caago 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. With Tom there, Jeff, Joni, Jim Miller from Serious XM NFL Radios moving the chains and please for our now

annual excursion through the NFC North. We stop first to the Minnesota Vikings and do reason not because we don't want to talk about green Bear Detroit, but we got a Chicago area guy in the mix here, Pete Bursitch, the veteran analyst for the Minnesota Vikings radio network, the former Vikings player, the former coach, and Providence New Lennox star along with the Golden domer. Pete, how are you doing this summer? I'm doing great. How are you guys? Fantastic?

Trying to work our way through normalcy. That's the number one thing. We're gonna have people at training camp at ha us Off for the first time ever. I don't know what your team's plans are for training camp, but that's the most exciting part from Yeah, we want to see these guys on the grass, but it's the fans getting to see them up close and personal for the first time in a long time. Yeah, the Vikings will they will have fans in the seats for training camp,

So I know they have announced that. Um, you know, for the media and for us the people that are dealing, you know, with the players a little more closely, that is Yeah, that's gonna get back to normal. I mean, with everybody you know getting vaccinated, it's it is going to feel a little bit a little bit more like the old school training camp instead of unstand what we had to do with last year. You know, Pete, you got the longest ten year coach in the NFL that

hasn't won a championship, Mike Zimmer after eight years. But you also have Kirk Cousins. So when you get those fans this around the practice field, who's going to have more pressure when their feet get on the field. Is it going to be Zimmer or is it going to be the quarterback Cousins. That's a great question. We're one of the longest franchises without a uper Bowl win. You know,

we've never you know, we've never had one either. So, um, you know, I think that's a great question, only because I think Zimmers is secure in his position, because you put Zimmer, you know, and Rick Spielman kind of together. Um, but I think he's pretty secure in his position. The only thing that's been changing a lot on his assistant coaches,

the guys that are underneath him. That's kind of the only thing where if you take it take a step back, you kind of you know, scratch your head, especially on offense with you know, with the Kobi Accs and with all these guys that have been rolling through. Um, But I do think Cousins. Now, yeah, with Kellen Mond, you know people, we have him kind of in the background a little bit. Um. I think it. I think the it's gonna fall on the shoulders of Cousins, and I think a lot of the most of the fans are

gonna put it on the shoulders of Cousins this year. Well, Pete, Jim Miller here, I come from Detroit, so Lions fans take offense to what you just said at least four times. But I talked to you a couple of weeks ago. When you look at this Minnesota Vikings roster, to me, it's one of the best zimmers ever built. We talked to you a couple of weeks ago on Sirius Sheldon Richardson.

You get Daniel hunterback, Anthony bars back, Kendricks is healthy, this defense could be something special for the Minnesota Vikings. You're absolutely right. I think you take a look at the guys that you bring in inside, and we have a couple of younger guys, guys like Genarius Robinson, who was a fourth round draft pick kid from Florida State whom did a film study on him and loved the kid. But we got better up front, you know, we definitely got better with the D lineman and that's where it

all begins. And when you get Anthony barback healthy and you have Eric you know, Eric Kendricks, if those guys can move to the football, I mean, really, what we want to do is play too deep safety and we want to play gain to have a gap and a half type of thing up front, and you can't do that with backup lineman. You know, you need you need to have guys up front, you know that can that

can play a gap and a half. And I think we've brought some of those guys in and and defensively, we're we're gonna be heading in the right direction, no question about it. Yeah, throwing Dalvin Tamlinson, Stephen Weatherly, and then the back end. We always seem to talk about your secondary because it changes fairly frequently except for for Harrison Smith there, but Patrick Peterson at thirty one, as you look at him and where he's at in his career, how big of an impact will he make at the

corner position. And then uh, pairing Harrison with Xavier Woods now at safety, Yeah, I think you know Xavier Woods is kind of a poor man's Harrison Smith. And you know what do I mean by that? Exist? You know Xavier Woods when you watch him on film, he can he can do a little bit of everything. He's versatile, right, um not you know, he's he's down in the paint. He blitz u, he's covering a little bit of man to man. He's playing some deep half, some you know,

