Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Ben Johnson: Backup Tyson Bagent is 'one of the best 32' QBs in NFL

Episode Date: February 24, 2026

Leila Rahimi, Marshall Harris and Mark Grote listened and reacted to the highlights of Bears head coach Ben Johnson’s press conference at the NFL Combine on Tuesday.

Rahimi Harrison Grooty, Midday's tidal two on Chicago Sports Radio. Let me tell you something. The city of Chicago is hungry, too. Oh, yeah, remember that time? Ben Johnson took his shirt off and we all got free hot dogs from the weiner circle. And then on Sunday, the Wiener Circle served John Shire and the Duke team and said, welcome back White Mike on the Marquis. This is Rahimi Harrison Brody on 1043, the score.

It is Combined Tuesday. So we are listening to Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson talk. Ben Johnson took the mic in Indianapolis. So because the questions were a little bit hard to hear, we're going to break this up a little differently. It's been clipped into sound bites for you. It is brought to you by your local Hyundai dealers. And we're going to start with the first question he was asked.

Number one on here says, does Ben Johnson feel like he has expendable receivers? Well, you can never have too much. talent. I mean, that's, I know what you're getting at there, Courtney, but I feel I feel really good about the players that we have. And like I said, we've got such a better feel as a staff now than what we did when we started a year ago. And so each guy brings something different to the table. And that's really what we're looking to generate from all of our skill positions. How can we best complement each other? Who's got the speed? We need versatility guys that can line up all over the

place. Certainly guys that have great hands. But yeah, I think when you look at a 17 game season or 17 game plus when you make the postseason, you need all hands on deck because the truth of the matter is not everybody is going to stay available throughout that duration. Did you hear that part about the hands, Spark, after you talked to Romitune's saying you mentioned that conversation earlier? The hands? Yeah, when he said, you know, they need good hands. Oh, yeah. By the way, when we're talking about the question, the expendable talent, is that a DJ Moore reference? It's a DJ Moore question. That's why he said to Courtney Cronin,

like, yeah, I know where you're going with this because Ben Johnson's not dumb. He knows what's going on. He knows what people are thinking. He understands the different routes that the bears could take this offseason. And one of them is, of course, moving DJ Moore. So that tells me, and maybe I'm just projecting and reading way too deeply into it, they have not ruled out doing something with DJ more. Am I like just grasping at straws here from that? Can we hear like that again?

Is that possible? Just to hear the way he put that in terms of the expendable talent and in terms of good too. In terms of good. In terms of good. I just think it's time.

I think it's time to bring it back. Yeah. The face you're making. In terms of good, I don't know. Where we're at in terms of good. It's, for a long time it's been time to put

Mander Ibrufus away, but we never put X Bears coaches away. We don't. We never put them away for good. Here it is. Well, you can never have too much talent.

I mean, that's, I know what you're getting at there, Courtney, but I feel really good about the players that we have. And like I said, we've got such a better feel

as a staff now than what we did when we started a year ago. And so each guy brings something different to the table. And that's really what we're

looking to generate from all of our skill positions. How can we best complement each other? Who's got the speed? We need versatility guys that can line up all over the place. Certainly guys that have great hands. But, yeah, I think when you look at a 17-game season or 17-game plus when you make the post-season,

you need all hands on deck because the truth of the matter is not everybody is going to stay available throughout that duration. Top Texter trade Rome. I mean, nothing should be ruled out. he does talk as Layla said the hands reference is

there and I don't think that was necessarily pointed maybe it was but I think there's a little room to believe that they haven't ruled anything out. Ben Johnson's pretty intentional on everything and he's pretty careful in everything that he does and especially everything that he says and especially everything that he

says in an open media session when he hasn't talked to the media in how long? So I take everything he says at face value but also looking for a deeper meaning, perhaps. Oh, Ben Johnson said he wanted receivers to catch the ball better and work on it in the offseason in the press conference back in January.

You know what it is right now? He remained on time with his comments. He did not waver from that fact at all. It is the off season. We are here. And that goes for you, too, Colston Loveland. Ben Johnson was pretty clear. He wanted his receivers to work on catching the ball.

And he reiterated that. What up, OZ? Let's listen to more from the... Ben Johnson on how they're going to evaluate. Oh, maybe they should look into the left tackle thing, you guys think? Like maybe that should be something that we learn more about. So here's Ben Johnson talking about what's going on at left tackle. We've got some opportunities there, whether it's for agency or the draft,

and certainly some of our own in the building as well that we're looking to continue to develop. And so we look at all the opportunities out there. And we've got a lot of conversations going on for what that's going to look like. And it's not just that one position. It's really a lot of them. We have a lot of guys currently that are free agents that we've got to make some tough decisions on. And if we can't bring them back, and like I told them at the last meeting, I wish we could bring everyone back. But that's just not how it works.

And so if we can't bring them back, then we certainly have to look to fill that void somehow. Free agency, he said, is a possibility. That was the first thing he mentioned. Where are they going to find the money when they're already dealing with this? Yeah, well, he didn't rule out from within. I mean, it didn't sound like over-the-top confident about that, but I still wonder what are their thoughts on?

What do they really think about Theo Benedet? We kind of knew on and off during the season, but like, did they look at him as somebody who they can get away with until Tripilogans back? What do they think about Braxton Jones? That's a good question. Time over. Also, the thing I'm interested in is you talked about the Kirk Cousin news, him being cut.

