Latest / 2nd City Gridiron / Bears Banter Ep. 239: Chicago Bears NFL Draft Preview with Ari Temkin!

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Bears Banter Ep. 239: Chicago Bears NFL Draft Preview with Ari Temkin! · 2nd City Gridiron

• 0:02
  [UNKNOWN]: Thank you for watching!
• 0:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: right fair now bears fans inside for another edition of the Chicago Bears podcast bears banter hour by second city grid iron bill Zimmerman with you and I said we'd be back one more time before the NFL draft and we are back one more time before the NFL draft in fact we are not gonna bury this announcement we are putting it right at the top
• 0:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Technically I'll be back one more time before the bears are on the clock and fact I'll be on win the bears are on the clock That's right.
• 0:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: We are doing another bears banter NFL draft first round
• 0:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: live stream with plenty of guests joining me throughout the evening a lot of the second city gridiron contributes windy city gridiron contributors writers from across the bears landscape will be joining the live stream throughout Thursday night.
• 1:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: We will be starting right when the NFL draft starts.
• 1:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll do the Mendoza pick all the way through the bears pick getcha analysis of the bears pick and sign off should be interesting to see what the picks being a couple minutes less if this NFL draft first runs going to be a little shorter you know those three and a half four hour streams a little tiring hopefully this one's a little closer to three we will see.
• 1:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: how long the first round takes, but make sure you lock it in.
• 1:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And if you want bears coverage, if you don't need to hear, you know, Daniel Jeremiah or Mel Kiper or anyone, you know, waxing on and on about the New Orleans Saints or anything like that, we will cover the NFL draft with Pickby Pick coverage.
• 2:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Tell you what it's impacting each team.
• 2:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: But we'll focus more on the
• 2:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: what the bears are going to be able to do with that 25th pick.
• 2:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: We are going to be all over it.
• 2:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: The only way we are not doing that live stream is if the bears do not have the 25th pick in the draft and the only way that's going to happen between now and then.
• 2:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: probably going to be a trade for Dexter Lawrence.
• 2:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: So let's start there.
• 2:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll get into the stadium.
• 2:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Then we'll get into some draft stuff.
• 2:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then we're going to be joined by Ari Tempkin.
• 2:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: You've heard him on the second city gridiron podcast feed, doing draft shows with Jacob and Fonte the last six weeks or so.
• 2:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: That has been great content.
• 2:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hopefully you've been enjoying those shows.
• 2:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Of course he's from Big 12.
• 2:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
• 2:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: serious XM, he's been a great addition to the second city gridiron podcast feed and he's going to be by in just a little bit.
• 2:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: But let's start with this Dexter Lawrence rumor situation.
• 3:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'll tell you what I've heard, not gonna sit here and pretend I've got, you know, chefter level info.
• 3:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I have heard a few things from a few people, you know, around the league, cover in the league.
• 3:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that is that Dexter Lawrence has
• 3:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Zero interest in playing for the New York Giants of 2026 doesn't mean he's definitely getting traded But I think it's is definitely more likely than not that he is going to be in a new uniform this year The way I understand it is he hates Joe Shane and is not even giving John Harba Basically a chance John Harba and he Harba has even said it publicly.
• 3:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: He has barely interacted
• 3:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: with with Dexter Lawrence at this point.
• 3:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Lawrence just not happy the way things have been handled.
• 3:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not happy with the way that team has been run the last couple years.
• 3:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: He is not interested in being a New York giant with John Harball without John Harball.
• 3:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: So he would like to be on a new team.
• 3:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: The the giants don't seem to have any interest in paying him the 30.
• 3:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would guess to 32 million a year that he is going to warrant.
• 4:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: But even if they did
• 4:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: You'd have to wonder if Dexter Lawrence would still demand a trade.
• 4:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: It does not seem like he wants to be in New York at all.
• 4:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now, I have heard that the bear is poked around there a little bit.
• 4:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: That is not a big deal.
• 4:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: Most teams, when a big player is available at a position of need, you're going to poke around and kind of see what's going on.
• 4:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, is it more, hey, is Dexter Lawrence really available?
• 4:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: What is it going to take or have the bears been in more firm talks?
• 4:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: The way I understand it, it's still more of a poking around.
• 4:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: They haven't done anything significant.
• 4:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: But if the giants are going to do this, you would think the giants are going to want to do this before the draft on Thursday.
• 4:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And last they really want to see if they can work things out.
• 4:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: If the giants are just like this is just not worth it.
• 4:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: We are rebuilding he's 28 years old.
• 4:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's going to be 30 and need a new contract by the time we're any good.
• 4:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: If the rebuild works well, they just may want to be they're on different timelines.
• 5:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: They just want to may move on.
• 5:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: If they have hope that they're going to work things out, then yeah, you're going to keep extra Lawrence.
• 5:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: You're going to help skip OTA, so probably skip mandatory mini camp.
• 5:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: You'll see if he shows up for training camp, if when kind of a thing, and you'll see if you can work things out and make things amicable.
• 5:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: So he sticks around for 2026.
• 5:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you're just, if you think the ship has sailed,
• 5:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Then it is time to trade Dexter Lawrence now and not wait.
• 5:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: You trade Dexter Lawrence in August.
• 5:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, you're going to be trying to get 2027 picks.
• 5:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: But we've heard it from everyone.
• 5:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: Teams do not want to give up 2027 picks.
• 5:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: That is supposed to be a special draft and teams do not want to ship those.
• 5:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: So now you need to send,
• 5:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: 2027 picks for Dexter Lawrence, I'm going to bet his trade value goes down because I think teams would be more willing to give up a late first potentially or a second round pick in 2026, then they would give up a 2027 to in September.
• 6:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: That is not any sourced info.
• 6:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: That is just speculation about how much teams like this 2027 NFL draft.
• 6:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, and I heard Jonathan Wood talking about this.
• 6:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you know Jonathan, what he's writing for Winnie City, Gritiron, now, of course, long time to bear his blog blog or over there has joined Winnie City, Gritiron.
• 6:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: And he was to basically talking about how this has kind of worked out where Caleb Williams fell in their lab.
• 6:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Ben Johnson fell in their lab.
• 6:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: And now, Dexter Lawrence is kind of falling in their lab.
• 6:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: The bears really should pounds.
• 6:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I have seen some people disagree.
• 6:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would say it's very popular 80%.
• 6:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: That want to get this done.
• 6:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: But there's 20% there like, oh, I don't want Dexter Lawrence.
• 6:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: He hasn't been the same player the last couple years.
• 6:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's a pain in the neck for the giants.
• 7:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: And look, you can have that opinion.
• 7:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not telling you how you need to think.
• 7:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: But personally, I vehemently disagree about that kind of stance with Dexter Lawrence.
• 7:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: This guy is a difference maker, even with the downiers.
• 7:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Statistically, the numbers haven't been quite as flashy, but even with the downiers, this guy is still the best nose tackle in the league.
• 7:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Easy, easily the best nose tackle in the league.
• 7:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: And if you can get him a little, maybe a little more motivated, better scheme,
• 7:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: event, whatever it might be, whatever, you know, the elbow, finally, fully heals, whatever it might be.
• 7:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you get Dexter, he's 28.
• 7:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: He is not 32 or 33.
• 7:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's 28.
• 7:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, he's getting up there on NFL terms, but you can get defensive tackles that play well into their early-to-mid 30s.
• 7:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: That is not impossible.
• 7:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Clayus Campbell still knocking heads at 40.
• 7:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, there's there's absolutely no reason to think that Dexter Lawrence is toast in a year or two.
• 8:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now, again, he's got a very big frame.
• 8:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: He carries a lot of weight.
• 8:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.
• 8:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: That could happen.
• 8:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: But when you're talking about training for a guy who is the best nose tackle in the league and can be forget best nose tackle just on another level.
• 8:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like he has three times more quarterback pressures than like any other defensive tackle over like the last five years.
• 8:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's not an exaggeration.
• 8:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know the exact numbers.
• 8:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: I know Warren Sharp put out a tweet with with the Z.
• 8:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: He is so far ahead of everyone else.
• 8:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is insane, insane what he does from interior pressure.
• 8:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: And while that,
• 8:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Bucks exactly what Dennis Allen wants in terms of body type and athletic athleticism in terms of his defense of tackles.
• 8:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is what he wants in terms of results.
• 8:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: And what he wants is he wants interior pressure.
• 8:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's what Dennis Allen wants.
• 8:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: And he's more focused on edges that can set the run and don't let runs get it to the outside, get the pressure to blow up plays early on passing down from the interior.
• 9:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's what Dexter Lawrence,
• 9:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: does better than anyone else in the league, period bar none.
• 9:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: And to be honest, if Dennis Allen was sitting there going, I don't want Dexter Lawrence on my defense.
• 9:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's not quite a scheme fit for me.
• 9:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: The tennis Allen needs to shut up and go away.
• 9:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I love Dennis Allen.
• 9:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: But at some point, you don't worry about perfect scheme fit.
• 9:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: You worry about results.
• 9:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Dexter Lawrence gets you results.
• 9:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: So in terms of what the bears would have to give up.
• 9:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Look, Giants fans, like if you look at some of the tweets I put out, I put out an idea of the bears could give up 25, and if that wasn't enough, they could do something where they trade their free and get the Giants for.
• 9:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's the equivalent.
• 9:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: That downgrade is the equivalent of a mid-fourth round pick.
• 9:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I thought a one with the equivalent of a mid-fourth round pick.
• 9:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: might be enough to get it done in terms of the Chicago Bears and New York Giants consummating a trade, thinking that the bears only lose one pick.
• 10:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: They lose their first round pick, and they downgrade from a third to a fourth, and then have two, fours and no threes, get Ryan pulls out of the third round, not a bad thing either.
• 10:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, I though that was a good idea, but interestingly enough, I have heard from a couple people covering the giants
• 10:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: from ESPN has said this publicly, that he doesn't think Dexter Lawrence is gonna fetch a one.
• 10:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: He thinks the price on Dexter Lawrence is a two.
• 10:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm gonna say this, I had a giant's beat guy.
• 10:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was texting with him and he suggested that he thinks this deal would get accepted by the New York Giants.
• 10:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that is that the Bears would send 25,
• 10:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: And 57, hang on.
• 10:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: They'd send 25 and 57 to the giants.
• 10:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: The giants would send Dexter Lawrence and pick 37.
• 11:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: So the bears and essence would downgrade from 25 to 37 throw in a second round pick and they would get Dexter Lawrence.
• 11:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that, when you look at the Jimmy Johnson trade chart and look at the points, exchanging hands, that's the equivalent to trading Dexter Lawrence for the 41st pick in the draft.
