Robertson-Harris on offseason preparation | All Access

access passing to Chicago Bears football. Bears All Access is brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Athletical Physical Therapy and Art Van Furniture in Mattress and hopefully everybody's having a great evening in Chicago as we bring you Bears All Access And maybe the most unique of ways, this is Jeff Jonny Ac along with Tom Thayer and

Jim Mutter. But we are all in parts, crazily all over the world literally, So I'm coming to you from holiday, as Dan McNee always likes to say, in Paris, France, of all places, where it's one am and Tom thare is eleven hours behind me in Maui. Tom, this is the craziest thing you and I have ever done. It is it's an amazing process and I think it's unique, but you know, it's the way everybody stays involved these

days and no one loses connection. And so as much as you and Jim paid attention to the combine where you are there. I paid attention to it from this far away. And then we've got Big Jim Miller in Michigan from Serious Sex m NFL Radio moving the chains with Pat crewin and the and the guys. I know you got some some sly comment ready for me, don't you. I saw an email you suding today about the coronavirus and all that. So what do you got for me? Jim?

Just lay it on thick. Hey, Tom, I just hope he paid his cell phone bill to make this entire show. I see him looked up outside of a public phone. But thanks to Wi Fi technology in the world of appss, somehow we're all together here on Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy and coming up around six h eight here, just in moments, we're gonna be believe it or not, from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where Roy robertson airis the Bears defensive lineman will join the program.

He's going to take some time away from his a Bears fan trip with the inside the Bears crew and some other guys. We'll talk about that before we get into all that. Let's let's circle back to the combine because you mentioned it, Tom and Jim, you guys can you know, take the ball and run with it here. What's your final takeaway and what you'll learn from the combine. You know, there's a lot of speed, there's a lot of um you know, different types of you know, types

of body at the wide receiver position. But I think to me, again, the most impressive thing was the forty out of the big Man, And it wasn't the four two or trying to beat the fastest of all time. When you see a guy at was six to eight six seven three hundred and sixty four pound six eight three sixty four in run of five one forty, there's

a lot that you can do with that immediately. So when you have a receiver that runs a time that's you know, unlike any there or some of the other drills, there's always a time in a growth period that you have to see these guys's potential be put to use. When you have a guy that big, there's multiple positions he can play with that type of athleticism, his bendability. So I'm really excited to see where probably the least exciting position of offensive line, but where it goes throughout

his career. I think it's, you know, just to piggyback off that that the tackles were impressive. This is one of the deepest tackle drafts in a long time. Now, the more and more you hear probably six potentially seven tackles could go in the first round, is going to push receivers down. I think it's what it's gonna do. And again, you got you got guys out there that

are just diamonds in the rough. There's some great guys that you know, we always talk about first round talent that you're probably going to get in the second round, say other positions because they're not as deep, Maybe go a little bit earlier because you know, you have depth at wide receivers. So I think some wide receivers are going to be under drafted in this year's draft. So it's going to be interesting. Yeah, you're also talking Tom

about Louisville's Nikai Beckton. Correct. Yes, Yes, six seven and three eight, three hundred and sixty four pounds with thirty six inch arms and an eighty three inch wingspan, not even the longest wingspan, believe it or not. Matt Pert, a tackle from Yukon eighty six and a half inch Wig Span. I mean, these guys, these guys are unbelievable. They seem to get bigger, faster, and more interesting every

single year. All right, Coming up next, one of the big guys with the Bears defensive line joined the program, Roy Robertson Harris from Mexico. Next on Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy in Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score, and welcome back to Bears All Access brought to you by IGS Energy, a proud partner of the Chicago Bears, providing electricity, natural gas, and home warranty products to over one million customers across the country.

Learn more about AGS Energy at igs dot com. Jeff Joni Act, Tom Thayer, and Jim Miller with you on Bears All Access this week from all over the globe relief as we bring in Chicago Bears defensive lineman Roy Robertson Harris checking in from Cabo in Mexico. Roy, Rob, how's it going, my friend? Go on, man, how are you doing? We're doing great. I don't know if you've been prepped on this at all, Roy, but I'm literally I'm doing the show right now. On a cell phone

from Paris, France. Time there is in Mauie. Tim's on the beach in Maui. Jim's just sitting back at home in Michigan, and you're coming to us from Cabo. The power of technology? How how wild is this? Right now? This is unexpected, but I think the main interviews at all excess it is. It is unique, that's for sure. So I tell everybody why you're down there in Mexico, and now who you're with? Alright, So we're doing the

