Ryan Poles' vision for Caleb Williams, WR room overhaul, and 'Hard Knocks'' best episode yet

[Music] welcome to theer podcast got to talk about what Bears general manager Ryan PO said in the press conference yesterday we also got to bring you our Hard Knocks update and of course our Bears beat reporter Alex Shapiro is going to let us know what's been going on in training camp as we prepare almost a week away from the start of the NFL season Alex how are you doing my guy I am doing a wonderful kenth how you doing I'm doing well shout out to you for organizing our trip to the sky game last night great time is always Vibes King always shout out sky shout out win trust Arena Good Times yeah definitely great times and really not a bad seat in the house so we look forward to even going again this year perhaps next year but also probably throughout I would say the college season and a couple events you may check us all regardless of where we're at coming together and foring Von at some sporting event at some bar near you we'd always wouldn't mind to talk to some of the people have been gracious enough to uh watch us or listen to us during this time period of the under Center podcast uh football night in Chicago whatever we've been doing including all the podcasts here at NBC Sports Chicago Big D country shout out big done country also thank you and Davis joint yeah with with James nvo uh the well the driver so well the man that can transition like no other um so yeah shout out to James too all right Ryan poles opened up with really his expect for Caleb and discussing you know all the tangibles and intangibles about Caleb Alex let us know what you took from what Ryan P had to say at the press conference so yeah there a few things in regards to Caleb you talk about the expectations and one thing that stands out is him saying he expects Caleb to lean on his Playmakers to get his guys the football and that's not always what we saw both out of Caleb Williams at USC and out of Justin Fields last year Justin Fields last year a lot of the times it felt like he had to play herob ball right offensive line isn't holding up long enough or guys aren't getting up and down field or something has broken down maybe it's Justin Fields isn't reading the defense and and the play is off schedule and then he takes off and runs with his legs and he's Superman and he was able to do that I mean we saw him pick up so many first downs we saw him score so many touchdowns playing that Superman ball and we saw that out of Caleb Williams at you C at times too when he see you know I mean there were games when the the defense has given up 50 points and it just feels like if Caleb Williams doesn't score on every single Drive Trojans don't have a hope to win a football game and and it looked like he knew that you know it looked like he knew I've got to score on every drive and that obviously can affect an entire offense's play but but now and we have seen this during the during the preseason we have seen this during in practice he keeps his eyes up he is looking first to get the ball into his Playmakers hands and then let them take over trust The Playmakers to do their job and that that is a little bit of a difference right and and that is something that I think ultimately is the best thing for not only the Bears offense but probably any offense right is keeping your eyes down field getting the guys to The Playmakers then when there's nothing there and only then do you take off and run and he can take off and run and he can scramble so um so yeah I'll I'll start there I think there's more that we can unpack with with Caleb Williams from polls but I think we can start there in terms of like Distributing the football to The Playmakers you know what from from just from that I I'll push back and this isn't on on a you thing but I'll go to Caleb last year at uh USC and the year before when uh University of Pittsburgh wide receiver Addison transferred into the USC and then of course left to be drafted by the Vikings that when Caleb had more Talent you didn't kind of see the somewhat of a roller coaster R he still had a pretty good season his last year USC compared to a lot of quarterbacks a lot of people will have taken those numbers um even when you mentioned Justin I'm sure and you can see some of the issues that's happen in Pittsburgh now but one thing we know their offensive line it it's there come every time I watch a Pittsburgh game the quarterback is enveloped regardless of how you feel about you could talk about the most sack quarterbacks one and two in Russell Wilson and also in Justin Fields but I don't see a stout offensive line and I know they've been having some injuries on our offensive line with the Pittsburgh Steelers and I'm bringing it up because it' be interesting and I'm not saying I want to revisit it I think the Bears made the right decision with mulling off for Justin partially because I I wanted Justin get out of here because I think the fan base was starting to turn on him um but the talent that they have here is better than the talent that either one of those only out you know what's comparable Justin that Ohio State you know what I'm saying like that's the like I think it's better than what Caleb played with at USC I I think it's better than what Justin played with with the Bears is it's actually particularly if they don't get the if the Brandon iuk trade never takes place between the Steelers and the 49ers um you know we know that Pickins is there you know what I'm saying and we know they have a running back they kind of like but don't like and Warren Gets In and takes a lot it's not like you know you have uh Moore Allen Rome Everett kit um Swift Herbert like like th those names I just named a lot of people will be happy some of those guys are down the depth chart if they were the league guy like there's some teams right now I bet would be somewhat willing to take on a khil Herbert just as their starter because maybe the situation isn't solved and maybe even though we know C Herbert isn't great in pass Pro still yo he can get but he got some wiggle that he can explode and we need gash plays so I I think the part with po talking about Caleb leaning on the talent is a good place Tony you and I and Tony were talking about um what Caleb about the numbers as far as how many um passes he should have per game and I I I was fearful I was gonna say 23 I said 25 and then you hit it at 23 right and like that number right there not to say there may not be a game where they're behind and he has to