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Making Monsters: Bears Camp Preview with Nicholas Moreano · 2nd City Gridiron

• 0:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: All right, welcome back to another episode of Making Monsters.
• 0:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Taylor Dahl, and you know, I'm Nicholas Moriano, host of the Nicholas Moriano show, recab the Bears Roundtable, a lot of stuff going on, covering Bears Football.
• 0:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, Nicholas, we've been trying to plan this for about six months, and we're finally getting sort of out some things for Huffin on a chatting with me.
• 0:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was only a matter of time before we made this happen.
• 0:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: In perfect timing, too, with, I mean, training camps literally around the corner.
• 0:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Some glad we were able to get this interview in.
• 0:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I'm super excited.
• 0:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: A lot of storylines throughout the offseason will chat some of those will chat some of the things we're looking for towards when it comes to the training camp coming up and some a lot of storylines.
• 0:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think we can talk about including Caleb Williams and all the attention he's been getting this offseason, which is really fun to have a bear's quarterback that's being talked about in good ways that it's normally not over here.
• 0:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: At this time of year, but Nicholas, let's talk about probably one of the bigger things when it comes to the off season.
• 1:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's the defensive turnover in some ways.
• 1:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: You talk about a defense that struggled in a lot of areas last season.
• 1:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: They got takeaways, but that's about it.
• 1:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: Everything else struggled, the run defense struggled, the past rest struggled, you know, just coverage in general kind of struggled at times injuries.
• 1:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: There was a lot of things that kind of factored into that, but you lose, you lead the league and take away as you lose 21 of those with the Nishon right gone and remained Edvin's gone and some of those guys.
• 1:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: But you replace it with a Kobe Bryant, obviously, Dylan Thaytonman in the draft and a lot of other pieces.
• 1:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: So how are you feeling about that back end?
• 1:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: And what are you most looking forward to as we approach training camp in that area?
• 1:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, like you said, there's a lot that's new and, you know, just a lot that needs to be replaced on in terms of take away that we're lost on this in this off season and I'm just curious to see how it all gels because it's not something that happens instantaneously like even though you have a guy in Kobe, Brian, you're just coming off of a super bowl victory with the sea hawks and you have a first round draft, they can deal in the in a minute.
• 1:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just going to take time for those guys to learn Dennis Allen's scheme, understand how Jalen Johnson likes a place to earn in coverage, however, is going to end up winning that corner back battle on the opposite side of Tyrex Stevenson and other guys that are in competition there, but I'm just curious to see how long it takes for these guys to feel like.
• 2:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're one cohesive unit, and I know that even Kobe Bryant talked about it in previous interviews that it wasn't even necessarily in training camp when he knew that they were going to be at really good.
• 2:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: You knew it was later on in the season, so how long does that process take?
• 2:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because in the NFL, if it takes longer to get that defense rolling, that offense going, you know, there's wasted opportunities there.
• 2:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm really curious to see how this all
• 2:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Right, you barely saw that last season.
• 2:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Jalen Johnson, Kyler Gore, now Tyre exceeding some misgames.
• 2:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like what does that actually look like?
• 2:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: And hopefully throughout training camp, you know, knock on wood here, the bears just can get out of training camp to join Praxis healthy so they can go into the regular season with an actually full healthy unit because what that version of Dennis Allen's defense looks like is way better than obviously all the different versions that we saw throughout the 2020 five season.
• 3:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 3:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think to your point, some of the, when you talk about a cross from Jalen Johnson, we know what Jalen Johnson can do when he's healthy and on the football field across from that, it, you know, Tyreek Stevenson, there's been a little bit of a roller coaster throughout his career of what he can be, what level he can play on.
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: You had Charles Smith who we've seen flashes of being a really good player, but he got injured last year, and then you draft a guy, I'm a leak my home this year.
• 3:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: So what does that look like across from Jalen Johnson?
