Latest / Da Windy City Sports Podcast / ESPN's J-Hood joins the show to share why he's optimistic about the Bears!

Transcript

ESPN's J-Hood joins the show to share why he's optimistic about the Bears! · Da Windy City Sports Podcast

0:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Welcome to the Wendy City podcast, you see Alex Shapiro, this of course is presented by fanside and more importantly, I'm Kenneth Davis.
0:07
[SPEAKER_01]: It's the guy in the bottom box.
0:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Jonathan Hood, ESPN Chicago, hosted a loan with Cap on Cap of Hood in the mornings.
0:15
[SPEAKER_01]: All right, you I see baseball basketball play by play under the hood, which I'm fortunate enough to grace from time to time when he hits me up to come on to under the hood and talk a little bit of bearish football.
0:27
[SPEAKER_01]: A man when the story is told about me about perhaps when I came back to sports, pulled me back.
0:34
[SPEAKER_01]: as we were talking to.
0:35
[SPEAKER_01]: He wants all this.
0:36
[SPEAKER_01]: I love the fact and it's good that he wants all this props because that made me not just not trash, but hoodie, the one to bring you all here definitely got a lot of bearers thing to talk about and again a little fringe stuff to find out what's been going on with you how you doing my guy.
0:52
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm doing great.
0:54
[SPEAKER_02]: This has been a great winter into a great
1:01
[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm very happy about that.
1:02
[SPEAKER_02]: Usually it's a lot of thumbs down, but there's a thing you are looking up for Chicago sports.
1:07
[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm very happy about that.
1:10
[SPEAKER_01]: Don't worry, Alex.
1:11
[SPEAKER_00]: Not just just thanks so much for joining us, Jay Hood.
1:15
[SPEAKER_00]: What a pleasure.
1:16
[SPEAKER_00]: What a pleasure to have you.
1:19
[SPEAKER_00]: You mentioned that it feels like the Chicago sports dark ages are ending, right?
1:23
[SPEAKER_00]: Because we were in a dark ages, but it feels like it's ending.
1:27
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's take Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson out of the picture because that's such a layup as to why it feels like things are trending up in the bears, but like what makes you hopeful that the bears are going to have sustained success here, or maybe it is Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson.
1:42
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't know, but, but what makes you feel really, really good about the Chicago bears right now.
1:52
[SPEAKER_02]: because we've known for a long time that run to football is great, but putting the ball in the air and be able to get PIs or get touchdowns is the way to go in the national football league.
2:03
[SPEAKER_02]: Chicago Bears have been a traditional big-ten team for generations.
2:08
[SPEAKER_02]: That means run the football, pressure the quarterback stopped the run.
2:13
[SPEAKER_02]: With the tall high grass and the big spikes, that's what Bears football has been, right?
2:18
[SPEAKER_02]: And the Bears have been behind the time.
2:20
[SPEAKER_02]: While the other teams, Alex, are throwing the ball up in the air and looking for the passenger parents or looking for the big plays, we've been grinding and running the football and five yard passes.
2:30
[SPEAKER_02]: And we've looked like a Kyle Ordnoffence for a long time.
2:34
[SPEAKER_02]: Now, we've been Johnson in the parade, now the balls in the air.
2:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Can we dare say the bears are looking to pin 35 points on the opponent's every single game?
2:43
[SPEAKER_02]: When have we seen that around here on a regular basis?
2:45
[SPEAKER_02]: We have not seen this on a regular basis.
2:47
[SPEAKER_02]: So it gives me hope that even though I have my issues with the defense, the defense of the blind, I do say that the offense is trying to score as many points as possible.
2:56
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's never really been the case in a regular basis for the bears.
3:00
[SPEAKER_01]: So, look, speaking of every game and putting up 35 points again, the NFL is released a schedule last week and the Bears have the roughest schedule on paper right now within the league up, up coming season.
3:13
[SPEAKER_01]: What do you think the Bears will do next year and for you if the schedule is as rough as it seems, what would a successful season be like for the Bears?
3:21
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, I always look at the schedule three way it can.
3:25
[SPEAKER_02]: It's when the schedule first comes out with the pencil, you know, why use a pencil Alex because there's a racer on the back end of it.
3:31
[SPEAKER_02]: So there's you always use it with the pencil.
3:33
[SPEAKER_02]: So the first time you look at it is with the pencil.
3:36
[SPEAKER_02]: Second time is when we get the training gap and the final time is right before we get to the season.
3:41
[SPEAKER_02]: So the first time I said 10 wins and 10 wins good enough for you to get to the playoffs and whoever happens happens, but there's a little bit of regression, make a little bit with the bears because we don't know the defensive line will do.
3:55
[SPEAKER_02]: very opportunistic about the second there in the linebackers.
3:58
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm opportunistic about Ben Johnson trying to enhance it often, even more so with another tight end, and then another wide receiver, another wide receiver.
4:05
[SPEAKER_02]: So I would just say the things that I'm really looking forward to is, with the second there it looks like what speed and ability, what the linebackers bring to the table, and then just whatever Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams got in the
4:21
[SPEAKER_02]: to try to be even better offensively.
4:23
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm looking forward to that.
4:24
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's the start, of course.
4:26
[SPEAKER_00]: So you're fully like in Ben Johnson, we trust.
4:29
[SPEAKER_00]: There, you know, because there was a lot of hand-ringing ourselves included.
4:32
[SPEAKER_00]: I was among these people thinking, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, as these sirens that we're hearing down Ashland Avenue are the sirens that we're going off in my living room during the draft, when they draft tight N3.