get up to 30 you know like yeah we know it can happen and we think that he's a capable guy we know he will become more capable as time goes on and he adjusts live action within the NFL and becomes regular to him but I think right now this season there's no reason to bring all these Assets in when you spend you have two first round picks you already have two nice receivers that are pro bowlers basically and you bring in a young man in Roman dun who can who has Pro bow Talent you know so it's like it's a it's it's a positive for when myos mention to Le on a talent now there will be times and we saw it just because the offense was stifled in the Bengals game he's gonna have to play herob ball you know like it's it happens with any good quarterback actually if you're a good quar even bad quarterbacks have to play herob ball it's just they can't succeed at it you know so that to me is kind of how I feel is that the best part and I think is also and correct me if I'm wrong um the power that Caleb had as far as Bears had the first pick but you didn't want this to be U um something within the media because there was always already a narrative that perhaps he didn't want to come here rumors I should say that perhaps he didn't want to come here um this organization has failed to to to produce a consistent successful quarterback and they did everything to make this Landing as comfortable and and as soft and as capable for him to succeed in his rookie year as we've seen any quarterback drafted into the NFL so I that part I agree with Ryan po when he's talking about leaning in but but and then it's good that he's doing that right that he's recognizing I have these guys around me I don't need to Superman I have Keenan Allen I have DJ Moore I have K I have DeAndre Swift let them be themselves let them be great and and it's my job to distribute I believe uh flu used the word point guard you know like it's it's my job to distribute the ball to these guys and that kind of leads to the to the second thing that I think really dinged about what they're looking for in terms of distinguishing the the good quarterbacks to the great quarterbacks in crunch time it's heartbeat Ryan PS was saying I'm looking for guys who their heartbeat is slow when they do need to be Superman because as you said yeah they the Bears are gonna need Caleb Williams at times to put on his cape and win a football game that's what the greats do that's what Patrick Mahomes does you know when when the when the Chiefs just need a win when they're down four with 40 seconds to go Patrick Mahomes just is Patrick Mahomes and wins the football game and the Bears are gonna need Caleb Williams to do that at times that's that's what he is here to do uh is is when when push comes to shove and the Bears just need that touchdown now can he do that and uh and all we've heard DeAndre Swift said it today is that he is just super calm there's a lot on his plate there's a whole lot of pressure being put on him from the outside the media circus is crazy right everybody's talking about these High Hopes these high expectations but he takes it in stride and he's the same guy and he's super calm and that that heartbeat as aspect of being chill even in the the crunchiest crunch time moments that is another really important piece of this thing look and to your point is funny and we'll definitely get into the latest episode of Hard Knocks after we discussed this this press conference but it going to your point about being calm um it makes me think of nio Hartman uh Kansas City Chief's wide receiver telling Caleb yeah that's cap basically if you don't know cap means it's a lie all right but that's cap you know your NFL game your first NFL game you're going to be nervous and I I think M Hara can be right even though thinking about the stuff that happened with him with the Jets last year and also thinking about I shouldn't be taking a shot at Miko Harman but thinking about also going back to why he was drafted Tyreek Hill was they didn't know what Tyreek Hill's availability was going to be that season and they wanted another Speedster and Miko never lived up to it and I hope flipping that over to to Caleb we don't have that same issue that Caleb does live up to what our expectations are from Caleb and I'll say this too um I was hard on Ryan po last year as far as locker room and the the the quality of the player and it's not to say that all these gentlemen are Boy Scouts and and I I don't believe they need to be particularly in a violent sport like football but the professional character is something that it's it's it's I you can see it you're around it um what could you say about the professional character regardless if they're Pleasant or not of the players that he has uh drafted and brought into his program so far yeah I mean you you feel the shift from so 2021 that was the first time I was in the Bears locker room because 2020 was a covid season uh and you know it I never want to say that the Bears were had a bad locker room I don't think that was the case uh in fact I think the Bears had a better locker room than other locker rooms of other teams I I've been in you know but now and and I've only been in the locker room once because they haven't opened up the locker room for practice yet so I've only been in it once after the playoff game uh at Soldier Field but in talking with the guys and in being around them there is a sense of of not being complacent and I think we had parts of that last last season like an assumption that we're going to be good think of all the talk before week one about how ready they were to rock and roll and I know injuries were a part of that you know that that defense was banged up to start that last year but that was a cocky confident defense last season and they struggled they struggled and they remain confident this year that they can be good but the tone it it does feel different it feels like uh yeah we know we're pretty good but we know what we have to do to prove it and now it's going to be our mission to accomplish that goal it's it's not just the we know we're good it's it's got a little flavor it's got a little Nuance that does feel a little different and I really do think that you have to credit rol and matd brus for for really getting specific guys into the locer room but I think you also need to credit the adversity that the team went through going through the 14 game losing streak or whatever it was that is tough I mean that that can like crash a lot of teams that can ruin a lot of cultures but the