• 3:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, that's what I'm curious about watching for when I'm at training camp, just seeing those rotations, how each guy does not only in the one on one, but in the team peers who's getting more reps there and how are they taking advantage of those reps.
• 3:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I got like Malik Mohama was getting that cross training at nickel, which I think is smart considering, you know, the.
• 3:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: the inconsistency with Kyler Gordon as of late, but, you know, with Tyring Stevenson, this is a proof of a year.
• 4:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: A contract year for him, and, you know, he said he's learned a lot ever since, you know, that the fail married two years ago, and you want to see that kind of continue and be consistent with it, because guys like Terrell Smith, I thought when he had his opportunities,
• 4:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: when Ham and Tyrex Steven Samar kind of switching in and out during the 2024 season, I thought he actually made good plays.
• 4:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: So what can he do if he gets a bigger sample size?
• 4:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's just one of the many different storylines like you highlighted in the beginning here that I'll be watching forth throughout all the summer.
• 4:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: One of the cool things Nicholas that we've seen too this offseason is the speed that something that it really feels like they focused on you talk about both sides of the ball when you when you add a theme and even a Devon Bush and how quick you can be at that lineback or position the other other side you're talking about a clean frame and it is avian Thomas and some of those guys have you really was that talked about it OT is just the speed that was added also.
• 4:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and I think that was a theme, right?
• 4:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: Especially defensively.
• 4:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you even look at guys like Neville Gallimort, defense attack, well, like that was something that was highlighted with what he brings to the table that different type of speed.
• 5:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm curious to see now how Dennis Allen's defense actually looks with three levels of speed being added defensive line, linebackers, and the secondary.
• 5:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Does that allow him to be
• 5:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, the defense coordinator that he wants to be when he has guys that have that element of speed, but our healthy have play makers on the back end, but you said it like an offense to there's there's no shortage of speed, especially when you add guys like Xavier on Thomas and you know, although I was maybe skeptical at first with that pick.
• 5:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a Ben Johnson, like you can't really question what, if he wants Davian Thomas and Ryan Polder to collaboration, I would say there, but if there's somebody that has a vision for how he can fit in the offense, I think you're going to trust Ben Johnson all the different multitude of ways he can get Davian Thomas football.
• 5:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it's funny because the moment like after the draft people are like Sam Rao Shenzavian Thomas and I was like, I trust Ben Johnson I'm not I'm not going to critique anything so far we proved to us last year what he can do let's talk about the offense a little bit because the cannibalism storyline has kind of grown throughout the season we saw him.
• 6:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just land on that.
• 6:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: The coaches scouts executives and he was 10th on that list and there was some criticism of course that's going to come anytime somebody, especially a new quarterback who did have some ups and downs last year lands on there, but you're just your thoughts of Caleb Williams in general and what you want to see what's that next box you want to see checked off by Caleb.
• 6:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I just have really high expectations for Caleb Williams going into his second season with Ben Johnson and all the accolades that he's gotten so far that's great and you know what you said it earlier It's like a different space to be and for a bears quarterback to be viewed in this positive light to be on the cover of Matt and top 10 list and just be highly regarded and obviously there's still areas Plenty of areas he needs to improve his game, but when I'm at training camp one of the things that I'll just be watching out for
• 6:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: is obviously like the accuracy but more so like the ball placement right because there's a lot of players on this offense right now if you give them catch and run opportunities there's a lot of yards after catch to begin so that starts with Caleb Williams one identifying what the defenses in but also just having a better understanding of the playbook going into year two timing that up please footwork
• 7:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: and then delivering that accurate pass.
• 7:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: So as the summer goes on, I just want to see how Caleb progresses in that area, because there were times last year where there were inaccurate passes.
• 7:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: And obviously he has this God-given ability to avoid sex, which opens up, I think, and just makes things more flexible for Penn Johnson.
• 7:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: But
• 7:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think there does need to be a balance with this game.
