Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - What are the Bears' top priorities to address? (Hour 2)

Episode Date: March 9, 2026

In the second hour, Leila Rahimi, Marshall Harris and Mark Grote discussed what the Bears' priorities should be as the NFL's legal tampering period opened. Later, they reacted to the Bears adding defensive tackle Neville Gallimore on a two-year deal.

Hey, this is Richard Deich, the host of the sports media podcast. If you're interested in what's happening with all the places where you consume sports, the sports media podcast has you covered. I've been turning down interviews all week. Hoda Copy, reached out, Oprah, George Stephanopoulos. So I said, no. I was booked on the Deich podcast before the Taylor Swift phenomenon. I must live up to my responsibility.

Listen, wherever you get your podcasts. There's plenty for everyone. No need to panic. plenty for everyone. There's plenty. Don't stampede. No need to stampede, sir. It's not even open yet.

We came back early. We've got 10 seconds. 9, 8, 7, 6, 5. There comes. I like a countdown. 3. 2. 1. Happy legal tampering, period.

Negotiation window. Pretend like teams didn't talk to each other and people didn't talk before this. Doesn't it feel different? Wink, wink, nod, how about that? Doesn't it feel different? I can't believe you just called it the legal tampering period. You hate that.

Why do you think I did it with a mock countdown, Mark? Oh, okay. It's called tone. This news hit just a few minutes ago, and this is important. This per Ian Rappaport, the 49ers are now said to be open to trading pro bowl left tackle Trent Williams. Source to say, if the situation doesn't get revolved. resolved. A resolution has not been easy, and Williams is reportedly frustrated with the process. He is due $32 million in salary with a $38 million plus cap number because there's no such thing as a left tackle store.

37 years old. I think I'd prefer to go to the Taylor Decker store of left tackles. Yeah, did Taylor Decker declare himself available? He posted. He posted. He posted. did and basically said, hey, I'm out here. You guys are looking at this all wrong. We could just call up Jason Peters, get him involved. Get him off the fishing boat. Jason Peters, who told us more about the Bears that year than the Bears coaching staff did?

Listen, I'm just saying, you could coax him out of, I'm trying to remember if he officially retired. Maybe not. Check those paper. Does anybody ever retire anymore? For the record, if Alexei Ramirez can play in the World Baseball Classic at 44, perhaps Jason Peters can still play in the NFL. That's amazing.

Yeah, it was amazing when he came back like he did to the bears at the age of 40, and he was pretty effective. We need Jason Peters. He delivered. He was magical because he still had elite skills and still was in good shape and also didn't care. So then he just told people what was going on. The Taylor Decker thing, he requested his release because he was asked to take a pay cut from 18.2 million. He is 32 years old, by all accounts, still above average as a left tackle, not considered great or elite anymore if that's where he was at one point in time, but that's what you're looking at.

So there's some expensive, but you do have to take care of left tackle and you must take that seriously, even though they got away with Theo Benedetting it last year and Ozzie Tripilloing it last year and to varying degrees of success. Yeah, I see that. He's very holiday inexpressy, and I don't mind a holiday and express. I had a refrigerator and a microwave. So I knew I was living large. You spent a long time downstairs. You did. You did.

We lost a lot of good midnight out there. I get it, man. I know the downstate world, man. I got you. Do you get that complimentary breakfast in the morning? Some of those eggs in you? Face turned into a cinnamon roll. Make yourself a waffle and a little waffle iron.

What I did was grab fruit. and leave with the fruit. I don't know if I'm even allowed to do that, but the fruit was there. I was like, I'm going to have it, not for breakfast, but for a snack later on. I think they know who you are.

They probably knew you were a guest and they were cool with it. Don't ever look like you're not supposed to be at the free hotel breakfast. That's how you give yourself away, right? If you look both directions and then run off with some waffles, that might show your guilt.

Yeah, just confidence. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotia on 104, 3, the score. And while we're waiting for some news and we're absorbing more from the NFL as this day is one where you're going to find out which teams want whom. For example, where's Tuatung of Iloa going? Reports say that Atlanta is interested in his services.

That would make sense. We're going to get a lot of those details. But just like we brought up Corner in our previous segment, and Brad Biggs telling us, essentially, you should pay attention to Corner. That asks the question, then, what is your biggest priority for this team? For me last week, as of Tuesday at 3 o'clock, it was get a new center. That became number one. That seemingly has been addressed with the trade for Garrett Bradbury.