• 11:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would jump at that in a second and that's the thing, like a trade should hurt.
• 11:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: I feel like, like, and that's where I feel like I'm missing something here, sometimes with Dexelo, like a trade should hurt.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: It shouldn't just be, here's a trade like, like, Joe Toney did not hurt, right?
• 11:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Joe Toney for a future for was stealing was absolutely stealing.
• 11:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: That shouldn't have happened, but it did happen.
• 11:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's what this trade feels like to me.
• 11:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Getting dexter Lawrence for the equivalent of the 41st pick in the draft feels a little bit like stealing.
• 11:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not as much as duty, but it feels like stealing.
• 11:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like I'm missing something like, why isn't Dexter Lawrence worth more than this?
• 12:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: If Max Crosby, who's the same age, coming from the edge is worth two first.
• 12:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: How is Dexter Lawrence not even worth one?
• 12:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: I understand why Dexter Lawrence isn't worth the same amount as Crosby, but these are two significantly impactful players.
• 12:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: about the same age and I understand contract situation is definitely different because Dexter Lawrence wants to get paid.
• 12:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: You don't need to pay cross.
• 12:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: We write away.
• 12:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Big difference there.
• 12:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: But at the same time, I just don't understand why Lawrence is only worth a two.
• 12:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: But if he's only worth a two, then why isn't Ryan Polls Ben Johnson, Kevin Warren, and everything.
• 12:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: George McCaskey jumping on this opportunity.
• 12:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: That value to for Lawrence to me is really good.
• 12:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: The only thing that would hold him back and I'm not going to spend a lot of time on it is money.
• 12:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: The bears could make this work under the salary cap.
• 12:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have plenty of maneuverability still that they can do with their players.
• 12:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have a contract.
• 12:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: But they've got to convert salary to cash, spend cash on Dexter Lawrence, go over the cap, then spend more cash to give Darnell Wright an extension in July or August, presumably when that contract gets done.
• 13:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then spend obscene amounts of cash next year when Caleb Williams is set to get a contract extension.
• 13:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: You've
• 13:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: got to convince the bears to spend cash if you're if you want to get this done in your Ryan Pauls and Ben Johnson you've got to convince George McCaskey and Kevin Warren that this is worth the money that they would.
• 13:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: that George would need to put out to make this thing happen.
• 13:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that's the way I look at this with extra Lawrence.
• 13:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: The bears need to get this done because they're they're they're their defense stinks.
• 13:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: It isn't any better than it was last year.
• 13:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe slightly but not not significantly better.
• 13:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I've said this before the Chicago Bears defense is not good enough to make the bears a super bowl container.
• 13:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: They can contend to make the playoffs.
• 13:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: they can sneak in as the 7-6 seed, maybe even when the division again, I don't know if they would, maybe when the division again, but in terms to truly contend to be a Super Bowl contender, you cannot win in my estimation, three or four games in a row with that defense against playoff caliber teams, it's just not going to happen.
• 14:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you need to improve that defense.
• 14:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: And if you improve with Dexter Lawrence, where you put Lawrence in the middle of that thing, as your best defensive player.
• 14:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Montes, sweat is next to him.
• 14:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you've got that kind of a dynamic duo.
• 14:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that will elevate what Austin Booker can do.
• 14:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Take pressure off Grady Jarrett and Jervand Dexter in terms of what they can do, protects the linebackers behind them, gets pressure on the quarterback, improves the secondary.
• 14:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: It does everything to make that entire defensive unit better.
• 14:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a no-brainer to me.
• 14:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll see if it's a no-brainer for the Chicago Bears.
• 14:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: quickly, a little thing on the stadium here, then we'll talk draft a little.
• 14:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm not going to give you too much draft because we're going to do a lot of draft with Ari.
• 14:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Tempting.
• 14:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm going to give you plenty of draft on draft.
• 15:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Night.
• 15:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Stadium to me, all signs are pointing that this thing is going to get done in Arlington Heights.
• 15:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: The bears and the state of Illinois, they seem to be getting to a point where it's almost dot nize and crossing T's.
• 15:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: And to me, and this is, I just need a couple minutes to say this, then we'll move on to the draft, and then we'll get Ari.
• 15:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: to me this still was all about leverage.
• 15:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't know the all the specific ins and outs of what Kevin Warren was thinking with the stadium.
• 15:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: I do genuinely think Kevin Warren wanted the stadium in Chicago.
• 15:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think he felt the Chicago Bears with the lake with all the beautiful architecture, the Chicago Bears with all the scenery.
• 15:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: all the views and where you could nestle that stadium into that city was the best idea and I think he just exhausted every option he could in Chicago and could not find a site that would work that would really make it a world-class stadium in a world-class city.
• 15:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: But if he's going out to Arlington Heights, he had zero leverage in terms of trying to get what he wanted and what the bears needed to get this stadium done in their estimation.
• 16:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: So if you have no leverage, you have to go find leverage enter the state of Indiana.
• 16:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: And here's the thing, you can't just flirt within Indiana, because Pritzker in the rest of the Illinois government is gonna go, they're not moving to Indiana.
• 16:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're not serious.
• 16:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: You've gotta make sure.
• 16:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: that the other party starts to go maybe they would go to Indiana.
• 16:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: You really need everyone to believe it.
• 16:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you're going to create leverage, I think the bear is created the leverage they needed.
• 16:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think Eleanoi folded, but Eleanoi certainly came around and I think they're going to get this deal done.
• 16:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think all signs are pointing to by the end of the month.
• 16:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: the Chicago Bears will be announcing that they will have a new stadium in Arlington Heights a few years in the future.
• 17:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now, let's talk draft here and let's put Dexter Lawrence aside and let's talk about the 25th pick and kind of the day two picks and what the Chicago Bears need to do because when I look at this and forget the two sevens, those are, you know, those are dark
• 17:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Um, you know, if they're going to pan out, you get Kyle Menong guys, but usually you don't like let's you know, let's be honest about what seventh run picks usually are so let's not worry about those to let's focus on what they have in the with the one the two two's the three and the four right they've got five picks and when you look at this roster.
• 17:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: what the bears absolutely need to do.
• 17:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: They need to find themselves a center.
• 17:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not a hundred percent needed because you do have a full year of Garrett Bradbury, but you really should find a center that can learn for a year, Bradbury gets hurt, can step in and play a little bit.
• 17:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: and you have that center ready to come in in 2027.
• 18:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: They need a center.
• 18:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: They need an edge.
• 18:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: They need a defensive tackle.
• 18:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: They need a safety.
• 18:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think they need a corner back.
• 18:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't think that's being discussed enough about how much the Chicago Bears need an outside corner.
• 18:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: It, you know, you hate to sit here because you want to take best player available.
• 18:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I get that.
• 18:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you hate to sit here and have five picks and go these are the five positions they need to fill, but it's almost where they're at where they need to fill these five positions because they just don't have enough horses.
• 18:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: So how do you go out and approach this.
• 18:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: You approach this with the fact that there are three first class caliber safeties with Downs, the Enemies and McNeal, McNeal Warren.
• 18:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: And if one of those is available, and I think, first of all, I don't think Downs, I don't even know if Downs can get out of the top 10.
• 18:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: If he does 11, 12, 13, I don't think Downs has any chance to be there at 25.
• 19:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: is the guy that bears would want at safety.
• 19:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: If he's there at 25, would the Chicago Bears just jump no matter what?
• 19:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think there's a good chance they would.
• 19:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think he's probably in terms of what Dennis Allen wants for his defense.
• 19:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's going to be the kind of player that Dennis Allen would really like.
• 19:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: My question is if the enemy and downs are gone,
• 19:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Is it still safety at 25 or is it another position?
• 19:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would not be shocked if it's another position.
• 19:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't think you can take a defensive tackle at 25.
• 19:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: This defensive tackle class.
• 19:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not first round caliber tackles.
• 19:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've started to really look at these guys.
• 19:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: I really wanted the bear to take a detackle and January was like, oh, they need a detackle.
• 19:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: But now that I've really looked at it, I just don't think this detackle class is that strong.
• 19:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't like a lot of what I've seen on tape.
• 19:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: McDonald, probably the top defensive tackle on the board.
• 19:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I feel like he should be a second round pick.
• 19:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think the bear should stretch and try and take him at 25.
• 20:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I think a defensive tackle, little later in day two, maybe even with that fourth round pick, probably a smarter move in terms of where the meat of the defensive tackle talent is going to be.
• 20:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's going
• 20:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, and obviously, you're not going to take a center at 25, either.
• 20:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, we're talking about, we could take a safety for the bears.
• 20:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: If that's possible, sorry, keep drinking water.
• 20:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: I got a tickling the throat here.
• 20:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: But, so could take a safety, if the right safety is available.
• 20:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think there's a chance that all three of those safety are gone.
• 20:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, if safety is off the board for,
• 20:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: either the two players they liked are not there, or even if they liked all three, all three players are gone, I think defensive tackle is a problem in terms of taking someone there, and obviously you're not gonna take a center.
• 20:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: That leaves you two positions, right?
• 20:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: That leaves you edge, and that leaves you corner back.
• 21:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: And there should be some edge players available.
• 21:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Zion young from Missouri is a guy I see a lot of people liking Parker maybe like there's there's there's a few guys that you've heard I don't know if I love Parker Quite as much as some other people, but there should be edge players available that the bears presumably will like at 25 so that's a definite strong you know strong likelihood that the bears could take that position But nobody is talking about the bears taking a corner back
• 21:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: at 25.
• 21:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's the one dark horse that that would not shock me.
• 21:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: And if you look at this bear's roster, you can look at Kyler Gordon and Josh Blackwell, and you've got two guys for the interior at nickel, you're set there, right?
• 21:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: We can all agree.
• 21:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: When you look,
• 21:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: at the outside.
• 21:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, your first name is going to be Jalen Johnson.
• 21:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: But one, we don't know exactly what Jalen Johnson is going to be this year, because Jalen Johnson was hurt a lot, and yes, he pushed to come back.
• 22:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: He was not good when he came back.
• 22:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: So his Jalen Johnson just was he struggling or was he struggling with an injury.
• 22:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: We can assume he was struggling with an injury, but we need to see Jalen Johnson return the form.
• 22:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: If he does not return the form, the bears can easily get out of his contract
• 22:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: and Jalen Johnson would only have one year left.
• 22:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: He is a free agent after 2027.
• 22:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: So this is a big year for Jalen Johnson, because either he struggles in the bears are going to move on for him, or he returns to form, and the bears want to pay him and keep him around for a few more seasons.
• 22:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Big year for Jalen Johnson, but even Jalen Johnson aside, who's your other starting outside corner?
