Biggest concerns for Bears heading into new season (Hour 2)

0:00Get your morning started with hot and pain on 104 3 this score. It's just about kind of want to your progress and that's coach call the place but there anything on you to try to manage how those guys get fed and if they're all. No, I don't I don't do that. That's not a coach has a long play sheet with the list of guys and you know plays and like you said packages with those guys and you know that's that's that's that's part of his job. His specialty has been able to get the guys the ball. My job is to go out there and read defenses and not force the ball somewhere and try and get a completion keep the you know keep the offense on the field as long as possible to be able to go in a score and so I typically I think I do a good job over my years of of a playing QB that you know ball gets spread around quite a lot for me. I have a tendency is anything like that of who it's going to in certain moments you know it's just to live in a guys a good ball and having trust in them. Welcome back it's on Payton Chicago Sports Radio 104 3 the score. Lovely Thursday morning in Chicago going to be a great day. Jared Payton David Hawth until 10 o'clock.

1:01Welcome to our Chicago Sports Network audience. Simon Cassie until nine o'clock. Thank you for tuning in early this morning. Talking Caleb Williams talking bears that was the quarterback the other day and Jared I found that very interesting because we're spending a lot of time talking about who Caleb will turn to. Who will be his favorite target? DJ Moore is gone. Roma Dunes is on the injured list. Luther Bird in the third is somebody you want to buy stock in. If you listen to Ben Johnson football trader you wonder if coastal lovelin is the obvious choice and then you hear an answer like that. And then I think all possibilities seem plausible and logical. And his answer makes all the sense in the world. The favorite we have said it before but I think when you hear it from Caleb Williams it gets reinforced. His favorite receivers the open

2:02receiver and in this offense there's going to be a lot of open receivers. And it's not necessarily any one guy that you would oh that's a great chemistry. Oh did you see them working out in LA over the summer. Those are great little nuggets and that build toward the kind of thing you want to have on every football team. But Caleb Williams is also smart enough to understand that if you're open you're getting the ball. I'm not playing favorites. Right. Doesn't need to play favorites. I think we all know that there is a connection that we saw last season with Colson Lovelin so we know that that's actually there. But that's the sign of a smart quarterback. That's the sign of a quarterback that is taking the next step in his career in trying to figure out yeah listen I'm I'm here to distribute the football to whoever is open. So whoever is working hard is going to get the ball. And that's where the ball is going to go to the open guy. And he's showing now that we this

3:02Bears offense does have the ability to take it next level. But it's not just about playing favorites anymore. And I think that's what we played into a little bit lot last year. You know going into the season was the DJ Moore conversation studying the body language. Yeah the body language and how they get along he needs to get the ball more and he did listen there's moments where I watch I watch games where I was saying that they need to find a way to get DJ more the ball more. But it is hard and I've always said this in in football especially when you have a dynamic quarterback and a and a lot of guys that are good skill position wise you can't feed everyone. Everyone can't get fed and games are going to be determined by how defenses are playing. So yeah certain games they're going to say you know what we're not going to take away close and loving we're not going to let him eat. So that might open the door for somebody else and I think that's what's scary about this offense is that you have so many guys that could actually make plays that you've got to pick

4:03your poison of how you're going to defend this offense. Who will lead the bears in receiving this season three one two six forty four sixty seven sixty seven. Who do you think it will be? Who may you want it to be? Do you have a favorite in the receiver room? Is coastal lovelin your guy no matter what? Because as we said you're going to see some tendencies this Sunday already maybe emerge because I mentioned the DVOA for the Panthers against tight ends last year. That makes me think coastal lovelin is going to catch five or six passes for a hundred yards on Sunday maybe not though. I don't want to steal your thunder because you did talk about Dan Wheeter's piece. Yeah right when you get when you get to that point I have something that I want to throw. Well let's get to that point because I think it's fascinating that Dan wrote about we talked to him about what happens when protection breaks down like it in the evident will. What happens when you want to

