Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - 5 On It: After trading Moore and cutting Edmunds, what’s the Bears' next move?

Episode Date: March 6, 2026

Leila Rahimi, Mark Grote and Fox-32 reporter Cassie Carlson discussed a variety of sports topics in the 5 On It segment.

This hour is brought to you by Cars for Kids. I got five. It's time for five on it. Rahini Harrison, Rooney. Bring you five topics on their minds today. On 104-3 to score. I got five on it. Number one.

Got a special edition of five on it. On 104-3, the score with Lailorahimmy, Mark Grody, and Fox 32 Chicago Sports anchor and Bears reporter, Cassie Carlson, in the house. Here's question number one. Yesterday, Bears traded receiver DJ Moore in a 2026. fifth round pick to the bills for a 2026 second round pick and released Tremaine Edmins, linebacker Tremade Edmins. What's the next move for Chicago?

And I'm going to put this stipulation out there. We're limiting this to one move. What is the number one move the Bears will make next? I'm scared that they're going to cut somebody else. I feel like this is Ryan pulls swashbuckling through a jungle of cap space. And you don't necessarily know if he's going to be conservative in the path. that he's swathing or if he's going to make sure that it's a it's a tight path or a wide path. Is Colquamette next?

Is DeAndre Swift next? Is anybody safe? One name only. That's what I worry about. So optimistically, because I want to wishcast this, they're signing Tyler Linderbomb in my opinion. That's an opinion and a hope. More of a hope, really, but that's what I want to say happens because there's a lot of people that are gone. And I don't know that I'm ready to deal with all of this yet.

Oh, so I have the same. answer, Tyler Linderbaum, because again, I want it to happen. I think it's the most important thing that needs to happen for Ben Johnson to create the number one offense in the league next year. We saw the importance of Drew Dalman. We know the importance on what he meant to Caleb Williams. Year two in Ben Johnson's offense is, you could argue, is more important for Caleb Williams because he wants to get paid. The Bears are preparing to hopefully pay him, and you need to take that next step. The Cole-Komet thing is interesting. It could be a restructuring of Cole Komet's contract, too, because Ryan Poles, I thought he made it pretty clear at the combine,

that he would like to keep DeAndre Swift and Cole Kmet on the roster. And I feel like he named dropped those names because he kind of wanted them out of the talks of maybe they could be cut. Yeah, I mean, yeah, that's a great. The restructuring conversation is a good one because there are other candidates who I mentioned Joe Tooney and Jonah Jackson at the beginning of the show today. If you were to restructure their contracts, that's 14 Mildo right there. So that's a good one. I can't disagree with you guys on Linderbaum.

I mean, that would be silly because we can't sit here and talk about how important Drew Dalman was and then say, yeah, we'll settle for a rank and file average center. So it's incredibly important, but I have a prediction. I have a prediction. I think on Monday we are going to be talking about a, we are going to hear that there is a deal in place for, I'm going to say, two years and $20 million for Kevin Beyer to return to. to the Chicago Bears and continue to be the safety and leader that he is in the Bears locker room. That would be a good move that would make people happy. A reasonable take.

Yeah. You have a safety on the roster. Yes, you have a safety on the roster. That is a start. You might need one. Am I crazy guys to think that Jonathan Owens might? I also think about him as a possible re-sign. Sure.

Special teams. Yeah. He liked it here. You need bodies. I think they're happy here. I would say that. I think more so than anything. It was like there were some rumblings of Kevin Byer could have

created his own market to go play somewhere else and make a ton more money. And that would have been a huge concern because then if you lose that leader in the locker room, you're like, where is the next leader going to come from? And I think that's the value that he really does bring to the bears. Well, he did change though, because we talked about this too defensively, Cassie, was that he was a pretty important part of the defense last year under not, not 20, five season, but 24. And then his role was not the same even when the secondary got depleted this next year. So maybe it just wasn't a fit for Dennis.