Bears were able to break through and make it on the other side of that and now that they are on the other side of that I think it was you know I don't want to say important maybe not important is the right word but you can see a silver lining of going through that of of going through that adversity being hardened by that being calloused by that remembering that feeling that and being on the other side of it now and being like we we can't go back to that that's in the past now we're moving forward I remember telling you when joshu was going to be fine with that losing streak and you guys were like they can't lose 10 straight games and I was like draft picks draft picks we'll be okay but no but forget the pat on the back and I want to get to ryen POS rightfully patting himself on the back and you're right but credit to both general manager and head coach I think the reason why I wasn't worried and regardless of how you feel about Maddie bro and I've said this last week and I'm bringing up out of as bad as they've been the only game that I could say they didn't give it their all was get the getaway game of the first his first season as head coach that's the last game of the season for anybody that doesn't know the getaway game one two three Bahamas I know it's you get what I'm trying to say it was time to go right um so I don't even blame him for that you know what I'm saying like it's particularly because a lot of those guys knew they weren't even gonna be around anyway it was it was a lot of the Oney year deal guys you know I'm not even dude they got enough tape on me in the league if they want me to come in and be on the practice squad of whatever um so that to me a credit to M flu's one thing and it's regardless of me making fun of when we talk about Hard Knocks with him giving them nicknames there's something that I I would guess is genuine enough with his players where they're there for him and I guess you have to be there for them and this is me from the outside looking in because I've seen a lot of good coaches where teams have they tuned them out you know what I'm saying it's like okay I don't I can't I don't hear it anymore so a credit to them I want to get back to something that we opened up with talking about and we were talking about the talent and the amount of talent that has in increased and one of the things that Ryan poles was proud of and Josh and I talked about it yesterday on a digital ethnic was the overhaul of the wide receiver room and it goes back to Young me and you at the beginning of this was strobes and I thought about dude we were sitting there and this was one of the weakest wide receiver rooms that the Bears have had since Devon Hester was wide receiver one perhaps since the dantrell Inman days they thank you thank you hit me with that that's even better than where I was going right and we we're sitting here I know I was oping for Christian Watson a lot of people who has always been injured I said this on ethnic if Justin was here and they drafted Christian Watson and they were never on the field together we would have been so frustrated and then with with Pickins with the Steelers who at times has has been you know somewhat of a Mal consent you know what I'm saying so and looking at where that went to where you brought in DJ Moore but then you got Kenan Allen and Roman doomsday that's crazy I'm just being like that that to go from one of the weakest wide receiver rooms to arguably the strongest we have to see how they get out on the field so if we if you want to say Seattle's Trio is better right now because Jackson Smith and jiga played in the pros I'm cool with that last season I'm I'm cool with that but even if we're just talking trios the Bears are either number two or number one when you think about what they can do with those players and for him to do that within three seasons is really bananas and it's a credit to Ryan Poes it's a credit to Ian Cunningham and it's a credit to those Scouts and the player the gentlemen women up there that are developing the players and again it's worth noting again and reiterating again they did this they increased the talent of this roster so much and they also did it without compromising on that culture DJ Moore Keenan Allen romad dun have all of the qualities and all of the makeup of what the Bears want in their Cornerstone players you know in terms of work ethic in terms of professionalism in terms of ego and not having one you know they're all team team guys it's funny we have talked with a few guys up here and asked them about their individual goals I'm pretty sure none of them mentioned indiv idual goals Jan brisk or what are your individual goals he starts with to make the playoffs and then talks a little bit and then at the end he's like you know I want to make all pro and pro bowl too but it starts with the playoffs DeAndre Swift goes you're asking about individual goals and then just goes team wins like I just want the team to win football games and if the team is winning football games like I'm sure I'll have a hand in it I'm sure I'll be playing a role and like the it seems like it's an understanding that like the individual stuff takes care of itself if the team is winning which is true if you're playing winning football and a bunch of guys are coming together playing winning football the individual stuff does take care of itself so to be able to get the talent to where it is while also comprising the team of guys who think that way you know again you got to credit Ryan poles and Matty eberl for for installing their culture and it feels like by now year three that culture is install piggybacking on what you just said it it goes to this if the Bears had a a winning record and National recognition from that record last year Jaylen Jaylen Johnson is is on the NFL top 100 like winning winning takes care of that yeah well importantly you got to win in the beginning of the season because I think they vote on on the top sometime in October November I appreciate I appreciate that head they vote on that like sometimes halfway through the year so is it what year so what year is it for then if you vote the first of the season the quarter like what year is it but again to to the point winning allows you because usually listen somebody on the offense has to be doing something unless you have the 2,000 uh Ravens or the 85 Bears you know or the I for me get the mid out Bears defense let me put them in their proper place too you know unless you have one of these teams where you have one of the stingiest