Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Best of the Bears: Ian Cunningham leaves to become the new Falcons GM

Episode Date: January 31, 2026

In the Best of the Bears this week, Tribune reporter Brad Biggs joined the Mully & Haugh Show to react to assistant general manager Ian Cunningham leaving Chicago to become the new Falcons general manager; Chicago Sports Network analyst Clay Harbor joined the Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show to explain why he believes the Bears should trade receiver DJ Moore and cut linebacker Tremaine Edmunds this offseason; and Matt Spiegel and Dan Wiederer discussed whether a few key Bears players will be retained for the 2026 season or move on to new teams.

Thanks, everybody. The Bears. You're listening to the best of the Bears. He's it for the touchdown. And the Chicago Bears have taken the league. A weekly mix of 670, the score's best NFL talk to get you ready for game day. Biggs Report with Brand Biggs. Biggs time.

Biggs talks football with you. Mully and Haw, Chicago Sports Radio 677. the score. Shout out to everyone watching us on CHSN. We're in the colors today, Mr. David. Nice. Thank you for sharing this with me. Yes, I think it's... Thank you for closing me.

Thank you, buddy. You look good in black. And it's always fun to bring in our guy, Brad Biggs, the football man from the Chicago Tribune. He's a longtime contributor to the station and a valued friend, and he joins us on the Plumers 911 hotline. Plumbing emergency, call 1833, plumb 911, local 130 plumbers, get the job done right

the first time. Big Zay! Morning, Brad. Morning, boys, what's going on? You demand, what's going on with you and counting him? Where are the draft picks? Yeah, you know, a lot of outrage last night.

Some of the fuels, I think, by people who have ignored reports that have been out there for some time that the bears would not receive draft picks as part of the Rooney rule in this situation, or people thinking, well, the bears should appeal. I don't believe there's anything to appeal. The bears were aware of this. This isn't a surprise to the bears. The bears could have blocked this. Now you can discuss the, how the rule is worded and all that. Not every team has the same flowchart at near the top of the organization underneath the

owner and the Falcons went about things differently after replacing Terry Fontano and Rahim Morris when they fired their GM and coach the end of this. past season hiring Matt Ryan as president of football, which is a job that Ian interviewed for. Like Ian was in the mix for that job. And the NFL deems that title in that organization to be the primary football executive. In New England, Elliot Wolfe is the primary football executive. He doesn't have GM as a title. He's the vice president of player personnel.

The Cincinnati Bengals do a lot of things differently than most other teams. I believe their primary football executive is Duke Tobin, who has the title of director of player personnel. So while most teams, including the Bears, the primary guy is the GM, and then a secondary football executive would be the assistant GM, which Ian was, that's not the case with every team. And the Bears knew that Ian Cunningham in a secondary football executive role would be leaving for what the league considers a secondary football executive job in Atlanta.

Brad, so the league made that ruling when it was asked several weeks ago, I believe, by people on the Bears beat. My question would be this. Obviously, we understand that this is something that Ian Cunningham would seek and pursue because it is a promotion. The Rooney Rule, though, is confusing if they are not going to award compensation for what is technically a promotion, even though he explained it very well there. who at the league office would be responsible for explaining to or issuing a statement for this contradiction, it would seem, because the bears have every reason to believe that this would be something that should be rewarded if, in fact, they have an executive that is moving on to greener pastures elsewhere by virtue of his success in Chicago? Well, I think the league would tell the Bears, in the way they define it, it's a lateral move. It's a secondary football executive position in Chicago leaving for a secondary football executive position in Atlanta.

And certainly it's a different title. I've got, it's a better title. I've got no doubt it'll involve a handsome pay raise for Ian Cunningham. who then it's not lateral then it's not lateral if it's a change in title and an increase in pay

that's a definition of a promotion thank you so the bear's recourse would have been to block it then that's not a good you don't make any friends in the league

and that looks bad and that defies you're shooting the messenger here Dave I'm not shooting you Brad I'm just talking we're just talking no but I think David

has a really good point which is if you're changing the guy's title and you're giving him more money, you're giving him a promotion. He's being promoted. He is, no question, being promoted. What you have here, what I talked about in the beginning is not every club has the same structure. Right. Right. And so you are going to have to come up with a system, which is not going to be a perfect fit

for every team because not every team's flow chart is the same. Like that president of football, where Matt Ryan is over the football operation, where the Falcons have an entirely separate president, CEO, just like the Bears, have, it makes it different. like the Falcons added another layer to the hierarchy there under Arthur Blank, the owner. Right. And so how do you, I think the league would say, how do you look at the situation in Atlanta and not deem that title, that position, that director of football,

to be the primary football executive? You're exactly right, Brad, and you are the messenger. but I think that we both can agree that what you just described would encourage the bears to block Ian Cunningham. And any rule that is designed to defeat the purpose of the ruling rule. It totally would. You're discouraging progress. And I think any time you do that, you've got to look at exactly what you're doing here as a league. And if you're doing this, explain it in a statement.