deep quarters. So you saw the Dallas Cowboys use him kind of in every way, and that that's really the strength of Harrison Smith is that when he walks up to the line of scrimmage, the quarterback has to respect him because he's a good blitzer. He's also a pretty good and run support, you know, and and he's and he's really he's good in coverage. He's not the best at his position, I think in any one of these categories, um, but he definitely is probably the most all around safety

there is. And your parent and with another guy in Xavier Woods, that's kind of the same way. I don't think he's as good as Harrison Smith, but he's he can do all those things. So you can blitz and you can walk him down. And so that's gonna allow Zimmer in the defense to play some games with those safeties, right, you know, one of Woods a walk up, Harrison Smith will walk up. So it's going to give him a

lot of versatility. Patrick Peterson is just going to give us some time, you know, at least give us a stabilizing force out at the corner position. It's been you know, it's been musical chairs with guys coming in and out, guys getting hurt um and you know, watching Peterson last year, you know, he got he got guys behind him some times. I think those were issues that he had with Buddha

Baker and communication. But I think if you you know, he faced the number one receiver for the Arizona Cardinals last year weekend and week out, and if he doesn't have to do that with the Vikings, and we could just sprinkle him in or give him a break and not put so much on those thirty some year old legs, I think you can get a good year out of him. Pete at the end of the season, Minnesota MVP Dalvin

Cook or Justin Jefferson. Um, you know, I I think Dalvin Cook still still is going to be the MVP, and mainly because so much of what our offense does is based on him. You know, you with the play action passed in game, with the way Dalvin can pass block, and again his explosiveness in the running game. I think he is and this is not this is not the takeaway from from the you know, from the from the young man, but Dalvin Cook is what makes his offense go.

He does justin Jefferson, Um, he fits this thing perfectly in what Cousins wants to do with the play action and you know, and getting the ball deep down the field when you're trying to cover him one on one of eight guys in the box to stop Dalvin Cook. Yeah, then you know, then we're gonna get you with their wide receivers. But it all starts and stops. I think with with Dalvin Cook, Well, he's our MVP right now, all right. You know, well, key spot up front is

going to be that left tackle position. And much like the Chicago Bears that have Tevin Jenkins who they drafted Christian Darsau, by all indicators, he's he's the real deal. What are the early indicators that you see Pete, Well, he missed a little bit of time because he had a he had a abdominal injury. In college that flared up on him. Um, Christian Darisaw is gonna be as good as he wants to be. And and and I think I kind of look at Tom in this respect.

And you see these guys that are so big and they're so athletic, they get drafted in the first round. It's just because of their height, weight, speed. They're immeasurable. They're they're measurables. Excuse me, but it's the it's the immeasurables that are gonna make this kid if you can stay healthy and if he will, you know, if if he works hard, and it's it's it's hard to it's hard to even speak those words to say, yeah, this guy comes in and just works hard, he's gonna be

a great pro. But that's the case. I mean, he's in a monster of a kid. Um, great feet, can recover, can do all those things the scouts talk about it. It's just a matter of him putting it all together. So our you know, you got your fingers crossed. And we know that with the way spring ball is in college and with the way these college kids come out, they're less and less refined. There's more and more for them to learn. From a technique standpoint, UM, mentally, tackles

not as hard as most positions. You know, you block the defensive end ninety percent of the time, You're gonna be right, you know what I'm saying that Mentally, it's not that much of a challenge. Um, it's the physical challenge. And he's gonna be going against the best defensive players in the world week after week after week at that position. It does he have the mental toughness to compete. You can't take a snap off, you can't have a bad quarter, you can't have a bad series, you can't. So um,

that's just that's the only question with him. And you know, uh, fingers crossed. He's you know, he's gonna be the left tackle for the next four or five ten years. I guess, well, Pete, you know the one thing, Pete Versus analysts for the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Area product joining us here on Bears All Access with Tom There, Jeff Joniac, Jim Miller. One more round of questions from us that you also

left out the one important thing. You know, you alluded to Tom as one of those big guys coming out of college, but he also has the Neanderthal gene, you know, and so he comes in. It's as well, that's never gonna change, right that he's still that way right now. Right, if you look, if you look in a you know, a scout, the scouting Bible, there's a definite personality difference

between guard and tackle. Right. The guard is the guy that's going to try to date your sister and take her out, right, the guard, the guard is the guy that you got to keep an eye on. They're the dirty ones, they're the mean ones. And you know, the tackles are the tackles are just they're a little more calm, and you know, it's kind of flowing or whatever. But it you gotta you gotta be to be an offensive guard. You gotta have a little you know what in your neck.