Apple's vacations with some of our fans. It's myself, Josh Woods, uh Biggy and Stephen Denmark and we're just some drawing our time down here. It's not too hot, it's a little bit breezy, but you know, we're enjoying the enjoying the beach, enjoying the food, and enjoying the fans out of guyer with us. Hey, Roy, Rob, when does a reality set in for you that you have to start preparing for next season. I'm sure you have access to it down there, but when did things get underway in

an everyday process for you? As soon as we're down with week seventeen, so you get right back into it during the regular season right back, I don't really have too much downtime. This is my downtime right now. So once I get back home, once we leave, I'll be I'll be right back into it. Well, Roy, I've always said this, when you play for the Chicago Bears, I just I just don't think you can ever get away

with it. Here. You're down there with probably a lot of Bears fans, and that constant reminder, you know, is always there, you know, following you when whether it's in the city of Chicago or being even in Cobba and trying to enjoy vacation, but your mind's always on football, probably because the fans are just as excited about the next year as you are. I think some of the I think Chicago Bears fans love Chicago Bearts football more

than anybody else I have been seeing. I haven't seen any better group of fans than the Chicago Bear fans based So I'm enjoying it. Even out here in Mexico. You know, we still we still got a big fan base out here, and you know, they love Chicago Bears football. So it's a good opportunity for them to just be around us and to hang around us, get the more so as people and just enjoying vacation together. Roy Robertson Harris Bears defensive lineman joining the program. I here on

Bears All Access. Thanks to our producers Brandon Arlaski and Adam Stazinski doing a great job and trying to pull this off here tonight with everybody in all these different areas. Roy rob on the trip of I know that they have all kind of excursions for you. Guys have been on the trip the past three years. Couldn't make it this year, but anything fun for you on the side of just mixing with fans and enjoying the opportunity to be there. Yeah, we um. We got to see some

dolphins yesterday. I got to swarm with the dolphins and got to see some camels. I've never been up close to a camera before or dolphins and that was pretty That was pretty exciting, and so yeah, that was That was probably the highlight of the week so far. I know we've got a couple more days left until we had back, but I think so far that was a

highlight of the week. Hey, Roy Robs, just kind of another football question, because over the course of the years, You've earned a lot more reps per game, as much as anybody on the team. So a couple of years ago when you were uncertain maybe ten twelve reps per game to now as much as forty forty five has it How has it changed your frame of mind on your day of the on the day of the game, when you come to go to work knowing that there's a lot more expected out of you than two years ago. Yeah,

I mean, you know, with more reps. Um, you know, I'm getting a lot of I'm getting a lot of hashs of me, which you know it's great for me. I get more more opportunity to make plays and um, you know, put the team in best position we can be in and you know, get the ball back to

the offense. Um. But it's just it's just more opportunity and um, more responsibility to making sure I'm more prepared, and you know, it's it's not a lot of sitting around, you know, well, you know I might get my five snatchals like now, well, now I'm in to start a rotation and now I have to you know, play at the same level as a team and Eddie and making sure I'm holding up my end well, three years of experience under your belt now, and I guess what what

areas of focus the SAUT season are you going to focus in on? Maybe when you go back watch the tape and say, hey, I'd like to do this better, this better? What training wise? What do you think you're going to work on in the areas that you want to improve the most in your game? Family, Just keeping my body healthy and you know, taking care of myself a little bit better. I think as you as you go along each year you kind of learned something new

about yourself as a pro. And with me, it's just doing the little things and make make sure that I'm um keeping myself healthy and you know, whether it's flexibility stuff or whether it's just you know, making sure I'm seeing a chilipactor, making sure I'm getting the masside, little

things like that. Um, you know, because we worked so hard, and I feel like, you know, we work so hard, we grind and grind, grind, and you know, we kind of forget that we have to make sure that we do rest a little bit or you know, do the little things that are keep us healthy. So that's one of the things that I'm trying to make sure to do this offseason and uh take it into the into OTAs and into the summer and the training camp season

and making sure I'm just staying healthy. Roy Robertson Harris defensive lineman, joining the program here on Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. Jeff thom and Jim with you as well. Roy. The business of football certainly in everybody's mindset when the offseason hits, and especially when you're in in a situation like you are. You're a restricted free agent if the age of twenty

seven and a rising player in this league. Bears obviously you know still retain those rights and you never know what's going to happen down the road, But do you do you think about that at are you just focused on getting yourself right? And then an addendum to that, with the NFLPA sending out the ballots this morning for the proposed collective bargaining agreement, do you have any thoughts on how that's looking for you just from your point