• 7:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can make a, I don't know if you can make a living off the flashy plays, but they definitely help.
• 7:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: So Caleb Williams has that in his bag whenever he wants it.
• 7:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: But if you can play within the pocket because you understand your offense, you know where your receiver is going to be and you deliver an accurate football.
• 7:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now as a defense you're just left guessing like how is this guy going to beat me on every single play because not only does he have the arm talent, but he just has a knowledge of his own offense to really go through the defense and deliver a good football.
• 8:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: And that's why I had Jerry Azuma on last week and one of the things he said is he just sees Caleb hesitate a tick to long sometimes and that but he thinks leads into some of the inaccuracy issues.
• 8:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: He believes that if he pulls the trigger just a second that mill a second earlier that you may see a little bit more just because of timing and we know how intricate a Ben Johnson often says that was one of the things that we heard so much about when the bears hired him is he's a perfectionist he's those route runners the way that where they are in the field of the exact time the balls released all of that is really important to Ben Johnson.
• 8:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: No doubt about it.
• 8:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I learned that so early on with Ben when it was last year's OTAs, when he just was chewing out some of the offense.
• 8:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we didn't understand exactly why until the falling press conference, but the alignment was too yards off.
• 8:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's like those little details matter.
• 8:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And it's just, it's refreshing to know that those miscues are not gonna be overlooked.
• 9:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because in the previous regime, I think that happened far too often where
• 9:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: if something did happen, it was addressed later on.
• 9:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Ben Johnson's more so if he sees it, he'll tell you how it is right then and there.
• 9:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then you know not to make that same mistake.
• 9:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you do, then you know the repercussions.
• 9:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: It feels like everybody on the offense has talked about that.
• 9:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you make that mistake, watch out for Ben Johnson, everybody might say next.
• 9:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: But it's all in good
• 9:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: in good faith, right.
• 9:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: He just wants his offense to operate the way he wants it to.
• 9:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: So those two yards, if you're off the alignment, they matter.
• 9:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I do appreciate that about Ben Johnson and I'm curious to see, I remember early on, I was like, I'm going to have like a, like an effort tracker to see how many times Ben Johnson will go off.
• 9:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't keep up with it as much as I should, but
• 9:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it should be less going into year two with this offense and with the majority of these players coming back.
• 9:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I might have to bring that out just to see because he's an intense guy and for the people who are going in training camp for the first time, you will see it no doubt about it.
• 10:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I love that what I talked to Jeremy Riceman who is one of the hosts of Pride of Detroit and the word he used when I asked like what do we expect from Ben Johnson is he's used prickly he's like he's a very prickly person and now like looking back and like it's very fitting in a sense of when you want him to be raw raw he can obviously we saw the shirt come off and all of that energy.
• 10:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: But we also see the cusswords fly, which I think is a good balance, especially for this team.
• 10:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think some of those younger guys needed that a little bit of a push, you know, including a Lutheran coast.
• 10:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so speaking of that, a lot of conversation of how this offense is going to run.
• 10:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: Did you more?
• 10:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: Obviously not not here anymore.
• 10:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's a really good spot when you talk about him in Buffalo.
• 10:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: It'll be really fun to watch that.
• 10:38
  [SPEAKER_00]: But if somebody were to ask you who is this offense running through this year, what would your answer be?
• 10:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Man, that's a great question because I think there's realistically three options here and you know it let's put in a fourth option because I think the running game is going to be so prevalent like it was last year and everything Ben Johnson does does start with that running game so I can really realistically lean into four different ways, but
• 11:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Look, the way that Colson Lovelin was used last season, especially after having a slower start, I just believe that with DJ Morgan now gone and just the opportunity he's going to have a what he presents to a defense, a guy that legit can run wide receiver routes in the tie to in a tie-dance body.
• 11:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: that is so difficult to defend.