And so I don't, I don't. I don't trust them as far as I can throw them. Pete, what about your once in a decade transition at the tight end position. You got rid of Kyle rode off, and now you know, there's there's still a lot of high expectations for that position. Because what it means the Dalvin Cook in the running game, what it means of the passing game, but how is that going to transition at that position? Yeah, that's I

think that's a great question. And I think in this day and age, with all the with all the five man fronts, the bear fronts and things that you see, UM, a good run blocking tight end is you know, is UH is a necessity. I did a study on all of Dalvin Cook's big runs from last year and amazingly, Kyle Rudolph was in for quite in quite a bit of those. And that Kyle Rudolph was in. What I'm saying is Kyle's not the guy pile drive and these

defensive ends and moving bodies. It's the threat of the pass and then the threat of the you know, the threat of the past. At the same time, Um, Kyle, he was a good blocker at best IERF. Smith Junior UH is a little bit more of a fullback type of a body now as tall and long um and ERF Smith Junior was in for quite of those plays and a lot of those were him coming out of

the backfield some misdirection things. UM. So with her, we have another guy, Tyler Conklin, who we really thought was more of a rum locker, but he wasn't on the field much for these runs he's gonna be. He's more of a receiving tight end. But it's Ierf Smith Junior show. We've seen it with tight ends in your guy that you guys have is I would love to have him. What's he notre dame guy? Forget his name off top

of my head, but come out. Yeah, a comet. And the reason why is because he can do both right. He's a good blocker and he's a good receiver. But Commet would be I think a perfect fit for us. But it takes a while. It takes it takes a couple of years for tight ends to develop. I mean, they got to learn the run game. They gotta learn all the fundamentals of run blocking. They gotta do it from the left side the right side, and then they got to learn how to run routes and memorize the

pasttory and do all those other things. So um IERF Smith Junior is kind of, I think a quiet little key for our offense if he can really take it to that next level and be a threat. Because I don't know who are number three receiver is gonna be? You guys, that's a you know, you guys probably wondering two maybe not maybe don't care. I don't. I don't blame you. But you know who's who's that number three receiving threat and right now or Smith might be our

number three receiver too. Well, it's interesting Zimmer put his number on Prole just to motivate Olabes and the other guys that are behind him BB as well. I thought that was pretty interesting. Right before you guys leave for training camp. Last one for me, Pete, and always appreciate your time. When you look at Mike Zimmer as a coach, typically he's been a pretty conservative coach. But all the pieces look to be in place that you just explained.

Do you think he's more aggressive this year in twenty twenty one, knowing the roster that he has in place. Um, maybe aggressive? Maybe aggressive in play calling? You know, I don't think with with Michael Pierce and Dalvin Tomlinson. You know, at six hundred and fifty pounds of bodies in the middle, I think when our defense is playing at its best, it's a little more conservative, you know, it's a little bit more of the two you know, two deep show type of a game that he plays. Um, that's when

our that's when our defense is at its best. It's not a it's not a pin your ears back and blitz and get after him. Uh So, from a play calling standpoint, I think defensively he might get a little bit more conservative. I think offensively is where uh you're gonna see. I think maybe hopefully a little bit more none I would say explosivity, but just some more chances

I guess being taken. You know, yeah, and and and you know, here's another thing too, with fans in the stands again for the first time you have you have a whole pile of rookies from last year. They have no idea what crowd noise is all about. They have no idea what it's like. Uh. You know, when you're when you're playing defense and it's third and one or fourth and you know, fourth and inches and you're at home, you have the crowd noise. You know, the coaches get

to kind of get used to that too. You know, the coaches are gonna have to go back and say, all right, yeah, we we couldn't do this, We couldn't hard count all the time, we couldn't do all these different things because we're on the road and in the crowd noise, and that's all coming back as well too. So but you know, Zimmers is definitely methodical. He's not a gambler by nature on defense as a play caller. But again, and I think the other part of it