• 22:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Zay Frazier is the possibility.
• 22:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Zayfraiser is like 27 years old.
• 22:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: This summer I think he turns 27.
• 22:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's never played.
• 22:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's from Texas San Antonio.
• 23:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Most likely Zayfraiser is not going to be a starting caliber corner.
• 23:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just the odds are against it.
• 23:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Terrell Smith, nice corner.
• 23:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not quite the fit for Dennis Allen's defense, but he's always hurt.
• 23:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's entering the final year of his contract.
• 23:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Smith probably not a guy.
• 23:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Tyreek Stevenson.
• 23:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: had every opportunity to earn a starting gig and did not do it when the bears needed secondary help late in the season.
• 23:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: He did not see the field very much.
• 23:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Dennis Allen, Ben Johnson, do not seem to be interested in Tyrex Stevenson.
• 23:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we have pretty much burned through everyone on the outside and going, who is going to start opposite Jalen Johnson and do they need to?
• 23:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: outside corners, new outside corners in 2027.
• 23:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: That is a distinct possibility as well.
• 23:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: So the Chicago Bears are in a situation where things could get interesting at the end of that first round.
• 23:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think cornerback is a possibility if they don't go edge-culton hood from Tennessee and be the guy that I would look at.
• 24:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: If he's available at 25, that the Chicago Bears take.
• 24:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: That is enough for me because we are going to put on a guy who knows a lot more than I do.
• 24:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: He is Ari Tempkin from Big 12 Radio of Series XM and of course part of the Second City Gridiron podcast feed.
• 24:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: He joins me next.
• 24:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is Bill Zimmerman.
• 24:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Bears banter.
• 24:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll be right back.
• 24:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back into the podcast excited to do this because this is the first time he's been on this podcast and we always love our first time We're see is Ari Tempkin big 12 radio.
• 24:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I said series XM that should be tune in radio tune in radio for big 12 radio and of course
• 24:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Chicago draft room with Ari and Jacob and Fonte been getting plenty of episodes throughout this draft process and they're going to be doing stuff during the draft Thursday Friday Saturday as well.
• 24:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: So make sure you check out the feed there.
• 24:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think they're doing a show on Friday reviewing Thursday and previewing Friday.
• 25:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Ari Tepkin joins me now.
• 25:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Ari builds Zimmerman.
• 25:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: How you doing?
• 25:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Bill, this is this is awesome, and I just want to thank you for bringing me into the fold here with Wendy City Gridiron and Second City Gridiron, you know, as a conversation that you and I had that got this thing started.
• 25:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, I'm long time been in media, long time covering all different teams, especially college and in the big 12th, I host the pre-imposed for the Dallas Cowboys, but as you know, I'm a Chicago native, huge bears fan.
• 25:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: So this has been a lot of fun for me to get involved with bears media now, because this is definitely a passion of mine and a team that I really haven't been able to cover.
• 25:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and it's a good time to get involved because if you're someone like me, and obviously I worked at Series X. I worked in Chicago media a long time ago with the turn of the century, like the early early to mid 2000s, then I worked at Series X M for a long time, and I started doing some sidework covering the bears, and the first year I did it was Mark Tresman's second year.
• 25:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I have been doing this for this team for over a decade and the only thing I've had is 2018 and now 2025 So you are picking the right time to do this.
• 26:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: I pick the wrong time
• 26:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I'm trying to think of my head, like what was worse?
• 26:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Mark Trustman's second year, John Fox, some of the Matt Naggi experience, man, there's been some clunkers.
• 26:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: And of course, in the end, that last year with Iberfluous, I mean, right.
• 26:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, yeah, Iberfluous was a joke, but I'll just answer my question.
• 26:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: John Fox, the Bears played a game against the Seattle Seahawks, and I think they
• 26:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: My question coming out of that game is why did we even gas up the plane to go to Seattle if you're going to go in and Pondton literally every possession and with a pun mean they're losing at the end of a fourth quarter of a game.
• 26:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's still
• 26:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, it was unbelievable and of course the the challenge where they it was out at the one and and they challenge it because Tron Fox is trying to get a touchdown and it turns out it was a fumble in the end zone bears loose possession and phone and gets the ball at the 20 like things you can't make up there you would say like only what happened to the bears.
• 27:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: like the jets are in that category and some of these other woeful teams of browns, but the bears have been in that category.
• 27:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: And thanks to Ben Johnson and Kayla Williams, doesn't look like they are anymore.
• 27:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: So let's talk about this 2020, 16 because 2025 was a lot of fun.
• 27:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think a lot of bears fans were really hoping free agency we were going to see them really
• 27:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: build on it.
• 27:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you know, some bears fans are in a wait and see mode.
• 27:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Some bears fans are disappointed.
• 27:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to say I've been disappointed with this approach to free agency.
• 27:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: They just, I didn't want them to go wild, spend, and just be super aggressive.
• 27:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: But at the same time, I really thought they would look at this defense and go, we need to do some upgrades, and it was a lot of tip for tad.
• 27:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, you might like Kobe Bryant more than Kevin Bired, you might like Devon Bush more than Tramaine Edmonds, but there hasn't been like a significant upgrade anywhere on that defense.
• 27:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I bring that up, Ari, to get to Dexter Lawrence and
• 28:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: That would be a significant move that would open some eyeballs and people would really start talking about maybe this bear's team.
• 28:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not just being a playoff team, but a Super Bowl container.
• 28:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'd be fully in support of that move.
• 28:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: What do you think about Dexter Lawrence if the bear should pursue that kind of a trade?
• 28:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I mean, look, I think the underwhelming part of this offseason for bears fans and I don't disagree, although I am excited about the additions they made, but football is one up front at its core football is one up front and we all know and watched the bears last year, they weren't good enough up front on the defensive side of the ball and
• 28:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, I mean, to me, that many of their issues, they were one of the worst defenses against the run, stem from, they just don't have a very good or disruptive defensive line.
• 28:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then you go and look at their salaries.
• 28:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: And it's like, Oh, God, they're paying a lot of money for a really bad defensive line.
• 28:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: So it's even worse.
• 28:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, I mean, it's hard to disagree because they haven't really done anything to improve their defensive line.
• 29:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: If anything, they may have lost their best defensive line in an Andrew buildings.
• 29:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that doesn't say much because he's not very good.
• 29:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: But he was certainly one of their better ones.
• 29:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, I mean, yeah, I think when you think about Lawrence, it immediately jumps off the page.
• 29:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: You would like, here's a guy they haven't had in a long time.
• 29:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like he is a legitimate interior game racer, who had some really bad tape and not a great season last year just by playing in 17 games.
• 29:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, you go back a couple of years before.
• 29:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he says disruptive of a force as there is in the NFL.
• 29:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you wonder if,
• 29:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: And certainly there's some talk and rumors about well, was he has engaged last year because he's seen so many of these Giants teammates leave and you know, did he check out and they weren't really competing at a high level and I buy some of that, certainly.
• 29:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is 28 years old and you do, you are gonna have to sign him to a long-term extension.
• 29:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Certainly something beyond next season to bring him on because that's where this whole disagreement with the giant's organization comes from and he's looking at a deal at 30 plus million.
• 30:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: As of this moment, I know Will Anderson just signed an extension with the Houston text to become the highest paid non quarterback ever.
• 30:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know whether Lawrence is in that territory, but you're going to have to pay a significant chunk of change in order to get him.
• 30:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, you know, again, he didn't have a great season last year overall, especially relative his own standard, but I don't know that there's anybody you can get at 25 that gives you the the ceiling that Dexter Lawrence has proven he already has at this level.
• 30:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: And with the bears in dire need of a playmaker on that side of the ball, I think it's a risk worth willing that you should be willing to take, especially if it's just for the price of one first drop pick this year.
• 30:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, and I know we'll touch on this in the draft because I think there's some guys you could get 25 potentially that are, you know, basically ready to go edge rushers or, you know, guys that can get to the quarterback because that's ultimately what you need.
• 31:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, Montes, sweat is pretty good, but he's more of a set the edge defensive end.
• 31:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not, you know, not great as a past rusher.
• 31:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's going to need help in that category.
• 31:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: The bears just didn't have anything opposite him in that category.
• 31:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: So,
• 31:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm in on Lawrence.
• 31:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'd love to see what the compensation would be.
• 31:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think there are definitely some concerns as there were with Crosby and you're going to have to empty the checkbook, but I also think part of the reason they probably haven't restructured some of these deals is because I think they want to get out of GreyJair's deal after next year.
• 31:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, Odengbo's deal potentially next year, depending on how this year goes.
• 31:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I think they want to give themselves the opportunity to get out of these deals cheaper than restructure them and then have to be in them with more dead money over multiple years.
• 31:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and I do agree with that, but even if they leave those to alone, I think they can still potentially make it work.
• 31:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can extend, you give Cole Comedic stench, and you could bring his, his down, and I understand, comets not the number one guy anymore, but the bear is really like, I mean, you fit that role really well.
• 32:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can do some things with Joe Tunis contract, potentially Jonah Jackson as well.
• 32:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, you know, and, and Jalen Johnson, but again, Jalen Johnson might be a guy that they're going to want to get out of that contract after a year from now as well.
• 32:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, bear's fans don't want to hear that, but that's the reality where we are right now with Jayland with two years left on his deal.
• 32:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: One thing I'll say about Dexter Lawrence before we get into the draft, Ari, is it may not even take just a the 25th pick.
• 32:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Field Gates, I just saw was on was on New York Radio and he was talking about how he thinks it's going to be a second round pick.
• 32:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I was talking to a guy on the Giants beat and we were talking about a potential deal.
• 32:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: And he said he didn't think 25 would potentially need to be that much to get it done.
• 32:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: We came up with a trade scenario that he said he thinks the Giants would accept.
• 32:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that is the bear's trade 25 and the bear's trade 57.
• 33:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hang on.
• 33:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: The bears would receive Dexter Lawrence and the 37th pick.
• 33:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you'd downgrade from 25 to 37, you'd throw in 60 or 57, whichever one.
• 33:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: That works out to about the 41st, 42nd pick if you look at the Jimmy Johnson trade chart.
• 33:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: I wouldn't, I would just do that without even hesitation if I'm the Chicago Bears to me.
• 33:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's not really even the compensation because Lawrence compensation seems to be reasonable if you ask me.
• 33:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Comes down to spending cash.
• 33:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And if the bears are willing, forget the cap space that they can make all that work.
• 33:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: If George McCaske is willing to spend the cash to make this happen when he knows he's got to give cash for an extension for Darnell right in a couple of months and Caleb Williams in about a year.