defense defenses and they provide turnovers you got to have something done on both sides of the ball um look I want to go into the trenches um I gota jump off the Ryan POS vanwagon for a second he was he seemed pretty happy with uh what he's done with the offensive line so far that's the best he's ever had best depth he's ever had on the off defensive line Kenneth really you're shaking your head I mean I don't I I think you know what this is a thing and I'm not trying to be a Ryan po apologist at this point I think there are going to be something and I think Ryan Po and Ian Cunningham are crafty enough I think there's G to have to be something where they have to go back to the drawing board with this at one point because everything else they're good at and all of us have deficiencies like this isn't a all of us like I'm better because you there are things and you know this where you be like Ken just do it and I'll be like you're right right and it's that where you click and you like forget it and then it's like he right I should just forget it right and it's a deficiency deficiency in me but it's a strength in you and it benefits me from knowing you you know what I'm saying and that is all I'm trying to say to where whatever they're doing at this point to evaluate we wait on darn right and this always will be regardless if he's a bear or not a J positive podcast all right but the rest of the offense sorry we're dog we we pull we hope Braxton Jones can become a good left tackle this isn't like a knock on Braxton Jones We've liked Braxton Jones character since he stepped into put on Bears uniform on but Braxton Jones hasn't been the player that they want there's been problems with the o line perhaps they're settled there's been problems at Right Guard you moov the good Right Guard to left guard even though that left guard has problems with being healthy and it's just with such an important position that as far as protection for the quarterback there just leaves a question when you're talking about this is still unsettled that you know we're still wondering about when the offensive line is going to be consistently Stout and for the most part keep the quarterback upright yeah I wonder how much of this will be assuaged these fears will be assuaged come next week when it's like really time for rer to hit the road because lately the Bears have been in Big Time R&R mode especially from like Monday to now as the team goes through cuts and the team gets ready for a little break before they come back on Monday and it's like all right now we're getting back into week one game prep mode uh it's been a lot of get the body right get the mind right so all of this is to say I wonder if on Monday Ryan Bates comes back and is providing a little depth and all of a sudden oh the depth looks better um if you know somebody emerges that's the tackle positions swing tackle you know instead of a bit of a rotation since uh since Larry boram has gotten hurt and I wonder if some of these fears again like I said will we'll just kind of go away once everybody gets healthy and and we'll see we'll see how much the team gets healthy on Monday and how much of them have just been taking really easy this week uh because it's been a long training camp you know you got to remember that too they got here a week early they had to play an extra game so it's been intentional with how they have taking it easy this week uh because they did they went through other than the Houston Texans who had the same deal they went through a longer and more grueling training camp than anybody else in the league um so I guess we'll see you know know because right now right now the Bears do look healthy with their with their top five Braxton Jones and Darnell right are in there Coleman Shelton is is in there healthy Nate Davis is in there healthy um Kevin Jenkins has been in and out a little bit rotating with some guys but again like is that just we're taking care of our bodies right now because it's been a a really long camp and uh and a lot of these guys haven't had rest so I'll be ringing the Panic bells for the alarm Bells a little bit more as we get closer to week one and as we get on the other side of this break I mean I think was it the 2019 season or the 2020 I think it was 2019 where they had so many injuries and they were switching offensive lineman but the last six it was the um the losing streak that naggie had and then he got back to being 800 I mean 500 I meant to say 500 8888 thank you that's 8 and8 and if you remember the and I'm not saying it's gonna happen I'm just pointing out that as a unit the offensive line is different than any unit even the defensive line not to say the defensive line doesn't have to play at times like one the offensive line is definitely more of a glove and we've seen that sometimes it takes time to show I hope Alex but as right now I I like you will be taking away C approach but I also I'm not saying this as even a really negative negative because you can't fix everything like what you do is you get to the point where now you know what we only we go into the draft we have six selections we can focus four selections on if we don't think we have a three technique we can focus on a young man if it's not caring another guy that maybe can be a swing that can pop in and out but we can grow you can do so it's it's I'm I'm it's props to what they've done I'm just but I'm still highlighting that there's a little bit more to go hopefully it may not be as as you pointed out we'll wait and see was there anything else from Ryan post's press conference that stood out to you Alex um Caleb Williams stuff I guess the Keenan Allen like non update update Keenan Allen's been missing for a bit but everyone who's been up there Flo and po didn't seem overly concerned so he had a cleat issue which led to foot discomfort um and he hasn't been out there for a couple practices uh dating back to even before roster cutdowns if my memory serves me correctly so that's just something that I'm kind of monitoring you know uh but again like we're we're at a point in the year where where guys are kind of taking it easy so to hear him say like yeah it was a cleat issue he's got foot discomfort uh didn't seem too concerned and flu also did not seem overly concerned he basically said like we expect our guys to be ready for week one um but that's that's certainly notable because obviously you want Keenan Helen out there week one ready to go so that's just something I'm gonna be keeping my eye on moving forward definitely