too is special team. Special teams have been a bit of a thorn on our side. We don't know who our punt returner is going to be. We don't know who our kick returner is going to be. Not that that's as important as it used to be, but I'd like to see him get a little bit more you know, some fakes. It's just I think he might get a little more aggressive that way, only because he's going to have I think a lot more confidence in his defense. Well,

you mentioned thorn in the side. The Bears have been to the Minnesota Vikings and Kirk Cousins one and four record for Cousins at quarterback against beloved Navy Blue and orange, you know, and now not gonna stay for six months. We don't play the Vikings until Monday night at Soldier Field December twentieth, and that your place to wrap things up as we always do on January night. So, Pete, it's been nice knowing you until then. Well, you know,

and that's I have a question for you guys. Is your you know the schedule, you take a look at its seventeen games. You know it's a bit of but it's all division heavy in the second half. I think all of our division games at the last eight weeks

of the season. I don't know if that's just a Viking specific thing or is that something the league is doing now, trying to get all those division games, Because if you know, with that being the case, you can almost look at it and say, hey, if we start slowly, not too worried about it, because the real games, the important games, are all in the second half of the season.

Well that's a fair point because you know, also it's survival of the fittest by then two roster erosion due to injury and whatnot that could come into play in the division, and so many wildcard stories. You can't really predict what's gonna happen, and Ian ever can. That's why I always laugh when the writers start to, oh, this is what the record is going to be when the schedule comes out in April. Never works out that way. Pete, we gotta run. Thank you so much. Always good to

talk to you. Bear's All Access with Tom There Jim. I'm Jeff Joniac on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. The Chicago Bears Network presents Inside the Bears, brought to you by Verizon At 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. Welcome back to our program tonight, Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy with Tom There and Jim Moller. I'm Jeff Joniac. Just heard from Pete Bursitch, the longtime analyst for the Vikings. There were so many things fellas that we didn't get to talk about because the interesting aspect of Gary Kubiak no longer there, but son Clint Jim as the offensive coordinator. Now they keep it in the family up there with

Mike Zimmer's kid Adam as the co defensive coordinator. They're running out, they're running out of siblings and so forth. Up there. Yeah, well will you look at it? Obviously, Kevin Stefanski was a really good play caller. He moves on to the Cleveland Browns. But really, Kevin and Clint

grew up together. They were always under Gary Kubiak, and he kind of took them under his wing, and you know, I think they're both fantastic coaches, and I think Clint really isn't going to stray away from what his dad has really wanted to do. It's really about the outside zone run, and it's about the play action pass off that they do a lot of bootlegs. They do a lot of play action. They've got two fantastic receivers. Plus I believe IRF Smith is a pretty strong tight end.

So I don't think Clint is gonna stray from the script. He knows what they do well, and they're gonna stick with their bread and butter, and they've got a good defense to back it up in time. When you look now at the Vikings depth chart and you hear all those names, especially the big beef upfront defensively, how it matches up with what the Bears are going to want to be in twenty twenty one. Offensive believe with Andy Dalton getting into the ball quick, getting into the guys

in the right areas, at the right moment. He's a confident quarterback in the pocket and he knows how to trigger. He's got poison there. But the guy's up front. As you alluded to in the first segment tonight about Tevin j it's the entire offensive land in general. Now to deal with that, how do you see the Bears matching up with the Bikes? You know what's weird, Jeff, And you brought it up with Pete the first time the Vikings play the Bears. It's it's beyond the halfway point

of the season. So what we're dreaming of and talking about? And I know all these people said, all the Minnesota Vikings have one of the top ten rosters in the NFL, And what do we July first? What does I mean? It doesn't matter. It's because what team are they going to be facing when they you know, they face each

other the first time. So, yeah, if Minnesota stays healthy on the defensive side of the ball, and Mike Zimmer gets some consistency in his line up and some of these guys that they sign that thirty plus years old can hold together for the entirety of the season, that's exactly what Mike Zimmer is looking for He's gonna let the offensive coaches coach the offense. But now you got to talk about Kirk Cousins. Is he going to be the efficient quarterback in which they dreamed of when they

signed him a couple of years ago from Washington? Is Dalvin Cook gonna be the running back who's capable of being one of the best in the NFL at that position? And is Justin Jefferson going to be able to answer the bell in the year two because he's not gonna become He's not gonna start as an unknown. He's gonna be known as their star quality football player. And every defensive coordinator is gonna try to put together packages how to take him off, not off of the field, but