And I just don't think they have adequately. Yes, I agree. Yeah. And I don't know that they will come out and make a – statement on it, blocking it would be a bad move for Ryan Poles from the standpoint that you never want to discourage your workers, your people under you, your friends to not pursue things. And that is not something that would just wrinkle the nose of Ian Cunningham if you said, no, sorry, Ian.

Oh, that would be a problem in the league. Yeah, I agree with you. It would be a problem for others in the building at House Hall. Like, I can't imagine there's many people that are more excited and happier for Ian Cunningham this morning than Ryan Poles. And you want to see your friends achieve, you know, other things. And good for him. good for the four years that he helped Ryan Poles get the Bears up and running. Yeah, no, everything you're saying is accurate,

and nobody is mad at Ryan Poles or the Bears for blocking. No one's mad at Ian Cunningham for advancing in his career. I think there is, though, this kind of quizzical response to the league. What do you mean? Why are you doing it that way? And it would be better if they just explained it, but that's the NFL. I mean, like, I guess, you know, one thing which would be confusing, let's say, and this is a hypothetical, right, but let's say Ian had landed in the job that went to Matt Ryan.

Okay. Yes. The Bears would have gotten two compensatory draft picks. Then the Falcons go to fill the GM job under Ian and another diversity candidate is hired for that job. Okay? Then does that team get multiple draft picks? But the league, these are compensatory draft picks. It's not like the Falcons.

I know that, yeah, I'm aware. I know you know. It's not like the pockets are being punished. So it's just, I think it's a can of worms. Yeah. Then don't put the rules. Then don't make that. Don't incentivize something that you're not going to reward.

That's all. It's just inconsistent. It is inconsistent. Well, and it was, it was a challenging thing. The Tennessee Titans had kind of had a different structure to their front office. before that was actually, I think some clarity was achieved for everyone here earlier this month with them kind of redesigning how they're doing things. But in some places, it's a little bit different.

And just to be real clear here, like this isn't something that catches the bears by surprise. Right, right. They were aware and it's unfortunate for them. It's more unfortunate when you look at the spirit of why these rules and measures were put in place. Like the league has made some progress in some areas. There's no question about it. Very little progress in terms of minority officers. offensive coordinators, but the league's trying to get better.

And, you know, I think Ryan Poles and the Bears will be fine. I would imagine the next step here is probably a promotion for Jeff King, who's the director of player personnel, who's been originally hired as like a scouting assistant. He's excellent. Yeah. Back in 2015. And, you know, because you've got people there that are probably deserving of new titles. Yeah, I've been told that he's excellent.

I have been told by people that he's very good. He's already on the GM radar a little bit. Jeff King had an interview for the GM job of the Chargers just two years ago in 2024. And he had ties to Harbaugh, a relationship with Harbaugh, which made it look like. This guy might have a chance here. They went with the guy at a Baltimore who's Horwitz. The name's escaping me right now. But a guy Harbaid known through his brother, obviously, for a lot longer period of time.

But Jeff King, an impressive guy who would be probably the natural replacement with Ian Cunningham exiting. Great explanation, Brad. We got to get to Joe Fortinbaugh. Yeah. Good stuff. But quickly, is Matt Nagy getting the job? I mean, these jobs are all drying up. Sean Mannion took maybe the most coveted job working with Nick Syria.

Yeah, that's a good question. It's a joke. I think Matt wanted to call plays. You know, I'll say this about him. And I know it's low-hanging fruit in Chicago, and people like to poke fun at him. But when you look at the fact that that can't. guy was two games above 500, 34, and 32, I believe it was. And four seasons is the Bears head coach with Mitch Krabiski, a quarterback.

And then some of the other guys that they had at that position, two trips to the playoffs. Maybe not all his doing. Vic Fangio was there as the coordinator in the beginning. But, like, people beat up on him pretty good. And I'm like, you know, go over a period of time, the Bears being above 500 for the four seasons under Nagu. again with Trubisky a quarterback, a quarterback he didn't draft. I think some of the criticism of him by Bears fans is a little, is a little unwarranted and obtuse. Didn't expect that.