So now it is more so than safety even for me, because I feel like there are a lot of people available. Who else is playing linebacker for your team? I'm not nearly as worried about linebacker as some of these other positions, just because I feel like, first of all, linebacker while being important, because every position on the field is important, it's less important than defensive line, and it's less important than secondary. Until you have like three dudes available. And I guess if Ruben Hippolyte is going to be somebody who they can depend on, despite being a healthy scratch when he was available and then injured when he played, Noah Sewell's

out with the torn Achilles, T.J. Edwards had a broken leg. You're hopeful he's available for when the season begins, but I'd imagine there's a ramp up period there. Now, Noah's brother, Neffi, is also on the team, but the DeMarco Jackson thing was big for me. You know, the fact that the Bears got that business out of the way, I don't necessarily know. Is he somebody who you trust to start? Like, Mark, what do you think? That's a great question, and I just wonder if they're going to give it a try. They're just going to let him loose, that there was enough of a sample size with, obviously, was very good on special teams. He had that, he was, I believe he was special teams, or not special teams,

I believe he was defensive player of the week for the 15 tackle game he had against Pittsburgh. I mean, they had success. Like, A man, Ogbong Mamiga had a couple of nights, or at least one really nice game. It may have been the same game that DeMarco Jackson played well. And so they did have, like left tackle, like patching it together and making it work, they were able to make linebacker work. I was really surprised that you were kind of, either one of you were questioning DeMarco Jackson's signing. I think that's an excellent signing. Well, does he start?

Start. Yeah, I think he will start because, as you said, he will. was the NFC defensive player the week, and it happened in that 31 to 3,1 over the Browns. We have breaking news here on the score. This is from Tom Pelliserro for everybody wondering what was going to happen to the real blankie for Caleb Williams. Alamede Zakias Akees. Well, according to Tom Pelliserro, he is headed to the Falcons. That per sources, seven years after making Atlanta's roster, he is headed back. So that sounds like that is what is going on when it comes to Alameday Zakias.

All right. He can't hurt you anymore. So you don't have to worry about Alameda Zakiya's keyes on third down or not blocking. Yeah, so seven years after making Atlanta's roster as an undrafted free agent, Ozzie is back in the ATL. Wow, Tom. It's a lot of acronyms there on a deal negotiated by B. Parker of Vayner Sports. So farewell, Alamede's Zee.

Zekees. I thought he would be better. I thought like 39 catches 313 yards last year for the Bears. It wasn't all bad with Alamede Zakias. A lot of us thought I remember thinking in training camp just watching those two. It seemed like Caleb and Alam, like he would have been the safety valve and he was at times, but never quite what I had thought. But those are the types of guys that you're going to be bringing in now with having some pretty good depth there right now.

You know what Alameda Zakias ended up being and I'm completely good with it? and it was functional and it worked for a time and he served a purpose. He was Caleb Williams training wheels and Ben Johnson's offense. Okay, so you said that linebacker's not your priority. No, linebacker is like I feel like they will find what they need at linebacker. I'm not as concerned about them being able to find a linebacker. My priority is still up front. Like, give me an edge rusher.

I think two things. What do you do when you've already spent a lot of money on it, though? I think you draft. I think you draft. And that's, you know, from a free agent standpoint, yeah, you got to sign the safety. I'm hoping it's Kevin Byard, two years 10 per. That should get the job done. If it doesn't, now, and this is why it can grow to be a bigger deal than what I think it is.

I think they're absolutely going to get their edge rusher help from the draft more so than free agency. Not that they won't sign someone in free agency, but let's be honest, it's not going to be Trey Hendrickson, I don't think. May I throw some names at you? Yes, Marshall. Like for possibilities, and this is a guy in my work going through all of the defensive ends and interior defensive linemen drafted from 20 to 32, which I did over a couple of weeks ago. One of the names that popped up was Odafe Owe, who was drafted by Baltimore at number 31 overall back in 2021. Last year he was traded mid-season, but did have. seven and a half sacks in 12 games for the Chargers.

He is young, 27 years old, 30 sacks in five years in his career. He has not been an overwhelming guy, but he's a guy who can, you know, seven to 10 sacks in a season. That's one name that you should keep an eye on, I think. I think he exactly, and he was brought up to me probably about a month ago by Clay Harbor. He is exactly the type of guy that I could see being functional with this team. under the employment of Dennis Allen as he sees fit because he has a certain versatility to him. And what he was able to do in that short stint with the chargers in that system tells me,

okay, maybe Baltimore didn't get enough out of him. And now Dennis Allen can get what he needs. I mean, he had 10 sacks in 2024. I like him as a guy because, as you said, he's young, he's got enough experience that now maybe he's ready to take the next level with a payday on the line. I like this. Dang well then. No, no.

Okay. So that's it. Your top four. Your top four cap hits now. Armonta sweat edge at 25.085 million. Jalen Johnson, your corner at 25. Joe Tuny is at 21.5. Dio, another edge, is at 20 and a half.