4:44
[SPEAKER_00]: When they draft wide receiver five, those were the sirens going on.
4:48
[SPEAKER_00]: Um, but you say in Ben Johnson, we trust at all the weapons at all the pieces you need defensive line be damned is that is that kind of what you're here like you're you're like, yeah, let's stack the deck.
4:59
[SPEAKER_02]: No, that's not what I'm saying Alex, what I'm saying is is that Ben Johnson is going to be who he is like he was in the lion, he's going to be just with the bears clearly they went out 14 and again being from Chicago, I'm used to a strong defense, which we have not seen.
5:17
[SPEAKER_02]: off into coach and he has autonomy in that grapple.
5:20
[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's pretty clear, right?
5:22
[SPEAKER_02]: Because it was a head scratcher for all of us, like so you know the glaring weaknesses of the defense of line, but you say, that's okay.
5:29
[SPEAKER_02]: We'll just add another wide receiver on speed.
5:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, add another tight-end, so we'll have our looks from the tight-end standpoint.
5:36
[SPEAKER_02]: That said, so you're good with the defense of line.
5:39
[SPEAKER_02]: So is it a mirage?
5:40
[SPEAKER_02]: Is it a fever dream?
5:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Do we not see a defense that was not opportunistic getting after the quarterback?
5:47
[SPEAKER_02]: To the point where the quarterbacks of the bears in face would tell the Tendent you see this uniform.
5:54
[SPEAKER_02]: I'll take it off.
5:55
[SPEAKER_02]: I didn't get dirty.
5:56
[SPEAKER_02]: I'll just wear next week You know the one it's fine.
5:58
[SPEAKER_02]: I need a new one because the bears didn't get to me.
6:00
[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm fine.
6:01
[SPEAKER_02]: No, that is problematic But Alex if they're gonna if they're really gonna have some teams I have to hold my nose when it comes to the defense of life
6:11
[SPEAKER_02]: I expect informative defensive line.
6:13
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't expect to be sweeping changes and major improvements with the defensive line.
6:18
[SPEAKER_02]: But this is who they are now.
6:19
[SPEAKER_02]: The bears want to be the ramps.
6:22
[SPEAKER_02]: They want to be the lines when they were good.
6:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
6:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Show me.
6:33
[SPEAKER_01]: We're with the ramps that Aaron Donald and the lines had a white guy that was dominant for a Michigan that's still pretty good in a bunch of sense.
6:41
[SPEAKER_01]: And the bears have the sweat effect.
6:44
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know, hoodie.
6:45
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know about that.
6:49
[SPEAKER_01]: I know, I mean, go look at all episodes of Under the Hood with everyone, but particularly me because there's a lot of, there's a lot of trench talk and I know Hood is hitting me upside the head, Ken wears the trench talk, but I know, so this is actually Jay Hubbick off.
7:05
[SPEAKER_01]: This is what you know, he really kind of thinks that bears have a really good grip, not great offensive mind ahead coach and leaning that way, they may be able to really do well, but still.
7:16
[SPEAKER_01]: There's the, especially, and I know this hit us funny, you talked about, and then for anybody that may not get it, and it's not a knock on you, but it's one of the things about us being older is kind of informing you.
7:26
[SPEAKER_01]: You talk about the tall grass and the long cleats because you want to slow people down, you didn't want to play fast football, which that's what outmarden they football has been.
7:36
[SPEAKER_01]: And when you're sitting there and you're talking about that and you're looking at the fact, but still old school in some ways old school still does win and pressure in the quarterback.
7:44
[SPEAKER_01]: will always be on top of the list as far as being able to win, just see the last football champion in the Seattle Seahawks.
7:53
[SPEAKER_02]: Hey, listen.
7:54
[SPEAKER_02]: What am I going to do?
7:54
[SPEAKER_02]: Call City Hall and tell him to change the way that they do business?
7:58
[SPEAKER_02]: What can I do?
7:58
[SPEAKER_02]: It's like, it's what it is, right?
8:01
[SPEAKER_02]: We're talking about this in May.
8:02
[SPEAKER_02]: Where do we get the training camp?
8:04
[SPEAKER_02]: When you're here in
8:10
[SPEAKER_02]: and what's going on with this offensive line and why they're making all these changes like when you're doing last year.
8:15
[SPEAKER_02]: It's what it is.
8:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Can you know I know you know Alex knows like the defense of lines has to be able to prove themselves.
8:24
[SPEAKER_02]: The idea and I was completely rule out of hand the answer from Ben Johnson by saying that was defense line was to have to coach him up better.
8:32
[SPEAKER_02]: You had coach him better is better?
8:33
[SPEAKER_02]: That's just that's just a bad quote as you had to coach him up better.
8:37
[SPEAKER_02]: No you need
8:39
[SPEAKER_02]: they're very handsomely paid number of them.
8:42
[SPEAKER_02]: So they have to be able to come through.
8:43
[SPEAKER_02]: There's no doubt.
8:44
[SPEAKER_02]: I know the issues, but I'm optimistic that the offense can be even better this upcoming season.
8:51
[SPEAKER_02]: And that their plan is we rush forward and get home.
8:55
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, we'll just get them on the other end.
8:57
[SPEAKER_02]: If that's your plan, good luck.
9:00
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, we're going to do the score whole line up.
9:02
[SPEAKER_02]: I think this upcoming season.
9:04
[SPEAKER_02]: But I think we're going to see it from the
9:09
[SPEAKER_00]: take the overs.