Yeah, thank you, buddy. The defense for Nagy. That's Brad Biggs. Have a great weekend. You too, pal. Football man of the Chicago June. Play Harbor, former NFL player. Play Harbor, slot to the left.

Here's a big pass. And it's caught touchdown by. Harbor. That's a touchdown. Clay Harbor makes that catch. And they've got Harbor for the touchdown. Football analyst for Chicago Sports Network. I think the bears have two really good tight ends. I've been in tight-in rooms, meeting rooms, practice fields, game field. These two guys, three guys, you can even throw Dermasmyth in there. But Colton Loveland and Colk Met are extremely tough and physical players. These are guys that can do everything. Clay Harbor. Your large adult son, Clay Harbor. He's,

he's, he's bigger than me, but I'll still take him down. On Chicago Sports Radio, 670, the score. You know he's here. Clay Harbor's sitting right here in studio with Rahimi Harrison Grody

on the score. You see I had to raise this chair up to be higher than both of us. Did you notice that? Immediately came in and put the chair up. Yeah, I was going to say, is your chair low, or did his go to Haw?

Is this a CHSN thing? Like, David Hawa always has it up like he's a baby in a high chair. That's so I give Haw, every time I can. come in with you guys and I ask, why is your chair so high? My knees can't even fit under the desk here. It's like pinching off circulation. Why is your chair so high? I don't know. I just like to be up high. He likes to be seen. I'm David Hawes. See me. Look at me. Get that man of saying.

He is Clay Harbor of CHSN. As you heard, the former NFL veteran of the Eagles and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played tight end. Now he talks bears here. He's from here. He's from the great Dwight, Illinois. You already knows where Dwight is Marshall. I know what's up, right? I know what's up with Dwight. I've been through Dwight many times in my life and on my trekked Illinois State University. What's going on? Clay, you good? I'm great, man. 31st of this month, I will end my 31-day challenge Marshall, dry January,

mixed with 31 days of workouts, 31 saunas, 31 cold plunges, no alcoholic beverages, and we're almost there. Congratulations. Thanks. THC beverages along the way? No. Okay, just curious. Well, because that would make him hungry and then he would, you know.

I'd eat. That would not be good or encouraging. So, congratulations to you and all of those who practice dry January. I'm typically worried about the people that feel like they have to, not clay, because I know you're a beacon of health. The people that do it every year and look forward to it, you might have a drinking problem. If that's the month where you stop drinking, you might want to get yourself to a meeting instead of going on Instagram and telling everybody that you're doing dry January.

Good advice. I'm just saying. I just want you to take a real look at yourself when you look that for. Not in your case, though, Clay. I appreciate that. Have you always lived this way? Like even before, like when you were growing up as a, when did fitness become so important to you, Clay Harbor?

Before we get into your three bold bears moves. Honestly, it was like post-NFL because everything was so structured and regimented. When you're in the league, you got these saunas, these steam rooms, these massages, everything's taking care of, the best coaches in the world. So you got to, like, kind of take it on your own. And I did a deep dive to, like, all these, not hacks, but just these things that, how the human body works, whether it's cold exposure, whether it's heat exposure, whether it's morning sunlight, whether it's delay your caffeine intake until 12, whether it's

all these things. And you start putting them together and you realize that you're so much more productive, you feel better. and, you know, longevity is a thing. Now that I'm about to be 40 years old, I'm looking at the mirror and I'm saying, man, I'm really going to have to take care of some of this stuff. What a flex at this boomer room where he would say something like that.

You know what's even more important than longevity, though? What's that? Bears. Bears. Well, I was going to say, isn't that under the longevity category, the umbrella of longevity? He's trying to sustain the success the Bears had in year one under Ben Johnson and with Caleb Williams trying to make sure that he continues to get better

in year three after a substantial jump in year two under a new head coach. Yeah. And as Grody tees earlier, I came up with three bold moves that I thought Ryan Pohl should make this off season, right? And I got a lot of feedback on social media. We did this on CHSN, the Big Pro Football Show with David Haw, your guy's very own. Ruthie Polinsky's up here a lot as well. Po, Po, Po.

And I got a lot of feedback. Some good, some bad. But should I just get started here, you know? Please. And then let me hear your guys' thoughts after each move. Of course. Let's do it. The first one is we're getting out our scissors.

You know why we're getting on our scissors? We're cutting somebody. Snip, snip. Okay, this guy's guarantees are done. Tremaine Edmins. I'm not saying I dislike him as a player. I'm not saying he is a bad football player. Tremade Edmins.