Then it's Jonah Jackson. Let's do six. And 19 and a half for the cap hit. And then it's Grady Jarrett at 18.9. So that's why, yeah. Yet to a man, if money is not an object from a football standpoint, edge rusher is something that the bears need. But I just, I go back to the concept of,

how much does Ryan Poles, after spending all that money, think edge rusher is what they need? Well, I'll say this. This is why Adafi O.A is not DiDingo. I don't think this is as much a theoretical, let's take the pressures and try to convert that into sacks. He's had sacks. He had seven and a half sacks.

It's not a projection like it is with O'Donbo. He also has a double-digit sack season under his belt. You know who doesn't? Diodeingbo. Wait a second. Was this Ian Cunningham's first actual order of business other than saying Kirk Cousins wasn't going to be there? Was his first siding a lot of a de Zakias? Makes sense, right?

Especially when you tie in that connection. I didn't even tie in the connection, but I guess, I guess, yeah. Bear South. Bear South, Atlanta Bears. You know what that tells me is that Ian Cunningham was one that said, hey, hey Ryan. Hey man, I want a Lomadez Akias. If you're the Bears and you're trying to petition to the NFL and you're like, oh, yeah, if Ian Cunningham didn't get a promotion, then why did he sign a Lomede Zakias for his first order of business?

Huh? Because who in their right mind would do that. Yeah. Look who he signed. If that doesn't say, give us two picks, I don't know what dies. Ian Cunningham is about to destroy the Falcons on his own. No, I'm kidding. I'm joking.

I will say this. We'll say this. I rest my case. Alameda Zakias is a lot cheaper than, I don't know, Alec Pierce, who just got a deal, according to Tom Pellisero, of four years, $114 million. Yeah, it was never going to happen here. With 84 million guarantee. Alec Pierce.

We have conflicting numbers. Uh-oh. What do you have? Showdown, according to Adam Schaefter, it's 116. According to Pat McAfee. So a two-year... According to... I hate when you guys fight over other people's information.

No, I'm not fighting at all. She could definitely be right. I'm just saying, this is what Tom said. Yeah. So it's interesting because the way the payday comes out, those numbers, is like, did you get it from the team or did you get it from the agent? And with Tom Pellazero, he got it straight from the agent. Because it says C.J. LeBoy and Michael Swenson of Wasserman football.

So the Wasserman agency. You want a few other defense events to play with here? But I also want your priority because you haven't given your show. Oh, we're doing the priorities. You know what it is right now? What I need to hear today, and I think I made a prediction that we hear this today somewhere along the line, whether it was on podcast or wherever, is it going to bring back Bayard? Safety right now, as we sit here today, that is absolutely what I want to know about right now. For Byard, who when he first came here to the Bears, because you got to look at this relatively, two years, $15 million.

Now you would expect that he would make $10 to $12 million per year, probably a two-year deal. you say, well, he's 33 years old. Do you really want to do that? The guy's never missed a game and he just had what you could say was his best year yet in the NFL. So I want to know what they're doing. Is there any chance? I haven't heard a thing about Jaquan Brisker personally. I've heard nothing.

He's expected to get maybe a three-year $30 million deal. So that would be actually similar to Bayard, but probably the extra year, whereas maybe Bayard, because of the age, would not get the benefit of the longer contract. So we just went from the line outward on the Bears' defensive unit. Yeah. You said edge rusher. I said linebacker and you said safety. And now I'll say this.

When I say edge rusher, I'm talking about their overall priority. Like this is what needs to be addressed. If we're talking about just what should they have done today, I'm with Grody. Kevin Byrd is the move today. Considering how important it was to this Dennis Allen defense, then I could even make the argument for it being a general priority too for the Bears to make sure you have a safety. And I know it's not ideal to have your safety be one of your best players. You don't want that.

But maybe that's just the way it is. So wait, which is your top priority then? I'm saying edge rusher is still my top priority, having someone who can actually get to the quarterback. But at the same time, in free agency, I expect them to address to address safety first. And Byard should be the call unless someone's out here paying in $15 million a year. You should be able to get Kevin. buyer to come back.

Okay. So, yeah, I went with linebacker because that was my priority of filling the space. Yeah. So I'm still sticking with that being my priority. Filling the space is absolutely edge rush. However you wanted to find it.

I assume the bears are going to sign safeties. I think there will be safeties on the bears next season. I can see them bringing back Elijah Hicks, too, unless Elijah Hicks hasn't signed with anybody. I mean, he's a very good special teams player. Elijah Hicks, I know people don't hear a lot from him, partly my fault.