• 33:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: The trade you just proposed is way more attractive to me than trading him for the 25th pick overall, straight up because to me, and I know we'll get into this with the draft, I think the bear's best option may be to trade down in the first round and maybe even get into that top end of the second round.
• 34:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: So that almost in some ways takes that decision away and you're adding a guy again, essentially at 25,
• 34:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like there's just nobody in this draft that you could add at 25 that will give you the immediate impact of the Dexter Lawrence and a key measured or 25 years old and and even he I think gives you some immediate impact is like a legitimate NFL player right away, but no, there's just nobody 25 you can add that has the impact of Dexter Lawrence that's no brainer to me.
• 34:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and when we look at the, and let's start talking about the draft and we can start with the defensive tackle positions, we're talking about dexter Lawrence and if you would have asked me in January without even looking at the board, what do you want the bears to do a 25 defensive tackle, that's what I would have wanted them to do 100% no hesitation, but now that we're getting close to the draft here and.
• 34:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: I got late kind of doing my draft work because I was busy with other stuff, but I've been working on it a lot here this last week, last few days and looking at this, there's no defensive tackle like if the bears take McDonald or someone that 25 I think that's a stretch I don't think the bears can even take a defensive tackle now there's there's safety is we're going to talk about there's some edges that that you can certainly look at there, but in terms of defensive tackle, there's guys that are interesting in terms of the range and maybe that third round
• 35:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: or fourth round pick for me, but first or even second round, I don't think defensive tackle is a move the bear should make.
• 35:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and McDonald, I'm glad you brought him up.
• 35:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's funny because Jacob and I on Chicago draft from, I think he came up on our first episode and pretty much hasn't come up at any subsequent episode since then because he is what he is.
• 35:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's not much upside as a past Russia in the interior.
• 35:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is going to be a space eater.
• 35:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's a monster of a man.
• 35:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's going to be really good against the run.
• 35:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I think what the bears need in any defensive tackle, would be a pressure guy first.
• 35:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, great if they could do both, but a pressure guy first, you know, the one name I'll say is Peter Woods and look, any.
• 36:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: anybody at 25, and I think this is just the draft this year, there's a lot of NFL talent in this draft, but the elite talent is really in the top 10, and even that's a stretch.
• 36:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I don't want that though to diminish the overall talent of this draft because there's a lot of good players, and I think there's going to become some all-pro players in this draft, but they all have flaws.
• 36:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: Every guy you look at that's in the Bayer's range.
• 36:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, it's funny, you hear some of these names or it's like, this guy can be available at 25 or you can be available at 57 and like that to me is wild to think about like the fact that they've got guys, they could potentially take a 25 that some project could still be available at the end of the second round.
• 36:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now, what does one of those guys think wood is going to be a first round pick.
• 36:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: But, you know, he's, he's the type where if a year ago, he's a top 10, top 15 pick, but really had a bad 20, 25.
• 36:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so I think that led to a ton of questions.
• 37:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, he's a legit, three technique.
• 37:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he played inside outside for Clemson.
• 37:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: And, you know, he is nimble for his size, which I think allows him to, to attack multiple gaps.
• 37:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think in terms of just like a legitimate interior rush or a three tech, he's, he's, he's good, really good.
• 37:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, I don't know.
• 37:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: And this is where like, there are a lot of guys I like at that spot, whether it's defensive end defensive tackle, even safety, but
• 37:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: Man, unless Ryan polls is just in love with one of these guys, I really like the idea of the bears trading down because the bears, I think, have so many needs on defense and I would rather just have more fishing lines in the water to catch more fish because I think that gives you a better opportunity to get, you know, to get more better players.
• 37:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a, it's a volume game in my opinion, especially in this draft and I'd like to have more swings at it.
• 37:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 37:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: And look, trading down may be difficult because like you said, once we get out of that elite talent, it's, you know, and like EJ Snyder said this to, on the last podcast, it's a flavors draft.
• 38:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: The GMs are just, you know, some guys might go 15 and you thought they were going to go 40.
• 38:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Some guys might go 50 and you thought they were going to go 20 because the, you know, the GM, you have to have the right team and the right GM that really likes this guy.
• 38:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: But, you know, drafting a guy like wood's like you said, I think that's interesting because that's where scouting is going to be so important because Why did he have the down year, right?
• 38:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's what Ryan polls would have to figure out because you can have guys like Luther burden who had a down year his last year at Missouri.
• 38:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: And a lot of people, I was quarterback play the way he was utilizing the offense and you sit there and say, well, if that's the reason, let's go out and get him the bears get him.
• 38:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: And the bears look like they have a blooming star on their hands in Luther Burden because he certainly looks like the guy from 2023, not 2024, which is exactly what the Chicago Bears needed.
• 38:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: A guy like Woods, what was the reason is he trending down or is he was that just
• 39:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: where he can recover and really be an impact defensive tackle.
• 39:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's always difficult when you have those guys with inconsistent tape trying to figure out exactly what the right issue is.
• 39:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: look, I mean, the reality is Clemson had a very bad year last year.
• 39:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: And even with two guys, you know, at the top of this draft at the defensive side of the football and TJ Parker, you know, and woods, you know, I mean, they were not good.
• 39:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so you wonder, too, if there's either like fatigue from the players, if just, you know, being beaten down out of a good season, I mean, Parker also didn't have a great year relative to,
• 39:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: to his standard Blake Miller's another guy on the offensive side at right tackle that is going to be a top pick and again Clemson at a bad year, you know, for me, Dabbo Sweeney has been
• 39:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, sort of a joke, I think of a lady in college football, but the dude has recruited a high level and he's turned out some really high-end NFL players and you know, I know one of the things we'll talk about as we get deeper in this draft is, you do want to avoid drafting for the jersey, but I think it's some situations you can and I do think that there's probably some credibility that goes into the talent level that Clemson has been able to consistently bring in, especially since Deb was been winning, you know, at one point
• 40:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Uh, absolutely, but yeah, Davos and I L comments him and Nick Sabin should get a podcast together.
• 40:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have a lot of fun talking and I L those two, um, let me make any money coaching football you know, right.
• 40:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, those poor guys that just, you know, living in Shax down by the river, but um, let's, uh, let's talk corner back here first before we get into Edge and safety because I think everyone, like it's and I want to talk offensive tackle too.
• 40:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you just had to, you know, bet your life that the Chicago Bears were going to draft two positions between rounds one, two, three and four edge and safety are the two positions you would feel real talk about so we'll spend a little time on those, but I want to spend time on corner because that is one position.
• 41:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: that I haven't seen bears, media fans, even national media when they're looking as no one's looking at corner back for the bears, like it's totally settled here.
• 41:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I agree, they're settled at Nickel with Kylo Gordon and Josh Blackwell.
• 41:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's great.
• 41:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Jalen Johnson, obviously, you're going to see what you have with him.
• 41:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: this year.
• 41:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: But the rest of this quarterback room, Ari, is a bunch of unproven guys, injury prone guys, or guys that don't seem to be wanted by this coaching staff, because Zay Frazier, he's missed a whole year and he's an older rookie.
• 41:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think he's 26 this year and he's coming from Texas San Antonio.
• 41:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think the odds are highly against him being anything other than some sort of backup role.
• 41:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: You've got Terrell Smith, who has put some nice tape together.
• 41:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know how well it is.
• 41:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: This is a fit for Dennis Allen's defense, but he's coming off a major injury.
• 41:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's always seeming to be battling injuries.
• 41:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think he's a guy you can rely on.
• 41:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then you've got Tyreek Stevenson, who...
• 41:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think a lot of people myself included that, oh, Dennis Allen's defense and Tirek Stevens, and this is a match made in heaven, and yet this guy still couldn't secure a starting spot.
• 42:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Even when the Bears had injuries late in the season, they went other directions rather than getting Tirek Stevens in significant snaps.
• 42:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: his last year under contract.
• 42:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just can't see him.
• 42:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe he is the starter opposite Jalen Johnson, but it really wouldn't surprise me at all, Ari, if at 25 and if not 25 and round two, the bears take a corner back, because that is a room that, you know, was felt really secure 12 months ago, but right now there's a lot of instability on the outside.
• 42:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: No, that's a great point.
• 42:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: This defense was saved last year to a degree because saved is probably doing a lot of heavy lifting there by turnovers and as we know, you know, year over year turnovers are not a, you know, sustainable for the most part metric you tend to most teams that tends to even out year over year the ball bounces in funny ways like it's one of the known.
• 43:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, numbers that evens out year over year and so yeah, I mean, when you're looking at a defense that overall gave a battutty yards gave up some points could not stop the run and basically saved itself in multiple games because either Caleb had the ball on his hands at the end of games or they were able to generate turnovers, which were too much to overcome for the opposition.
• 43:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I don't think there's any position on the defensive side of the ball that I would I would be upset with the bear's taking now at 25.
• 43:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, I do think you probably have to prioritize defensive end defensive tackle.
• 43:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: I also wouldn't be upset with safety and I will say after to your point like it has been very much a silent position that's probably underappreciated and I wouldn't be upset.
• 43:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I think I think the only position group I'd probably be upset about if they took a 25 would be linebacker because I think this is a very deep linebacker class and
• 43:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, I mean, as we know, you're, you're probably not supposed to take off ball linebackers in the first round anyways, and especially given some of the other premium positions and needs for the bears now I think what's interesting about this is and I think this is going to be a huge.
• 44:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: you know, focal point of the draft.
• 44:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: We always talk about copycats and blue prints.
• 44:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: And, you know, what Seattle just did defensively, I think will cause a lot of people to make decisions in the draft, based on positional flexibility and specifically in that secondary, you know, Nicki Manuare as a guy that stepped in last year as a rookie and...
• 44:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he was a crucial piece along with Kobe Brighton, obviously, to what Seattle was able to do defensively, but, but, even RAA is, is Mr. versatility, and I think there are some safeties in this class that that have similar versatility, a similar skill set in some ways, almost rise to be of Devon Hester and Ted Ginn, where it is,
• 44:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: that everybody reacted to Devon Hester how good he was and again got overdrafted because of it the next year and I'm not saying that there's going to be safety's overdrafted but I do think that there's a concern there potentially with guys being drafted on the quantum court versatility and sometimes versatility can be good sometimes versatility can be dressed up as, you know, he's not really good any of these things but he can do a lot of different things, a Swiss army knife but not really illeted any of these skills so I think you have to watch out for those things
• 45:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, like, I don't, I don't think Dylan Theneman is going to be available.
• 45:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: I know he asked me about corner specifically, but, um, yeah, we're moving to safety next.
• 45:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, jump in.
• 45:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, I don't, I don't think Theneman's going to be available.