But what Tremaine Edmins is, third highest paid offball linebacker in the National Football League. Offball. Right? He's 37th and overall. grade, 55th in coverage grade, 29th and mistackle percentage, 45th in catch percentage allowed. Everything you look at when I watch his tape, I think he's fine, but is he that much better than a guy you can get for half the price? No. So my thought process here is if you cut him,

you can sign a guy that can do his job for less. You're over the cap already. You need some other positions, maybe a little bit more. You still got T.J. Edwards. Hopefully coming back healthy. So, Tremaine Edmonds, Marshall, Grody, getting cut. You know what? I don't have a problem with it, mainly because I think we saw in some of his absence this season, other guys could be affected. DeMarco Jackson is actually legit.

Watching his film, the guy can play. In Dennis Allen's defense, he can maneuver some things. And it comes down to two things. That position just isn't as important as other positions that the bears need to address. and if you have that much money tied to it and you can get out from under it, I don't know if it should be a straight cut, a negotiation for a restructure of some kind. I don't know, but it's hard for me to see someone else coming in here

at another position not being a boom to this Bears defense. And if Edmonds has to go away to make that happen, I feel like we can live with that. I agree with that. Like, they showed me in the even A. Amen Ogbog, Bog, Bamega. I know he wasn't always active, but he had a couple big games. He had a couple big games.

He really did. So I do have some trust in Dennis Allen and just the nature of the position not being considered. It's not a premium position. And DeMarco Jackson, we didn't even mention, and maybe people have just given up on Ruben Hippolyte, and maybe that's even fair. It's one year. No, Asul still? Noah Sewell still?

No, Asul is there not. Obviously hurt, but you'll be back. But that's a good example of a guy who made a jump, too. Like, he was not great, but I felt like he had been left for dead until this staff came around and we finally started to see something from Noah Sewell. So yeah, I am down with the cut of Tremaine Edmins, as likable as he is, and as, you know, he's a good player, but you can do his expendable. Iberflus guy.

This is the one that gets a little bit of hate right here, okay? And I understand it because it's tough for me to say it, because I'm a big fan of this player. I enjoy this player. I appreciate him. As a former player, I respect the heck out of him. But number two, trade somebody. We're going to trade DJ more. What's?

Okay? Okay. I love, like I said, I love big play DJ. I think he's excellent the way he goes out there and gives everything. I know there's been a lot of speculation at last play, whatever. This guy did a good job of buying into the system. He is the 13th highest paid wide receiver. He's making $28 million a year.

He was 50th in NFL and receiving. yards, 26 and TDs, 25th in pass rating when targeted. To me, you can find another receiver that can contribute for a lot less money than what you're paying DJ Moore. And right now, DJ Moore, arguably, you got Roma Dunzee, Luther Burden coming on strong. Look at the end of season. Luther Burton, Colston Loveland, Cole Cometts still under contract. You got all these players. I'm not saying DJ's a bad player. You're over the cap. I think you need help in some other positions. You got some playmakers a wide receiver. You can sign another guy

to back Rome and Luther and Colston and these guys up. But DJ, if you trade him, you get off the books. Post June 2nd, you get off the books for his salary. You're probably not going to get much. It's kind of like the Amari Cooper deal when they traded him.

He got like a fourth round pick and everybody's like, wait, Amari Cooper with a fourth round pick? They got away from 20-something million dollars. So, Marshall, Grotie, trade DJ, Moore, give me your thoughts. I'm not as sure about this one. I think for a lot of different reasons, just because of the way the cap works and what are

you really losing? Because last I checked, my lasting impression of Ben Johnson's final press conference was they got to catch the football. And DJ Moore is a guy who actually, you know, catches the football. And so that's him as a leader. And I understand he's the highest paid bear. He was the highest paid bear. This past season, he's scheduled to be the highest paid bear.

pay bear next season. So I get it. But I think what they need from Caleb Williams, there may be other areas they can address before getting DJ Moore off the roster. Although if they traded him, I would understand it. Dangling him makes sense. I mean, that does. I mean, it just, it's a logical thing to do. But yeah, I'm going to go along with the idea that DJ Moore is still, still, and Colston Loveland might be right on his tail, still their best playmaker, big plays in big moments. And unfortunately, part of the equation for me, too, is Romadunzee showed me this year that I need to see more from Roma Dunzee that I need, like that maybe he's still going to be

really good and he is expected to be really good considering where he was drafted like he is supposed to be, but I'm still not completely sure on that. The cap hit is 28.5 million in 26, 27, and 28. So I like where I get the why. I'm not ready to go with DJ Moore at this moment. Yeah. So I understand where you're coming from with your creativity of trying to figure out how to get this team under the cap. I just think DJ Moore is too valuable on this roster at this time. Yep.