• 11:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we know how much Ben Johnson loves loves to utilize a two tight end sets, multiple tight end sets, flex them out wide like they did in the two point conversion against the Green Bay Packers in the wild card game.
• 11:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like those are options that you don't get with just any tight end.
• 11:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: But that's why they drafted calls to love the number 10 overall.
• 11:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: So
• 11:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, he led the team and receiving yards touchdowns catches as a rookie, and that was with a slow start.
• 11:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: I wouldn't be surprised if he does it again, but I do feel like a lot of people are just can't or canceling out Roman doomsday right now, which I'm not here for that because people back through those first four week.
• 12:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, the dude's target share was you knew who the number one target was on the Chicago Bears.
• 12:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: You saw how many touchdowns he had to the first four weeks, five of them.
• 12:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I just believe that he is still well worth that that top 10 pick, he's going to be somebody that Caleb Williams can rely on.
• 12:19
  [SPEAKER_01]: You saw the drops that happened throughout the season, you know, I think also coincides with what the foot injury that he was dealing with.
• 12:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I do believe that Roman news is going to resurface into the confidence of Baris fans and show him exactly why he was worth the top 10 pick.
• 12:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, he was almost unstoppable to begin the season last year.
• 12:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: And we went back and we were looking at some numbers.
• 12:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: It was that Baltimore game.
• 12:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: We don't know what nobody's, I think, said when he exactly got hurt.
• 12:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: But after that, he had a monster game.
• 12:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then you kind of see things go off, taper off a little bit.
• 12:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: So it fills around that area.
• 12:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I do think that he was just one of those guys.
• 12:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: We know what Rome could be when you talk about him coming into the draft.
• 12:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was the widersy right personally wanted because of what he did.
• 13:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: When you talk about the contested catches, how he can get those 50, 50 balls.
• 13:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: work his footwork along the sideline is also so incredible.
• 13:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's an underrated factor of what Rome can do on the field.
• 13:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, I completely agree with you.
• 13:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you know, with him too, he is just somebody that he's all about his craft.
• 13:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Anytime I got a chance to just talk to him in the locker room, like learning about his hand usage and how he's able to get off the line of scrimmage, I just remember the touchdown he had against digs against the cowboys where
• 13:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: you know sees that slip-up uses the you know swipe away the hands and then just gets vertical for the touchdown like he's a technician he wants to get better at literally every single aspect of his game like a lot of players do but there's just something about Rome that I truly do believe about that and going into year three with Caleb I do expect a big year from Roman Doomsday.
• 13:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's talk about the run game.
• 13:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: You mentioned a little bit, you know what, DeAndre Swift kind of having his resurgence last year, Kyle Menonga, I just decal falling off the helmet, still getting all the yarders that you possibly want him to get.
• 14:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: What do you think?
• 14:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Do you think it looks similar in the sense of usage?
• 14:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Do you think they want to see a little bit more Kyle Menonga with the DeAndre Swift contract coming up?
• 14:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: What do you think that looks like?
• 14:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, you know, I honestly think that seeing more of both of those guys is going to be good for this offense.
• 14:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, if it ends up being somewhat similar to what it was last, is it wouldn't surprise me?
• 14:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm more curious now that you have a new center involved with care of Brad Perry, because Drew Dalman did phenomenal things for the pair's last season, earning himself a his first proble nod that, you know, how does that impact things?
• 14:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, if Joe Tune in all approach, you're left, you have
• 14:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think Joe and Jackson was snub from a pro bowl last season with how he played and then you have a second team all pro and Darnell Wright and then I think it will be Braxton Jones at the left tackle spot to initially begin the season.
• 14:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: But with that run game, I expect Ben Johnson to call that his bread and brother, bread and butter as he goes throughout the season because when you think about how well they execute it, especially
• 14:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: and games like Philadelphia and Cincinnati when, you know, DeAndree Swift was even playing in that game.
• 15:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: But Kyle Menungai goes for, you know, over 170 yards in that one, that is what the offense I think is built off of.