5:03have Caleb Williams reach deep down and get the special and show it like he did so often last year. And when that thing those things happen it typically is when things are in the improv stage and you're asking him to rely on those instincts that we have seen surface so often and so well in his first two seasons. Dan had a passage in his story that we address a little bit but press tailor had to even be he ignows it. I'm not sure how this is going to work but the bears practice protection breaking down. They have a moment where they force a scramble and Ben Johnson anticipates protection breakdowns to force a scramble and the bears are maybe every NFL team does it but they talked about it in a way that it was new. And to me it reinforces some of these things that we talk about the open receiver is a favorite receiver guys relying on their instincts

6:03and athleticism to get open like maybe Luther Burton would. But that's the other aspect of when we talk about completion percentage and favorite targets and all those things. What happens when things break down? Well then you rely upon the guile and the instinct and the ability of your quarterback. And I think that's exciting too. Why it's exciting for me and why it should be exciting for bears fans is because that's where we know Caleb Williams thrives outside the pocket making things up. But now that you're you're actually putting that into the study god into actually practicing that I think it's going to go a long way of having that that relationship when things break down that you know all right this is where I need to be or you need to find a way to be able to get open. I think it carries over though. David and what we were talking about before. Yeah there might not be a a guy he wants to hit the open guy. I'm just I just want to hit whoever's open.

7:04And yes he's I love that mentality. I think the the improv of what makes Caleb special with guys after practice and what they work on is what's going to also evolve as well this year that relationship that's where it grows it grows not during practice it grows after practice and I've heard Ben Johnson talk about it then he's staying with guys throwing with guys after practice that's where you get that chemistry or it's going to be deadly with a guy like colson leveling where they can have that that symmetry where it's like okay we see this doesn't even be called we've gone over this and talked about it that now I know I know exactly what to do so that where that can add also another layer of improvisation that I think is going to carry over into the game this season. This is a short passage from the Dan Weed of Restore in the Athletic we're talking about and it's fascinating to me. Dan writes this what if he wonders there's a spot in the playbook for a concept designed to break down or at least to look

8:07like it has and this is press Taylor like how can we call a play force a scramble you know something like that it's different it's a little bit outside the box so this is back to Dan Taylor can't say he was sold the first time that concept was pitched but he was certainly open-minded with how well the Bears players responded this spring with the reactions coaches wanted during scramble drill situations they the added brainstorming felt worth it especially with Johnson driving the discussion before long Taylor says we're going through the mechanics of how to get people spaced out to basically start a scramble drill by design we'll see where that ends up going so the Bears are practicing chaos I love it they are they are orchestrating chaos you have to because plays are going to break down you in in those moments what do most people do they panic they panic because they've never been in the same way what the Caleb Williams do he gets do he's ready to go he thrives so guess what I need the guys that are

9:09that are catching footballs to be the same way as my quarterback that's interesting because I think it also lends itself to this idea that the Bears Young receiving core is more aligned that way they're not as structured or as regimented or as maybe set in their ways a way of veteran might I'm sorry but with the way a DJ more might so this idea that these basically let's just wait until things fall apart before we figure it out then that plays into some of the strengths of guys like burden jade walker maybe even roamed donesay it's kind of strange because when you think about the wide receiver position it's really about being on time and being on schedule you know three step drop five step drop seven step drop whatever it is being at that place that you need to be the fact that they are they they are practicing chaos just goes to show that they want to feed a little bit more off of what Caleb Williams

10:11does so well and where he thrives six three all text in says if Rome is injured for one or two more games wouldn't jade walker get more time before zevian Thomas would that's a question we refer to earlier possibly yeah possibly I he's he's earned it again jade walkers one of those guys that emerge as a receiver that Caleb Williams trusted almost born of chaos or born of necessity those are the kinds of things that happen when you when you find out a little bit more about how talented guys are like in in those roles jade walker definitely earned the right to be able to get more snaps and he will if that's the opportunity they're they're gonna have they're going to have their pick of the litter to be able to see guys make plays for them and I really feel like the relationship there between him and Caleb Caleb trusting him as much as he did in those some of those moments last season goes to show you the success that he had in this preseason three three one says if Caleb has a 63 percent completion percentage he will easily surpass four

