Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - 5 On It: Have the Bears had the weakest offseason in the NFC North?

Episode Date: March 13, 2026

Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote discussed a variety of sports topics in the 5 On It segment.

The score. It's time for five on it. Rahini Harrison Rooney. Bring you five topics on their minds today. On 104, three, the score. I got five on it. Number one. Did the Bears have the weakest offseason in the NFC North?

I don't think the Bears had the weakest off season, Ray, and anybody else who cares. I think, though, the Bears should be proud that they didn't win the off season. Because when you win the off season, because when you win the off season, that usually means you have a bunch of money to spend and you have some sort of high draft pick. Oh my goodness, the Nuts on Clark team is here and they have cool letter jackets. Hi Nuts on Clark team.

They're always so nice to us. They provide popcorn and goodies and we love them. So shout out to their Nuts on Clark crew. Shout out to Andy Gersher too. That's my guy. Gersher, what are you doing, man? Andy's here. Andy Gersher from WBBM, everybody.

Oh, yeah, come on in. Hi, guys. Nuts on Clark folks are here. Hi, guys. How are you, man? Nuts on Clark. What's your name? I'm Robert.

Hey, Robert. How are you, man? This is live, guys. Just in your way. Yeah, hi. How are you, man? Nice to meet you. Hi.

How are you? I'm Mark. You're listening to the Nutson Clark crew. Yeah, that's Lela. Nice to meet you. They got cool letterman jackets on. Oh, my goodness. Oh, thank you.

So, thank you so much. This is, oh. This is perfect. Oriel Shamrock. Oh, my goodness. Is it really? Wow.

Thank you guys. This means a lot. Thank you. We appreciate Nuts on Clart. Our Nuts on Clark crew is coming in. You want to sip on my coffee or anything? Or do you guys, okay, I just wanted them.

I heard Grady sneeze earlier. You're probably better off. Thank you so much. Take care, guys. So that was a live, live hang out with Nuts on Clark and Andy Gersher from WVM. How about that? So getting back to what happened in the division regarding free agency, I don't think that the Bears had a week free agency, week off season.

Number one, offseason ain't over yet. We got a draft. Number two, we have the obligatory press release. where they say, hey, we signed X amount of players to this deal. And one of those last year was Nashon Wright, and look how that went. The glad I called that guy, guy, oftentimes may come through, as we've seen. So in the meantime, I think the bears just couldn't make the same kind of splash as they did even last year. The priority last year was clearly improved the offensive line.

They didn't have enough to do it through the draft. They went through free agency. It was spending and it worked. They had to fill gaps this year. They had to fill the gap of left tackle with Ozzie Tripillo being injured. they've reportedly signed, although it's not officially at Braxton Jones. They traded for Garrett Bradbury. That was filling a need.

They had to replace the need of having to get rid of Trayne Edmonds. They had to trade DJ more. I don't know that that's weak necessarily. I think that's just what happens when you've been a GM in the league for as long as Ryan pulls has been now. And now you're going to have to start getting rid of some of your own guys. And that is the real test of a general manager. The most real test.

That's what ultimately, as you know, did Ryan Payson, was because he overpaid for some people who he really liked, like Jimmy Graham, and then he also had some really bad cap casualties. So it's not weak, but the good news is you're just not going to win the offseason because you have games you have to win instead. And that's a good thing.

Ray, can you read me the question again real quick? Just don't need the momentum. Did the Bears have the weakest off season in the NFC North? Okay. Hmm. Well, I'm looking at, like, what the Packers have done.

They snagged Javon Hargrave while we were on the air yesterday. They traded for Zaire Franklin. Yeah, Skymore, the wide receiver, kick returner is there. They got out of the Rishon Gary contract. Yeah, so that's all stuff right there. Detroit, they bring in Cade Mays. They bring in Isaiah Pacheco, pretty good. As Layla has mentioned now multiple times in previous days,

Larry Borm gets a deal. you, Larry Bourne was going to get paid. Yeah, in Detroit. Kyler Murray scares me, and we'll get more into that, probably, later on. So I think the Bears have had, I think the Bears are right there with all of those teams. So, no, I don't think the Bears had the, the Kobe Bryant. The Cape Mays pickup from Detroit was pretty good. Right, yeah, I mentioned that.

Isaiah Pacheco, yeah. Yeah. I mean, I don't, yeah, it's hard to judge. Yeah, the Kobe Bryant and Devin Bush signings were good. And I've been using this word. I said it on Take the North yesterday. I said it to Joe Bartosh when I walked in of WBBM. It's been a reasonable offseason so far.