• 15:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: Being able to run that outside zone, keeping those defenses off balance.
• 15:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then you go for your explosives downfield, like the Bears did, you know, at a top five rate last season.
• 15:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, DeAndree Swift, I still think will get the bulk of the carries.
• 15:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not only is he capable of being a guy that can carry more of the load, because you look and filled off, you look in Cincinnati when he had, I think around 20 plus carries, he can, he's earned that.
• 15:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think the way he runs and finishes those runs, I think his teammates want to see it, too.
• 15:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: I remember just talking to some of the lime and like, when he finishes runs, does I get you fired up?
• 15:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely it does.
• 15:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: So like, I think his teammates really loved the way that both those backs run the football.
• 15:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it was really mad at myself.
• 15:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: The bears packers game in December.
• 15:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: I went up obviously for that game.
• 15:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: And one of the best experiences of anybody was there.
• 16:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know how it felt to be at the game that day.
• 16:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I went to the bathroom when common on guy had that long run back.
• 16:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I just remember walking out and everybody's going insane.
• 16:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I look up and I see I was like,
• 16:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Man, this kid is so much fun, and this is the start of his career.
• 16:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: We do talk, but you just mentioned left tackle, Nicholas, and that's another thing that is going to be a big conversation point this year.
• 16:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: You know, you felt like you, Aussie Trepillo was that was his, that felt like you was taking over that spot, and that was going to be it, unfortunate injury.
• 16:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: And now it is a little scary, too, the way they word it.
• 16:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: We have it when it comes to win, he'll be back, and it'll be back in those conversations.
• 16:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: But
• 16:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Do you pick Braxton Jones just because of the familiarity already being in front of Caleb or do you just think he is the best left tackle at that point?
• 16:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: And because you talk about a Jesuit wills, you talk about obviously at the open of that competition too.
• 16:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think it's a combination of all those things to be completely honest, and I think for Braxon Jones, just hearing like his most recent press conference, I should say, there is a new sense of confidence that he has in himself, and he didn't have that last season, especially during the game against the Las Vegas Rears where he's ultimately benched, and then re-gets re-injured later on the season.
• 17:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: We don't see him for the rest of the year.
• 17:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: But there is, I think he has more faith in his lower body and what he's capable of doing.
• 17:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's also, I think Ben Johnson used the word he hoped.
• 17:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: If I'm not mistaken, when describing Braxon Jones, so the strength factor is there.
• 17:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think just a familiarity.
• 17:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: He talked about that Braxon Jones as well, just knowing what Ben Johnson wants.
• 17:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Knowing what Sam Roushurt would, you know, the bear's offensive line coach wants at this time.
• 17:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's a huge, it's a huge help for Braxon Jones over a guy like Judric Wells.
• 17:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: And for Theo Bennett, obviously he served, you know, some time there dropped the season, but more so probably a swing tackle if we're going to be completely honest, I think at this point.
• 17:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: For Braxon Jones, like this is a huge opportunity for him as well.
• 17:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: One year of deal and, you know, maybe it's not with the Bears long term because you do have Aussie Trapilla and you hope his injury and his recovery from that goes as according to plan, but yeah, Braxon Jones has a clear opportunity in front of him too.
• 18:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not only earned himself just some good faith with the Bears coaching staff and Caleb Williams and the rest of the offense, but, you know, with the rest of the teams in the NFL, if you can have a good season.
• 18:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I'm going through my head of the potential battles that we'll be looking at at camp.
• 18:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: We talked about that corner across from Jalen Johnson.
• 18:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're talking about me, the left tackle obviously may be center with Logan Jones getting mixed in there.
• 18:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: How much opportunity is he getting behind Bradbury?
• 18:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'll see.
• 18:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: The line-backer group you could maybe put in there, the edge rusher, some of those things.
• 18:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Who are when it comes to some of those battles, you know, even how deep in the depth we're talking about?