out of the game to limit his impact. So there are so much that is gonna change in between now and the first time to bear see the Minnesota Vikings. All true, Jim, But you know this is what football brings to the table. This is why the NFL is so great. We can talk about this stuff July first and dream about the matchups all the way coming up. In our next segment, we're gonna preview our next position group. Last week Jim, you missed a missed out on the

offensive line. We're going to tackle the receivers in our next next segment. But you know the thing about Zimmer that I respect, They're going to be competitive no matter what. He's never lost, He's never had less than seven wins. He took his team to the NFC title game just a few years ago in seventeen. The Bears were great and eighteen. So you know the rebound is expected for both because of the types of star quality they have on both sides of the field. Look at Dalvin Cook.

You take Aaron Rodgers out of the mix, he might be the best player overall in the division. If it's not Aaron Rodgers in terms of his impact. Well, here's what I think of Zimmer, right, he's a defensive coordinator by trade. Let me just give you their defensive statistics from last year. They finished twenty seventh overall in the NFL. They were twenty ninth in stopping team scoring. They were twenty seventh against the run, They were twenty fifth against

the past. There were twenty eighth in sacks. These things do not sit well when you're a head coach and you're a defensive coordinator. That has to be corrected. That's where they directed all their attention here this offseason, and Zimmer will not let that. I can guarantee you every week he gets in front of that defense, he's going to tell them how bad they sucked last year defensively, because that's where his stamp is. It's on defense, and he wants that to emerge again in time. I feel

the same way about Matt Naggie in front of his offense. Yes, you don't think that sits well with him. What's happened the last couple of years. I think that is as big a story as Zimmer's defense in Minnesota, Oh, no doubt about it. And you know you always have to have that caveat that asterisk if Aaron Rodgers, whatever, however you want to finish that sentence, because I think it

elevates the role of each of these head coaches. Because they've been around their teams for a period of time, they have a real confidence that if Zimmer's defense stays healthy, he can provide a spar for the team. If Andy Dalton continues to emerge as the starting quarterback in the development of justin fields, this offense has potential ahead of it, and so yeah, both of these coaches they have a

lot of I think they have it's not pressure. I think they have a lot of confidence and they can bring to the table what's needed from their from their football team and their players. And I think there's a more weaponry on the skill set that Fitz Matt Naggie's scheme and what he wants to do will broach that the receivers. Coming up next as we do our camp breakdown ahead of the July twenty seventh start at Hatisall with Jim Miller and Tom There. I'm Jeff Joni Aac

on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the score. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you by Athletico Physical Therapy. Visit Athletico dot com to request an appoyment in clinic or virtually and start feeling better tomorrow. I got two guys, two x NFL players with significant NFL experience that gets through the rehab with hip replacements, knee replacements. Guys,

you guys can speak to all this. Tom just had one, how's that been and what advice would you give to other NFL players that put in the time You did a decade plus in the league, not to mention your experience at the high school and college level to prepare for what's next and how to stay active and stay stay ready for anything, because you just don't. You're not a guy that's not going to sit around neither as

Jim right. I mean, I just think you got to be diligent about any type of rehab you ever go throughout the course of your career. If you're a young high school kid that has an injury and then you have to go to physical be diligent about it because it's going to help you in the long run. It's the same thing after hip replacement. The process of going through the physical therapy is the reason why I feel as good as I do right now. I don't feel like I'm any more inhibited than anything I can do.

The first thing I asked the doctor, can I surf after I get this thing done? He goes, I've never had that question ask to me, but we'll see as the process go. And so I went to see him a couple of weeks ago, and he says, I wouldn't stop you from doing anything you want, So listen, Matt, it's we're super fortunate in the world today that we have procedures that we can have in order to get back on our feet. You know, I feel just as good today as as as I ever have. Jim, what's

the checklist on you? You've had a lot done on that battered body NFL quarterback, but you know you got a smile on your face. You're still doing what you love. But did you handle your rehab for all the different surgeries and then replacements that you've had, and did you did you do it according to plan or did you Are you one of those guys that said, ah, you know, like most people, they don't do exactly what they're told