That is the truth. That is Clay Harbor from CHSN. It's the Rehemi Harrison Grotie show. We will talk more bears with Clay when we return on the score. With that being said, we'll go back in the bunker. here after a couple weeks and we'll assess where we can get better as well. That's our commitment to each other. That's our commitment to this organization is we got to continue to clean up, you know, where we can find little edges that make us a little bit

better over the course of the season. So that's Ben Johnson talking about the NFL offseason and what the Bears need to do. You know, there's a famous quote about baseball's off season. And it goes like this. Rogers Hornsby was asked what he does in baseball's off season. He says he stares out the window and waits for spring.

Which is lovely. And baseball has kind of an early quick push right after the season ends with some free agent signings and a couple of trades. And then there's like, I don't know, a month and a half to two months of awkward deathly silence.

The NFL is freaking relentless. Relentless. Like the senior bowl is this week. We're not as plugged in as we usually are because we actually like our team. And because your team played later, which is a nice little treat. The season went a couple weeks longer. Yeah, let's touch on it a little bit tomorrow though when you and I get to be back here together. But so the senior ball is happening. And then before you know it, what do we got? The combine? The combine is literally two weeks after the Super Bowl ends. That's crazy. So you think about those people that have to go cover the Super Bowl and it's like, seasons over. Just kidding, the combine's next week.

Those poor bastards. It should be you. One day. One day. So, yeah, you got that. And then how about like some of the decisions for these contract situations? There's like there's certain bonus dates which trigger whether a guy will be kept on the roster or not and things like that. There's a lot of important dates coming and that's usually an early March. And so you have this bridge between the combine and the opening of the negotiation.

period for free agency. And then last year during that bridge was when the bears made some of their seismic moves with the trades to get the offensive line restabled, restabilized. And so like it's all going to be coming fast. The legal tampering period March 9th. March 9th. And so that's like less than two weeks after the combine ends. And like I say in that middle period there, there will be opportunities to pursue trades

with other people as you're trying to get yourself set up for free agency, which the Bears have obviously been very active in in previous years with big headline grabbing trades over the last few years. So when Ben says they're going to go back in the bunker, you think they're back in the bunker this week? You think they're talking about stuff? They're probably at the Senior Bowl right now. I don't know who all would be out there from their staff right now, but yeah, like...

I saw Ryan Poles watching Zion Young from Missouri today, so he's out there. So we've got, you know, you've got eyeballs out there, and then, yeah, they'll get back in real soon and get their puzzle together. And what I always remind people is that, like, all of these... decisions everybody wants to just take a decision and be like make a decision well they all are intertwined right because you have a salary cap that you've got to play under and you've got to figure out the dynamics what does this move at this position due to our needs at this position and so it is all there's so many moving parts and it's why the harmony between a general manager and a head coach

is so significant i'm sighing why do you think i'm sighing because i don't believe that the n-fell salary cap is real like i feel like there's so many ways that you're so many ways that a smart capologist, which just about every team has now, can figure out things to do, turn things into a bonus, do an extension. There's gymnastics. There's gymnastics. And because the Bears of a quarterback on a rookie deal, are they really strepved or strapped here? Well, so look, like they're stretched would be the word I wanted.

They're not stretched. Yeah, get on back there. Quite as much as you might have indicated. But look, like they have things that they can do to create room for other things that they might want to prefer to do if that makes sense. At the same time, this isn't baseball. This isn't a situation where you can just go identify the five biggest free agents on the market and just go sign them all, right? Like, you know, and turn yourself into the Dodgers. You know, like that's not happening in the NFL.

Thanks for bringing that up. So you have to have some of the wiggle room that you have to create and you just have to have a clear picture of what you're doing. The Caleb situation is fascinating for me because as you mentioned, he's still on a rookie deal and will be for a couple more seasons. What does it jump to like 10 mil or something this year? Yeah. I mean, it's peanuts at this point. But you're not that's less than that. You're not that far off from having to make the decision on how much do you want to pay him in an extension.

Earlier today, as we did transition, we were talking about him being here for the next 10 years in some capacity, right? It is 10.7 mil, by the way. 10.7 for this year. You start doing those long-term extensions. it forces your front office to think about, okay, now what do we do with these other contracts to start to make room for the idea that we're going to have a guy at quarterback that we've got to pay a boatload of money to keep here, right? So let's talk about some of these specifics.