11:12thousand yards passing oh definitely just take care of football all right so last year let's look at the numbers 39 42 as a passing yards for Caleb Williams seventh highest in the NFL he completed only 58 percent of his passes and in those that don't have the numbers handy but they there were there like every quarterback experiences a lot of drops yeah I mean that can't be overlooked even though a fact is in everyone's stats but it makes four thousand at least seem very attainable this year not like that very the the thing that you can't ever approach because of no bears quarterback has ever done it seems like almost realistic to expect I think it's a foregone conclusion four thousand's gonna be easy from a boy 27 touchdown seven interceptions last year protected the football the one thing about completion percentage he was very careful last year in not taking chances that were represented maybe unnecessary

12:14risks in his head this year you want him to be more aggressive and in that aggressiveness will come picks that he maybe didn't throw last year so that number may go up but so might the touchdowns as you to continue to be more aggressive I saw him being a little bit more cautious over the last two years I think last year he was he's a little bit more confident but he was also in year one with Ben so I think it was really about study and I think that that's going to pay off with the relationship that they kind of had over this summer and and really studied the film and breaking down every single snap I think is going to be filled a little bit more comfortable with letting it loose just a little bit three one two six forty four sixty seven sixty seven is four thousand yards attainable realistic doesn't matter I still believe that the biggest statistic that Caleb Williams has to worry about and he's been saying the right things that lead you believe that he understands this as well victories just

13:15when just another stuff will fall in a place and we put we put a lot on the numbers especially here just because there hasn't been a four thousand yard passer but man win games and with the schedule that is going to be tough it's not going to be easy you listen you are you're being hunted now people are you you got to target on your back this team does you you're not you're not sneaking up on anybody anymore so now it is it's going to be so it's going to be so crucial for them to get out on good starts and fast starts and I think that's the pressure for this offense can they get this thing going in week one and showing that they belong and to be able to retain their crown seven seven three points out that next gen stats have the bears last year had twenty five official drops that cost Caleb Williams four hundred and four passing yards that's a lot I have to do during the break I'm going to check to see where that ranks maybe against among NFL quarterbacks because twenty five drops for four

14:15hundred yards that's a that's a pretty good chunk of yardage that you're missing out on you you're definitely over four thousand there so let's talk about the running of the quarterback the designed runs that some people like when you see a player as fast as Caleb Williams is because that speed is a weapon you wonder if you'll see more that you wonder if you want to see less of that because of how important it is to stay to stay healthy throughout the course of an NFL season he had three hundred and eighty eight rushing yards last year three touchdowns on the ground would you like to see that number higher or lower and how do you feel about running the football per Caleb Williams I I really don't like design runs not for for him I think this is that's not what he wants to do it's just a part of his game at the moment because he's he's young quarterbacks we see them thrive we saw a drink may thrive on it last night as well when things break

15:16down they can find ways to get yards with their feet I think right around there would still be good D H I mean you you you give me and up maybe four four hundred yards on the ground with three eighty I mean just just a little bit more I I'm I'm really focused on the passing game and making sure that that is at an elite level use your legs when things to get yourself out of trouble and be smart about it it doesn't have to be a big part just because I believe in this bear is running game the guys behind them they can take care of all that themselves you just need to be able to get yourself out of trouble in harm's way especially when things break down and that's where he's special he can create him opportunities from self by himself some time but you don't want him to think run first no and and it's just a sprinkle of it every single game when defenses are watching the next week or as the season goes on that's something that you you got to prepare for

16:17it's another wrinkle that you've got to prepare for and more unlikely I don't know he's that fast you don't always have a guy inside of your inside of your your your locker room that's a backup quarterback that's running scout team that can probably run as fast as he can mm-hmm and there's no it's very very hard to kind of kind of res to kind of create a four seven has a good point to text in Drake may had a 70% completion percentage last night and was bad so you can complete a certain number still of your passes and make some real critically bad decisions down the stretch and be defined by those bad decisions yeah regardless of what the numbers show in terms of being efficient making good quick smart accurate throws you everybody wants that you want to be in time on time that's what Caleb Williams has to improve upon in the first three quarters running the offense efficiently but if you do that and you get to the fourth quarter you make