• 45:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's, he's sort of the, the blueprint of versatile, um, you know, safety's in this draft.
• 45:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's a guy that has experience and, and playing multiple positions.
• 45:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's just got great, um, absolutely great ball skills and just great instincts, just a smart player who always finds himself in the right spot.
• 45:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Again, I, I'm,
• 45:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: just based on what we talked about, and I'm already saying, I mean, Caleb Downs, I think will also be gone.
• 45:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jacob and I actually on our latest episode talked about, like, if he falls out the top 10, is that when you try to, you know, put a package together to jump up to grab him, I wouldn't be upset with that.
• 45:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Caleb Downs is a beast, and I'm a big fan of his, but again, I'm kind of, he's out of my mind in terms of being available.
• 46:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Mind too.
• 46:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: When you look at safety and corners,
• 46:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: that I think will be in that range.
• 46:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: So Chris Johnson, the corner from San Diego State, I think he is a very smart player, you know, you watch him, he's extremely instinctive.
• 46:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he can get washed out by size a little bit and so that concerns me a little bit.
• 46:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Abyon Terrell from Clemson and other Clemson guys, a bad team last year has a bunch of first round draft picks.
• 46:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's undersized, but I think he plays bigger than his size.
• 46:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: I actually like him a lot more than I like Chris Johnson from San Diego State and then there's Colton Hood from Tennessee who like I just think he's a beast of an athlete and like he's got some some major issues in terms of
• 46:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, I think technique could some of the things that you're looking for, but I just think he's he's raw and athletic and I do think he's a guy that you can immediately because of the size and athleticism that he could start and play right away in terms of the cornerback position.
• 47:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: But really like I really do like Emmanuel McNeill Warren, I know he's kind of a polarizing guy in terms of the bears and you know if the bears took him at 25, I think there'd be a lot of bears fans that are upset.
• 47:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Number one thing you should know about Emmanuel McNeil Warren is he's master the peanut punch.
• 47:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, you're looking for a guy that watched Charles Tillman and modeled his game after he forced nine fumbles and these aren't fluky turnovers, right?
• 47:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: These are punching the ball out like he's peanut tillman.
• 47:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, number one thing bears fancy to know about him is he's got the peanut punch
• 47:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's 6,300 pounds, so he's got really good size.
• 47:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think he is a versatile player.
• 47:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like he's a guy that you can line up in the slot and he can do a really good job against tight ends because of his size, he can move around the formation.
• 47:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he played at Toledo a bunch of snaps inside in the box, he played deep free safety for, you know, a ton of snaps, like he played in the slot.
• 48:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: So again, he's playing all over the field.
• 48:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now, at Toledo,
• 48:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: you know you're when you're an athlete like that and you have that size like chances are you're going to play all around the field so i'd love to see how the bears would project you know that was just a Toledo thing or not and then um you know the one thing that i love about him
• 48:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: is he an opportunity to lead Toledo, Toledo stuck with him and Jason Candle is a very big name in college sports, especially in college football, especially at the Mac level.
• 48:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like the fact that he stuck with them the entire time during his recruitment, he had an injury, his senior high school a lot of teams at the power five level dropped out at that point.
• 48:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's what, you know, a manual McNeil war and had opportunities after his junior to leave and
• 48:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: get a bunch of NL money and transfer out.
• 48:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: I love the fact that he stuck true.
• 48:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: He said, to lead us talk with me on a stick with them, I thought that was great.
• 48:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then just one penalty in thousands of defensive snaps in college.
• 49:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: So a guy that handles receivers like that well and doesn't, you know, isn't too physical.
• 49:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: I like a lot.
• 49:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now the one thing about making a war and and this isn't a knock on him, it's more of the depth of this class.
• 49:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like I really like AJ Halsey and I think AJ Halsey could be available at 57.
• 49:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's the the safety from from LSU.
• 49:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: He transferred from Houston.
• 49:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I got that I watched up close in the big 12 and a guy that similarly.
• 49:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, was not penalized at all in any games last year.
• 49:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's SEC, I think it's SEC competition.
• 49:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, you know, for me, I would shy away from corner or safety in this spot, unless somehow Dylan Thineman's available.
• 49:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: I take a long hard look at that.
• 49:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I do think
• 49:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, there are guys that could be available at 57 or 60 like an AJ Hall see that I really would like for the value, you know, more so than the jumping up to get them, but I think your point on corners well stated and I think with the bears being as bad as they were on defense last year, like there's probably no position where you would be upset that they took at 25 and get except for off ball linebacker.
• 50:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and, you know, while you bring up McNeil Warren, and yes, peanut punch, he creates turnovers, but I also wonder does he have the versatility that Dennis Allen's looking for at safety in terms of how he wants to make, you know, presumably this rookie safety in Kobe Bryant interchangeable.
• 50:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: The end of men, I think if the end of men's there at 25, even if there are edges there, I could see them just run the carted on the end of men.
• 50:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think he's the perfect fit for Dennis Allen.
• 50:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I do wonder, is McNiel Warren a guy that's high on their board?
• 50:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, obviously, we'll find out on Thursday if he's available.
• 50:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: But you know, if down's is there, or if he's falling into the late teens, I do think that's interesting as well there.
• 50:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: We could the bears jump and get a true playmaker that that that defense,
• 50:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 50:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's talk, and that's a great point, by the way.
• 50:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, regardless of the position, the bear's need a legitimate playmaker on defense, like they just don't have one.
• 51:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: And if they have an opportunity to draft one or trade for one, like Dexter Lawrence, like that doesn't matter the position, they just need a guy that can consistently make plays and be a splash guy.
• 51:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a great point Bill.
• 51:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, 100%.
• 51:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Let's look at the edge here and we'll finish with tackle and a couple of other draft notes.
• 51:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: But let's look at the edge position.
• 51:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, like we said, this is something that almost certainly the bears are going to do.
• 51:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: And to me, you need to attack edge soon rather than later, because you know, you take in an edge in round four, you're almost certainly taking a rotational guy.
• 51:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's not going to blossom into a ten sack guy.
• 51:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just
• 51:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: better chance at finding a safety or a corner who can be a starter, proble caliber player in rounds two, three, four, then you are edge.
• 51:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just the way this works.
• 51:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now again, you don't even find that many edges this late in the draft at 25 that can be impacting players especially right away.
• 52:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Jared verse was able to do it, and he was still 21.
• 52:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like you don't see him usually fall that far, but,
• 52:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: the bears are in a position with with Booker and Odango being a giant question mark.
• 52:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: They certainly could infuse some young talent in here.
• 52:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: So who are a couple guys at 25 that you like and who would be some second round targets as well that you think might be interesting at 57 or 60.
• 52:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I'm going to just immediately add the caveat of like none of these guys are, you know, perfect prospects here, all of them have some pretty significant weaknesses or red flags or issues and like.
• 52:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's part of the problem of drafting a 25 again in a draft that you know certainly has a guy like David Bailey Ruben Bane at the top of the draft that are legitimate stars at the ed rushing position, but like any of these guys we talk about here you could be listening to this be like no he does this that and the other like they all are going to have flaws so like let's just get that off get that out to start and I think I wouldn't be for that reason wouldn't be that upset if the bears traded down
• 53:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so let me let me backtrack for a second because I'm glad you brought Jared verse.
• 53:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: The biggest knock on Jared verse in the reason that he felt the 21 was age.
• 53:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Age.
• 53:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: So for me, my like given what I think how the board will fall, like best case scenario is a key measure or the edge ruster for Miami, who is a guy that previously played at West Virginia.
• 53:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: I watched him up close as a big 12 player for a couple of years.
• 53:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, and like number one, like what can you get the quarterback?
• 53:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, one of the most indicative stats of guys that are good in the NFL at Sack and the quarterback is they sack the quarterback in college too.
• 53:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: What do you know?
• 53:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like if guys are able to get to the quarterback in college, Chances are that gets the quarterback in the pros and this is a guy that does it.
• 53:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is, he's a technician.
• 53:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: And of course last year Miami famously, you know, working under Jason Taylor.
• 53:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: He had his best season 17 and half tackles for last 12 and half sacks.
• 53:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, he does have a group in ban on the other end and any play that he played all over the formation, but still I like a key message or and I think the biggest weakness for him there's two of them one bothers me one doesn't the age thing is like that to me is actually a positive for the bears for two reasons one it's a reason you could slip to 25 and two like I would rather.
• 54:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't care about a second contract if I'm being honest with where the bears are right now like they need a splash player and I think Mezzodor is the type of guy that can step right in immediately like Jared Burst who I think was 24 when he was drafted and could immediately become you know a legitimate splash player at the edge rushing position I mean he just again has all the moves he he you watch him playing he's does it all now the other weakness which is is very concerning is the foot issues and you know he's a big guy like
• 54:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: foot problems don't tend to not get better.
• 54:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: But again, like if I get three good years out of a key measure door, I think the bears are closer to a silver bull and that's fine by me.
• 54:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm perfectly fine taking a guy that I hate, I mean, it sucks to say this, but like, doesn't get to a second contract.
• 55:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: You don't draft a guy at the first round that you don't think is going to get to a second contract, but like, I'm fine with that because I think the bear's need a win now type player.
• 55:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: And to me, he's the best possible guy 25 in that in that mode.
• 55:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, let's talk about tackle here.
• 55:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we'll do a couple other draft things.
• 55:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: But this is interesting, because the bears are certainly doing their due diligence at tackle.
• 55:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: And to me, if you were confident that Aussie Trapillo was going to be your starting left tackle in 2027,
• 55:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: you wouldn't be doing this kind of due diligence.
• 55:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: So to me, this, and look, we know, Patelor, Patelor tendon injuries for a guy like Aussie Trepello, especially that size, they are tough to get over.
• 55:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: And anyone I've talked to, there's no guarantee, even if he can play another 45678 years that he's ever the player he was in December.
• 55:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: He may never even get to that point.
• 55:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now again,
• 55:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Guys, all he'll differently, he may recover, settle into this position again and be the team's right tackle.
• 56:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm sorry, left tackle in 2027.
• 56:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: We just don't know, and obviously the bears don't know, but to me, if you're doing due diligence on taking a tackle in round one,
• 56:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: You got a lot of questions of Aussie Trapillo can play in 2027.
• 56:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's just not something where if Trapillo is back, and I guess, yes, it's a good problem to have three starting caliber tackles.
• 56:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Nobody has that problem, but you're also sitting there talking about resources in terms of who you're selecting and what, with limited draft capital in first second rounds, and you're just loading up on tackles that one of them isn't going to play.
• 56:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and look, I see both sides to this.
• 56:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's funny because I'm a big, I like the idea of drafting the best player available.