of view as a player. I'm not I'm not thinking too much into you right now, obviously being a Mexico um and vacation mode. But as far as as far as everything with the contracts, and I don't think too much of it. Um, I let my agent handle that, Jill, He'll communicate with me. I have thain goals and things that I should be prepared for, but um, you know, I'm just I'm just I'm just enjoying the process and just enjoying the fact that I'm in the NFL. I'm

not thinking too defensive things with it. And once I know, once I know everybody else, you know what I'm here with, you know, going somewhere else, you know, all that stuff will happen, you know the way it should, and you know, I'm just I'm just enjoying a process as a hey Roy rob During the course of time. They always talk about how an offense in its second year with coaches

can play a lot faster earlier. Is that the same thing with defense because Chuck Poganto knows you guys individually better and you kind of know what's expected well, you kind of got a feeling of what's expected out of him in his style, so it can speed effected defense as much as we talk about it on offense, I think Chuck, I think She's going to continue to grow, just like we are as players. UM. I love as

a coach. I think he's a great defensive coordinator. Um. I think we're going to continue to be held off the last year. I think he's gonna have multiled up for us and he's going to expect more of us as a defense. So I'm definitely excited to see what he has playing for us this year. Um. In terms of the rest of your vacation, what do you got

planned left? As you try to enjoy it because pretty soon you will be back to work, my friend, and just maybe things that your activities you got planned, or things you want to do with your teammates, like Giggy, I think we just I think we just hang out. We might, you know, just hang graphs, some food, go to the city graphs and tacos and just hang out, you know, enjoy each other's company. Man, I saw those a dogs. Hey Roy, rob one last thing for me and we'll let you go so you can get back

to your vacation time there. Uh you know you got double a there so that that is always a fun angle to the whole situation. I've seen him at work, has has coach done done showed up yet? Coach done Done? This is not another one of his alter egos. We haven't seen we haven't seen anybody except Spice. We've just seen double A, we see spies Adolesta that we haven't seen go Dun, dun. We haven't see creating Big Day and seeing nobody else with a Spice. Well, they're coming.

Oh they're coming, Roy, Rob, They're coming. I'm excited to see you. All right, Thank you so much, Roy, Rob, appreciate it. Good luck with the rest of the offseason. Roy Roberts and Harris our guest here on Chicago's Sports Radio six seventy to score more the show coming up after this. This segment of Bears Out Access is brought to you by Old Spice, Never Let a Friend, Lucy's Swagger,

Jeff Joniac along with Tom There and Jim Miller. Just heard from Roy robertson Harris from the Bears Apple Vacation fan trip down there in Cabo. It's always a great trip to get about. Oh, I don't know, seventy to one hundred fans joining the festivities and they get the interact with guys, and this year Tom and Jim, Alex Brown, it was one of the veteran guys joined the show, so I bet that's a fun little experience as well. And another guy to hang out with with Anthony Adams

starve Inside the Bears with Lauren Screeden. I guarantee of those two. And then you have Josh Woods and Tom. We've gotten to know Josh he's he's a life of a party type of guy at the practice on the practice field, and don't really know Stephen Denmark very well. And of course Joel yea bunny Waite is one of the nicer guys you're gonna find in that locker room.

Good dude. So fun, fun, fun trip for everybody. And I think that they get a true appreciation two of what Bears fans that want to put their money and go on this trip that just hang out with these guys. Well, you know, they do a great job. Apple Vacations is a great job. Yeah, you know, the Bears fans they get rewarded bycause all of those guys have a really good,

pleasant offseason attitudes. They're very congenial. Josh Woods as a dancer, man, if there's music, he's moving and so but you know, it's kind of like the players are every one of those guys that you mentioned, you know, they're sitting on the your reality, they're getting ready for the next season, always in the back of their mind, like Roy robertson Harris, Hey, when do you start getting ready for next season? Game seventeen?

So it really never leaves your mind. And you know, with Denmark and his size and everything, you hope that he advances, you know, takes a big step forward coming into this year, just like Ea Booneyway and Josh Woods and the rest of these guys. So you kind of sit on this trip and you it's like, you have a great time with the fans, but man, that reality of what's going to take place as soon as you get back, it's starting to set in. Yeah, it comes quick, man,