That shouldn't get anybody excited necessarily, but Ray, it's been reasonable. If you want me to take you, you know, backstage, my thinking behind this, you know, posing this question today, was the Kyler Murray signing? You know, you have an elite receiver there in Minnesota. Two really good receivers. Yeah, two. But, like, you've got a quarterback in J.J. McCarthy that couldn't get the job done. And maybe Kyler Murray does make a difference.

We talked about that on the show yesterday. O'Connell's done it before with Sam Darnold. The thing about like Taylor Decker not being on the Lions anymore. You know, that's why I don't know that we can say anybody had a particularly weak off season. No, I think the Bears might have had the best. It doesn't mean it's been good? It's just been subtle. Suttles a good word for it too.

So I don't, yeah. I think the Bears may have, may have, unless Kyler Murray becomes what I fear he might for a year. Yeah. He's going to be good there. always have to worry about Kevin O'Connell with a quarterback who had proven talent. He's loaded with talent. Murray's a former number one overall pick and it's not like he was bad with Arizona. But don't forget about what the Vikings had to unload, unload to get out from under that salary cap number.

Here's that. Grinard, you know, they got rid of so many good players. They did restructure Aaron Jones. Did you guys get psyched out by that? Do you remember when we were like, oh, ha-zah, Aaron Jones is no longer a member of the Vikings. It's like they have redone his contract so he could stay in the NFC North and bother the bear. One of the thickians, as Luke Getsey called him

when he was in Green Bay, Aaron Jones, one of the thickians. What is that supposed to me? Big, thick, strong legs. He meant it as a compliment. He annoys, he's a PITA for the Bears. Yes. You know what? Every running back ever in Packers history has been a pain in the ass

going back to Edgar Bennett. And Eddie Lee Ivory. Speaking of PITAs for the Bears, Romeo Dobbs left. So I don't know. See, when you think about the acquisitions, you have to think about who left. Yeah, so maybe the bears have had.

But then again, that means it's not weak. Bears have lost a lot of players too. The Bears lost a lot of PITAs for other teams as well. That's true. Who do you think the biggest PITA is? Yeah, for other teams. Brisker may probably be Brisker.

The trash talking. I think Brisker would say he is. Imagine making a grown man cry. Imagine that. Imagine Justin Jefferson crying. You know, it's funny. Do you guys remember the cutaway to Justin Jefferson in that second game? that bears played where they beat the Vikings?

What happened? Didn't he look like he wanted to cry after some really bad drive with J.J. McCarthy? Like a baby. Well, well, well. If it wasn't Jaquine Briskers, words coming to roost. Remember that? He was like, imagine that. He was smiling while he was telling us that.

He's like, imagine that. Making a grown man cry. Again, I think one of my questions. We have conflicting lessons here because in our previous segment at 1145, the lesson for Matas Buzellus was don't talk so much trash. and here we are saying Quani B, you were right with all that trash talk. That's true and those are comparable players in their respective sports in terms of how great they are.

Good point, Ray. Number two. Got a two-parter for number two. After seeing Safety Kevin Byrd sign a one-year $9 million deal with the Patriots and Safety Jaquam Brisker signing a one year $5.5 million contract with the Steelers, are you surprised Ryan Poles and Company, let them. in both walk and how concerned are you about the depth behind New Bear's safety, Kobe Bryant. I'm going to break up Mark Grady's rhythm again.

Not this time with nuts on Clark and our nuts on Clark crew coming in, but with me asking that you answer the question first. Are you okay with that? Yes, I can answer the question first. I just have to review. I broke up his rhythm, guys. I broke up his rhythm. You did.

I was like Modisom Luca. Yes, the answer, am I surprised that they let Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker walk, yes, because I was predicting that Kevin Byer would be the first person on when negotiations opened that they would bring back. Not as surprised by Jaquan Brisker as I went through the CSI evidence earlier, Jaquan Brisker, maybe didn't have quite the speed that they wanted. There was the concussion issue. There is the talking issue with Jaquan Brisker. So no, I was not surprised about that. Am I worried about the depth behind COVID? Of course I am. Of course I am. They don't have another safety right now without those guys.

I love Elijah Hicks. He has started a decent amount throughout it. I don't think he started last year, though, at all, like the player. He's awesome time. He's here for special teams more than anything. And depth, depth, depth in the safety room. Jonathan Owens, I don't know what's going on with him. So, yes, of course.