• 18:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: What are you most interested in seeing as training camps starting off?
• 18:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, I just finished an article on Cation Elliott, the best fifth round traffic from Arizona State.
• 18:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: But, you know, he just has a lot of the intangibles, the speed element, the, this is a guy too that just wants to get into training camp.
• 18:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: But we know Ben Johnson runs in intense training camp, but just curious to see.
• 19:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: How far he could climb up the ladder?
• 19:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: And obviously when you look at a Devon Bush TJ Awards, the Marco Jackson are at the top of that list and, you know, no, as soon as also coming off of a season ending injury, but where's the guy like that kid, you know, you know, end up on that chart?
• 19:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's, you know, something that I'll be curious.
• 19:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then with the center, like I do believe that Garrett Bradbury will be the bear's week one starter, but I just don't know how long, you know, how long Garrett Bradbury holds on to that.
• 19:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I see the the the classes and minuses of having him there.
• 19:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you have a veteran center with still a young quarterback going, only going into a second year with Ben Johnson's offense.
• 19:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: So I understand that, but Logan Jones, look, I went to the University of Iowa.
• 19:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: I know exactly what they do in terms of getting those guys prepared, especially offensive
• 19:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Logan Jones, yes, he's a rookie, but, you know, run a pro-style offense, there were Kirk Ferris and say, no exactly how to mold these guys to get them ready for the NFL level.
• 20:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: He, right as soon as Tyler Linderbaum goes, there's Logan Jones who was a former defensive lineman and, you know, now he's in there being the starting center.
• 20:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: So how long can Garrett Bradbury hold on, says, that's why, maybe it is the entire year, but here's to see, you know, if the bears at some point look at Logan Jones being like,
• 20:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: young in terms of, you know, just being in the NFL for the first time, but his athletic ability is ability to get certain spots, wall off the defenders, get to second level.
• 20:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: That gives us a better opportunity to run the offense that we ideally want to, you know, in Ben Johnson's run scheme.
• 20:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, if you want an offensive lineman or a tight end, you can probably look over at Iowa and they're brewing some in there for sure when you talk about Nicholas the when you talk about the offense as a whole and there's going to be some changes and certain aspects, you know, Ben Johnson's kind of that guy anyways, you want to expect him to come out and run the same exact things that we're happening last year, he knows defenses and
• 20:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Defensive coordinators are planning against that the big one though is DJ more I think when you go into the season last year and it's DJ and Roman Luther and now you have Roman Luther And you and I are both that seems very confident in both of those guys But that wide receiver three.
• 21:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: What does it look like for you because we talked about a zavian Thomas We talked about a klee frame in the little bit, but then you throw in a jaw-day walker who had some really good moments last year too So what does it look like for you right now and are you interested to see what it looks like they're camp too?
• 21:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, no, I definitely am, but I think a guy like Clevver, and just his experience in, you know, just talking with like Tyson Bage, and he's talking openly and glowingly about a guy like Clevver, and so I think that when you look at what he can bring to Ben Johnson's offense, I don't want to just say it's similar to a lot of days that he is because maybe the profile is similar in terms of size and things like that, but just somebody that I think Ben Johnson has confidence to be in the proper spot at the right time.
• 21:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: when Caleb Williams needs it to be so I think that's going to be a guy that does make some plays for this bear's offense that can pick up a couple of third downs here and there throughout games and you know just keep the chains moving and I think when you look at some of the other the options there yeah like I wouldn't like to see what Jada Walker can continue doing.
• 22:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: I love that he has been every single time I feel like Caleb Williams and the rest of the skill players have gotten together to throw during the off season you know Jada Walker's there and
• 22:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's a good indication of his commitment to wanting to get better, to have more of a role on this team.
• 22:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I mean, his touchdown, like that bear's Packers game, I was actually at my best friends wedding.
• 22:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that was insane to watch.