It's just around the corner. They'll be in their off season programs, going through the phases of the offseason first couple or obviously to just get in shape and get back in the weight room and all that, and then lo and behold, you're out there for OTAs and then there'll be a mini camp and there's basically he'll be a month away from training camp. So it's going to creep up on the players pretty quick. So whatever resting

they've done. It's kind of time to get back to work in the light ball going off right now to do so. And let me say this about Roy rob Yes, he is a restricted free agent. I don't know what the tender will be. But this is a guy that started out obviously not able to play his first year because of an illness. Then he worked his way out of a different position into defensive line. He's really worked hard at it, and I still consider him a rising

developing player at the age of twenty seven. I don't think you can have enough guys in that rotation up front, and certainly a unique body type like his, with his length and overall ability to anchor down inside and play a variety of spots up front. You guys agree, yep, you know, Jeff. One of the evaluation processes through the career of Roy Robertson Harris because he is uniquely qualified. He is a big athlete, he's intelligent, he bends well,

he is dedicated to being a football player. But now, okay, judgment day for Roy Rob when he's got fourteen reps a game. Now, judgment day is when you're fatigued at forty five to fifty five reps and That's what you kind of see, is this player willing to absorb the higher expectations we have for him. And every time he's been fed a little bit more opportunities, he's always capitalized with it. Yeah, just so be interesting the tender that the Bears play a place on him for fans out there.

When Jeff says restricted, that's exactly it. He's restricted, all right. The Bears will put a qualifying offer out there. Is it a first round tender, is it a second round tender? Is it a lower round tender? And then teams have the ability outside of the Bears potentially you know, match that offer or make an offer, I should say. And if the Bears don't match that offer, then they'd get that compensation, that round of compensation for a guy like

Roy Robertson Harris. So it'll be interesting to see what he's valued at and if any teams would be interested in that. All right, let's talk about the the NFLPA going now with their balance out to players. They've gotten until a week from tonight to get things voted on. They're going to keep it open until next Thursday. It's going to take some time for the lawyers will look at it and all that and see where it stands. The owners have already approved the deal, Fellas Jim, I'm

sure you're talking about it all day today. I've seen on different websites they're taking some straw pulling out there and seeing what's going on from the players. It seems like the big money guys are putting a no on it for the most part, unless I'm mistaken, and there's a bunch of guys that are looking out for everybody league wide, because there's a greater number of players that don't make that kind of dough that will benefit from

this new deal. As much as we know about it, yeah, it's and it's going to be more than the nineteen hundred players that get to vote on it, because even though a player may not have played last year, he may still have played union dues, maybe he was on a team for a couple of games got released. It

still has the right to vote. So they think there's an estimate of up to twenty five hundred players that could vote on this, and if that's the case, Jeff, it would lean towards the rank and files numbers would be there in terms of passing this because it just has to be a majority vote. The thing, you know, obviously the high priced players did not want the seventeenth game. There's no doubt about that. There's new things in terms of drug testing and things like that. That's certainly the

players have fought for. And now a lot of it just seems like it's going to be fines moving forward and not suspensions. But the thing about it is it's eleven year deal. Is what this comes to, and it

comes down to about the revenue. The player's revenue is going to increase from about forty seven percent, which it sounds like it'll be, you know, have the ability to raise up to about forty eight little over forty eight point five percent, so they get about a percentage and a half increase that could bump a little bit more, which is a lot of money when you're talking about

a billion dollar business. But again, one I'm surprised there's not an outclause in it because that isn't eleven year deal. I mean, who knows five years from now, maybe the revenues are different where you go back and reevaluate it. But unfortunately those things weren't negotiated in it, and so that's where the higher priced players have a problem with it.

And but as for rank and file players, I don't want to say about the halves and the have nots, but you would think the majority of those twenty five hundred players they would vote yes on this because if there were, you know, if they were to reject it, come back, not get a deal done, have a lockout, I'd be to me it would be very difficult for those rank and file players to basically lose a quarter

of their earnings. Meaning if an average career is three to four years, so imagine a four year career and you're locked out and you don't have any earnings or paychecks coming in, you could potentially lose really a quarter of your career as an NFL player. You're earnings so one year potentially. So I think a lot of the rank and file members, and it seems like that's what everybody's leaning towards, that this will pass, it will get ratified.

But we'll see where it goes, and we'll see, you know, if all the players vote and are as interested in in their livelihood is what we think they are. You know, one thing about this did I see in the paper or on the TV? Correctly? It's a four hundred and sixty or four hundred and fifty six page booklet of

information that they sent out to these players. Jim. Yeah, so you know, rank and file or top tier guys, how many of the guys are realistically going to read this thing page for page and then when they're taking the advice from their advisor. Is it an advisor that has the advisor's best interest at hand? Or is it the advisor has the best player's interest at hand? So you know, I think, yeah, the vote is yes or no, but the amount of information they sent to every one

of these guys is pretty overwhelming. Yeah. Well, you know a lot of those players are probably right. A lot of players probably won't read it. They'll turn it over to their advisor. And you know, the advisor is supposed to do what's in the best interests of the player.