and we will definitely get back to you on Keenan Allen hopefully it's also and I think you've kind of pointed to this some of guys you do not need to burn both ends of the candle you know you know what you have in them we know who Keenan Allen is within NFL we know what a healthy tev Jenkins can be within the NFL now he isn't to what Keenan Allen has done by any means am I making that an Apples to Apples comparison but you know now yeah you're not at the point where you're trying to find out who these players are and craft them they've been in the program long enough you know uh the quality particularly of T Jen is the quality of some of these guys that you have in these rooms and just to add more context so that people you know get like a feel for I'm talking about when I say you guys are taking it easy like DJ Moore you know is kind of like half out there Kevin Bard is like half out there uh who else Jaylen Johnson still hasn't returned when he left for his personal reasons so it's like the these are other notable dudes not just Keenan Allen who are seemingly taking it pretty easy not just him um but he's been the one on the bikes while the others you know are just kind of like hanging around the sidelines and the bikes is usually like what's going on while you on the bikes gotta uh yeah I guess T Jenkins was spending a little time on the bike as well um so yeah it's it's not just him a lot a lot of dudes are are have been taking it easy lately alrighty all righty Al righty would you like to move on to the latest episode of hard knock that debuted this past Tuesday night I would love to Kenneth all right so um some of the things Alex what let me let's open with you Alex what do you want to start off with as far as hard knocks um this I'll say this this was I think my favorite episode yes agreed this to me felt like core hard KNX when I think of what core hard is this is this is this is this is Kate this is my wife Kate's core hardnox which is you know what the with the show kind of was back in the day you are following guys who are trying to make this team Fringe players and their Journey leading up to cut day uh so there's that we had the I mean really touching emotional stories of both Adrien culbert and Ian wheeler full disclosure watching Ian wheeler and his mom hug tears tears were rolling down my cheeks that's tough man that's tough um and to be able to have that insight to be able to feel that emotion and see like how much that means to these guys it's touching um and then you also have just like guys being dudes John Jackson and roma dun shopping for snacks being goofballs uh the three backup quarterbacks again being goofballs at the Sears Tower uh more great not sound from Austin Reed so to me this this was my favorite episode and it felt like like yeah this is cor Hard Knocks right here also I love when I wrote it on my notes and I was wondering if you're going to do it but you're so Chicago land yes a c Tower yeah what that other name doesn't even enter my brain what so but I loved so anybody didn't see the episode The of the backups when we're talking Tyson bent Mark rippen and of course Austin Reed all took a trip to the CIS Tower the Willis Tower if you don't know all right which is the tallest building in Chicago at one point for the longest period of time was the tallest building in the world um and over the last like 10 years they've made observation Windows where you can step out and it's a glass floor and how they were all three hesitant to step out when you're talking about these guys get hit like these guys have been through the ringer and it's like because like bris is like Tyson beer you know Tyson beer is like I was look the episode part and I'll get to it with be and his father in Kansas City and his father tell tells him when he's about to do the arm wrestling Tyson don't run up here and I was like you know what I bet Tyson beig and his daddy could really kick some ass if things went left someplace they could probably depending on the number get up out of there right I want them on my side for sure right exactly but you see how these these grown men are hesitant because just being a human being and you step out and the basically you're outside and it's the the ground is missing and you're at one of the highest Heights in the world it's going to mess with your brain so that was definitely interesting then the P the point the Tyson be's father uh we all know he's an armed wrestling champion and he went to they went to this bar in Kansas City and this was such a great moment and he arm wrestled this guy first I I first it seems like um a little bit and I could be wrong a little bit of professional wrestling where it was like you take around I'll take around and the last so it's best two out of three everybody and they both won one so they were going for the the final uh to decide who was the Victor and uh if the guy the gentleman who would seemed like this was his home field and he was also at the game I believe he was at the game sitting next to Tyson Bon's father so these guys are friends or whatever they probably been on the same circuit for years um but he takes Tyson be's father and he almost pins him and then Tyson be's father and like he reminds you if you ever seen over the top it's like get the grip he flips and he gets the grip on him he's like I got you I got you and then he beats him and it was just like you know what I'm enjoying this part last year people got crazy with it and it took away from just enjoying having a young backup and his dad enjoying the everything that's going with it when it became that he should start over Justin and all that and again know this and I mean this to help Tyson bent I do want to trade you I want you I don't think your future is crazy as you I don't think your future awfully valuable that no no no no no no and we won't do this today you build them all right and you build you build them you keep I want Tyson be to get his own team I want T someone to be like hey Tyson bent I'm gonna give you this check this is for two years and maybe the option of third but it's a lot of money you come show me you can be a starter and the Bears get a fifth or fourth round pick now I'm going higher than what I said the last time I said to because I think keeps going up keeps going up price keeps going up even though maybe don't because that would mean that Kayla will probably have to get hurt for Tyson to again to show his value within the pros anyway enough of that discussion I'm sorry for getting off to we're