• 56:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: And obviously, when you listen to Ryan Polls, that's what he says.
• 56:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: He continues to say, and I believe it based on last year's draft.
• 56:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: And the reality is, in football, just when you think you've got a position short up, you don't, like, that's what happens.
• 57:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you put like, if you've got,
• 57:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: leaks sprouting through and you plug them up and then, you know, you think you got them plugged up and then you try to plug up other leaks, then suddenly the leaks you had plugged up start start Drating again, so again, like What is a strange can suddenly become a week this which is why a big fat of draft a best player available with that big said man the bear should really heavily Invested defense of this draft so for me like
• 57:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is a tough spot for iPoles because I'm a big advocate of draft U.S. player available and yet despite that, like I would be, I would rip my hair on if they draft it, why just see it in the first round.
• 57:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: So look, I think there's a lot of ways they can go in the first round on the defensive side.
• 57:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think depending on where their board falls, like trading down wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.
• 57:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: But here's the reality of the
• 58:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because the whole thing is much as we watch them to improve on defense, the whole thing is built on offense and this offense is rolling and if they don't have a left tackle, it's not rolling.
• 58:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: The whole thing is messed up.
• 58:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: So.
• 58:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I do agree with you on the the tripello thing and maybe it tells us that this is worse than than expected or that they don't know that he's going to be back in twenty twenty seven but I also think like They just can't afford to have all the players they brought in a compete at left tackle for this year they cannot afford to have missed.
• 58:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: And what the the name it stands out to me is Kaden Proctor, you know the the tackle from Alabama.
• 58:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's a freak at the position.
• 58:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean he's.
• 58:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: he is, he's a mountain of a man.
• 58:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is, he's a left tackle body.
• 58:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: There's just no question about it.
• 58:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was consensus five star was the number two overall player in his class.
• 58:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: He really had a fun time with the University of Iowa.
• 58:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you're an Iowa fan and a bear's fan, you do not like him at all because he's from Des Moines.
• 59:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think he he you know he was between Alabama and Iowa coming out.
• 59:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: He picks Bama goes their fresh bit year enters the portal commits to Iowa takes an IL money and then transfers back a few months later to Bama Iowa fans hate him.
• 59:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: But guess what he's a beast.
• 59:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: You get a second chance through an Iowa fan bears fan for a guy that I think will absolutely be a day one starter left tackle again.
• 59:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: If he's available 25 there's definitely issues with him right like there.
• 59:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're not going to have a flawless prospect in this situation and certainly that's the case of Proctor.
• 59:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, the problem with Proctor is the technique.
• 59:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's the feet.
• 59:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: It feels like a times he gets too deep and then they can go inside on him.
• 59:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: So there are some legitimate concerns which is why he might slip to 25.
• 59:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: But a guy that was the number two overall prospect is like
• 59:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: just a mountain of a human being, you know, those guys without flaws are top five picks in the NFL nine times out of nine times.
• 59:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: So if he is available at 25, you know, it's because some teams had some concerns over, you know, his top heavy play, his, his, his technique.
• 1:00:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I think it 25 or not getting anybody that's flawless.
• 1:00:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: And again, like I get that the bears know that they cannot have missed this offseason on left tackle.
• 1:00:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: They have a lot of players that are, you know, they have a lot of guys buying for that spot.
• 1:00:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: And hopefully they've got one, but the problem is if they miss,
• 1:00:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a big issue.
• 1:00:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Can I remember this, it left tackle?
• 1:00:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a huge issue and to your point, if they don't make a move for like a Dexter Lawrence or an August trade for Max Cross, be or something, you look at this off season.
• 1:00:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And to me, it becomes very clear what the bears are banking on.
• 1:00:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're banking on a defense with new players that are potentially a better scheme fit for Dennis Allen.
• 1:00:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it improves a little bit in that regard because the puzzle piece is fit better.
• 1:00:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: But you're banking on Caleb Williams, Luther Burton, and Colston Loveland going nuclear and turning this into an elite top three to five offense in the league and you're right.
• 1:00:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: You're not doing that if you have a revolving door at left echo.
• 1:01:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 1:01:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's, you know,
• 1:01:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Look, I mean, the other guy I would like in that spot, I'm not, I mean, there's, I think there are a lot of true right tackles, and obviously that's not, that's not going to work.
• 1:01:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: But Caleb Lomu is a guy, is a big 12 player out of Utah, you know, he came in a year after Spencer Fano and Fano who played left moved to right because of Lomu, which to me, he says a lot about Caleb Lomu, right, because Fano is a legitimate top 10 prospect, I mean,
• 1:01:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: I love if you go look at his tape like you talk got him on the move a lot his athleticism in space it's freakish for the type of size he has at left tackle like that the most fun you have watching this dude play is when he gets out in space and he's blocking people and moving people around so you know he also started 24 games at left tackle last two seasons he's extremely durable.
• 1:01:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, again, there's no prospect you're going to 25 that is without flaw.
• 1:02:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, he could certainly at times get overpowered a little bit.
• 1:02:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, but, but, you know, you're just, and I thought his worst tape was the game against Texas tack and, you know, that's as legitimate of an NFL defensive line as you're going to go up against, you know, the big 12 doesn't have a ton of teams with defensive lines like Texas Tech had last year with David Bailey and her mellow height, Lee Hunter.
• 1:02:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I thought he had issues against David Bailey, but you know, I mean, a lot of people will.
• 1:02:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: David Bailey on an island, that's a tough cover.
• 1:02:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's a legitimate, you know, I mean, he's a splash player.
• 1:02:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: So that's the one part.
• 1:02:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: You put up the Texas tech tape, but he looks not that good, but again, a lot of people would look bad against David Bailey and that tech-stecked defensive line.
• 1:02:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: But it is also a good, you know, it is a good gauge of how you could go up against some really good
• 1:02:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, absolutely.
• 1:02:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: So let's finish with this question here and let's talk about potential trades in the 2026 draft with the 2027 draft considered.
• 1:03:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: And what I mean by that is look a lot of times with trades you're giving up a draft pick from the pre from the following year.
• 1:03:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: But we know how much
• 1:03:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: GMs are coveting players from this 20, 27 draft, not just the quarterbacks, not even just the top and receivers, but everyone is talking about that this is going to be a special draft, not just on day one, but potentially day two, day three, even potentially as well.
• 1:03:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: So with that in mind, when we're looking at the bears potentially trading, you know, trading up like you talk about if Caleb down falls.
• 1:03:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: should the bears offer up to a team in, you know, 15, 16, 17.
• 1:03:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Let's jump up and offer you a 20, 27, second round pick.
• 1:03:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, is that something the bears should do?
• 1:03:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: The Austin Booker trade where the bears traded a future for to get a fifth round pick to draft Austin Booker.
• 1:03:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Should they trade a 20, 27, four to get a fifth round pick?
• 1:04:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because they need bodies as well here.
• 1:04:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: They need
• 1:04:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Are you and if you don't quite know yet, but I'm just curious where you're at is the 2027 draft potentially that special where the bear should be holding on to these fixes much as possible and if they trade back is it better to get 2027 picks then get extra picks in 2026.
• 1:04:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a great question, I think there's so many elements to the trade scenarios.
• 1:04:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: So I'll start with the 2027 class overall does look better than the 2026 class.
• 1:04:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: It looks like a very deep, very high level elite draft, especially at the quarterback position.
• 1:04:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: So anytime that's the case, and I'll say this from the standpoint of, and you don't need a quarterback, you're in a very advantageous position.
• 1:04:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now we hope the bears are not going to be drafting very high in the first round and subsequent rounds in next year's draft, but still a first round pick is a first round pick.
• 1:04:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: And yeah, so I would
• 1:05:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: be a little bit reluctant to to move on from that.
• 1:05:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Now at that being said, this is a team that's suddenly built to win now.
• 1:05:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you know, there are legitimate bills that are coming due.
• 1:05:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, they got to pay down outright.
• 1:05:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're going to pay him at the top end of the market.
• 1:05:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're going to have to pay Caleb Williams.
• 1:05:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: They got to pay him at the top of the market.
• 1:05:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: Part of the game is trying to win a Super Bowl or compete to win a Super Bowl when you've got a quarterback
• 1:05:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: the opportunity to maximize your roster before you pay Caleb is key and that bill is coming do very, very soon.
• 1:05:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, if Caleb downs is an option, like to me there's probably two players,
• 1:05:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: And maybe three with Rubin' Bane, but even then I'm like, I don't know, but I would trade a 2027 first for Caleb Downs.
• 1:05:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: I just think he's that much of a splash player and to your point, like they just don't have a playmaker like that ID fence, but I think he'd be that much of a difference maker, but that's a huge investment.
• 1:05:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: But then you also get a big time player on a rookie deal for the next five years.
• 1:06:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: So to me, the most, and this is crazy to say, the most attractive option for the bears is to trade down in this draft.
• 1:06:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like one of the guys we've been talking about is Gabe Acce, the pass russia from Illinois, I'm a huge fan of his 25 is too high for him.
• 1:06:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's not going to be able to be able to build 57 if you find a team like the jets and I hate to keep, you know, making fun of the jets, but let's say the jets to it too could take David Bailey and then be looking for quarterback because they're quarterback desperate if they love ties Simpson man wouldn't that be fun to trade early into the second round with the jets to trade back and let them draft tie Simpson a 25 and then
• 1:06:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: Even the cardinals, maybe, would trade up to get to happen.
• 1:06:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because this is not a great quarterback draft.
• 1:06:47
  [SPEAKER_00]: If there's a team that needs a quarterback that isn't taking one, that might like one of these quarterbacks and wants that fifth year option by taking them in the first round.
• 1:06:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that's the perfect spot for the bears to trade down.
• 1:06:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: And again, the fact that the bears,
• 1:07:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, to me, day two is going to separate the bears this year, like day one, the focus obviously, but the three picks they have on day two, like that is where if this team is going to be playing for a silverable next year, which is a legitimate thing to say here, at this point in time, it's because Ryan Polls did magical work on day two of this draft.
• 1:07:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's the most underappreciated, but I think most important day of this draft, because
• 1:07:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: how you manage that, you trade up, you trade down, you have three picks in a prime spot in a draft that I think the sweet spot of this draft is basically second round and third rounds to me that's the huge separator.
• 1:07:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: And if I can get more lottery tickets, if you will, on day two by trading down, I'm doing it.
• 1:07:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: No questions asked.
• 1:07:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and to your point about trying to take advantage of this window here before all these bills are coming due, I see a lot of fans, oh, that rookie contract for the quarterback is overrated.
• 1:07:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I would simply counter with this.