And if you're player making League minimum, you know your salary is going to increase substantially, but you know, for some guys, gonna be over one hundred thousand dollars, and then you factor in a seventeenth game game that originally was going to be capped at two hundred and fifty thousand. For that seventeenth week game, there's been some changes for that.

So if an advisor is advising his client for a rank and file player making minimum what is league minimum in the NFL, and you've got a huge salary increase in terms of one hundred thousand dollars, I think the advisor is going to say for you at this point in time, this would be a yes vote for you because it's it's benefiting you as a player moving forward.

And probably a lot of the high salary guys why they've come out and been so vocal they are against it, So I would think, but majority of players this will help the rank and file players and increase their salaries. Guys.

You know what the great point is about the agents, and with all due respect to the agents, you know what they're saying to their players at all levels is really a key component here that the average fan probably doesn't realize, and if they do, you know, this selfish ass effect of it from a business point of view, you know, the money's buried in those big name guys, and so it'll be interesting to see afterwards when this all comes out, how the agents do really feel about it.

We'll pick it up on the other side of this commercial break. This is Bears All Access on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to school. This segment of Bears All Access is brought to you by CW Get It Learn More as AW dot Com, Jeff Jonny acc along with Tom Thair and Jim Miller bringing you Bears All Access from parts all over the world tonight Paris, France, Maui, Michigan, Michigan, and Combo San Lucas, where we had Roy Robertson Harris calling in for the program on the Bears Apple vacation trip.

So fun night, indeed, a very interesting conversation as well as to get into the NFL Players Association and the balloting going on. Jim and Tom got a couple of questions for you about that. Did you guys vote every time you did have a document in front of you as players? Did you guys always have a vote and did you take that vote or were there times you

just didn't do it? Do it? Well? You know, we went through the strike in nineteen eighty seven, so we had a lot of things that you know, factored in and trying to get an organized plan of attack getting ready for the collective bargaining agreement that we are striking for, But you didn't have the means of a communication that they had today, So I think there was a lot more confusion in the translation of information that went across

the football league. And I don't think as much as we wanted to think we had solidarity we did, we did not have it when it really came to the most meaningful moment in negotiations. So you know your individual vote is going to factor. Like Jim says, the rank and file will probably help make this decision because the big money guys are closer to the end of their career than the beginning of their career. So it's something

as as serious as this. Yes, you have to pay attention to it, you have to get the information, you have to digest it, and you have to make the vote that you feel is right for you. Yeah. Now, I came into the league after Tom and players like himself that you know basically fought and did all the things, and I came under the first collective bargaining agreement in

the National Football League. At that point. Gene Upshaw was our NFL PA, say executive director, much like how de Morris Smith is today, and Gene Upshaw was very adamant he would come to the team. And I remember sitting there with the Pittsburgh Steelers and veterans like Greg Lloyd and Kevin Green, and they were given Gene Upshaw the Riot Act, and that was my introduction to labor relations

in the National Football League. And there were some arguments that happened in that meeting, and it turned out to be one of the best deals in National Football League history in terms of labor law because Gene Upshaw at that point, when he had worked at hand in hand basically with the NFL commissioner at that point, Paul Taglubu is now a Hall of Famer, they actually worked well together and they got a lot of stuff done behind

closed doors. There wasn't the animosity that has happened really up until this last Collective Barting agreement, because back in twenty eleven when the CBA was passed again for the ten years which is coming to a conclusion and why they're voting again, there was a lot of animosity and I thought Demorris Smith really attacked it the wrong way. You don't say we're going to war when you're trying

to negotiate with your partner. What's the war about? You know what I mean, You're just you're trying to better the improvement of the overall National Football League and its workers. And Gene Upshaw turned out that was a bad deal back in twenty eleven. Granted, the players got more money, but their revenue sharing went from seventy one percent down

to forty seven percent. It's one of the worst deals in sports history, if you want to be exact, And so players have done it again in terms of negotiating and doing all these things. I don't like, personally certain things about this deal because they don't know eleven years from now, they don't even know what these new broadcasting

contracts are going to be. They're billions of dollars. So to me, I would have had an opt out minimum halfway through it, where you can reevaluate into five years time, and maybe for the fairness of it. But those things obviously didn't come up in negotiations. But Gene Upshaw turns out did a very fine job as the executive director, and the players since then they've given them more ownership. I don't know whether that's a good thing or a

bad thing. I personally wouldn't want a player who doesn't have a degree in negotiating going there were working negotiating with owners who own companies and it's what they do for a living. So I personally would want somebody versed in labor law in in negotiation or matter of fact, maybe a former general manager that knows where the areas of two attack against NFL owners. So we'll see how it turns out. The salary cap has increased every year.