Like, there's going to be more roster shakeup and moves around the league as offensive minds and defensive minds. Remember all the coaches that were hired just now? Remember all the coordinators that changed from last year to this upcoming year? I think it was at last count 21 who had been hired. That's a lot. So I'm really curious to see. if they're waiting to see if there's some runoff from another team that they can apply to their

situation because it's not a fit for a specific guy or that guy's just too expensive. We'll see. Here's another note from around the NFL. It's actually from literally the account around the NFL, the NFL Network show. Brett Veach, who is the Kansas City General Manager, hopes. Travis Kelsey returns to the Chiefs in 2026, but the GM is prepared for either scenario. So there's some big names where we may live. in the face of some people like Kirk Cousins, as you mentioned.

More from Ben Johnson here on Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 104-3, the score. It was brought up by Ryan Poles that they had received calls on Tyson-Bagent. So what does Ben have to say about it? No. No. No. I love Tyson. He loves this guy.

And that's one that kind of pulls its heartstrings a little bit. Start that over. Yeah, I'm so sorry. It takes a second for our machine to do that. He answered exactly the way. we would have parodied him. I know. It sounded like a parody.

Wait, is he? I thought that was like a sound effect. I didn't think that was a real person. Is that the strongest we've heard Ben Johnson react about any player and it was Tyson Beijing? Well, two years in a row now, Layla, do you, do you guys remember? It is a problem. That's a problem.

It's all a problem. It's a problem because of what it fuels out there from the people listening to the show right now. Oh, yeah. We're clipping that, right? We have to keep. Do you guys remember? What the hell?

Do you guys remember? Last year when Ben Johnson was asked about Tyson Bajun and how at that moment we're like, he likes the backup quarterback more than he likes the starting quarterback. Well, he spoke more glowingly about a guy who I think in his eyes had exceeded his undrafted rookie status to a level, whereas you have a number one overall pick who maybe wasn't at number one overall pick playing levels just yet. Let's also remember that a young Ben Johnson also played quarterback and that, you know, he probably busted his tail to be able to. get his opportunities.

Are you saying he may have seen a little bit of himself in Tyson Bejant? Yes. He's like doing it. They are intense. They are similar. Hey Ben, are you to trade Tyson Baygent? No.

No. It sounds like a devil sound from like the exercise. I thought it was a special. A bet. Don't do it. But I also love that he just like us speaks in sound effects. Do you love him? Yes.

No. I think he's the greatest quarterback ever. Okay, let's play. I just, that caught me off guard, honestly. No. I think he's the greatest quarterback. Now I'm just imagining Mark Grotty creating a whole character out of this voice. It's happening.

I'm thinking I'm the best coach in America. So what do we call it passionate about Tyson, Bage, and Ben Johnson? I call it the conjuring. You can call whatever you want. It does sound like. He's got an extra. He's going to go crawling down the steps on his back like a scorpion. Also, I am crab walking.

Get out of the house. It's like Amityville horror. Get out of the house. No. I expect somebody to show up in the reflection of this window right now and tell me no. Like what? If this is a sneak peek at offseason fun, want to playoff game, Ben Johnson, I have 100% into it. So let's hear the thrilling conclusion of the Tyson-Bajun comment.

No. No. It's Tyler the Exorcist. Get out of the house. I love Tyson. And that's one that kind of pulls at your heartstrings a little bit because because he's someone that you care about so deeply and he's a hell of a football player that at some point you want to see him have a chance to do it himself.

And so, you know, we'll always do what's best for our team and our organization. I do think there's a lot of merit to having a strong number two quarterback, which he certainly fits that bill on love the mind that he's probably one of the best 32 in the NFL. His preseason tape over the last few years has probably confirmed that in my opinion. But self, you know, if I took myself out of the equation, you know, I want what's best for him. If he would like an opportunity to start, I certainly hope you can get that somewhere. No, you don't. I took myself out of the equation. Did he just call him one of the best 32 in the NFL?

I think he said he wants to be, thinks of himself as, wants to be. Or did he say that? Maybe I heard wrong. I need to examine this again. Because I thought he said he's one of the 30. Maybe he did say one and I just misheard it. Maybe, I don't know. Guys, what did you guys hear?

What was it? I think everybody's still distracted by the no. I don't know. We're just getting over the laughter. I'm sorry. I'm just like Ben Johnson suddenly has talked about. heartstrings and if I took myself out of it. Like note to self, be careful what you say about Tyson Bayesian around Ben Johnson.

I love Tyson. If you let him go, you will die with the rest of the non-believers. Also, everybody on the text line saying Bain Johnson, so good. Yes, I could see it. So good. Oh, my. Guys, we have so much to get to. I'm going to seriously ask that we reconsider our scheduling.

No. We'll have a show meeting. During the commercial break. We can't get it. Why? This is only... Why, Tyson? I truly believe this about Ben Johnson.

He knows that Caleb Williams is the guy. He knows that there's no chance that tight... But he really love a game or two with Tyson Vagent. You know what I mean? Like, just a couple of regular season games. No. I'm not saying I do. I'm saying that he does.

No. I remember what it's like seeing Tyson Bajon throw into a tight. window more than 10 yards down the field. Yeah, that's it. It's the arm strength. Oh, the arm strength is everything with him. He, like, some of the throws down the middle of the field, scary. It's like a horror film. It's like, who's going to catch you? No, one hands, wrong team. I can't. We've handled so far as a team, three sound bites from Ben Johnson at the Combine. We are going to bring you a whole lot more. We want to bring you everything he had to say. So we will chip away at that now that we know, now that we know what is kryptonite. Careful what you say.