At this moment, I am worried about the safety position, especially considering how important the safety position was last year. My hope is that the safety position, is not as important this year as it was last year because typically you prefer it to be the guys up front that are the most important that are getting the tackles that are getting the sacks that are making life easy for your secondary. Yeah, just look at the Seattle Seahawks defense and that's how it's supposed to go. The tackle shouldn't be happening in the secondary.

Or Philadelphia. They do. But if you've got it right, if your guys wrap up, if you roll up the right people, the line of scrimmage, the LOS, if you will, then you're not going to have your secondary making as many tackles, and that's a good thing. In the meantime, I thought Kevin Byard would be here. And I kind of wonder if maybe Kevin

Byard, I think he got to call a shot when it came to playing for two incredibly good scenarios for him. You know, so when the GM name checks you, you usually think that that means he's coming back, and that did not happen. He ended up going to New England, where I think he got a fantastic

scenario for him. I am also concerned about the depths behind new bear safety Kobe Bryant because of the same reasons. we don't exactly know what's happening. Like, for example, the Cam Lewis signing for some reason isn't official yet. Did you notice that as well? I didn't know. I think you mentioned that backstage.

But, you know, like that's another guy. Yeah, Brackson Jones isn't official yet. Cam Lewis is an official. And Cam Lewis, at least as of last check yesterday, wasn't even listed still under the Bears on the NFL free agency tracker. And I don't even know how much that matters. But it's something that I've made note of. Well, another thing you should make note of about Cam Lewis is that he's only had 10 starts

in the last two years. did play 17 games last year with just four starts. So again, these are nice depth pieces, but you don't look at either Elijah Hicks or Cam Lewis and say, yep, he's going to be playing alongside Kobe Bryant. And I don't necessarily think the plan can just be, oh, we'll draft a new guy to start at safety. It could in 2022 when your team wasn't going to be very good,

but I don't necessarily know that that should be the plan. You don't want a way to have a playoff expectations. You're saying you wouldn't want them to pick. Because if you drafted a guy at 2050, Hell, yeah. If you draft a safety at 25, you should expect him to start. But maybe you're saying you wouldn't want them to pick a safety at number 25. No, I want edge at 25. Yeah. I still have that desire because it's a deep glass and I know you've said it's a

toss-up that you don't always get what you think you're going to get. But at the same time, I like their odds. Yeah. Well, Brisker was the availability. Think about Brisker. He was a second round pick in the Bears head. The Bears had two second round. Exactly. So, you. you can get starters in the draft. But that's when they were bad. You know, there wasn't an expectation of win-loss there in a learning curve.

Yeah, but don't you think, especially at number 25 overall, first-round picks are starters, right? I mean... Should be. Yeah. So I think that they could do that. Like, if they chose safety, if that's what they're doing, if they take somebody at 25, I would expect that player to start next to Kobe Bryant. Number three.

This is five on it on 104-3. The score with Laila Roheamy and Mark Grody. Here's question number three. Will Team USA take advantage of the second chance in the world baseball classic that was gifted to them by Team Italy? Because as Vinnie Pasquantino would put it. You're welcome, USA. We were thinking of you guys. In honor of Vinny Pasquantino, who I don't like when he's playing against the socks,

but who I did enjoy listening to on Team Italy, unlike Bryce Terrain, who I don't like watching on Team USA. Yeah, screw that guy. I have espresso in honor of Vinnie Pascontina. And I think that it's going to be easier sailing for Team USA against Team Canada. Michael Soroka's on the mound for Team Canada. The Team Canada show. Now, I thought that there was a chance that J-Mo would be on the mound. We never got to go to the All Canada show, Ray.

Four Butes for that. All right. Ray gets beutes now? I'm honored. We'll get you some rays, maybe. I'm good with beutes and bears. Butes, Bears, and Battlestar Galastica. Four bea.

I think the other part of this is, is you're going to see a different lineup out of Team USA. Yeah, I don't think Paul Goldschmidt, for example, is going to start. Goldie. And I think you're going to get a similar lineup to what we saw in their game prior to Italy. So I do think they'll take advantage. And also, I hate to say this, but public scrutiny is sometimes, that'll leave a mark. And Mark DeRosa, I've worked with my work. Mark Dorosa as well. He's a wonderful guy. He made a mistake. And I know that the way he's saying he made it is subject, but suspect. But I think he's learned his lesson.

Well, the question is, will they rally around Mark DeRosa or the players also walking around? Like, what the hell? What the hell's up with our manager? The guy doesn't know what's going on. So I'm hoping that the Americans are properly angered and motivated by all the talk that has been going on with these guys. And don't forget about Canada's starting pitcher tonight. It is scheduled to be Mike Soroka. Yes, ladies gentlemen, the former Cub, the former Chicago White Sox. And once upon a time ago, I know he's kind of like a punchline around here. He was a kind of a stud prospect for the Atlanta Braves back in the day. So he was, he was a something, but was not a something with the Cubs and the socks. Whoopsies. Yeah. The old Canada show. That's good. I think he might be mad at us. I don't blame them. Are they all Canada show?