17:17three bad decisions and you try to force something it makes the other whatever you happened the rest of night kind of negligible for ask it you ask a lot of these quarterbacks yeah you really you really do it's either it's either you don't show off for the first three quarters and the next you know on the fourth you just turn it on or play pretty good in three quarters and then you throw three interceptions well that was just the remarkable thing about last night's game and as it pertains to the expectations for a quarterback Drake May was good but not great the first three quarters fine because all right but it gets to the fourth quarter you think okay this is when you define who you are as a as a quarterback three bad decisions three bad throws and three interceptions that's the number the not the completion percentage that's the number that you have to control the interceptions you get you you start turning the ball over it may limit your your team's chances to win a game three one nine there's room for regression with Williams eight or nine

18:18miracle comebacks last year a tougher schedule new offensive coordinator the leak has yet another year of game film to study Williams could have 4500 yards but he might have 2000 yeah not that 2000 unless he gets injured if he stays healthy you're he's going to have between thirty eight and forty five hundred yards yeah I mean they're they're right you can have that opinion and be right but also too it it's hard for me to believe that because I believe that he's going to be special so I can't think about that regression I wonder what Brad Biggs believes we will ask him next it's big time on hot paint in Chicago sports radio one oh four three the score the grand biggs big style bigs with all in paint big style the bigs report with brand bigs big style bigs his name is Brad Biggs Brad Biggs dogs football with you welcome back it's hot paint Chicago sports radio one oh four three the score time

19:19now to go out to the plumbers nine one one hotline plumbing emergency call one eight three plum nine one one local one thirty plumbers get the job done right the first time Brad Biggs is the football man from the Chicago Tribune and the best source on the bears anywhere morning Brad morning boys what's going on so are you guys talking about the three p this morning what three Pete what three Pete should get you got pat Murphy okay he's gonna become the first guy to win manager the year in three consecutive seasons never been done before why do you have such glee over the cops struggling with the brewers and why did the other night amuse you to the extent that it did Brad and we don't have to get into this now Murphy's your guy I know he's my guy I like Pat Murphy but Murphy's law as a cubs are going to struggle against the brewers every time out if it's possible I just was wondering if it if it'd come up

20:20because like I said a three feet is manager of the year is never previously been done it's pat him we'll pat him on his chest yeah he'll definitely he's he's a front runner okay Brad it's bad for himself brother he's a front runner for for the manager of the year yes oh yeah oh I thought you man he was like a front run no no okay no let's talk football yeah let's talk football thank you he died he just digressed distracted me so last night when you watch up curious when you watch the the patriots in the sea hawks what went through your minds for far as takeaways for the season opener any bears thoughts that went through your head as you watch that unfold Yeah, it, yeah, she said to good reminder, a bit of a slap in the face how, you can't read too much into season openers. You know, last year, the bears, last year, the bears opened up this season and they lose the, they lost to JJ McCarthy, right? Mm-hmm.

21:24The, a year ago, the raiders went on the road to New England and beat the patriots. So, you see, you see teams bounce back quickly from openers. It was a lot of penalties last night early, right? At least certainly for Seattle, the punts, a couple significant injuries when you look at Darnold and, and AJ Brown going out. So, it was, it was sort of the ugly football that you can get week one is what I thought and drew lock and ended up making enough plays and Drake May ended up making enough really terrible decisions to flip that game right at the end. Bigsy, we talked about it in the pick six just about if Roma Dune's is not ready to go on Sunday, who kind of benefits from that? Which one of these wide receivers inside that room do you think benefits the most? Oh, that's a good question. You know, I think it's probably more of a shared

22:33thing. I think you probably could have a situation where they go with, with two tight ends more than three wide receivers, if that makes sense. So, so maybe, you know, Colcomad benefits as much as a J.A. Walker or a Luther burden or whoever. But he was, listen, they had him limited. As an estimation for the injury report yesterday, they're going to practice a little bit later on the day. And I would think based on seeing them limited. And what Ben said the other day that there's a certainly hope in the building that'll be available. You got to see how his body responds when he actually practices. And it's not an estimation. But I think there's a chance for them's available. Brad, I would add Carolina. It would appear that the Bears in week one are in the position to, they're going to rely on three rookies defensively. I don't know if they're going to be in