9:15
[SPEAKER_00]: So, okay, so that does not ring true for you because when I heard the same thing from Ben Johnson.
9:19
[SPEAKER_00]: Similarly, it did not ring true for me.
9:23
[SPEAKER_00]: So, I mean,
9:26
[SPEAKER_00]: Where do you think?
9:27
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you mentioned the linebackers.
9:28
[SPEAKER_00]: It's Devon Bush, like how much is Devon Bush moving the needle for you.
9:33
[SPEAKER_00]: How much is Dylan Thineman moving the needle for you.
9:36
[SPEAKER_00]: I know you just said expect these high scoring games.
9:40
[SPEAKER_00]: But if you're Dennis Allen, if I'm giving you Dennis Allen's job right now, like how how are you trying to do the best job to keep the defense or keep keep the opposing offense, rather scoring.
9:55
[SPEAKER_00]: 32 points so that when you're offense scores 35, we still win knowing that like, okay, yeah, we have this high-powered offense.
10:02
[SPEAKER_00]: I guess like how do you imagine the Bears try and mitigate this, mitigate this with still the lack of the pass rush?
10:11
[SPEAKER_02]: My hope is that every game is not the San Francisco game.
10:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Because the San Francisco game, all you need was a few stops in the Bears to win that game.
10:21
[SPEAKER_02]: Caleb Williams is a tournament trying to win that game and the Bears
10:24
[SPEAKER_02]: did not allow that to happen for the bears because they couldn't stop anybody.
10:27
[SPEAKER_02]: So, you know, with seen them in, I think that you had more speed.
10:31
[SPEAKER_02]: I have no problem with that.
10:32
[SPEAKER_02]: I was surprised how much my phone lit up on draft night.
10:36
[SPEAKER_02]: Alex with people is saying, like, I can't believe they knew we saw on the board.
10:40
[SPEAKER_02]: They can't believe because of even biking fans, friends and minds, like, that was what we are guy.
10:45
[SPEAKER_02]: and we passed on them and the bearers got him.
10:47
[SPEAKER_02]: My hope is that that is a positive for the bearers, that they and that they and then will be someone that can be a catalyst for them in the secondary because you do need team speed.
10:55
[SPEAKER_02]: I get that.
10:56
[SPEAKER_02]: I also think about Tyrex Stevenson and whether or not this will be all for Tyrex Stevenson after this season as well.
11:03
[SPEAKER_02]: They want to get younger and more dynamic back there and I totally understand that.
11:07
[SPEAKER_02]: I guess as far as
11:11
[SPEAKER_02]: the rest of the secondary.
11:12
[SPEAKER_02]: I think they can make plays.
11:13
[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's younger and better than it was last year and there there have been improvements.
11:18
[SPEAKER_02]: I think the live-backer core is improved from last year.
11:22
[SPEAKER_02]: But the question still stands about that defensive line.
11:25
[SPEAKER_02]: It does.
11:26
[SPEAKER_02]: It's Montez sweat in the drips.
11:28
[SPEAKER_02]: And I know that people look at those numbers, right?
11:42
[SPEAKER_02]: We saw some good plays in the playoffs from Montessweb, but it just wasn't enough in which you could say yep that defense has impact Of defense of line that they're back, but I like what they've done in the second area.
11:54
[SPEAKER_02]: I do I think that that'll be the apple to Dennis Allen's eye the second area to suck coming season Can't say it's in for the defense of blind though
12:03
[SPEAKER_01]: damn shame when the apple of your eye has to also pressure the quarterback.
12:07
[SPEAKER_01]: I want to stick with the second and everyone knows what's coming.
12:10
[SPEAKER_01]: I want to stick with the second dairy because one of the things that I think all of us talked about last year here on this show and of course, hoodie on cap and hood and under the hood was the fate of Kyla Gordon and Jalen Johnson perhaps due to their uncertainty as far as availability.
12:26
[SPEAKER_01]: I was looking at the trip today and Brad
12:30
[SPEAKER_01]: And even Ben Johnson mentioned kind of not having a familiarity with them due to the fact that they weren't healthy.
12:36
[SPEAKER_01]: How much do you feel, and you said you feel good about the secondary?
12:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Can you feel that well about the secondary with not knowing how healthy they're going to be moving for?
12:44
[SPEAKER_01]: And they're the guys making the most money in that back.
12:47
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, including the COVID-19.
12:49
[SPEAKER_02]: So the other guys you're talking about is home.
12:52
[SPEAKER_02]: That's like kind of Gordon.
12:55
[SPEAKER_01]: And Jalen Johnson as far as both of them not being healthy last year and usually a lot of times It's not like the odor you get the healthier you get.
13:03
[SPEAKER_02]: No, it's true.
13:04
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, well, this is why it tells a great story It's not coming seeds, right?
13:08
[SPEAKER_02]: Like I believe that when those guys are healthy, it's like Jalen Johnson, you're tickling Colony, but when when Jalen Johnson tells me I believe that he could be a stalker
13:18
[SPEAKER_02]: on this secondary.
13:20
[SPEAKER_02]: I think that he's a go-to guy.
13:22
[SPEAKER_02]: We know our positives on the defense.
13:23
[SPEAKER_02]: He's one of them when healthy.
13:25
[SPEAKER_02]: So now I'll imagine this for a full set of games for Jalen Johnson in the regular season.
13:32
[SPEAKER_02]: I think that can, I think that he could be one of those guys that stand out the most.
13:37
[SPEAKER_02]: I really do.
13:38
[SPEAKER_02]: We'll call it Gordon.
13:38
[SPEAKER_02]: That's a question.