shelving that that's a tease to a future discussion they will they will sh thank you thank you thank you um you mentioned it uh finding out that Adrien Cobert um was hit uh he was racing um his bike with a friend and he went through a stop sign and this lady hit him and he he basically obliterated the tri driver's side windshield and he was in a coma for two weeks um he fractured his nose his his shoulder um he said he had scars all over his body and you see the Zenus in this young man um him walking out the field and people asking him why he doesn't have on his cleats and he's like I'm I'm grounding for anybody to notice when you touch grass the saying touch grass that basically is grounding and but you see you see the the machinations that he's used to overcome regardless if you think believe or whatever whatever works for you is what's best and even while I would learned something even when he said you know kind of I'm thinking too much at the beginning of that game um against Kansas City and then he said to himself we're great we're great and it's like sometimes you have to remember the things that you say do apply to this vessel that you are existing in at this moment um so that one was um that was heartfelt and it also like they did their job and this so I thought about Kate of course your your lovely wife uh because Alex you were talking about you know as you said we had the discussion you like your wife was like yo this isn't the OG Hard Knocks they're not giving us the stories like that and uh so it it hurt because of course aent cobber didn't make the team um but the real one was for me uh HBCU Howard Alum Ian Willer um and how he's brilliant enough to of course be going to medical school but he's delaying that for his dream of playing within the NFL and uh just also also you know shout out to uh Chad Morton and Jennifer King I like that part I love I love the rough love from Chad Morton I think um I I was wondering if some people would would get uh kind of sensitive about it and it's like I'm sorry this is a this is a man's league and I don't mean that as far as like someone like Jennifer King should be it but I'm saying when we're out there on this field sometime and she gave him hard love too we can't dilly dally and act like am I hurting your feelings because we business has to be taken care of and that's with anything kind of in life times and I know I'm I'm a proponent of we need to grow in society there are times you don't need to do that but there are also times where it's like let's cut the stuff and let's get straight to it um so to see the running back room through that lens with Ian wheeler and seeing the the the the the running back coach and the assistant running back coach and even wheeler doing the Chief Keef song um and just being like knowing you know for me I mean to be at a school that has a really good medical program at Howard and how intelligent the young man is and it's like them trying to get him like come on get with get some Rhythm you know come come with it yeah they're even coaching him on his s they're CH coaching him so anybody didn't see it we we we've seen of course how great Austin Reed was we got on Caleb the first episode Alex and myself as far as not giving it as all um Ian did a Chief Keef song and he did uh veis was there I could remember who else was there with him was his number one hype man yeah veis was his hype man they threw money at the end it got everybody hyped um and of course uh Jennifer King and Chad morn were trying to even help him with that like when you come back Chad Mor kept tell him leave the room because he kept coming in Weak he was like you're not selling it you're not selling this dude get your ass back out there come back right and it's like particularly when you're beginning something as long as you know someone cares it it's easy to accept a harder critique because you know that trying to get the best out of you so to see where we're one we're seeing the veis Jones trying to make it in his wide receiver room and you know that it's you know to a kind of to a point it's Ian Willer and bayis even though we'll get to the bayis point a little bit later on why to some degree I don't know if it exactly was uh Apples to Apples comparison on the both two as far as Cuts who was going to make it if Ian Willer did not of course we uh blow out his knee as far as he torn his ACL um and then they had Ian willer's mother um out there and you know she gets the text I'm sure from her son that it was an ACL and you see how long Alex talked about you know uh feeling uh sad um and you they just hugged for they hugged for like a minute and a half and then she you know he said in God's time and his mother said yes it's probably not gonna be as bad then they hug for like another um minute and a half and it just made you think one I'm happy his mom was there you know what I'm saying like and it could be anybody it doesn't have to just be your mom but someone that you can expel some of that energy that that that is bothering you at that moment because you're talking about a young man who now his decision as far as should I start with what I'm going to do after football as far as in medicine or should I continue down this road and I may spend a year in rehab because he's still gonna be around the Bears they're going to take care of them and everything like that um but I still may not even get a after I come back next year and that could be a year that I didn't add to going in the medical school so that one was and him and Ryan pace and R Pace letting him know my door's open thank you thank you my door's open my phone is open you I like the part where he said that mentally you start to get stagnant when you're hurt and that's really where things go left um but this part to me I felt like I needed more of this from the bear this year to let us know it wasn't in some ways just a little too plastic for me you know what I'm saying like I I I think that they miss at that part on a city with the heartbeat of Chicago like this is a real City you know what I'm saying from the BBS to the city you know like this is a real City and of course I'm not saying it had to be um it had to be like cursing all the time or anything like that but you could let these stories unfold because they're real stories no one's going to look at anybody as a villain in these situation it's a numbers game and it's also a game on how much was invested in you but also how much we think perhaps we can get up out of you but to me again this was the best