There's part of me that wants to keep all these conversations going until we do Ben's Vision, which you so lovingly promoted earlier today. But the truth is, because of the dates we just talked about and everything, that we can go ahead and have some of these specific conversations, and Alex Kuhn is going to throw a player at us with their respective situation. Go ahead, Alex. Yeah, so I would just want your first blush answer here, staying or going, will these players be on the 2026 team, and we're going to start. Okay, hold on. So yeah, you're setting the parameters.

You want both of our first blush asks. Okay, good. Will Tremaine Edmonds, who has one more year remaining on his contract, be on the Bears in 2026? You want the guy who knows stuff or the guy who just says stuff? Either way. You guys decide between yourself. I'll go with the guy who just says stuff and occasionally knows stuff when he talks to the people. Well, snake drafted. Oh, I like it.

My first blush answer on that one is no. Really? I think they can clear out about $15 million in savings by letting him go. It's obviously a signing that was from a previous regime that prioritized the linebacker position. I just think like if you want to start to do some other big splash stuff at other positions, you might have to get yourself some of the room that you do in the gymnastics arena, and they might have to do that one. That's just first blush.

I'm not committed to that, but that's my first blush. That's a $15 million if he's cut before June 1st or traded or whatever. See, it makes me want to ask about T.J. Edwards' contract. You know what I mean? It makes me want to start thinking about those puzzle pieces and also about a veteran or not in the room and such like that, but you've also got a massive injury now that T.J. is coming back with. Correct, right? Which factors into this conversation, for sure it does. Sure it does. You're going to go with no vets whatsoever. You're going to, you know, trust. Noah Sewell's got a

big time injury. You know, like, do you trust Amin Agbongam Bamaiga or any of these people, which is why you end up. Yeah, DeMarco Jackson. You'd have to trust in that circumstance. That's fascinating. Yeah, I would have said, I would have said yes, but now I hear Dan Reader say stuff and I think differently. Just because I had to give a take, like that's a, a loose take because I'm wobbly on that one, but that's just first blush reaction. Yeah, that's fascinating. How about Kevin Byard? This one, unrestricted free agent.

I'm going to say no, he's not back on the 2006 bears, and it shakes me because I really feel like KB was the heartbeat of leadership in that locker room this year. I really feel like he obviously played it an all pro level and was honored accordingly, and he's so important. But some of the things that Kevin was saying, some of the things that Ryan was saying last week, you're just like, this is the business of the NFL where it's like, you may have priced yourself out of our plans, you know, and like Kevin wants to be here, they want them back, but it's the safety position.

You've got to sign four of them, right? Like, they've got four guys coming out of contract with that position. You've got other needs. Yeah, polls brought that right up. Right away, we've got four safeties. Yeah, and so I... But they don't trust Elijah Hicks or Jonathan Owens to become a starter, do they? So I think you might have to just completely over all that room, and we'll see how they do it.

I, like, if I were advising them, I would say bring back Kevin By, at whatever number he names because I just feel he was that important to the culture setting of what happened in 2025. Yeah, I'm a yes on that. I'll go against. I appreciate you reading the tea leaves, but I think they find a way. And maybe it's with Tremaine Edmund's money. Maybe it's with some other money that they need to find a way because they've got to make a Jaquan Brisker decision as well in that room and try to figure all that out. Go ahead, Alex.

Yeah, well, why don't we get to Jaquan Brisker since we just got to Kevin Byer? I would also say no there because I just think that the durability issues, not this season, the previous three were an issue. And then, you know, you're talking about a veteran that you'd have to pay based on a leap of faith. And I think they probably might move in a new direction there. I would assume no. And I'm ready for a no. And I've been ready for that.

Terrific game in the playoffs against the Rams. It wasn't consistent enough, right? No, it wasn't consistent enough. Didn't make enough flash plays and then all the durability stuff. You know, it's fascinating. You got me thinking about the way that they've talked about other safeties. The way that Ben talked about the Green Bay Safeties was notable to me.

Like his admiration for the way that they play and the way that they attack. And is Evan Williams the strong? Right? Evan Williams is the strong and Xavier McKinney is the free. So Williams is the one who attacks the lead blocker so violently and makes a difference in the run game.

There are about four or five times during the year where you asked Ben a question about the opponent and the gushing was so genuine. And that was one of those instances where you're like, He really turns out the video and thinks, man, like, these guys are tough to deal with. And he had to play him three times, right? Like, I know Evan Williams missed one of those games, but, man, it's a challenge. Yeah, well, and it makes you think about the way, the way, what he admires in such positions.

Yeah. And it should, frankly. So, but that said, boy, two brand new ones would be quite a thing. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I don't think I like it. Go ahead.