13:39
[SPEAKER_02]: I think that that's, I don't know what is what is his potential.
13:44
[SPEAKER_02]: When he's really good, how much been impact player can he be?
13:48
[SPEAKER_02]: can you make some plays?
13:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Can he be like a threat where he's at the scheme?
13:51
[SPEAKER_02]: It gets like, yeah, you can't throw it that way.
13:53
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.
13:54
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know about call gore, but I'm very confident in jailing to be able to make plays.
14:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Hey, let me ask you this with just sticking with those two players real quick.
14:03
[SPEAKER_01]: And of course, Jalen Johnson is a much more proven asset, right?
14:07
[SPEAKER_01]: But at sooner or later and you're looking at this window, you don't want to jettison premium players because you're trying to take advantage of the fact that Caleb is on his rookie deal.
14:18
[SPEAKER_01]: But you have one of the higher pay cornerbacks who sooner later is going to either fee states, healthy, and I'm talking about Jalen Johnson
14:26
[SPEAKER_01]: And that contract, the last one would be, it would be top.
14:29
[SPEAKER_01]: And then you look at Gordon, looking at how it seems easy in some ways, one thing that Ryan Post has been able to do is draft in defensive backs.
14:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Do you think for them it would be easier to find a boundary corner in the future or a nickel guy, because what all the things you ask the nickel guy can do, it kind of sometimes would be precarious.
14:55
[SPEAKER_02]: I like to have, I like to have one of those that that's possible that if you have an injury or an issue that that person may play multiple positions, but at this time, I feel like I feel like you're one, wasn't a valuation of the European sky's, that's kind of how I felt it was.
15:17
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, even though quietly toward the end of the season you heard players say, hey, you know, I think we can make the Super Bowl.
15:22
[SPEAKER_02]: I think we could be a Super Bowl team.
15:25
[SPEAKER_02]: Because I know that's what they're shooting for.
15:26
[SPEAKER_02]: They never said to the press.
15:28
[SPEAKER_02]: They never said it out loud, but to themselves and I kind of leaked out that that was their goal.
15:32
[SPEAKER_02]: I felt like, can that there was an evaluation for Ben Johnson to see, okay, how many of these evil food guys will be with me for the long haul.
15:47
[SPEAKER_02]: So I feel like they look at Jalen in particular and say, he was the Refuse guy, but that guy can be with us before what he can bring to the table.
15:58
[SPEAKER_02]: I think they look at several of their guys in the defense of blind as well and say, like for those short term, they can be able to make plays.
16:06
[SPEAKER_02]: There's a reason why they were able to make some changes in that secondary and the linebacker position, because some of those Refuse guys can work out, and they kind of just fell off the roster.
16:16
[SPEAKER_02]: You have to have your own identity.
16:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Ben Johnson, even though he's, you know, this offensive guy, he wants his guys in there.
16:23
[SPEAKER_02]: I totally understand why.
16:25
[SPEAKER_00]: Right, Maddie Refleuse wants Tramaine Edmonds the biggest Mike Linebacker to be able to drop back and do that zone stuff.
16:34
[SPEAKER_00]: Ben Johnson's like, I don't care about that.
16:37
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm running it off, and so we're not going to pay our middle line back or a ton of money.
16:41
[SPEAKER_00]: So I see where you're going with that.
16:44
[SPEAKER_00]: I want to switch to the.
16:47
[SPEAKER_00]: to the offense and to the offensive line because as you mentioned, the bears are in the future baby.
16:51
[SPEAKER_00]: This is an offensive football team.
16:54
[SPEAKER_00]: I think a lot of last year, right, four left tackles play the position.
16:58
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
16:59
[SPEAKER_00]: That was an ongoing evaluation with Azutra Pillow down.
17:02
[SPEAKER_00]: It feels like that evaluation is going to continue to be ongoing.
17:07
[SPEAKER_00]: I guess I'm curious.
17:08
[SPEAKER_00]: Who are you most intrigued
17:11
[SPEAKER_00]: Among that group, you know, there's Theo Bennett, it's still out there.
17:15
[SPEAKER_00]: There's Braxton Jones is back and they've added Judric wheels to the mix, and Kenneth is gonna shake his head at me, but Karan Amagaji is still on this football team as well, right?
17:25
[SPEAKER_00]: There's the eye roll from Kenneth.
17:27
[SPEAKER_00]: So there are a lot of guys still in this mix.
17:30
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm taking Jotunni out of that equation, even though he started the playoffs.
17:33
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm taking Jotunni out, you are our left guard again, Jotunni congratulations.
17:37
[SPEAKER_02]: There's a lot of dudes in this mix who intrigues you the most of that group because it makes kind of Davis roll his eyes appropriately so Well, you should always listen to the man who put his hand in the dirt and again, Davis because the understand the trenches And one thing that can Davis will tell you like you told me is no matter that Bradson Jones came to came back to Lake Forest Yoke You still needed ass and an anchor and he did not come to you.
18:02
[SPEAKER_02]: You didn't come back to training camp with that
18:05
[SPEAKER_02]: He came back with muscles and he had a good off-season in the gym, but he did not go to Lake Forest with an ass, but that name intrigues me because Alex, why would you bring him back for a year?
18:16
[SPEAKER_02]: Why would you do that?
18:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Like you know that that did not work out, injury aside, and after two to side, he was time to turn their page.
18:23
[SPEAKER_02]: They brought him back just for a song just for another year.
18:35
[SPEAKER_02]: And they're doing the musical chairs with the office of why.
18:38
[SPEAKER_02]: That was just got his program.