• 1:07:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Look at the AFC and NFC championship games this year, because you had two rookie contracts in the AFC with Bonyx and Drake May.
• 1:08:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: And in the NFC, well, you didn't have any.
• 1:08:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sam Darnold's cap hit last year was $13 million now it's it's up to like 30 35 million this year but it was only 13 million last year because of how they they structure that deal in essence a rookie contract for Sam Darnold and Matthew Stanford yes he makes gobs of money but the bears were a DJ more better route run of winning that game and Caleb Williams rookie contract also being part of the NFC championship game so
• 1:08:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: So while it doesn't guarantee you're going to win a Super Bowl, look no further than last year to see when your quarterback is on an affordable deal, what that can do for your roster.
• 1:08:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, Dak Prescott is making $50 million out.
• 1:08:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like, there's no question that when a quarterback gets paid and Caleb will get paid at the top of the market.
• 1:08:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, my goodness, will he get paid at the top of the market?
• 1:08:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like, and rightfully so, the only way for you to offset that is if you are basically flawless in the draft.
• 1:09:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: And if there's anything that history will teach us, it's that the Chicago Bears Organization, as most art, but the bears certainly are not going to be flawless in the draft.
• 1:09:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like, that's the only way because
• 1:09:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Like because of the hard cap in the NFL, the secret sauce is the draft matters because you've got to get guys that perform their salary and it's really hard to get guys on seconder contracts on their second contracts to perform their salaries that's the that's the dirty little secret about the NFL and why there's so much turnover every year because rookies are the are
• 1:09:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: the best bets to outperform their contracts and a hard cap and yeah there I mean there's no question it's way more difficult to win when you take up that large of a percentage of your salary cap and maybe Caleb does a deal you know that's more cap friendly in order to help ring in more talent which is something that Tom Brady did throughout his career and and something that Patrick Mahomes has done for a time but you just can't count on that and you know what quite frankly Norse should Caleb you know Norse should Caleb be asked to do that if you want to think Carl Williams is going to want to do that he
• 1:10:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: And you know what and a good friend like you should get paid.
• 1:10:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's ridiculous.
• 1:10:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: So and and the bear's have been waiting for a long time to pay a quarter back a lot of money So yeah, I mean there's just no question you've got to you got to leverage this opportunity and look the bears have spent bad money on the defense like they it's not like they haven't spent money on defense They've just got to get guys
• 1:10:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, looking at O-Dangbo more than anybody that are going to live up to anything closed resembling their salary because there's spending money on the defensive side of the ball.
• 1:10:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's not the issue.
• 1:10:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: The issue is the players they've got there.
• 1:10:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 1:10:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think O-Dangbo's the second highest capit on the defense this year, so it's not
• 1:10:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: So there he is, Ari Temkin at our reports on social media and of course you can check out everything he's doing with Jacob on the second city gridiron podcast feed.
• 1:10:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: He is scheduled as long as the bears keep that 25th pick.
• 1:10:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: He is scheduled to be part of my live stream on Thursday as well.
• 1:10:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Ari anything to promote that you have coming up this week later with draft.
• 1:10:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: So Chicago draft through with myself and for my money the best in the business and talking draft for the bears shake of advantage will be doing a live stream on Friday time to be determined to recap what happened on Thursday again pending the bears not training way that 25th pick.
• 1:11:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then we're going to recap the entire draft on Monday.
• 1:11:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Although I'm sure we'll still do a livestream made of the Bears and I'll pick a 25 to kind of talk through the day on Friday day two.
• 1:11:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then yeah, Monday, it'll be a full-on recap live stream again, time TBD.
• 1:11:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: So just stay tuned on Twitter and social media for times on those.
• 1:11:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, Friday and Monday with Jacob, Chicago, a draft room, it's going to be a lot of fun.
• 1:11:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is
• 1:11:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: We're here.
• 1:11:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is amazing.
• 1:11:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: This is for the bears to legitimately be a Super Bowl team next year.
• 1:11:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: They've got to hit in this draft and again, day two.
• 1:11:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: So if this is a team playing in February next year, it'll be because what they did Thursday, Friday and Saturday, next week.
• 1:11:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: What a time to be alive.
• 1:11:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: There he is.
• 1:11:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Ari Temkin.
• 1:11:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Ari, thanks for so much time.
• 1:11:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Enjoy the conversation.
• 1:12:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll talk to you soon.
• 1:12:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're the best bill.
• 1:12:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you, brother.
• 1:12:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, there he is, Ari Temkin.
• 1:12:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: We are doing our best to get you set for the draft at Second City Grid Iron here, between everything we got going with Ari and Jacob.
• 1:12:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm trying to give you stuff with EJ, a little bit there with Ari.
• 1:12:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're trying to get you set for this NFL draft.
• 1:12:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's weird.
• 1:12:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, I, you know, on Twitter every year, I used to do the,
• 1:12:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: the interactive mock draft where I do polls on my Twitter and we go, we'd have the fans pick all the picks and then the bears picking at 9 or 10 or wherever they were.
• 1:12:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: There we are.
• 1:12:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: The bears got to be on the clock.
• 1:12:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: I can't do that when the bears are 25.
• 1:12:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know how long it would take to do an interactive mock draft where I'm doing votes, what every 12 hours?
• 1:12:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's no way I can get through that.
• 1:12:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: It is great to see the bears.
• 1:12:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Good at football again.
• 1:12:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: And let's hope this isn't a 2018.
• 1:12:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Let's hope there's sustained success and with a coach and a quarterback which they did not have an 18.
• 1:12:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: That was built on the defense.
• 1:13:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Certainly think they could.
• 1:13:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: So let's get to the mail bag here and let's wrap up this podcast.
• 1:13:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: And again, once again,
• 1:13:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thursday night, make sure you tune into the YouTube Second City Gridiron podcast feed.
• 1:13:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: You put that draft on, you mute those loudmouths like Daniel Jeremiah and Melchiper actually love Daniel Jeremiah.
• 1:13:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: Melchiper has had an incredible career.
• 1:13:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not knocking them.
• 1:13:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm just saying, if you want to see them break down everything you need to know about Arvelle Reese,
• 1:13:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Bears focused draft coverage about how these picks are going to play out, how it impacts what the bears can do at 25, lock it in to second city grid iron on the YouTube channel.
• 1:13:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: We will be live and we will be talking about the draft with plenty of guests all night long until the bears make that pick and we will break down that pick when it happens.
• 1:14:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: But
• 1:14:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Let's get to the mail bag here and let's start with JT bars that who says, what movement 25 would make you most happy as a bear's fan and conversely, what move would disappoint you the most?
• 1:14:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right.
• 1:14:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, that's interesting JT because they're really going to have to do something weird to disappoint me.
• 1:14:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, I'm not the biggest Peter Woods fan.
• 1:14:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: I know Ari was talking about like, I just, you know, again, I look at the tape from the previous year more than I look at the tape from two years ago.
• 1:14:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: The tape from
• 1:14:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: two years ago, a lot better than the tape from last year, but again, they're that always concerns me.
• 1:14:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, why did that happen to a guy in his early 20s?
• 1:14:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, why is there that much?
• 1:14:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Again, I don't understand Clemson didn't have a good season, but players not playing well was part of the recent Clemson didn't have a good season, especially when you're relying on impact players like wood.
• 1:14:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: So,
• 1:14:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not saying if they drafted woods that would be I'd be absolutely disappointed.
• 1:15:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would convince myself that it's going to be a good pick, you know, just like Luther Burton, like I brought up with with Ari was a guy that didn't have as good a tape the year before as it was the two years ago.
• 1:15:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's a tough question to answer because if they took one of the three safety's I'd be okay with it, if they took a corner, I'd be okay with it.
• 1:15:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like,
• 1:15:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: even if they took like if there was an offensive player that that slipped like I would have no problem if Ben Johnson is just like no I'm going to do things with this player because I know I can make things happen you know like I would have absolutely no problem if um and now of course
• 1:15:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know when now my computer froze.
• 1:15:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah, Kenyan City, the Oregon Titan, right?
• 1:15:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: If Kenyan City falls into the 20s, I get, I don't think he will, but if he does, are you going to be upset that Ben Johnson is going and getting another weapon for his offense?
• 1:16:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not.
• 1:16:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: If they take a tackle, because they have so many questions that left tackle,
• 1:16:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Look, the bears are kind of in a situation where they have enough holes and they need support enough spots that as long as they take a sensible player, if they take tackle, if they take a weapon, if they take,
• 1:16:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Defensive Lyman if they take a secondary player.
• 1:16:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not going to be upset unless it's a reach So as long as they're not reaching as long as what if they take tie Simpson?
• 1:16:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to be upset but like they're obviously not going to do that.
• 1:16:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I don't think there's anything That jumps off the page at me as I will be thoroughly disappointed with the 25th pick
• 1:16:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would say in terms of what would make me the most excited, I would, in terms of realistic things, because I don't think CDX gonna be there.
• 1:17:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think downs is gonna be there.
• 1:17:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, David Bailey falls to 25.
• 1:17:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Great, like obviously that's not gonna happen.
• 1:17:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: So,
• 1:17:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: In terms of realistic things that might happen to me, it's the Enemies.
• 1:17:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: To me, that's the guy I would be really excited about.
• 1:17:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's a playmaker.
• 1:17:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's a guy who's plug and play.
• 1:17:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's a guy that's going to make the just elevate that secondary.
• 1:17:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think immediately perfect for Dennis Allen's team.
• 1:17:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think the Enemies is the guy that I would be really excited about.
• 1:17:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because I think Edge is going to play out how we expect it in those
• 1:17:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: However, it might be, I think, you know, those kind of interchangeable those guys here, it's going to be a, you know, flavor in terms of use that example again, a flavors draft in terms of which edge you like more.
• 1:17:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we'll, we'll see, I don't think there's anything that's going to be thoroughly disappointed, but I would be excited if they took the end of it.
• 1:17:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: I know that's safety at 25, but I want to play maker for this defense and I think the end of it.
• 1:18:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: can be just that bars that's got a second part.
• 1:18:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: After day two of the draft has been completed, does your Chris and Ball have the bear's trading up, trading down, staying put, and taking four players in the top, 89, finally going defense in the first round.
• 1:18:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: I do expect defense in the first round.
• 1:18:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: It wouldn't stun me if they took an offensive player, if they took a tackle, even if they took an offensive weapon because someone slips.
• 1:18:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Again, not expecting it, but wouldn't shock me when Ben Johnson is your head coach.
• 1:18:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you know what Ben Johnson says, Ben, you know, is going to happen.
• 1:18:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: So if Ben Johnson, Ben Johnson is going to be able to override Ryan Polls in terms of decisions that need to be made in the first round.