23:36starting roles, but Jordan Vanenberg, Malik Mahamed and Dylan Thineman. Dylan Thineman obviously will start. But where's the confidence level do you believe in those three untested rookies making their, you know, first, playing the first NFL games against a Carolina offense that you don't want to underestimate, but we'll challenge them in different ways. Yeah, that's a, that's a good question because they do have the youth on the defensive. And I don't expect six defensive tackles to be active on game day. But Jayden Lovings on the 53-2, he's another rookie. You're hoping that these guys can learn on the job quickly. Like Thineman's got makeup speed for some plays when maybe he doesn't react quite as quickly as he will when he's had a little bit more experience. So you hope that makeup speed can bring him back into position. Vanenberg has been really interesting to watch. He's

24:43already quickly becoming a fan favorite. We'll see how much he plays in the rotation and then Muhammad, you know, while they've got the run official depth chart lists, Cam Lewis is the nickel and saver woods is the starter at safety. I wondered when I saw that if there's going to be some type of, you know, time share to couple these positions where they're, you would think that they would want to get Muhammad introduced and going because they've been pretty positive about him about how he's well in the take on challenges. And I think that's what when you bring up rookies, like how eager are they for the challenge? And I think Muhammad's the guy who really is. Well, David, you mentioned that all the two levels, the back end and then up front. Biggs, I'm thinking about one of the positions we don't talk enough about going into this season and going into this game on Sunday is the linebackers. Devin Bush was added. He's the kind of the new

25:48piece. How confident are you in that whole linebacker room as a whole? Well, it certainly got less attention than some of these other spots through camp because they've had all the injuries that have kind of been clustered in the secondary. And then, you know, questions about the, not only the war of the defensive line group, but the ceiling of it. And I think Bush is a guy who he adds an element of what they talked about right after the season ended want to add more speed this year. Like this guy's got plenty of speed. Edwards, TJ Edwards is busted as tail to be back from his injury. And then you've got Tomarko Jackson recently off of minor injury that they're really didn't talk about and Jackson born in the mix. So, do they, you know, is it Edwards out there all the time with Bush or do they find times to get a guy with a little more speed and

26:53range in Tomarko Jackson out there on the field? How much do they need their 43 base? Like, how often are they going to be in three linebackers? It wasn't very often a year ago. But we'll have to see because I think Dennis Allen may have some, you know, new tricks for us this year. And I think linebacker though, they're fine, Jared. I think that, you know, is this the best group of linebackers in the league? No. Is this group of linebackers a problem for their defense? I don't believe so. So Brad, because of how, because of what happened to Sam Donald playing one series last night, I think it puts a focus on backup quarterbacks in every NFL city and NFL facility, which Tyson Bage and popped up on the injury report with a back issue yesterday. They didn't practice, but had they practiced he would not have participated any reason for concern there. And do you believe

27:56that the situation became a little bit more, I think, prevalent in every NFL building just because of what happened with Donald going to Drew Lock? Yeah, you know, I mean, when you see a team starter go down on what was it like the fifth snap, I think, that's, that's tough for everybody. You see that and it's a reminder because that offense looked pretty janky at least at first when Drew Lock was out there. Now, you know, there's a reason they got a guy like him in there because he had basically a couple seasons of starting experience. Remember the Denver Broncos? I think they'd draft them in a second round. Bage it. Clearly, this is something on the injury report that you would assume popped up during their Monday crack. I mean, but the Monday practice guys was like 40 minutes and it was, they really was like individual work the whole time. I,

28:58Bage and Sikai that they've told you is the hardest working guy in the building, taking care of his body. I'd have to see something more significant to have great concern that he's got something really worth wondering about or worrying about in terms of this back injury. I know we put a lot of emphasis Brad on the offense and defense, but as we head into the season now, I think most people really forget about special teams being that third phase. How much of an impact do you think that the return game can have for this team to kind of, you know, set up this offense to get good field position? I know it's been an emphasis this summer, but do you have confidence that they can make that happen? Yeah, I think the pairs were pretty good on special teams last year as a whole. The Cincinnati game was horrendous. It's one of the worst complete games on special teams.