There are other revenue streams that have made it beneficial for players and that's why the salary cap has gone up every year. But as you mentioned, overall for players you see contracts increasing at an incremental rate see quarterbacks now, franchise tags going up, and all those things. So the growth of the game is tremendous. But in terms of fairness of the deal, I still don't think it's quite equitable and why other things could have been fought for

through this deal. But Gene Upshaw did a pretty good good job, better than what people think. Yeah, we could talk about this for a long time. There's a many different opinions about it. I have my own as well, but it's just a long process to get into all that. Let's touch on the substance abuse policy, because that's been leaked out today. Fellas, how do you feel about it? Because in this deal, as we understand it, it removes

all suspensions for positive drug tests. Instead, they'll be subject to fines only for a positive drug test, and it's incremento if you were a repeat violator, Tommy, Jeff, I just I wanted to interrupt because when you said before that you have opinions of your own about the collective bargaining agreement in the negotiations, so you are a third party, what are your thoughts, you know, just to hear that it's it's more about the fair I'm a believer than that. Um,

these these owners, this is their business. This is something they've they've created in many cases, Uh, this has been their only business is football, and you know they have a right to make as much money as they could possibly make if they want. And I just think the way the salaries have gone. The one thing I would like to see in this in this deal, and that is I don't know if it's ever going to be possible, but it would be to have insurance coverage for all

players that have played the game. And maybe you segment in a different way, you know, for the for the bulk of their you know, post career lives. And I don't know, you guys would probably feel strongly about that too. I think that's that's a tough one, but I think that's something that would be really beneficial to all these guys.

I agree rather have health insurance than more money added to the pension because I think ultimately the money they want to add would be more beneficial for the vested veterans or the older guys that go through the league to have some type of you know, health assurances. Yeah, that is supposed to be in this collective bargaining agreement. I haven't read the four hundred and fifty six pages.

I gotta get my hands on the document. But that will happen for older players, that there will be increase in pensions and things of that nature, and it will touch into the medical uh as well. But you know, it's interesting, Jeff, because in time, because when you when you look at this this deal again, I think for the rank and file players, it's definitely going to benefit. But when you you know that's kind of the players, everybody you're asking, well, who has the leverage, who has leverage?

Of course the players have leveraged. Then owners have to negotiate with the broadcast networks and that is where the billions of dollars and where it can go to where that will increase everything for everybody, the players, the owners, everybody, and that the owners obviously want this collective bargaining done so they can go agreement done, so they can go to the network and say, look, we've got labor piece,

We're here for eleven more years. You know, there's not going to be a problem here, and they believe that will increase the revenues and they'll get the best deal possible. But certainly from a player's standpoint, like I said, when you lock into a deal that long, you don't know five years from now, what is going to increase, where

other revenue streams are going to come from. Where maybe you go back and have an opt out halfway through the deal, whether it's five years from now, and say you on what, let's let's reevaluate this deal and where is it unequitable and read I don't think that is in this CBA goes eleven years. Eleven years, that's a long time. A lot of things can change in eleven years specifically say on the gambling side of it, now

that it's legal. Hey, hey, guys, just quickly weigh in on the substance abuse policy is as you hear it. You know, it's kind of a tricky situation, Jeff, because they have state that teams have teams are in states that are legal, and so I don't know, you know, what you can do to these to the players, to monitor these guys twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, because in the process of when they test you for drugs of abuse, it's they test you one

time during the course of the year. You're notified far enough in advance. If you don't have that type of self control, you're probably gonna limit the length of your career anyway. So a lot of it, A lot of players make your own decisions. Whether they don't work out enough in the off season, or they socialize in party too much in the offseason. You know, those are going to be deciding factors in the length of a lot

of their careers. Yeah, and it just seems like the NFL, even how it's always been, they don't look at any drug use that it's a competitive advantage. Does it provide you a competitive advantage on the field. It only you're really you're only hindering yourself as a player, is how you look at it. So now there's going to be fines involved in this, not suspensions, but if players are still repeat offenders, boy, they're gonna be playing for free.