18:41
[SPEAKER_02]: He goes, wait a minute.
18:42
[SPEAKER_02]: Is that the Canadian eagle out there?
18:44
[SPEAKER_02]: Canadian eagle.
18:45
[SPEAKER_02]: Thank you.
18:46
[SPEAKER_02]: What was he doing?
18:46
[SPEAKER_02]: We were confused.
18:47
[SPEAKER_00]: We were like, what the hell's going on here, man?
18:49
[SPEAKER_02]: He just has words.
18:50
[SPEAKER_02]: He got up.
18:50
[SPEAKER_02]: So it's still going to be musical chairs, I think, at that position.
18:55
[SPEAKER_02]: But check it.
18:55
[SPEAKER_02]: It wasn't just a, you know, why?
18:57
[SPEAKER_02]: Very quiet about Jack and Derek Wells.
18:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Come from Cleveland, correct?
19:01
[SPEAKER_02]: That's where he comes from.
19:02
[SPEAKER_02]: The Browns.
19:03
[SPEAKER_02]: believe from last year.
19:04
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes.
19:06
[SPEAKER_02]: So that name is intriguing to me.
19:08
[SPEAKER_02]: I like to know exactly what he'll bring to the table because even though Brackton Jones back doesn't mean that he's going to win that job.
19:15
[SPEAKER_02]: And that's such an important position.
19:17
[SPEAKER_02]: I feel like the offensive line wore down because of it early buying.
19:22
[SPEAKER_02]: But no one noticed it because Canada was doing all great moves.
19:27
[SPEAKER_02]: He's very plays and got the ball out quickly or ran with the football, but I
19:32
[SPEAKER_02]: for my HDTV that the offensive lines start to wear down a little bit, because of how many snaps they took with the early vibe.
19:39
[SPEAKER_02]: This will tell a great story this year of who's going to play a left tackle and I think wills has an opportunity.
19:45
[SPEAKER_02]: I really do not, and now that we know to tell a won't be back later on this upcoming season, maybe not at all, wills is an interesting veteran on that offensive line, I'll keep my eyes on a training game.
19:58
[SPEAKER_01]: is two south side mallers with tookases that allowed us to overpower people.
20:04
[SPEAKER_01]: So this is what you have to understand.
20:06
[SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes as you're growing up and you're figuring how to fight and the first before you can throw hands, you have to learn how to grab somebody and move them around.
20:14
[SPEAKER_01]: That's when thick thighs and back sides allow you to grow out of some boy that was getting bullied into a man laying down on somebody else as far as you've not going mess with me and that's the problem when you're talking about perhaps Braxton Joe's I don't know if you can go to Brazil and I don't know if that helps that's not muscle and again, I'm just playing Braxton first of all, say this.
20:36
[SPEAKER_01]: If any iteration of any show we've always been on, we've always liked the character of Braxton Jones, as far as Alex and myself, Braxton Jones character, it's not a Braxton thing, it's more Ryan Post is giving him and not steel, sharpening steel.
20:48
[SPEAKER_01]: But one thing, and it's funny you bring up the Canadian Eagle with you and Alex at training camp.
20:54
[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like, and again, roadside all day, but I feel like even with the DeJegrit Willis situation, and then when we're talking about Braxton Jones,
21:05
[SPEAKER_01]: you just talked about Matt Eberfu's guys, right?
21:08
[SPEAKER_01]: And trying to figure out which ones fit and how maybe Tyre Stevenson kind of fell off when you looked at when he was healthy that he wasn't necessarily put back in towards the tell and to the season.
21:17
[SPEAKER_01]: It makes me think about the open of it.
21:19
[SPEAKER_01]: And how kind of how,
21:21
[SPEAKER_01]: in the middle of Braxton, of getting shut down.
21:25
[SPEAKER_01]: And I did your pillow being a guy that was like, man, we got to put him at right and leave him alone.
21:29
[SPEAKER_01]: But I was able to sustain at left.
21:31
[SPEAKER_01]: The Obendate was the maller who was handling that left side.
21:35
[SPEAKER_01]: And it made about not been pretty in the past, but it was better in the run.
21:39
[SPEAKER_01]: What do you think the likelihood if we're talking about starts between the three of those, but really, I'm probably talking about Braxton and Theo, that Theo, at the end of the day, because this team Dan Rochard, then, may be more comfortable with what he did for them last year.
21:53
[SPEAKER_01]: He may edge out in the long run, Braxton Jones.
21:56
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay.
21:58
[SPEAKER_02]: So I think all of them will have an opportunity.
22:01
[SPEAKER_02]: Dan, I just, like, I think when they have
22:09
[SPEAKER_02]: You noticed that during the draft, they would say that, well, the reason why we drafted these guys brought these guys in, because we have two competition.
22:15
[SPEAKER_02]: Really, they're competition for Caleb.
22:18
[SPEAKER_02]: There's their competition at the running back position.
22:21
[SPEAKER_02]: As far as the number one and number two running back, is their competition at the wider receiver are WR1 and WR2.
22:29
[SPEAKER_02]: It's not.
22:30
[SPEAKER_02]: But I think at an offensive line at the left tackle position, I think it really is a real competition.
22:35
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't think that Rochard, and by the way, Alex, you tell me how propound I think Rochard might be the honest honest guy in Lake Forest.
22:43
[SPEAKER_00]: He definitely, he definitely, he tells the like it is.
22:47
[SPEAKER_00]: He's just not afraid to challenge guys.
22:49
[SPEAKER_00]: Tyctolbert though, I do miss Tyctolbert.