Yeah. Why? Because you guys were going to go there and then you didn't? No, as a country and us. Oh, right. Wait. Also, also when you said manager, what are they doing? Did you hear Spiegel randomly make reference to Tony LaRosa's hiring yesterday?

I thought I heard somebody say that maybe it was on the... He rambled into it. I lost it. I don't have heard that, but I did hear somebody. I don't want to on which show saying that Tony LaRusa would have been a good choice to be manager of Team USA. Oh, my God. Just don't let him walk a...

Don't dump them. Don't let him intentionally walk a pitcher or a bat or mid at bat. Just don't let that happen, especially when they're one pitch away from ending in the ending. Just don't do that. Tony Larucin literally had the soundbite to our friend James Fegan saying, I guess you know the rules better. Tony would not have known international rules. He wouldn't have known any team USA baseball.

But baseball, basic rules. Think safe. If he had said he didn't know, would everybody just be like, oh, well, that's okay. You're Tony Larusa, like they did here. When Juan Soto hit the walk-off home run, I think it was against Mexico in the seventh inning, because there's a slaughter rule,

would Tony of Larusa have known, or Mark DeRosa for that manner? How dare you respect the game? You guys are getting back out there and you're playing the rest of the innings. Why's everybody going home? Why's everybody celebrating? DeRosa would be like, what the hell's going on? Lou Pinella coming up.

DeRosa, the hell's going on. Are you saying that Lou Penella needed to be. brought in to discipline. I associate DeRosa with Lou because Lou managed him and every time he brought up DeRosa, for some reason it was funny to me. DeRosa, you saw the damn

game, you saw him in the lineup? Why are you asking me? I started howling, like walking down the street listening to that Spiegel reference and he was like, and then there was the make good, you know, from the 1983. I was like, howling, howling. But make good, what does he mean?

He was referring to the Tony Larissa hire. Because, oh, right, right, for the eventual firing. But, yeah, 83. Oh, yeah. You just have to hear it. I'll find you the audio. The win-in-ugly White So, 1983. We're going to keep it on the topic of baseball.

We've got some good news for you. You'll be able to hear Cubs baseball on the score this weekend. Zach Zademan and Ron Cumer have the call tomorrow starting at three against the Rockies. Then Sunday at 255 against the Dodgers in crystal clear FM quality on 104-3, the score. Cubs spring training coverage. On the score is sponsored by Sloan the Leader in Smart Water and Commercial Restroom Solutions. Here's question number four.

Who do you consider to be the ace of the Cubs starting rotation? Okay, let's think out loud, fam. Number one, I could go with guy who throws hardest. That would be Edward Cabrera. Yeah. But he was the ace of the Marlins. So not necessarily the dude. But just simply from a bulgo hard,

maybe it's Agua Cabrera. It's probably Kate Horton. But you can't just name everybody. You've got to name one here. You're taking all the answers. But here's the thing. What happens when Justin Steele gets back into the mix? Is there some sort of king of the mountain battle? Like, do they have to face off?

I want you to project. What do you think? Do you think that by the end of this year, Justin Steele, or I guess Kate Horton is your answer here? Yeah, it's Kate Horton. You think Kate Horton? I think the Cubs are in good business. But from a, he throws fast guy. It's, it's, I don't know, Edward Combrose. Breward could be just the default. That's how I picked a closer. I said Daniel

Palencia because he throws the hardest. That was it. And then it happened. It makes sense. Throw it hard for a bunch of guys who haven't been seeing that heat in the game. Ball don't lie. Ball don't lie. I agree with you. I think it's... On everybody? Thank you. It's Kate Horton. I mean, 11 and 4 with the 267, ERA. That don't lie either. I hate that we're doing this to Matthew Boyd because there's this assumption that there's no possible way he could do what he did last year again this year. But I think that's the case.

I don't think he can do what he did last year this year. Matthew Boyd gave us everything he had last year. And then he ran out of gas. And Matthew Boyd should be the opening day starter because of him being the dad who stepped up. He really was. He's a dad. He's a dad that stepped up for America because he was on Team USA. He did that too. And then he left.

And then he stepped up for his team because they were like, We need you back here if you want to pitch an opening day. He's like, okay. So he's just there for everybody. You know why he left, though? I just looked this up. He left because he had to take his kids to a soccer game. So that's being a good dad.