• 1:18:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I expect him to sit there and know that the bears need to draft defensive players.
• 1:18:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I expect a defensive player, but I expect this draft to be very defensive heavy.
• 1:18:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think
• 1:18:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: when day two completes the bears will have four defensive players.
• 1:19:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's definitely there's I think there's a better chance how about this.
• 1:19:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's a better chance the bears take four defensive players than only two defensive players.
• 1:19:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think most likely the bears take three defensive players and one offensive player in the top four picks just because it's very rare to see a team go that heavy defense in one draft.
• 1:19:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now, when we look at it in terms of trading up or trading down, I don't think the bears are going to trade up unless something wild happens in round one where someone slip in and gets to 2021 and the bears can do a small trade up.
• 1:19:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think the bears are going to trade up at all.
• 1:19:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just would be very surprised if they did that.
• 1:19:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: They don't have fifth or sixth round picks.
• 1:19:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: They can move.
• 1:19:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: Nobody cares about seventh round picks.
• 1:19:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think the bears are going to want to move 2027 picks.
• 1:19:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it's very limited in terms of what they have available to trade up.
• 1:19:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: trading back, I absolutely think they would be interested in acquiring more picks.
• 1:20:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: If they can trade back from unless one of their guys is just sitting there and like, oh, no, we can't trade back.
• 1:20:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: We need to take this guy at 57.
• 1:20:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Whatever it might be, I think the bears will be very open to trading back.
• 1:20:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now you're trading back and round two around three, you're going to pick up a fourth or a fifth
• 1:20:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think they still most likely have four picks at the end around again, if they don't trade for Dexter Lawrence.
• 1:20:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, I'm putting that aside.
• 1:20:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: The four picks they have on day one and day two, I still expect them to take four to have four picks, but potentially they may have another pick and day three either a fourth, fifth, or even six Ron Pick with a little trade back.
• 1:20:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: David Hunsaker,
• 1:20:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think an underrated need for the bears is running back.
• 1:20:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: Will they address it in the draft if so which pick round?
• 1:20:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: and who are candidates to watch.
• 1:21:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: David, I would be stunned if they took a running back on day one or day two.
• 1:21:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely stunned.
• 1:21:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: I get it, DeAndre Swift's in his last year.
• 1:21:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that is a fair point that the bears probably do need a running back, but it's also something that they could address next year in the draft.
• 1:21:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not a draft expert.
• 1:21:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know what the running back class looks like next year,
• 1:21:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Either the running back room is going to be great or there's going to be so many other great players.
• 1:21:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Some running backs are going to get pushed down the draft.
• 1:21:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Either way, the bears can address it next year because you can get a rookie running back in round three or four Param with Kyle Menongai and expect us to have in place significant minutes.
• 1:21:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you don't have to worry about taking a running back this year.
• 1:21:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: However, I do agree with you.
• 1:21:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like you look at the positions right now, Rochon Johnson is really a special teams player.
• 1:21:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's not really a running back at this point.
• 1:21:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: The way the bears haven't utilizing him.
• 1:22:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: So they don't really have a third running back.
• 1:22:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: So yes, they could take one.
• 1:22:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: So if the bears trade back and get extra picks and rounds in round four, five or six,
• 1:22:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's where I think you address running back.
• 1:22:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Otherwise, I think you take a seventh round flyer on a running back.
• 1:22:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's the way I would look at it.
• 1:22:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it makes a lot of sense otherwise for the Chicago Bears to take a running back.
• 1:22:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think they have too many other needs.
• 1:22:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: they need a corner back, they need a safety.
• 1:22:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: They need help on the defensive line.
• 1:22:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like those are just, they need.
• 1:22:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's not like, oh, can they get a safety?
• 1:22:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: No, no, they need a safety.
• 1:22:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: There is not any, if they can get a safety, great.
• 1:22:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: No, they don't have two starting caliber safeties on the roster.
• 1:22:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: They need a safety.
• 1:22:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: They don't need a running back.
• 1:22:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that you're talking more, I think,
• 1:22:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I would say, take a running back in the seventh round.
• 1:23:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: If they go really heavy defense with those first five picks, maybe the seventh round, maybe you just take a couple fires, you take a tight end, you take a running back, maybe a wide receiver, you take a couple flyers on some position groups there in round seven.
• 1:23:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: because, you know, what the hell, why not?
• 1:23:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: You've already heavily addressed the defensive side of the ball.
• 1:23:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that's the way I would look at it.
• 1:23:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't look at this as, let's take a running back and round three or round four.
• 1:23:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think that would be a very good use of draft capital for the bears this season.
• 1:23:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think bottom line here is, if they don't acquire anymore picks, you don't take a running back until round seven.
• 1:23:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: David Cromwell, your stance that the bears are going to end up in Arlington Heights is the exact opposite from what I've been reading.
• 1:23:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Have you spoken to people that have suggested this?
• 1:23:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, David, my stance from the beginning is that the bears want to stay in Arlington Heights.
• 1:23:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And this isn't like I'm talking to people in the Illinois government.
• 1:24:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm talking to Kevin Warren, you know, I'm talking to George McCaske.
• 1:24:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not saying I have taught
• 1:24:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I understand, I think I have a pretty good understanding of who George McCaske is, and I think George McCaske understands that putting the bears in Indiana would be weird.
• 1:24:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, it is the end of the world?
• 1:24:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: No.
• 1:24:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Would I be disappointed as a bear's fan who, you know, rarely can get to bear's games anyway?
• 1:24:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: So what the hell difference is it in theory where they play?
• 1:24:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it would actually bother me if the bear's played in Indiana.
• 1:24:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't love that the bears aren't going to be playing in Chicago anymore regardless of where they end up.
• 1:24:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I would certainly like them more in Arlington Heights than the state of Indiana.
• 1:24:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I know people like to bring up all the time.
• 1:24:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, you know, look at the jets and the giants.
• 1:24:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: They play a new jersey.
• 1:24:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Guys, the weight, new jersey is the suburb of New York City.
• 1:24:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's weird.
• 1:24:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, the New York area is weird.
• 1:25:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Connecticut is like Southwestern Connecticut is a suburb of New York.
• 1:25:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's the tri-state area.
• 1:25:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: People come from all over to get to New York City.
• 1:25:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a totally different thing.
• 1:25:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I know there's people who live in Northwest Indiana and commute into Chicago and I understand that.
• 1:25:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: And especially when I think George McCaske and especially Kevin Warren understand this, it comes back to like you hate to kind of bring this kind of thing up, but it plays into it.
• 1:25:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Where is the money in Chicago, right?
• 1:25:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like where are the wealthy people?
• 1:25:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: who are going to be spending a lot of money on season tickets.
• 1:25:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're on the North West suburbs.
• 1:25:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's a lot in that area.
• 1:25:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, outside of the city of Chicago, right?
• 1:25:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: The city of Chicago in theory, Arlington Heights, or Indiana.
• 1:25:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't really matter if they're not going to be in the Chicago city limits.
• 1:25:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: I guess Indiana is technically a little closer.
• 1:25:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: You want to live on the day and Ryan from three hour delays.
• 1:25:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: You go right ahead.
• 1:25:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: But for the most part, whatever.
• 1:26:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, if you're in the city of Chicago, it doesn't matter too much.
• 1:26:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: Apparently, you know, supposedly it'd be a little closer within the Anna, but
• 1:26:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: in terms of the suburbs, then, where Chicago is in the middle.
• 1:26:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you kind of put that bull's eye around it.
• 1:26:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's a lot more potentially bear season ticket holders towards the west, towards the north part of Chicago than in the south and in the east.
• 1:26:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: So if you go on the opposite side of Chicago and you're telling everyone in kettle worth and will met
• 1:26:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: you know, bearing tan and and all those types of places that they not only instead of going where they don't even have to go into the city, they've got to go through the city and into another state.
• 1:26:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Those are the people you're going to piss off.
• 1:26:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: And where are a lot of the sweetholders, the big bucks, if they don't live in Chicago, they're all on the North Shore.
• 1:26:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: They've all got lake houses on the North Shore.
• 1:27:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: And if they're going to spend on sweets in the New Chicago Bear Stadium, you can bet your ass, they would rather be in Arlington Heights than in Indiana.
• 1:27:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I think that plays into it as well.
• 1:27:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I think bottom line here is,
• 1:27:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: that the Chicago Bears wanted to leave the state of Illinois.
• 1:27:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I said it.
• 1:27:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: Kevin Warren needed to create leverage.
• 1:27:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Ted Phillips and George McCaskey went out, bought property, and didn't have leverage, because it was clear they wanted to build there.
• 1:27:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, well, then build there.
• 1:27:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: You don't need our help.
• 1:27:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: but there was infrastructure, there was other things.
• 1:27:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: The bears first pitched the state of Illinois was bad in terms of they wanted Illinois to pay for a lot more than infrastructure.
• 1:27:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Illinois told him to shove it and things got off to a bad start.
• 1:27:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: There was no leverage play in Chicago.
• 1:27:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: We don't need to rehash everything.
• 1:27:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: But bottom line here, David.
• 1:27:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: George McCaskey wanted to keep the bears in Chicago, and the other thing is, George McCaskey wants to create revenue streams.
• 1:28:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: He wants to be able to make a lot of money, not just because he wants to be wealthy, and I'm sure that's part of it, but because
• 1:28:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: We know the bears have to operate a little differently with cash than other teams do.
• 1:28:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just a fact with the Chicago Bears.
• 1:28:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: So if they have more revenue streams, they have a lot more cash on hand and it'll be a lot easier to manipulate the cap and spend money the way teams like the Philadelphia Eagles do.
• 1:28:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: So bottom line here is I think George McCaskey,
• 1:28:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: basically told Kevin Warren, do what you need to do to get us a stadium in Arlington Heights and Kevin Warren created the leverage he needed to get it done.
• 1:28:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: All right, that is going to do it for Bears Banner.
• 1:28:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: We will talk to you on Thursday as long as the Bears have the 25th pick in the draft starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.
• 1:28:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: We will talk to you then.
• 1:28:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Make sure you check it out.
• 1:28:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Make sure you check out all the great draft content.
• 1:28:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Taylor Dahl has been doing a ton of work on all the players.
• 1:29:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: She has tons of draft preview stuff up there.
• 1:29:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Check her out, check out Jacob and Ari.
• 1:29:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Check out my chat conversation with E.J.
• 1:29:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Snyder always a great conversation with E.J.
• 1:29:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: And thank you for listening to Ari and me talk it up.
• 1:29:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Bears banter here, leading up to the NFL draft.
• 1:29:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll talk to you soon.
• 1:29:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Bear it out, everybody.