22:52
[SPEAKER_00]: He was, he was also one of a kind of tellin' like it is.
22:56
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, the reason why is because you're the first year coaches and all you kept hearing is accountability issues with the bears.
23:03
[SPEAKER_02]: So all those coaches have full autonomy to say whatever they want to say.
23:06
[SPEAKER_02]: Rocha was so refreshing, it felt like I was live
23:12
[SPEAKER_02]: because everything was just so amazingly honest, but as far as left tackle can, what I would tell you is that, I think it's a rotation in training camp in OTAs, and I don't know, I know I'm not supposed to, I don't know, but I really don't know who's going to be able to win that position.
23:32
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know, but Canadian Eagle has a good opportunity
23:37
[SPEAKER_02]: wills or storm or anyone else that's in that position.
23:40
[SPEAKER_02]: I have no idea what they're going to do.
23:42
[SPEAKER_02]: We know who are, who solidified at the other positions on the offensive line.
23:47
[SPEAKER_02]: Honestly, right tackle.
23:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh my god.
23:49
[SPEAKER_02]: Darkmail right man.
23:52
[SPEAKER_02]: He's so underrated.
23:53
[SPEAKER_02]: We uh, it's funny.
23:54
[SPEAKER_02]: We talk about all the young stars under 30 in Chicago's force and we always forget about him because he just does the job.
24:00
[SPEAKER_02]: He might have a broken wing, you know, that, you know, it is okay.
24:03
[SPEAKER_02]: He just does the job.
24:04
[SPEAKER_02]: We just taking program.
24:05
[SPEAKER_02]: But that guy is a monster.
24:08
[SPEAKER_02]: That guy does it.
24:09
[SPEAKER_02]: You have to worry about his position.
24:10
[SPEAKER_02]: But then left tackle, I think it's a revolving door.
24:14
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that he only had one good season.
24:17
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's why we kind of don't put him up there so far, honey.
24:21
[SPEAKER_02]: It's fair.
24:23
[SPEAKER_01]: I think he has the potential, yes, but when we've waited and now it's like so it's kind of like you nice, but I had to wait for you to be, you should have been a little nice, a little bit soon.
24:35
[SPEAKER_00]: Aero's pointing up.
24:35
[SPEAKER_00]: It's not like he had the one good season in year two and then he came back.
24:39
[SPEAKER_00]: You, you know, went backwards in year three and it's like all if you can get back to your
24:50
[SPEAKER_00]: That is why we don't talk about him that much and that's also the life of a right tackle.
24:54
[SPEAKER_00]: The right tackle is is born to be forgotten sad sad but true.
24:59
[SPEAKER_01]: I hate to say pin a soul.
25:01
[SPEAKER_00]: I guess They're making them a left tackle because I know what is time for the spotlight
25:07
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm just saying, I see other right tackles that people are speaking about them and here because it's local and we're like, hey, raising up little simple and it's like relaxing, but the kingdom's not sure it's just shit, I just want to point that out.
25:21
[SPEAKER_02]: It took bears that we've got two souls in it and two wrong souls.
25:26
[SPEAKER_01]: That part like you didn't get you like I'm gonna say if we're gonna go to those wonderful islands and again Those those those young men can play a myriad of positions But can you garab me a couple a lot old line and why you're doing it?
25:40
[SPEAKER_01]: That's just to something like just it's worked here before all right I think they've had who should be a Hall of Famer and in the center all right It before and with that and again This is really for the detail in and we're almost to the tail into this
25:54
[SPEAKER_01]: One of the things hoodie and you know we talk trench warfare a lot whenever you have me on your show That spoke to me and this was this was something that Alex and I outside submission is named first and I I don't want to do draft yet.
26:05
[SPEAKER_01]: I want to finish off on the schedule before we jump in the draft But sticking with the line because it would make sense when they I wasn't I'm not the biggest Garrett Bradbury guy right shout out to him or whatever
26:17
[SPEAKER_01]: Because last year, the investment in Drew Dalman spoke to me that, hey, and I know Ben Johnson puts a lot on what his centers can do, but the past regime didn't care about the center if they could do or not can do basically with the amount of talent they did not bring into that position.
26:32
[SPEAKER_01]: When the bears decided to go Logan Jones to back up Garrett Bradbury, and it goes to what you opened up this show with.
26:44
[SPEAKER_01]: modern day football right like not this thinking of whatever works at the moment and for last year in the shout out to Donnell right with this I wasn't as worried with the left tackle position.
26:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, let me say this I was much more worried about the left tackle position with a serviceable center if if they were going to sit with Garrett Bradbury and not saying he's not going to start majority the season or we'll see.
27:06
[SPEAKER_01]: But for them to say, you know what, he's good, but we need a center of the future and put a premium on it and makes me think, okay, so now you guys are at least going to be good, right tackle to left guard again, which leads that left tackle part, not saying it's not as important, but it's not as dire if your center is questionable because that left guard is more on a damn their island by himself with two guys on the side of him that may not be as proficient.
27:31
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's one thing, again, about this regime that I like, where you can kind of see what they're doing.
27:37
[SPEAKER_01]: Even when we talk about the draft fix, it wasn't what you may want, but you can say they're going to be used.
27:42
[SPEAKER_01]: They're not going to be guys that it's like, who was that guy or whatever?
27:46
[SPEAKER_01]: It's going to be like, look, I don't know if I needed to throw a tight end, but hey, that, that dude went off for three touchdowns today or whatever.
27:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Some, some message like that, but what did you think about them solidifying the center position?