Are you serious? No, I'm not. Okay. I would believe it. There was a report out there that the Cubs did give him the option to stay longer with Team USA, and he said, I'm coming back for the Cubbies. And his family. Because that's what he's done for us.

He's been there. Thanks, Matt. We love you, Matthew, boy. And he does deserve. He does deserve to be the opening days. The clubhouse on Saturday? Oh, that's right. Because he's standing up for them.

Bruce and Haw. It's the most responsible person. Number five. Five out of one of four, three. The score final question, according to CHSN's Casey Johnson, a couple of band members from the Red Hot Chili Peppers

visited Bulls coach Billy Donovan after last night's game against the Lakers. If you could get a post-show visit from a band or an artist, who'd it be? Mark, it's a. the answer the question. When we were discussing this backstage,

I said, everybody knows who I'm going to take, though I do something different, but no, I won't. Of course it would be Eddie Vedder. Of course it would be Pearl Jam. I can't get enough love. Even though I have had intermittent love from Eddie Vedder

through the years, I can't get enough. And it's been a while, quite frankly. I don't think he knows who I am anymore. I really don't. Anymore? No, well, don't you know that he did, this was one of the greatest moments of my life,

quite frankly. haven't had a lot of great life moments when I was doing Cubs pre and post Eddie comes in he would sometimes just slide into the booth he would sit on the staircase in the old press spot or in the old booth which was small When did you get in?

Somebody ask Eddie Vedder when did you get in? So he'd be sitting on the step right next to me in the chair and he didn't know I was at first but he Pat mentioned me Mark would you like to give some scores or whatever and he looks back in me and he goes okay you're Mark Grody

because he listened to Cubs radio. Yeah, I know. Mind blown. Now, I think I blew it with Eddie because I was way too fanboy, way too nervous. I was completely not myself. And I don't think he needs that

because he's a rock star who gets that always. And we were his like salvage being in the radio booth. That's just my theory. But he did say that. He did say, oh, you're Mark Grody. And I was like, oh, no, no, no. You're Eddie Vedder. Yeah, I don't know what I would have done in that moment.

Right. I would have panicked. I did. I think about this now in retrospect. It's fun to talk about my run-ins with Eddie Vedder through the years and there was a few and they're all entertaining. I should have just tried to be his friend instead of a fanboy. You know, like requesting songs at his concerts. Like I shouldn't have gone that route.

I should have just talked ball with him. I regret it all. Oh, no. Well, if there's, maybe you'll get a shot at redemption. I had so many opportunities. On this Friday the 13th, which in my favorite. family is lucky because the most well-adjusted people are born on that day in our family. Who's yours?

You know what? You know who I'd really like to talk to? Actually, and it's reminiscent of our conversation with Cassie Carlson. Rihanna. Okay. Because outside of Rihanna's musical career, which is brilliant, and I think she's actually finally going to record another album now, which nobody thought was happening. She also has a billion-dollar industry in Fenty Beauty, which is her makeup brand.

And the reason why it was so successful is because it covered a part of the market that was not being addressed properly. She had a wider range of skin tones. And so basically there are more shades to match more people, inclusion, if you will. And then she also created makeup that fit, not just say dry skin, which is a very common factor in some parts of the country, but also oily skin, which is a common factor for a lot of people in other parts of the world. Okay. So Rihanna did the simple thing, which is not even. easy and decided to address the need in the market with more resources and therefore became

incredibly successful. So both in her professional life and in her artistry life, I would pick her. Cheers to the freaking weekend. Yeah, pretty befitting. So we've got to get this pearl jam thing figured out. I know. It's something I've been thinking. I'm glad I was able to talk it through. Like my, like it's funny, all the great stories that I've told throughout the years. And we can go through the diatribe of all of those. I'm thinking, wait a minute. It really played this wrong. I think he just needed a friend, not a fanboy.

He needs, well, I mean, when you're a fan of somebody, you should say you're a fan. Well, of course, but you know what I mean? Like, every time I saw him, I couldn't get myself together. Thanks, Alice Cooper. Yeah, we'll hang, which is, we're not worthy. Still my favorite. Exactly. Exactly.

Okay. So I did basically. So here's the thing. Every now and then, all the time, actually. at 670 the score 104 3. The score of Chicago. Take your pick. We get the question. Where are the picks?

And what about Danks? What about Danks? Where are the draft picks? And you know what? Ryan Pulse is a cool customer. Except I think, I think he also wants to know where they are. We'll listen together next.