Allen, I don't know, as much. He's very aware, though, just in some conversations I had with him about the way the NFL works. He's like, yeah, man, you start to hear them bringing guys into workout. Like, they pay attention to that stuff. You hear safeties are coming in. Like, he talked about it, you know, in Green Bay and other places that he's played that, like, he understands the rhythm and the heartlessness of the NFL. Well, he's, what, 32 years old?

He's been around the block for a while. I think he felt like, oh, he wants to play. I think he wants to play. potentially like four or five more years is that possible for Kevin Byard. We'll wait and see when you're the interceptions leader at 31, 32 years old. It seems like the possibilities are endless for him. But to position himself,

and I think a lot of it is Al Harris and how he positions his DBs to be in good situations. He always talked about like tails on tape. And it was the most that it's ever been emphasized in the secondary, since I've been covering the bears, that they were always looking at tails on tape. And they were really able to capitalize on those for some reason this year under Al Harris. as the coach.

And so I think that it's a combination of the group they had, Al Harris, that they want to be part of this defense. That's getting all these takeaways, whether it was a one-off or not. Number two. Which remaining bear is most likely to break Johnny Morris's record. 5,059 career receiving yards. In the career?

Yes, Romodunze. In the career, note, Morris retired from the Bears in 1967. It's a long time. This was inspired by some texture. yesterday who was having fun and said, who did Johnny Morris pay to get DJ Moore off of the team? And the joke was that he was going to remain like the 72 dolphins, you know, the longest tenured receiving record for Bears and Bears history. And then I texted back, pop the champagne, Johnny Morris, like they always say when a team loses, pop the champagne,

Miami Dolphins. I guess, I guess because he's so young in his career, it's got to be one of the rookies, right? It would have to be either close. Colston Loveland potentially or Luther Burton. I think Roma Dunesay still could, depending on his career. But I don't think Colson Loveling could get enough receiving her just by nature of tight ends. That would be a wild amount of production every year. So I guess it's still either Roma Dunesay or Luther Burton, if it's a remaining bear. Longevity of career in Chicago alone could make it Colston Loveland.

That's where my mind went of just how many years they're going to be Chicago. Romadunese, I keep going back to like, yes, we need Rome to emerge as wide receiver one. But then I also go back to he is not Ben Johnson's guy. And we really don't know how Ben Johnson truly feels about Roma Dunesay, especially coming off last year where injuries played apart, started off so strong, but dropped off significantly in the last, when he needed to show up, especially in the last game. And I know that weighs on Roma Dunesay. He was the most visibly upset and hurt by his role in the divisional loss at the end of the year in the locker room. I go back to Colston Loveland every time. I just think he's going to have the longest tenure out of the picks available in Chicago.

So inevitably he'd have the highest chance of getting closest. Well, is it Walter Payton third? He's in the top five. So is Mike Ditka, tight end. So if a tight end and a running back can be in the top five, then I guess the tight end could. but yeah, that's just more about the bears that it does, I think. Because everywhere else it would far and away be a receiver. Which remaining bear is most likely to break Johnny Morris's record of five? None of them. Oh my God. None of them will do it because it never happens.

I thought maybe Curtis Conway would do it at one point in time. I thought Brandon Marshall might do it at one point in time. I thought maybe Alshan Jeffrey would do it at one point in time. I had high hopes for Alan Robinson to do it at one point in time. I'm sorry. I know this is the, I'll just admit it. I am being jaded right now. None of these, and maybe I should believe in the power of Ben Johnson to actually make this happen. None of those guys are going to pass Johnny Morris. It's just the way it works with the Bears. I'm sorry. Walter Payton is fourth.