27:58
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's early as they did in the draft.
28:01
[SPEAKER_02]: But look, again, I want to something on the defense of line and it surprised me, we're having Bradbury on the team, especially for the short contract, isn't it year to year to year to get there?
28:12
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, so then they drafted the center of the future.
28:15
[SPEAKER_02]: They see what's happening.
28:16
[SPEAKER_02]: And if you don't like him or you feel like he's just okay, then you know how to bear it's feel about him as well.
28:21
[SPEAKER_02]: They need to have something to replace the leadership that was on that offensive line by
28:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Jones is a guy that can step right in there, maybe next year and be the center.
28:36
[SPEAKER_02]: So again, you're right, it is a premium position, especially where they drafted him, but I just it told me when I saw that, Brad Barry's not here for the long haul.
28:47
[SPEAKER_02]: They're one out solid by their offensive line.
28:49
[SPEAKER_02]: All good.
28:50
[SPEAKER_02]: I told them understand why they did that.
28:53
[SPEAKER_00]: The Sox skillcatcher skill players a little bit, D.J.
28:56
[SPEAKER_00]: Moore is out of town.
28:59
[SPEAKER_00]: You talked about no competition for Widersy for one Widersy, but we know who the primary past catchers on this team are.
29:05
[SPEAKER_00]: But replacing D.J.
29:06
[SPEAKER_00]: Moore is no small task.
29:07
[SPEAKER_00]: The dude was out there all the time, catching a lot of balls, making a lot of great place for this football team.
29:12
[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm curious, hoodie, who do you think needs to step up the most with DJ more out of town?
29:21
[SPEAKER_00]: Who's got to take?
29:22
[SPEAKER_00]: Who's got to take that next step?
29:24
[SPEAKER_00]: The most to make sure that this offense can continue to put up 50 points because we know the defense is given up 45.
29:31
[SPEAKER_02]: What's the defense?
29:35
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, hopefully they'll be better at this.
29:36
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to do that's the hope.
29:41
[SPEAKER_02]: And then we saw the dev charge, the white receivers we went, oh, man, we just got really, really young and kind of inexperienced.
29:52
[SPEAKER_02]: It's giving me a minute because I looked at like, oh, you had that state, you know, you had that that pillow that comfort in DJ more being there because he's been there and done that and I saw that said, I'm not afraid, I don't feel like the bears are taking two steps back, but then.
30:07
[SPEAKER_02]: I looked at it again, I go boy, Roman Dunez, they really have to stuff up their class.
30:12
[SPEAKER_02]: He has to be healthy because if he's not going to be the guy this year, then you won't be the guy for the bears.
30:18
[SPEAKER_02]: I know that's a big statement, but that is true.
30:21
[SPEAKER_02]: Coming off the foot injury and not being available, didn't hurt the bears because they kept turned along and had some great plays and had a great offensive season.
30:30
[SPEAKER_02]: But Roman Dunez has to be the guy.
30:35
[SPEAKER_02]: uh, along with coasts in loveland that they can be, they're young, but also great past captures.
30:41
[SPEAKER_02]: I remember our criticism in September saying, well, you got these draft picks where there's loveland and where it's burdened, they had to work their way through, I think a little bit of an injury here, they're on, but also just be able to be comfortable on the offense, right?
30:54
[SPEAKER_02]: Both of those guys, and they both became catalysts in the offense.
30:57
[SPEAKER_02]: So Alex, it's funny because when I look at that depth chart now, I see what they drafted this year as he loot the burden as he roam the dunes, I see Cliff Raymond is a veteran, you know, all and then you get some rouse to another tight end, I go, all the time is going to get a ball.
31:16
[SPEAKER_02]: All these guys are gonna be in the office.
31:18
[SPEAKER_02]: I thought it was wild when I saw Detroit when Ben Johnson was the office of coordinator as we see with year one for Ben even those one football There's gonna be an opportunity for a lot of these guys to get catches They have to do it because they don't have the safety flag anymore of DJ Moore even when DJ Moore had two or three catches sometimes they were just big big plays because he's been there and done that what about some of the experience on the team?
31:42
[SPEAKER_02]: This is going to be very interesting, it's not a negative, by the way, it's just going to be very compelling to see who's going to merge out that young group to say, I got it put the team on my back because last year was wild, it could have been a dover day here, it could have been a Roman doing day there, it could have been like a T s last year, it was, you know, it's um, who's the kid that walks on water job, jade, jade, jade Walker, yeah, the daddy walks on on air, so it was a lot of different guys.
32:11
[SPEAKER_02]: That's why this used to be very interesting without the veteran, and he's a more being there.
32:16
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm glad you reported me of shot a walker, too.
32:18
[SPEAKER_00]: Because he was like, oh, yeah, that guy also did make plays and he's still going to be around, too.
32:22
[SPEAKER_00]: So thank you for reminding me about shot a walker.
32:26
[SPEAKER_02]: So the answers from the doomset.
32:28
[SPEAKER_02]: He has to.
32:29
[SPEAKER_02]: It's Caleb's guy when I'm he couldn't tell that because he did.
32:40
[SPEAKER_02]: You didn't hear anything more.
32:41
[SPEAKER_02]: There's no big headlines.
32:42
[SPEAKER_02]: They give me the up and ball all that stuff, but quietly he did more said when he wasn't with his family to candy shops.
32:49
[SPEAKER_02]: He was he was saying to Caleb Williams.
32:53
[SPEAKER_02]: Don't forget now.
32:54
[SPEAKER_02]: Don't forget me.