episode seeing of course we've seen throughout this Austin Reed and uh his family um it was great he had a good game and then of course we know he made the practice squad but yeah this one was the best Hard Knocks I wonder how episode five will be will it out will it outpace this one but as of right now for this season and the Bears uh finally doing it I enjoyed this episode a lot Alex for sure yeah absolutely I'm glad you mentioned the Ryan poles thing too because that is a very humanizing moment for Ryan poles and that's a um rare insight into how Ryan poles is interacting with guys at a low point you know Ian wheeler going back to that hug you can almost feel and sense the contemplation of him being like is this the end of my football career am I going to go to medical school now like you you can sense that thought process I don't know what was actually going on in his head but you know you can almost imagine all of that because you from hard knu know his story and and know that like yeah we know he's a long shot and we know that he has this opportunity he's a smart dude and eventually probably one day he'll be a doctor but obviously this is a dream of his it's why he's here right you know it's it's the um I'm going to do this so I don't regret not doing this and um to have to have it potentially end because of an ACL is an awful thing so to see Ryan poles interacting with a player again at this low point it it gives us another layer it gives us another I guess point of view perspective about r poles the general manager Ryan poles the leader Ryan poles the the resource and the support for his players um and that's a phenomenal scene and it does in my I think it provides us phenomenal Insight yeah I totally agree great point and also shout out to Ros for having perhaps win the blackest staffs and professional football outside of the Steelers I love because you don't see some of these Co like outside of this unless you're Camp you're not seeing like it's like we we in a house you know you know it's particularly when a lot of those times like growing up and you're talking about getting to higher positions and everything is about the the the ability to be around people you know like you and and so people can see your work and how those positions have been locked out for a lot of us and to see that that's one thing I I noticed a lot in this like just is like man we are really in this place um I want to give him props brother the brother deserves props on that anything else from hard KN said out to you Alex uh sound balls Adrian Colbert sound balls seemed pretty cool oh yeah great one that's a are you a sound are you a sound balls guy I'm not I've uh I think I've tried using them once uh I think I got them to sound a little bit I like the idea of sound balls even if I'm not a sound bow guy I like the idea of it fly fishing is my zen when I need to meditate when I need to be Zen like it doesn't even need fly fishing any fishing being out on water that's that's how I meditate but hey meditation of any kind it's cool nature is um definitely my in I could particularly one things is great about living in a place like Chicago land if you got tall trees I like I can come and sit in your backyard and you don't have to say anything to me if the wind's blowing and the leaves I'm I can zone out right there or like you say water is always been like I used to have my dad take me to the lake in the winter time and just let me walk out by the lake um like it's always m in I had a friend the reason I brought up and uh she was a sound B person and she said she went to this place and that whatever however the person was doing the sound bone if you don't know you have like the little wand and you go around the bowl and it Mak that whatever noise that it makes right and she said it was whatever the noise it would make it bothered her and someone else that was there and it actually made me hant because I was like What if I get a bad one my first time the bad like you mixing that totally backward like so yeah I it was good um to see that U with with Adrian Co I hope he lands somewhere all the DBS that the Bears have brought in um and you can see the quality plays of course the play that we talked about last week weekend where he got across the backside and blocked that deflected that pass um that was clearly probably going to be a score um wish the best to him and on you know Journey that he has um it it's going to end regardless of what happens I feel like for that young man it's going to end well because it seems like having going through coma for two you you out for two weeks is a shorty like that's something and you when he was still like all I did I got back to playing football and rid my bike I was like you start riding your bike right away yeah exactly like I'm not getting on a bike for years probably dude I remember the first accident that I got into in high school it wasn't my fault someone went through a red light and dude so one of my friends she was like you know when you start getting to intersections you start slowing down I started slowing down at I can have a green light because he broke the rule right so now I don't trust the rule he broke the rule so I started slowing down so when he said that he's riding a bike and of course now this has been 12 years 14 years since the accident happened happened around when he was 10 years old I believe um so I knew he had gotten over but like you said I'm probably not getting on a bike for like a year after I'm not leaving the block I'm not riding the street like I was out like so for him at a young age to get over uh such tragedy and come to grips with it I think is a great lesson um for anybody and I think it' be interesting and of course we won't say a play out in hardx but the same with Ian wheeler to see how he comes out of this because either role will be a good role for him he remains within NFL he finds a space here on another roster or if he goes and he saves lives it's going to be a really good thing regards of whichever way it plays out all right practice what stood out to you in practice before we get up out of here uh like I was saying I mean they're they're taking it pretty easy we did get to get a look at the new Long Snapper um Scott Dy local guy add him to the local guy list from Downers Grove um you know cam Lions obviously wasn't getting it done that's why he's not here he was here for much of camp and he had that crack at uh that being the Long Snapper Bears didn't like what they see they moved on I did watch Daily