30:03I think I've probably ever seen, but they sort of were able to corral most of their biggest mistakes all in that one game. The rest of the year was pretty good. I think Klee Freyman is an upgrade over Devon Duverne in terms of part returner. And Duverne is a good return man, like a lot of experience, explosive, had the big return late in the game up in Minnesota that helped them. Bears come back and win that game without that return. They could be leaving Minnesota, haven't been swept by the Vikings a season ago. And then Xavier and Thomas certainly has an opportunity to be an upgrade over Duverne in a kick return game. So I think they can be explosive there. I think they've got a nice core of veteran players that are going to be good for that unit. You start with a guy like Josh Blackwell. You get really a rare player on special teams in Daniel Hardy. And I say rare because to have a big guy on special teams, so I said big guys

31:10over 250 pounds that can get down field and cover and pile up the tackles that he does and be such a matchup problem for opponents every single week is unusual there. You look at the leading special teams tacklers at the end of last season and most of those guys were linebackers or defensive backs that were 20 pounds lighter than Hardy. So he's just a tough guy for opponents to handle. And then you know, you look at the Elijah Hicks and Jackson and Sam Bourne, reserve linebackers, they're going to have I think a pretty good core for Richard Hightower. We got a minute left, Brad. Just curious. The guy whose name has been mentioned the least will be active on Sunday and have an important role is Bow Gardener, the long snapper. Oh, yeah. When's the deep dive on Bow Gardener and what do we, what do you know? I mean, I guess I already reported the Bow Gardener on Sunday is going to be the first.

32:15He's going to be the first long snapper in a game for the Bears with no previous NFL regular season experience since 2002. How should they feel about that? Confident? Well, I mean, I think you get to have to ask Hightower. Hightower is the guy that's going to have to go to sleep Saturday night knowing that, right? And obviously, what Bow Gardener's shown them to this point is that they're comfortable with him and they believe that he can hold up. I mean, they pay every time the Bears punt. Obviously, the Bears are hoping to not have to punt many times. They'd like Torrey Taylor to spend the day being a holder or not a punter. Every time they punt, you got to imagine Carolinas going to be cooking something up to something pressure wise, throw the kits and sink it, Bow Gardener, challenge them straight up the

33:17middle to see if he can handle it. But yeah, it was a Pat Mannelly minor injury in week seven of the 2002 season that forced him to call on. It was Jody Littleton. I believe was the name. I've written it here recently. That's the last time the Bears used a long snapper with the exception of Colcomat. That doesn't count because Colcomat was an emergency fill in. Like they had plans to play an experienced long snapper. So Bow Gardener NFL debuts Sunday in Carolina. And that should not be overlooked. Great stuff, Brad. Giving you 24 hour notice will have your prediction tomorrow. Okay, and then we'll get back to the Pat Murphy discussion. Okay, yeah, we'll get right on that. We'll open and leave with that. Thanks, Brad. Have a great day, guys. Brad Biggs football man from the Chicago Tribune just football man baseball guy. Just giving it to you at the beginning. Sorry, sorry. I can take Biggsy. I'm ready for him tomorrow. That is interesting.