They're just not being suspended. They're gonna be allowed to play, but they've been playing for free. With the fines that are installed. It definitely is an interesting development in the CBA negotiations. All right, when we come back, we're to talk about free agency just about ten or eleven days away. Are thirteen days away when it really helps with the nearly the league year. We'll get into that and how

it impacts the Bears. We'll talk positions of interest, and we'll talk about the combine and the impact of what the Bears need in certain areas of the football team. Of the strength is in numbers from what you're seeing in the NFL draft list of players. This is Bears All Access with Tom Thayer, Jim Miller, Jeff Jonnyac on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy to score. Welcome back to the final segment of the program Tonight, Bears All Access and the real stars of the show are Brandon Orlowski

and Adams to Zinski with helping Shane Rear. He's setting us all up. I mean Tom Paris, France, Maui, Michigan and Cobo on one show not even looking at each other. How are we pulling this off? Depends who ate the best today. Kind of sounds like you in Paris, France with a little cruissants and some of the good food that you get around there. Probably you Big Jeff. What in the morning, He's still got time to go out for a nightcap. What's up with that? Hey? Is the

city of lights. Baby. They're not turning him off anytime soon. Yeah, no question about it. Jim. I'm on vacation. I can do whatever. Time is of no consequence. Good for you. Enjoy it, my friend. Yeah, it'll be fun. Let's talk about how this offseason plan is starting to materialize for the Bears. Let's start with free agency because that comes first. Now we got an idea of what we're looking at in terms of the draft. All the pro workouts are

getting underway. You're hearing the story, You're hearing about all the timings and all that, and where guys are moving up and down that in my opinion, Jim and Tom, they don't really move up and down. They're just now maybe getting talked about more because the words getting out. But teams know about all these guys. They're just getting reconfirmed on what their numbers are going to be. But they watch the tape and the tape tells the story.

But free agency is a different animal. You gotta deal with the math, you gotta deal with the agents, and you gotta deal with can this guy, no matter what his skill set is that we think fits, can you fit in my locker room? What are you looking at position wise and the types of guys that would fit to be Bears as a safety position. Last year in free agency and you were looking at Haha, Clinton Dix, you weren't looking at a part time player. You were

looking for a full time starter. So I think when you're investigating this talent in terms of what the Bears need per position, look at what they're capable of doing. If you have a part time free agent, don't expect him to be a full time performer. So when you go out there and you look at these players, understand their track record a little bit and what they're either developing into or where they're at in the position of

their career and how productive they can be. Yeah, some interesting safety is coming out in the draft, and I thought, haha, I did have a fine year last year, and maybe that is a player the Bears want to bring back. I mean, currently having a little over twenty four million dollars and probably could do that. And you know, as for the linebackers, you got to believe, you know, you

can probably bring back one, but not both. When you look at Danny Trevathan and Nick Kwikowski, you know, obviously Nick wants to test the free agent waters it has was a drafted player has played well. You certainly want to reward and keep the guys that you've been vested in, and he certainly has earned it. But I don't think that they could play both. And they've got some speedy inside linebackers in this year's draft. You know, you got guys that you know probably are going to go high,

like Patrick Queen out of LSU. But there's other guys Kenneth Murray and inside backers that fit the bill, like a Knick Kwikowski where they could fill that weak inside role for the Chicago Bearers. So again, I just think it's how it fits the character of it and the dollars and cents. But I don't think they can address them all or resign all those players that have played well in Chicago Sparrett's defense defensively in terms of why you guys project the needs to be offensively or defensively,

where would you want to spend your money. I'm not asking you to pick the player, but I'm asking you where you want to spend your money. Free agent tight end definitely for me. I mean you need more production at that position and a guy who can step in and play and play well. And again, I you know, certainly we've talked about Austin Hooper at a fine year down there for the Atlanta Falcons. You know, can he be a guy that the Bears can sign for a

reasonable amount. Certainly he's gonna want good money because he's coming off a great year. Or other guys who could potentially be out there and be available here, and that obviously, Jimmy Graham could be released by the Green Bay Packers, and the Bears will do all their due diligence on all these players. It's light in the draft for the tight end position. But clearly I think that is an

area of need. It has to get better. They have to have more production out of that position, and so I think that was a position that will be addressed. I'm I with you, Jim. You know, specifically, I want to line a scrimmage tight end because when you look at Trey Burton, and I do think he's gonna come back and you know, be hopefully what was expected of him.

But when you look at the template of Trey Burton, you have other guys on the team with those types of assets, whether Cordarrell Patterson, Javon Wims and that type of body size. But uniquely, when you're talking about a tight end that can orb the abuse of an offensive lineman but still help you out in the red zone, you know, I would like to go and identify that guy, and I'm almost looking at him at a blocker first and a receiver second. We'll see what Demetrius Harris can bring.