• 22:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: We were watching on my tablet and my little phone.
• 22:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we see that happen.
• 22:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: And then my phone just dies out of like,
• 22:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: What's going on?
• 22:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: So let me go get the charger right now.
• 22:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: My buddy was getting married.
• 22:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's like, someone get the charger like I think it is white.
• 22:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: He married into a packer's family too.
• 22:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: So it was an interesting night.
• 22:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: But obviously the right one that ended really well for bears fans.
• 22:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, Scotty Walker, curious to see what he can do now going into another year of Johnson's offense as well.
• 22:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: And Clevver Aiman's already been in this offense for years now.
• 23:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Different, a little different version of, actually, I would say it's a different version
• 23:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: because when you see some of the metrics and things, the bears like to go downfield as opposed to what they were doing into Troy, where it was more of the shorter passes with the yards after catchest, Ben Johnson would love that too with some of those deeper passing plays, but it seems like more of what we saw in 2025 was a more vertical passing game.
• 23:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: And, hey, those explosives are exactly what Caleb Williams Ben Johnson loved to create.
• 23:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: yeah what was your favorite part if you were to list something that one of the improvements of Caleb because there was a lot of things from rookie season the last year that you wanted to see improved obviously not holding the ball not taking some of those bad sacks but the deep ball did struggle and that rookie season two and you saw all those things get better.
• 23:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: What were you more impressed with throughout the season of what he kind of focused in on?
• 23:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I think it's just incredible what he was able to do with that sack number 68 to what the low 20s that he had in his second year, just, you know, they're just times where you think, well, this is probably going to end up in a sack, but somehow some way Caleb Williams, you know what, I don't
• 24:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think he gets enough credit here.
• 24:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: The lower body strength, like actually the next time we get a chance to talk to Caleb, I just kind of want to know what that regiments like.
• 24:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: I've been trying to do lower body forever now, but he seems to have figured it out because the way that he's able to break away, break free, find something down, feel whether it's with his armor is like, it's incredible.
• 24:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: But I'll say, and I've said this before, I think the play that I was most impressed with from Caleb Looms, maybe all season
• 24:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: is that touchdown to coast and lovelin against the San Francisco 49ers because it gets a defense to draw off sides and after that, it's, you know, let's identify the defense, let's find a playmaker downfield and deliver a strike, but that takes cadence, that takes timing, that takes being on the same page with everybody.
• 24:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just a lead level quarterback.
• 24:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: So we can get more of that throughout the 2026 season where you just see Caleb Williams has this sense of command.
• 24:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, just honestly good luck for defense is who have to go up against that and Ben Johnson all next season.
• 25:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, one of his comments and OTA stuck out to me because he mentioned specifically that second Vikings game how everything kind of felt like it came together for him, but him and Ben Johnson felt like they were on the first page for like virtually the first time of that season and after that he had 14 touchdowns and three picks and you're playing the Eagles and you're playing the Niners and you're playing the Green Bay Packers twice and the Lions and so it wasn't like you were that was an easy part of the schedule that was arguably the harder part of the schedule and that's when things really started to click.
• 25:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: So if you're telling me that's the start of something.
• 25:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: really big then I think a lot of people would be excited over that.
• 25:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's why I see like there's sometimes I had lines where Caleb Williams or Greshen or, you know, these things where they just start not believing in Caleb Williams.
• 25:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, if that's where it started to click.
• 25:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: And now going into another offseason, just another, and you know, all the games that are played after that, like why wouldn't he continue to get better?
• 25:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like that's a thing, he has all the athletic ability, but when he starts to just play more consistently within structure, when the play allows for like, if there's not into pressure, things like that, that's how, that's why I'm just really confident, not only Ben Johnson, this coaching sappa, Caleb Williams,
• 26:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: to continue what they started and ended with in 2025, a quarterback that you saw getting better.