for quite a bit probably more than I've ever watched long Snappers at practice truth be told because uh we can take Patrick scales for granted with how consistent and reliable he is right so I've spoken with Cairo Santos about this a bunch in the past about like the art of the operation and all that and something that Cairo says often is scales consistent ability to keep the laces between 11 and one like if as if the the hands of the clock by the time makes it to the holder so the holder doesn't really have to spin it that much and can put it just pretty much straight down exactly there you go uh for folks who aren't watching on YouTube Kenneth made a a wonderful diagram with his hands of 11 and one o'clock um so with Scott dy I was watching him a little bit and early on there were a few where it's coming down and Tory Taylor needs to spin it quite a bit whether it's a quarter turn a half turn what have you he's got to spin that ball before Cairo can get it down and uh or before Cairo can kick one of them it it you know there was a high it was it was kind of a high snap and it led to Cairo missing a kick wide right but for the most part to me my extremely untrained eye it looked pretty good I would say the vast majority of those snaps were right there Tory Taylor got to put it down and did not have to move it too much right didn't have to spin the ball too much to get the laces where kairo Santos wants so they are GNA Fast Track that that chemistry because it's a lot of chemistry it's a lot of repetition it's a lot of doing everything just so so that things run smoothly so that Cairo can kick it through the uprights obviously similar for Tory Taylor as he as he's punting right um now Richard Hightower said that the year the 49ers went to the Super Bowl they had to go through I think he said three long Snappers so he's had experience hopefully he can lean on that experience to to FasTrack that chemistry but but that's where the Bears are at now and I don't want to you know like short change that it's not an easy thing it it is complicated there's a lot of steps that go into kicking a football um so that that will be a challenge but Scott Daly again to all I was really looking forward is is is the snap not too high not too low and is Tory Taylor spinning the laces a ton as he's putting the ball on the ground for the most part I did not see those things for the most part the ball was right into Tory Taylor's hands and he did not have to spin it too too much so good signs for Scott Dy and then um the other guys like I said they're they are just getting their bodies and Minds right uh as as they're going through I mean we saw a lot of water break periods you know where the Bears typically don't have many water break periods you know they the pace is typically pretty uptempo they get a lot of work done uh they they've been taking it easy also you mentioned perhaps you mentioned that veis was out at receiver um yeah so playing some receiver playing some running back as you say that like it's it's drugging my memory Kuran abagi we also saw him out there participating in some special teams drills doing some team stuff so Kuran ramping up yeah exactly those are the stuff you want to see Jaquan Brer out there flying around uh Nate Davis is still like out there participating in full I know everybody always asks about Nate Davis and his participation uh and then Ryan Bates working back up to it as well uh he didn't do team stuff that I saw today but he's out there like running gassers you know he's running Sprints and he was doing a little bit of individual work so so Ryan Ryan Bates also like on that upward trajectory and the the bis thing I I think you would be doing veis and the team of disservice if you didn't try to use him in both in many ways one because one you can practice you know having an empty Back Field where he's the the running back and then you take him out or if you're worried about pass Pro you can have perhaps have a tight end come back into the back field and protect the quarterback just giv that one option but it's always been have him in space it's all like and whatever you can do it may be four to five plays this season you know just where you know what that play opened up the game and again I'm not saying that he's long for here after this season or it's but it makes sense and that's why I think even I was mention mention it earlier uh with with prefer with Ian Willer why he probably had an advantage due to the fact that he can do that quote unquote even though we haven't seen him consistently Do It um is perhaps one of the reasons why he's still there outside of of course being a high draft pick and nobody likes to just toss those guys into the streets yeah no for sure but I mean you you hit the nail on the head and EA said as much the Bears kind of like that it's like is a sky wide receiver is he a is he a running back you know that that puts stress on a defense when you don't know because defenses want to know exactly right they're like oh it's this Personnel Group it's this formation we know these three plays are coming and we know what to do but if veis is out there and then you motion him then it's like whoa is he a wide receiver is he a running back there are so many options and then as the thinking starts as players have to think they don't play as fast and offenses can hopefully exploit that so I think the Bears are actually kind of stuck that it's like oh is he a wide receiver is he a running back we'll never tell is he both you know doing that joker thing uh yeah that that is a point in his favor and I think that's as as you said I think you nailed it I think that's a reason why he's here because it's like he can kind of do both all right everybody we'll be back start the season next week all right so we're gonna get back into the regular flow the Bears of course taking on the Tennessee Titans to open up this season it's 2024 season everybody um we're looking forward to seeing uh what happens and how this season plays out um we hope that you know you're here with us um as long as we're here for to talk about this season but we always appreciate you taking this time and uh let's hope everything goes well just to make us happy instead of watching some bad football we'll see you on the next episode thank you congrats you finished the video if you want to build on that success download the NBC Sports Chicago app it's got highlights exclusive insights and push alerts tailored to you everything you need to be a real Chicago sports fan download it now