He's got familiarity, We've talked to him, so maybe he can be one of those guys that step in and increase the production at that spot. I'm a guy that goes at the line of scrimmage and you're never gonna go wrong, whether that's defense or offense. So I wouldn't mind spending some of that money on the offensive line. And you know you're going to have to probably invest in a free agent quarterback at some level. How much is the question and all that that I'll sort itself out.

But you know, I'm looking, are you okay if it's it's to address the offensive line? You know? I mean, Jeff, I'm kind of like you. You go through the mentality where you can never be too good on the offensive defensive line. And last year when the Bears were cursed with the injury to a Keem Hicks, I think that was really, you know, tough hurdle to overcome to get his type of play, the concern for him by the team's offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. So I am

with you in that respects. But you know, two as, you got to solidify that safety position, and whether it's through the draft or for through free agents through free agency, they need, you know that they need that voice back there that can work well with Eddie Jackson. Yeah, they get you know, for the interior or the offensive line, certainly there's some needs there and I think there'll be some quality guys out there that you don't have to

really break the bank for. And recently today you saw some tackles that have been released their elder statesmen that have you know, now getting an opportunity to go out there in the free agent waters. Jason Peters certainly he's up there in age, thirty eight years old. Jared Veldier, he's only thirty two. Shoot, he was in a backup role last year for the Green Bay Packers, ended up

starting in two games the final years. So I don't think, you know, a guy like him who comes with a lot of starts, really is going to command a lot of money out there on the open market. And so I think the Bears could land a couple veterans there in that backup capacity role and guys that could step in and play. Also, Trent Williams apparently been reportedly anyway given the green light to seek a trade. That's a tough situation there and in Washington after holding out all

last season because of disagreements on his medical issues. But he's only thirty one. Jason Peters turning thirty eight in January, one of the best to ever play the game at that position, and it looks like it's over in Philadelphia unless they sign him if he doesn't land anything, and bring him back at a cheaper rate after eleven years there and nine times a Pro bowler from a former tight end that came into the NFL with the Buffalo Bills.

That's one of the best stories in the league. You know, when you think about it, that guy's going to the Hall of Fame after starting out as a tight end and becoming a dominant left tackle. Look at the story on the Bear's website about Andy Andy Heck. There's a former college tight ended. You start seeing these guys. Last year we are introduced to the son of Metcalf, former

offensive lineman for the Bears. Now his son goes in the draft, and now you got Andy Heck out there, former Chicago Bear, and his son's going in the draft. So you know that lineage is played well out for for some of these guys that you know have his the bloodline in their family. And we're in the second

year of check Pagano's defense. So if you're looking at things in terms of what to keep that defense strong and keep it that way, because you get, in my opinion, you also got to keep a strength of strength, and that is the Bears defense until proven otherwise by the offense.

Keep a strength of strength. So even if it's not big money pieces, but just pieces that get into the rotation that will impact the level of play that yes, there there is a need to get another starter at safety, or maybe it's an in house guy that's ready to make his move. Maybe it's the ambush, maybe it's it's going to be something like that. But you want to keep a strength of strength. So these guys, presumably as you for Tim, are gonna play faster in the second

year with Chuck Plogano. Now he knows these guys better. The defensive staff is intact, so they know each other very well. I'm looking for a reboot and a healthy return of the key parts, obviously with the chem Hicks and Roquan Smith at the center of it in the middle of that defense, making things very strong again, because I'd like to see mb creative. I think Green Bay was a little bit more creative up front and took

a lot of teams. By surprise, when you look at the Bears talent, including a Chem Hicks and Khalil Mack, the Bears shit equal at creativeness. Up, and I think more accountability on offense stay on the field. That'll help out keeping a defense healthy all year long. You're right about that well, Fellas, thanks and appreciate you baron with us as we bring you this show from all over the world. You guys have a great west of your weekend. We'll talk to you next week Monday. All right, Big Tom,

Tom's and Molly. Jim Miller in Michigan with Serious XM NFL Radio checking him out on moving the Chains with Pat Kurwin. I'm Jeff Joni k Thanks again to Roy Robertson Harris checking in for the Bears fan trip in Cabo in Mexico along with Alex Brown, Josh Woods and Fellas and the producers Brandon Arlowski and Adam Stabzinski. That will do it for us. Have a great night. This

is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the Score. Thanks for listening to this Chicago Bears Network presentation of Bears All Access. Podcasts are available on Chicago Bears dot Com and on iTunes or download the official Bears mobile app. Bears All Access has been brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by Miller Litte