32:55
[SPEAKER_02]: Even if I miss a play in the biggest moment at the playoffs.
32:58
[SPEAKER_02]: So don't forget about me.
33:01
[SPEAKER_01]: And the thing is this, Rome was a guy coming out that it seemed like if it works for him, he could own the city.
33:12
[SPEAKER_01]: And now when you talk about Eluza burden and the coast in Lovelin, and in some ways is out of productivity where he may end up.
33:21
[SPEAKER_01]: It could go left in a way, not where people are going to be mad, but how smart bear's fans are.
33:26
[SPEAKER_01]: It's the smart end need ball.
33:28
[SPEAKER_01]: It's going to be draft value with production, right?
33:32
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's like do where they took you at and what else they could have gotten.
33:36
[SPEAKER_01]: And you're just kind of good.
33:38
[SPEAKER_01]: And you may not be the best pass catcher, even on the roster after letting go a guy who's been healthy one, why you've been dinged up.
33:45
[SPEAKER_01]: This guy had been not been perfect, but he's been healthy.
33:50
[SPEAKER_01]: What happens?
33:51
[SPEAKER_01]: I listen, I'm a wrong guy, I hope, wrong, wrong, because it out in the connection gets solidified and he catches the ball.
33:56
[SPEAKER_02]: He's more consistent with catching the ball.
33:58
[SPEAKER_01]: I do want to ask you this, honey, looking at the division, what teams in this division make you somewhat, perhaps apprehensive as far as, what teams, well, let me put it like this.
34:10
[SPEAKER_01]: What teams do you still see as ascending and what teams do you see?
34:14
[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe plateauing and slightly regressing and who do you think?
34:18
[SPEAKER_01]: should be able to win a division and if you think it's the bears, who do you think is going to be their closest competition?
34:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, so there is no major regression in the NFC North.
34:29
[SPEAKER_02]: I think there's a flattening out with green bay, that could be, and that does not mean just being anti-green bay.
34:34
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm just looking at all four rosters and think that the bears take a little bit of a step back with the wind loss total because of the tough schedule they have.
34:43
[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's a flattening out for green bay, it still could be over 500 minutes, so that it's intriguing to me because of Calamari.
34:50
[SPEAKER_02]: I've never been a Calamari fan, but maybe Calamari can screen this career out with
34:57
[SPEAKER_02]: and an offense that can work with Justin Jefferson, a wide receiver and an offensive line that can be able to hold up place for Kylo Murray.
35:06
[SPEAKER_02]: And then what Detroit, I looked at them last year as the class of the division.
35:12
[SPEAKER_02]: Detroit still has enough, I think, to be able to make some headway in the NFC North.
35:18
[SPEAKER_02]: I think it comes down the bears and the lions for me.
35:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Like I said, the quarterback position, interesting with the Vikings, and I think that green base fine, I just don't think that there are a major threat.
35:32
[SPEAKER_02]: Micah comes back for the bears playing in September after the bears play, maybe the beginning of October.
35:40
[SPEAKER_02]: I'd like to think that the bears can avoid Micah Parsons.
35:44
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, that's the hope.
35:46
[SPEAKER_00]: That'd be nice.
35:47
[SPEAKER_00]: That didn't happen.
35:48
[SPEAKER_02]: Hopefully modern medicine can slow that down a little bit at process.
35:52
[SPEAKER_02]: So the bears can avoid him.
35:53
[SPEAKER_02]: It's not like he's a major impact player or anything.
35:55
[SPEAKER_02]: He's just, yeah, so the hope is is that after the bears play, the packers and Michael Parsons won't be there, but for me, it bears in Detroit for me.
36:06
[SPEAKER_02]: But as far as regression, I don't see an under 500 team.
36:12
[SPEAKER_02]: at this particular time.
36:13
[SPEAKER_00]: Again, back to back years, no under five hundred teams.
36:17
[SPEAKER_02]: It's crazy.
36:18
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't think so.
36:19
[SPEAKER_02]: And of course, Alex, you know how that works.
36:21
[SPEAKER_02]: Like some team gets, you know, seriously injured with T players and all of a sudden they bought him out, but just as we talk about this now and may, I don't see any team that is a major under a teamer in the NFC more.
36:36
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a greed.
36:36
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, it seems like everybody either is tread and water or got better.
36:39
[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, we're totally agreed there or like we're kind of the knife talked about.
36:43
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm like, yo, this is this is going to be tough for for the bears to for the bears to repeat.
36:51
[SPEAKER_00]: So where we're lying there.
36:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Listen, I know you think that this is all you're going to get from Jay Hood with us.
36:59
[SPEAKER_01]: It's not all right, but right now, we're going to end this.
37:02
[SPEAKER_01]: All right, and we're going to come back.
37:04
[SPEAKER_01]: And we're going to do a little bit of draft discussion on our next episode.
37:07
[SPEAKER_01]: So we're definitely going to think hoodie, but he's really not going anywhere, because we're going to drop another up in a few days, talking about his thoughts on the draft and everything that's else that happened when it comes to beers and players that they've acquired.
37:20
[SPEAKER_01]: All right, that is it for Alex Shapiro.
37:22
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm kind of Dave with some thanks again for Jay Hood.
37:25
[SPEAKER_01]: Check him out and cap Jay Hood with Dave Mornings and under the hood and UIC, baseball and basketball everybody.
37:31
[SPEAKER_01]: We'll be back here next week and do us a favor.
37:33
[SPEAKER_01]: Be safe and just tune back.
37:35
[SPEAKER_01]: We always appreciate it.