34:21The Bow Gardener piece of this because it is somebody who will be making his NFL debut. And you take for granted long snaps. And it's not something that people should take for granted. Until a bad snap happens, then it magnifies. Did you hear what Brackston Jones said about how far he has come and how that makes him feel? I think that's something that we need to look at because the left tackle is an important part of that offensive line. We'll get to it next is harm paid in Chicago sports radio 104 3 the score. Welcome back to high and patent on 104 3 the score. I'm incredibly proud of myself. I came off of a Tennessee joint practice was was crazy and I just said the same thing like I'm just proud of myself for you know fighting back. But yeah, that's a it's a great accomplishment. Not a lot of fifth rounders get to get an opportunity to do that. And I think I'm just going to continue to try to seize that moment and just do the work that nobody's watching me do and I think everything will take care of itself. But yeah, I am proud of myself. Welcome back it's on page Chicago sports

35:23radio 104 3 the score. That was Brackston Jones in front of his locker the other day during media access. Jarrett and I thought it was worth mentioning and hearing because I think Brackston Jones should be proud of himself. It's been so easy to refer to him as a guy that you don't trust and the guy that has let you down and maybe the guy that you doubt the most on that offensive line. And then you take a step back and you realize at least I do. He fought through injury came back from a pretty serious leg injury a year ago. Has publicly acknowledged his own biggest weakness was getting bull rushed and not being able to have enough maybe an anchor heft to hold off some of those best bull rushers in the league. I left tackle again and face a lot of great past rushers. But Jarrett he has come from a fifth round pick to become a NFL starter for 44 games. And I think

36:28he's in a position where the bears can feel I don't think great but he is certainly solid there. If he stays healthy I don't know that there's going to be a need to replace him there might be. He may have a terrible game on Sunday in Carolina against the past rush for the panthers. But he's been an easy guy to overlook as far as somebody who has come a long way to get here. I give him a lot of credit. I mean he's had his ups and downs since he put on a bear's uniform and a lot of people have counted him out. And even last year I've said this you look at how they did. They won games with him in the lineup. Now yes does hopefully that anchor down below is a little bit stronger to be able to maintain some of those bull rushes. But this is a dude that hasn't given up. And regardless of how it was kind of spun to us about a competition going into the summer of who was going to win that spot. And I think a lot of focus was on that spot as well,

37:34especially with Aussie Pillo, you know, being out. That he is a guy that I think the bears feel comfortable with being in that position. There's an expectation that he's going to be replaced. Yes. I know that. But that's the the other thing just by listening to Ben Johnson's comments the other day. He basically said it. It's not you're not locked into this spot forever. You're going to have to prove yourself. But that's just a part of being in the game, especially if you're a guy that has had your troubles and there is tape out there on maybe a lot of the bad stuff that you done. Well, you're going to have to prove yourself every single day to be able to maintain that spot for as long as you want it. But I give him credit. Some guys go through those ups and downs and they let it tank them. They don't ever get back or they don't ever get an opportunity to be able to to even fight for a starting position ever again. He did it. I give him a lot of credit, man, because a lot of people have been on his back since he's been here in Chicago. They started four different lift tackles last year. Yeah. Joe Tuney was the fourth in the playoffs as a out of necessity. But

38:40that was desperation. And if Braxton Jones can stabilize this position early on or maybe who knows who knows what Aussie Chappellows going to be when he comes back. It's been remarkable that he's been able to get on the practice field. There's certainly high on him. And they drafted him in the second round for a reason. But Braxton Jones doesn't have to feel like if he's healthy that he has to relinquish anything. If he's playing at a certain level, does he need to be replaced? The expectation is he will be, but will he need to be? I guess we'll begin to find that out on Sunday at noon. I do think that with Ben's comments. He's being honest, but I think he's also kind of an open up the door saying, yeah, man, you're back. Take advantage of this opportunity. You got this opportunity now. Take advantage of it. Be a part of this offensive line that has a chance to be special. I know we look from, I mean, both guards and right tackle or where the mindset is. But there's the question marks of the center

39:46and left tackle position. They have to be able to be stable for them to have success. Ryan Poles has made 41 draft picks as a GM of the Bears. 21 of them are on the 53 man roster. 10 of them as starters. None more impressive as far as the path that he took from the fifth round to the starting lineup than Braxton Jones. He should be proud of himself as he gets ready for Sunday. I'm proud of him. All right. Let's switch gears. Baseball back to the socks. Ozzy Gian. I know he has thoughts on what Sam Antonaci did last night and sliding in the way of Brandon Lyle will talk to Ozzy next. It's Hognpate Chicago Sports Radio. 104 3 the score.