to do, right. No, I'm like Tom, you got to attack it, you know, because uh, you know, you want to live life. You know, for Tom, whether it's surfing and getting back to things that he enjoys. For me, it was about playing with my kids. You know. I want to be able to go out and throw football with my sons, teach them sports, whether it's baseball, football, basketball, you name it, and I want to show them how to compete. And so much like your rehab, you gotta compete,

you gotta attack it, you gotta get after it. If those are the things that you want to be able to do, and so I took it pretty serious, just like Tom, and everything worked out just fine. So I've went through that surgery a couple of times. It's not fun, but I'm glad I did it because I'm able to live and enjoy all the things that I want to do in order to teach my kids how to compete and play sports as well. All right, let's tackle the wide receiver position for the Bears in the twenty twenty

one camp. I'm gonna throw you guys this right out of the gate because I feel it's extremely important, as is the slot corner on the other side. The best slot receiver on the Bears the guy who can sink into his cuts and find those openings in very tight bone booth areas and move the sticks and threaten a defense from that position. Tom, let's start with you and go to Jim. There many candidates, and you could even throw you know, the top receiver on the team and

that mix. He's good at that. But how important is that for the ice sight of the quarterback and just the overall effectiveness of the offense. If you have a slot receiver that can really be dangerous and in the middle of the field. God, I think it kind of goes hand in hand with the tight end position, whether it's Jimmy Gramm or Cole Commet, because the tight end is going to be a big interior pass catching athlete that can attract him a lot of attention, especially if

he becomes featured in this offense. And then you think about some of the speed they brought in to compete at that slot receiver. Now, if they can have the element of speed and concern on the other side, it is going to continue to open up opportunities for the outside guy, but it's going to provide a bigger window of opportunity for the quarterback in the interior of the field,

you know. And I'm interested to see what is the future of a guy like Terie Cohen because I do still believe that he's a type of guy with his skills in his open field kind of threatening ability that he could kind of morph into that slot receiver. So now you're talking about the development of depth. You can keep Darnell Mooney on the outside with Alan Robinson. Now, when you got Bird and Goodwin and Tariq calling and stuff, you have a variety of guys and styles that you

can put in that position. Yeah, I think for me, I think clearly the Bears wanted to be Miller. They wanted to be Anthony Miller. He's had forty nine receptions last year, but clearly the message has been sent right, he's been on the trade block. They brought in competition to challenge him. He to me, has to take the

next step. When you look at Anthony Miller, So whether it's maturity, whether it's more polished, he should have been working his fannie off this whole offseason because everything, every message for him to get the light bulb to go off, has been sent to motivate him. So to me, Anthony Miller is really a guy in the spotlight, right, I feel, you know, And I've banged the table for this guy forever for the time again. I just felt he'd be an excellent slot receiver because he's got the quickness to

get away after the catch. He's got some physicality to him. But you got to be in the right place to the right time, and that's the message sent down. So that brings us to demere Bird. I'll start with you, Jim, because he did have an excellent season with New England last year, and he's got all that speed to play that position. Yeah, I'd like demere Bird. I think he's

a solid guy that you can count on. He has the size that you're looking for from that standpoint, and you know he's got the quick the quick judes that to get to where you need. He's just a little jitterbug that he's going to compete at that position. So another opportunity or an opportunity for him, I said, I should say to really overtake Anthony Millard. So I think really it's up to him and what he comes to to do. But I think he's a steady guy that you can count on and that's what he brings to

the table coming from New England. Tom, what are your expectations for Darnell Mooney, because Alan Robinson now is taking him under his wing. I think he's looking up to Alan. They're working out together and Alan gave him the blessing last week of this is the watch out for what this guy is capable of doing well. I think it goes back to a message Matt and Naggie delivered in the course of OTAs at Mandatory Minicamp that because of what Andy Dalton is going to deliver. You better be

in the right spot. You better be in the right place, and you better have immediate expectations that the ball is going to be in your face. It's not going to be something where the quarterback's gonna sit there and wait and see you open and then throw the ball. He's gonna put the ball in the position like the play is drawn up. So I think, whether it's Darnell Mooney or Anthony Miller, any one of these receivers, you better

be in the right spot. And I like that message that was delivered early by Matt and Aggie about the traits and the thinking process of Andy Dalton, because it's not gonna be be in a general vicinity. Now, it's gonna be where you're expected to be. If it's all of yards, an end, be twelve yards an end, don't be ten and a half yards, don't be fourteen yards.