Alshan Jeffreys is third. Sorry, Elshon Jeffries. Yes, yes. Sorry Alshan's Jeffries. He's at the jewels now. Number three. Shout out to the jewels. This is five on it and one. 104-3 of the score with Layla Burini, Mark Grody, and Fox 32's Cassie Carlson, all in the house today. Here's question number three. This week, quarterback Aaron Rogers joined the Pat McAfee Show on ESPN and had this to say about his thought process about the idea of a potential return to the Steelers. You've had to have done some daydreaming about what it would be like to be back with Big Mike, I assume, or am I assuming incorrectly there?

Day drinking? Well, I mean, what are we sitting here? It's March 4th. Fradency starts in a week. I've been spent a lot of time with my wife. We went on a ski trip. Just been laying low. There's a lot of other things going on

with the situation in Malibu that have changed some things. But I've talked to Mike. I've talked to Omar. There's been no deadline that's been put in front of me. There's no contract, you know, offer or anything. So there's nothing that I'm, you know, having to debate between. I'm, you know, free agent. And, you know, again, I'm enjoying my time with my wife and enjoying this part of the off season.

And, you know, I think there's conversations to be had down the line. But right now, I'm not, not, there hasn't been any progressive conversations. You know, I love Mike. And Mike and I have kept in contact over the years. I've, you know, had conversations with Omar. I really, you know, I think Omar, you know, enjoyed having me there. I think the guys, you know, had a positive response, you know, to our time together. But again, there hasn't many deadlines set on me.

There hasn't been any contract, you know, floated in front of me. That is Aaron Rogers on the Pat McAfee show. All of this kind of sounding a little familiar. I was mentioning general manager, Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy. Given that former Packers coach Mike McCarthy is now the head coach in Pittsburgh, does a reunion between Rogers and the Steelers make the most sense for both sides? I was under the impression that Aaron Rogers was the last man standing in a game of King of the Hill. And that Aaron Rogers won that battle when there was a face-off against Mike McCarthy

and that that was a relationship that at the time had come to an obvious conclusion. Aaron Rogers says a lot of stuff. a lot of stuff. Too much. And I think Aaron Rogers probably wants to remain employed and it sounds like based on some reporting today that Carson Wins is the preferred backup in Minnesota. So why is that important?

Because I definitely thought that Brett Farrv might follow the Rodgers might follow the Brett Favv arc and go to Minnesota to complete the Jets, Packers, Vikings, trifecta. The FARC. Which honestly kind of would have been here for. Right. I mean, like I think that he was,

probably, this is very much me thinking. This is not reported. But can't you imagine being Aaron Rogers knowing who he is now sitting on the bench watching that hole when it dominated our lives in a much simpler time, whether or not Brett Fav was retiring? And then what does he do? Go to the Jets? Okay. Okay, Erin Rogers. You want that time that Brett Fav took from all of us, don't you? You want to have the same time. You want to take that time from us as a society. Yeah, Aaron Rogers spoke for what, like I think it's 75 minutes on the Pat McAfee show. And I hate that people tune in. And I hate that he is so interesting when he speaks. And you're like, because you don't want to like him. Is he interesting or does he just say stuff and make it sound slightly curious?

Well, he knows how to make himself the center of attention in the NFL, which is why I truly don't care what he does. I don't see Aaron Rogers as the threat at 42, 43 years old with the Steelers. Like, it doesn't matter. to me. Like, I think he is going to wait as long as he can to make a decision when everyone's done talking about everything else and they can only talk about Aaron Rogers. Do you think he's really married? Well, I don't know. Do you? I'm suspicious. The podcast, the gossip show. Sports gossip. Gossip girl. That's right up my alley. They, uh, they did some digging and they found Aaron Rogers' wife, the identity of Aaron Rogers' wife. They did not release the name or anything

like that, but they confirmed that this person is real and is married to Aaron Rogers. I hate that he said there's some stuff going on in Malibu. He wanted McAfee to ask the follow-up of like, he's like that guy who is like, says something so that the person asks about it. Well, he's, I

can give you that update quickly because I listen to a lot of that long interview. And it was, um, he has a, he has had a beach house in which he has been stalked according to Aaron Rogers. So that's what all of that going on in Malibu was and he needed to get out of that situation.