Let's stay in the secondary and get to Nashon Wright. Fascinating one here, Speaks. A friend of Take the North, Nishon Wright. Nishon Wright is out near his home in the Bay Area this week, getting ready to partake in the Pro Bowl games. Not the Pro Bowl, the Pro Bowl games, but Nishon gets to go as a replacement for Quinyon Mitchell. Good, albeit late honor for him.

Good for him. What a wonderful story. Great story. And I think because of that, Nishon is going to draw some interest on the free agent market where the bears are just going to have to say, we wish you the best. We've already got Jalen, we've got Kyler,

We've still got another year with Tyreek Stevenson. You know, we've got a lot of money already allocated to this position. We can't really provide a lot more. And you've got opportunities that are going to turn your head and be life-changing for you. So thank you for your services and really appreciate it. Good luck. I would have expected the same. So, yeah, I agree.

And it's a wonderful reclamation project and story and find and coaching win. Yeah. Go get another one. Yeah. That's what you have to do every year. Yeah. That's part of the business. Terrell Smith, going to be healthy?

It's a great question. I mean, I really liked his game when he was playing. A lot of people do. He's been hurt a lot. And, you know, you just got to take that into account as you're putting your plans together. So we've gotten to three unrestricted free agents in a row. This guy is the only one on this list under contract for more than one year. And that would be DJ Moore.

Well, you know where I am. I've stepped out onto that precipice. I don't think DJ Moore will be here. I'm a no. I think he's back. His contract goes through 2029. I think it's going to take a lot to get the return. that you would want for DJ.

It's going to be fascinating. I mean, there's a lot to unpack here on DJ's time in Chicago and in the next six to eight weeks when they get in the bunker, those discussions, to be a fly on the wall of those would be a lot of fun because they'd be very, very informative, I think, of the direction of things. So a lot of stuff getting floated out there about other expensive players and other markets. Jeffrey Simmons, I think it's second team all pro.

Jeffrey Simmons, I mean, that's like, that is a really good and still very, useful player down in Tennessee. Bear saw him a couple years ago and he wrecked the game on him. Yeah. Yeah, but if I'm Tennessee, I'm not sure how motivated I am right now while their quarterback is on a rookie contract, although maybe they want a wide receiver, et cetera. Max Crosby, obviously getting thrown around. Like, does the trade partner have to be something like that where it's an expensive

player coming back because of what's on DJ's deal? Does it have to be a problematic contract coming back? It's a great question. It's a great scenario to talk about just because, yeah, like you say, you're going to have to to marry up numbers, you know, and the Bears, again, like, they signed DJ through 2009, right? Right? Like, that contract's not expiring anytime soon.

There's some exit paths in there after this year. But in the NBA, the rules are you have to line up the numbers and be between, be around 10% I believe it is of the money coming back. Yeah, yeah, yeah. In the NFL, that's not the case. No, no. And so, like, this one, again, like, I just want to clarify that, that part of it. I would love to hear from DJ, too, because his season this year was so sort of confounding,

just because there were so many, like, iconic highs, you know, franchise iconic moments, and then these things, I'm like, where was DJed this afternoon? Like, why did he only have one catch for minus four yards? But then he had some of the biggest catches in the franchise. Ever, ever, right? Like, yeah, there's a few of those where you're like, man, that's hard to overlook. We had a text earlier. Does Luther Burden make that catch that DJ made in the end zone against the Packers on that Saturday night?

Great question. I say no. That was a very difficult catch, by the way. Degree of difficulty, very. Yeah, with Cushan Nixon hanging all over his face mask and exhausted too, like a couple plays earlier. He couldn't even get lined up properly. Yeah. The texture had another good question. He was wondering, the bears seem to run a lot of long routes on those daggers. Sometimes there's somebody behind that going deep. Oh, sure, yeah. Do they seem gassed at the end of games more than other teams' wide receivers? I don't know. I don't think so. That's a... Interesting question. It's a good question for Ben at some downtime in the offseason.

I'm like, how do you get the conditioning to be able to do all those clear and replace? Right. And are they measuring like how many yards their guys are running per game as opposed to how many yards other teams? They've got the GPS stuff. They've got so much tracking data that I'm sure they're able to put that in their sports science system. All right. Carry on there, Alex Coon. What about DeAndre Swift, who has one more year on his deal?

I say yes. Like you could get out of this contract. I think it would be about $7.5 million. that you'd get back under your cap. Maybe that gives you a little bit of freedom. I just think that, like, DeAndre really, he caught my attention this year because of how coachable he was, both under Eric B. Enemy and Ben Johnson. You saw the things he struggled with in 2024 become strengths in 2025.