So I like the exact science to the offense because I think you can be more threatening if everybody understands their exact role in not the general concept of the offense. All right, tell you well, we're gonna continue the conversation because there are many more receivers to discuss our final segment just ahead here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you by CDW people to get it one more to go, Our final segment with Tom Thayre and Jim

Miller from Serious XM NFL Radio. Moving the chains with Pat Kerwin Jim. July fifteenth the deadline to get any deal done with franchise players in the league, and that includes Alan Robinson. Do you have any inclination that there could be an agreement or will this just carry on through? Yeah? I think it'll just carry on through. I think Allen Robinson will play under the franchise tad. He is the bears number one wide receiver, and I think he'll be a true pro like he's always been a pro. I

don't think he's happy about it. I'm sure he did want to get a long term deal, but the Bears have to you know, they have every right to place the franchise tag on it and let this play out, and so another year will pass. I think Allen Robinson will prove to be who he is and then the Bears will have another decision to make you know. The key after that is you know who's going to emerge. Because the Bears have drafted the young receivers like a

Riley Ridley, Anthony Miller still needs to prove himself. And you look at Javon Wims, who will have an opportunity. Can he can any of these players step up and really replicate what Alan Robinson has done. So that's why the Bears drafted him. And who knows he might be leaving in free agency next year or the Bears will have a decision to slap another franchise tag or really

extend him and really income to a lucrative contract. I think he'll be a pro's pro about it, though, and he understands the position he's in and he's got an opportunity to prove himself and show his work to the entire NFL. Two hundred receptions and nearly twenty four hundred yards time over the last two years with the Bears, and you know, he said all the right things at the veteran mandatory Minicamp about what he is planning to do. He sees great potential still for himself as a player.

He's not hit his ceiling yet and he's working hard to deliver on an addition of speed with a ball in his hands after the catch, which you know in this day and age in the NFL, you can't get everything with long bombs down the field. You gotta get guys with a ball in the hands and get them yards after the catch to move those sticks. And he

has that capability. You know, yards after the catch sometimes are because of the quarterback of soul efficient and where he's placing the football in terms of how close the coverage is to him. And he said, look, I like to tell I would like to turn an eight yard catch into a twelve yard catch. So he's not looking

at things unrealistically. But when we look at things, we have to look at things from a business standpoint and then a player standpoint, because I admire everything Alan Robinson has ever shown to the Bears fans, the organization, what he's willing to do, and the type of influence in the cloud he carries inside the locker room. And then you have to look at it from a business standpoint.

When you look at what the salary command demand is excuse me, for those top couple receivers in the league, that's when you have to start weighing the player against the pay. Alan Robinson love the guy. I think he demands and he commands the respect he gets, but then you have to start looking at it financially. All right. Lastly, before we go, Marquise good one, he will be a training camp because he did participate in the long jump at the Olympic Trials and Eugene did not become a

member of that unit headed to Japan. And I think after an opt out season, Jim his body feels fresh. If he can stay healthy, you're adding a lot of speed eat again to this mix. But the health is always a concern. Yeah, it certainly is. And you know, for him, I think he's a he's a veteran player that really that they're going to be able to count on. I think he's hungry to return to the resport. He's obviously very competitive, as you mentioned, trying to train for

the for the Olympics. So I think he brings a lot to the table. And I think again he's going to be a message center to all those young receivers, whether it's Anthony Miller, whether it's Jamre Byrd, whether it's Javon Wims. This is what it takes to be a pro, and he's been a pro for for a long time and he'll definitely add something to the to the mix for the Bears at wide receiver. He's a guy you

can count on, you know, real quick, real quickly. Jeff, I don't think we we can't underscore the important role that these guys are going to take on special teams. Who are these speedsters are going to be able to handle that role because it means a lot to feel positioned success for the Bears. That's sound Bear Jim Miller. Jim, thanks, We'll talk to you next week and I'll do it for Bears on Access brought to you by IGS Energy.

Have a good night, everybody. This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score.