Because he's being stalked. A likely story. Right, right. Does a reunion between Rogers and Mike McCarthy makes sense? Yeah, it does because it's wholly disappointing. And I would imagine even the Pittsburghers would be, I don't think that Mike McCarthy's hiring was very inspiring as it was to begin with. So like the kind of the older guy who's had many bites at the Apple, who's probably got

what a couple good years left him in as a head coach. Same thing with Aaron Rogers. so they're actually a perfect marriage, if not a completely disappointing marriage, to the outside world. They're the friend that you're like, I'm not sure. Is it going to work out?

Yeah, I got to support you, man, but I'm not sure if that's the right woman for you. As someone who had a disappointing marriage, watch out there. Hey, if I had been watching over you, you would have been fine. We were functioning for quite some time. That's good.

But, you know, sometimes it just falls apart and then it is a disappointing marriage. I don't think there's was, it was functioning to a point, But I feel like the air being led out of the balloon when they were together in Green Bay was long and frustrating. Yeah. But they also had the highest of highs. Yeah.

They did. And that's why I'm like surprised. Like I didn't necessarily know that they were like still on great terms. So I didn't either. I will give you a quick detail here. During this long interview he did with Pat McAfee, Aaron Rogers detailed that in Green Bay he had a meeting with Mike McCarthy where it was just the two of them. they met in the sewing room for the where the there are you know they they they sew all the patches and the numbers onto the uniforms as to isolate themselves so they can just be one on one and they patched everything up at that moment when they were still in Green Bay that's how the story is told by Aaron Rogers. He said that they patched it up in a sewing room.

How poetic. He said that. I mean that's my that's me being. That's my doing. But you're a but you're a beaut. Thanks. Wait, wait. You're the but you're the but you're the but.

Okay. I'm glad to see him not the only one's skeptical of his relationship as well. Number four. Are the Bulls doing too much? Yes. What are you doing, Bulls? That's not how you take. What are you guys doing?

You're not supposed to be doing all that, beating the Suns on the road, no less. Colin Sexton game? No, what, Bulls, no. You're supposed to be tanking right now, especially against Western Coverage teams where the wins really don't mean anything. What, no. That was the wrong move. I mean, I was good for the team, but still.

Sun's headlines are like Sun's face worst loss of this season. Oh, I didn't even look at though. That makes sense. Which makes me laugh. No, you should be losing. This is the tough dynamic of I'm sure that keeps Billy Donovan up at night. Is never been a loser, suddenly losing, wants to help his guys, doesn't know what to do. The February was the best month for the Bulls.

You need to get out of purgatory. You need to get higher lottery chances. Cassie, I was talking about this yesterday. Like, I'm driving around listening to the Bulls game on the radio when you don't have the advantage of seeing the players. And honestly, I, and Chuck can't do this and doesn't need to do this, but I need to know if it's a Bulls player. When I hear Leonard Miller just drained a three, what?

Who does he play for? Nick Richards, Lachlan Allbrook, Yuki Kawamura. Know him a little bit better because he's an interesting story. Gershon Yubiseli last night had 16 points. You can't have all those guys going into Phoenix and beating Phoenix 105 to 103. And shout out to our guy, Marshall Harris, who is our Bulls guy. And he could not have been more disappointed in what the Bulls did last night at a 105, 105. 103 win over Devin Booker's sons.

I've got a good player for you, Grody. Yabosele, his nickname is the Dancing Bear. Oh, is it really? Oh, I didn't that know that. Do you know the origin story? I don't. We'll have to find it out. Oh, I thought you had it.

No. Yeah. Do we care? said that we were hanging on your other. No, I thought, no, I was genuinely curious. The dancing bear. I don't. Okay.