It's true. And he had a career year rushing and doing the things that Ben wanted. He's such a low-maintenance, tough player, too. It's just like, I like those guys in my locker room. and so I think DeAndre is back for the rest of his contract. I've been on a journey with DeAndre Swift when he was signed by the Bears. You were a fantasy drafter of him, if I'm correct, yes? I'll get to that, yeah.

Sorry. There's a lot of steps along the way, okay? It's like, you know those times, like you go across a creek and you're going from stone to stone or stone? That's my journey with the Andre Swift. Like, when the Bears signed him, I had remembered him being a bruising badass at times in Philly. Sure. Because that's what they asked him. to do, and he was motivated to do it, and he did it well, so I was all about it. And then his first

year here, I was massively disappointed in the style of running, and how many times he seemed to bounce it outside, how many times he seemed to just accept a couple of yards when maybe he could have gotten four or five. And then I got excited about the way that Eric Biennamy and others were talking about him, and I did draft D'Andre Swift. And then... Slow start. And I got disappointed again, and I caught him in my fantasy league. And I did draft. And I was... And I talked about all of this, and Lawrence made fun of me relentlessly, because that's what he does. And then he went to Washington on a Monday night. And he exploded.

He exploded. In the rest of the year, he ran like an absolute bruising badass, which I had seen in that year in Philly. So I feel like it's a matter of motivation and a matter of coachability like you're talking about. And it's just understanding the vision and the way that they wanted him married to the tracks, right? Which is the design of the play and just, you know, like just trust it. Like just trust it. And sometimes the trust is going to fail you. And the play's going to get stopped.

but more times than not it's going to unlock what we need this play to unlock, and he was great with that this year. Who's the running backs coach on this team? It's a great question. That's another one. We got to wait for the answer to that. His kid from Boston College, we don't know what he's doing. We don't know what he's doing.

We don't even know he's here yet. Yeah, we don't do we? Yeah, you don't have to know. They don't have to tell you. Eventually, they'll have to put out an announcement, but I think, again, this musical chairs game of assistant coaches around the league will continue to go, and then eventually, when you got a staff fully in place, here's our changes.

Same offense, same offensive line, same quarterback. Looks great. But is that enough to keep DeAndre Swift in his same role, regardless of who the same running backs pitch is? Heck yeah. And the same mindset. And it factors into the continuity, right? Like this is another guy that would just be,

you don't have to start at the ground level with because he's been here learning the whole thing. Textor says the moral I took away from today's story was invite Speegs to my fantasy football age. You know, you should. You should, by the way. I am down to one league. One league isn't enough.

You need at least two. One. One? I've had three, and that gets a little hinky. You're just rooting against yourself at that point. What do you do? Exactly. But I could use the second one, texter, so let me know.

All right, we got any more there, Mr. Coon? No, we're out. A lot of people ask about Cole Commit. What's a contract situation on Cole Commet? Look, there's no way you need at least two. You need at least two in this Ben Johnson offense. He found his role so well last year alongside Colston Love.

This is what you need. And I thought Cole showed himself to be a really capable outlet guy who's also capable of running routes down the field and surprising a defense. He's still signed through 2027. What I'm seeing here, I think it would be about an $8 million cap savings if you decided to part ways with him. So it just depends on how much cap you want to clear. And, like, you know, like, everybody likes to go, you know, the hypothetical free agent market and just like, ah, top shelf, top shelf.

You get every top shelf free agent that there is. But, like, you're not the only person shopping in that store. And so there's a lot of things that you have to be very realistic about, about what you're going to get done, what you're going to have to save for the draft, what you're going to have to save for 2027 in terms of the things that you want to do to build the team. Cole Komet has some Kevin Bayard-esque value to me on the offensive side, too. durability has been a plus for his entire time here. Veteran acceptance of roles, showing people how to do it with a work ethic. Yeah, I mean, I've been a fan from the first day he got here. Obviously, I know some of the receiving production isn't where some fans want it to be.

But Cole is he's so multidimensional. And we've gotten an understanding of what it is he actually does in an NFL offense and how tight end rooms work. And particularly, as you mentioned, in this offense, you need a bunch of them. You know, and like you've got an emerging one, obviously, who's going to be the big past catching weapon for you for a long time, presumably. But you still can pair that up with some other good stuff. This was satisfying.

I like when I'm partnered with somebody who knows stuff. Alex, write that note down and just, you know, until Lawrence gets back, he knows stuff. But I like, you know, partners who know stuff. I'm writing down in my notes, pretend to know stuff. Doing a great job. Killing it. Can't wait to talk to Coach Dan tomorrow.