• 26:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Making those, he can make the big plays in the big moments, but if you get more consistent, the first second, third quarter is then, you know, this team that could put up a lot of points.
• 26:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I do believe that they have the structure in place.
• 26:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have the playmakers in place.
• 26:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have the offensive line in place to really get that done.
• 26:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I do believe that Caleb Williams will achieve that this season.
• 26:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, imagine if we play four quarters of football and the defense doesn't allow 30 plus on the road.
• 26:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, they've been a really good spot.
• 26:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: All right, if I don't love a frylay, you go neckless.
• 26:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: When you talk about camp, we've mentioned some things.
• 26:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: Are there anything else that you're going to be looking at and really intrigued by at least the start of camp this season?
• 27:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so I think with the started camp if we're just looking defensively, it's going to be really hard to judge, but the bears obviously didn't add any new adressors, right?
• 27:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: So just kind of seeing what that group looks like and it's not fair that you can actually, you know, finish the play and like sack the quarterback or, you know, it's some days are not going to be in pads, but when they are, it's, is it still like I'm just going to be watching to see the defensive line and seeing what I can honestly base off of that.
• 27:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: because it's tough throughout training camp, but that's a really important unit.
• 27:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you're expecting guys like dialing, bow, awesome book, or Schumart Turner, you know, grady Jared to really be focal points.
• 27:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: And obviously Montez sweats included in that, but the bears obviously felt like improved coaching with the current group can still get the job done.
• 27:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: We'll see if that plan works out.
• 27:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, when you see teams like the Los Angeles Rams, go, I don't make a trade for miles care.
• 27:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: They have a different approach, a different plan, but they have different assets.
• 28:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm curious to see what that truly looks like, and if there is any noticeable differences that I can take away from being a training camp, just to have more of a confidence in the defensive line as we go into the 2026 season.
• 28:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: How hard are you on Austin Booker?
• 28:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think we saw what he, you know, four to half sacks coming in missing half the season, and then even in the postseason, you saw Sacker 2 there, too.
• 28:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Are you confident that he can kind of at least get to that eight nine?
• 28:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, you know, honestly, I like, I like that number for Austin Booker.
• 28:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you know what I like about him too?
• 28:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, he does just have different types of moves.
• 28:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we were talking a locker room that's just the hand usage, the power, like sometimes they'll put a spin in there.
• 28:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: Like, there's different tools in the toolback for Austin Booker to utilize.
• 28:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: So going in, you know, hopefully next season, healthy.
• 28:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: And just having a full season, what can a guy like that truly accomplish?
• 28:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that eight, nine, I would, that would not surprise me at all from Austin Booker.
• 28:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's more so like, what can you get from dialing?
• 28:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: What can you get from grady chair?
• 29:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because there's, there's a lot of money allocated.
• 29:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: You just, both of those guys.
• 29:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: So you need to get something productive.
• 29:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Honestly, anything's going to be better than what they got last season.
• 29:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: So the bar is really low here, but.
• 29:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, more consistency from those two is going to be, you know, just be better for the entire group going forward.
• 29:17
  [SPEAKER_00]: All right, Nick, as well.
• 29:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: I really appreciate it.
• 29:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: I look forward to seeing all of your training camp coverage.
• 29:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Remind everybody where we find our stuff and how everybody can follow along this off season.
• 29:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Taylor, appreciate you for having me on like you said it took six months to get this going, but we did you can just follow me at Nicholas Moriano on on X Twitter, whatever you want to call I'm going to post all my articles all my videos on there and then on the recap YouTube channels where I'll have some camp updates after practice and then on my own personal YouTube channel and Nicholas Moriano show so much a different place is going to find all the same great content so definitely check it out throughout Bear's training camp.
• 29:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: We appreciate it.
• 29:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: We love it.
• 29:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'll be looking forward to finding out what Caleb Williams leg day looks like.
• 29:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sounds good.
• 29:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you.
• 29:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: Have a good one.