How many bears does Gershawes fans do? Yeah, that's a seven bear situation. So I'd like to meet. Let's get you Besselli on the score. I want them on Monday. Okay. While we're talking, uh, Bears.

Legal tampering period. Legal tamper. Wait a saying. So I only have eight and a half having been here 10 years. Cassie's from here. So she gets more bears out of the gate. You're from Palatine? Yep.

Yes. But did I give you 8.5 bears? Yeah, but I had to be a 10 years. Congratulations on your nine bears, Cassie. Good job. Shout out to Mayor Schwantz, by the way, out in Palatine. Other high school. Jim Schwantz, our guy.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, Schwantz is still the mayor, the former bear. Yes, his daughter's my age. Oh, really? But we went to opposite high school. So there is a rivalry there. Okay. Got you.

Ah. Are you guys cool now, or is it still kind of like a heated rivalry? Not a heated rivalry. No. What is the high school? The actual original term. Palatine and friend. It's a TV series, isn't it?

It is. Yeah, sorry. I haven't been, I've heard about it, but no, I meant the original term, to be fair. There is a hatred there, I would say. But see, the problem was my junior high would split between both high school. So all my junior high friends went to Fram and then I went to Palatine. And then you're like, all right, I'll go to your dance. Like, that's high school rivalries.

Okay. So it sounds civil but aware. Yeah. All right. Tyler has the Yabuselli origin. Go ahead. So the reasoning for the nickname is because of his surprising agility and nimble footwork. Bear?

Dancing bear. Dancing bear. All right. He's French. Dancing bear. Wow, the bears are going up by the second. Go off, Gerey, Sean. Number five out of one of four three.

The score final question, Team USA plays its opening game tonight in the World Baseball Classic. What's your interest level in the tournament? I think for me it's still high because of how exciting this was last year. Now, NFL free agency and the like has very much dominated my week where I would normally be spending more time watching the world baseball classic. But when you have the stars that Team USA has and you know how this came down to USA versus Japan the last time, a lot of the games are on Fox. They are starting tonight. Yeah. So with Team USA playing tonight on Fox, right?

Yes, you're right. I'm excited because of the nationality and pride coming off the Olympics in Team USA with hockey in particular. I feel like that's going to carry over into the WBC. And of course, just like watching, I think more so, the Cubs players that are going to be in it in the early rounds. Once it gets to the quarterfinals, I feel like that's when I'll be more bought in. And if we do get USA, Japan,

I think everyone's going to be watching. There are 162 regular season baseball games coming up. I don't know that I necessarily need to be hooked on more baseball. I will watch it the same way I watch the Olympics. I'll turn it on for a while. I'll check it out. I'll see what the vibe is. I'll watch the Cubs and White Sox players if they're coming up in the order.

That'd be cool. But I'll be honest. I don't believe, I mean, it could be different. I don't think I will be glued to more baseball when 162 game season is about to occur. At least have Fox on in the background. I will. Just for you. Yeah.

That's one way you can support, actually. Yes. I support Fox 32. I support Cassie Carlson. Wallpaper TV slash World Baseball Classic tonight. on Fox. And they're playing Brazil. And I was just talking about how I can't speak Portuguese at all. Understand it anything.

My eyes are on Team Mexico, baby. There you go. Who's the star? You're going to call me out like that, Grady? Havier Assad, baby. Good enough. Good enough. Yes. Very good. Harvey Sade had a great world baseball classic for Mexico

last time. He did. So go off Javier Assad. Cassie Carlson is in the house with us from Fox 32. she did a ton of work at the NFL Combine, sat down with Jeff King, who's now the assistant general manager, sat down with Ryan Poles and talked to him, did the same with Ben Johnson, did a lot of other reporting. So I think given the week that we have had as a Bears media, I want to know, do you look back on any of those conversations a little differently now doing what we've seen? We will talk to Cassie about that and more next.