Great locker room guy. Great dude, very well liked in there. strong player. You don't want him as a starter at safety necessarily, but he's a good guy. I wouldn't be shocked if they brought him back for depth. He's a details guy. He does what's asked. Absolutely. He has the specialty of special

teams and he can get out on special coverages and stuff like that. He'll have a long NFL career just because of that. Some more secondary news. And this is where the quarterback discussion kind of comes into play for me. So we got the news earlier today about the Jacksonville Jaguars agreeing to a deal with Monterick Buster Brown

of three years and 33 million. The price on corners is going up. The Raiders, reportedly, according to Ian Rappaport and quarterback Eric Stokes, have agreed to a three-year $30 million deal. He's getting $20 million guaranteed. That is not a cheap position by any means in the league. So that's why I keep this top of mind when Brad Biggs said that. So then that's $10 million per, right?

So that sounds about right for a corner. But for a corner. Yeah. So I think, you know, when you consider Jalen's a $25 million cap hit. You know, it's another reason to, I just thought of this, too, like to staying in the secondary, is that Ryan Poles has said, I've heard him saying various interviews at various podcasts and maybe even here the last two years is that he is, when asked what the hardest position to evaluate is, what would you guys say? Ryan Poles says, slam dunk, no doubt about it, the hardest position in the NFL. to evaluate. What would you guys say? I would say secondary.

Yeah. Yeah. So safety. Safety. I would have said corner maybe. She says safety, hands down, is the toughest. Which makes me think even more we're going to get information on either Kevin Byrd or if they have to go to DeKuan Brisker because if it's such a tough science in the draft, then I don't think that Ryan Poles is going to. I mean, of course you have to still draft safeties, but he would prefer to go with the known, the known, than the unethical.

than the unknown for Bears. Oh, the known. The known makes it to turn. That's what it is. Are you living in it? Are you coughing in your information? The key is living in it. So much so that you can implement it with a game plan and you know your coach gave you the right game plan.

Wow, this is a big day. Mark the tape right there. You know what? This is so big. That is amazing. So you're living in the known and I agree with you. And that's the thing about Kevin Byard. Don't forget, that's the man he name checked when he was first made available talking about

the off season. You're like, oh yeah, we'd like to have these safety. Kevin Byrd, certainly going to have a conversation with him about coming back. And then thanks to our name of Bears Receiver, who disappointed you segment, when everybody started to bring up all the names, I did laugh because George McCasky name checked Darnel Mooney and it doesn't always work out the way you want. Also, to the person 708 who texted us on the text line, Mike Evans to the Bears. Man, I wish, but I don't know that that's happening.

Mike Evans, in case you didn't know the long time, tape of a Buccaneers receiver, 12 seasons with the team. He's expected to become a free agent as well. We have a lot more to come here on Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 104 through the score on this negotiating period day. You can talk to dudes day. I think, Marshall, you brought up a good rule change that as we go around the NFL

and kind of get into some of the more notable moves that have been made so far, I think that part of it also affects. it. So let's get into just some of the details. And yes, more moves that could lead to bear's moves or not next. Football is fun. Why shouldn't your football podcast be the same? Follow and listen to Head the Call NFL podcast with Dan Hansis and Mark Sessler wherever you get your podcast. Rahimi Harrison Grody. Midday's Tyndal 2 on Chicago Sports Radio, 1043, the score. This is Rahimi Harrison Grody. All three of us with you today, Marshall Harris. Mark Grody, Laila Rahimi, and Ray Diaz, who just had the best announcement of how to put the negotiating window that is open.

I'll present to you, but I have to ask you a question first. How are you guys feeling in there? Is it cold? Because the negotiating window is wide open. Oh. You know what's bad about that? When you said, is it cold? I was like, I guess it's not because I took off my hoodie. So usually I am freezing in here, and it's not cold.

Football dad jokes. I liked the one you said earlier to Tanny. Do you feel the breeze? Oh, that's how I said. I couldn't even remember how I said it the first time. Do you feel the breeze? And then I was like, please say that on the air. And then more things happened.

So now we're getting a report from, is it Tom Pelliserro guys about Kenneth Walker going to the Chiefs? Okay. I had heard that as a potential. Ian Rappaport. Thank you. And I actually think that this is, this is notable for a couple different reasons.

That is a marked definition there. Who did they get to be their offensive coordinator? Eric B. Enemy, former Bears running backs coach. Then they go out and get the Super Bowl MVP. It's not quite blank them kids or blank them picks, but it's definitely blank them passing yards. Like they're going to run the football in Kansas City. Well, also because KC hadn't been, wasn't KC last,

year you can't get away with who do they draft who are they going to make great now that we don't know anything about now they're like yeah we need a brand name back here and so they got a brand name so a brand name back there i i i love this right now because as we see it kind of come together for these different teams you're like oh that team's taking a step back oh that team might be back where they were oh that team was already good why they're getting better oh that team is going to run the football that's what i see happening like that is a this is a new day for the in Kansas City. Yeah, I'm going to get after your ass.

Pretty much. That's what, that sounds like what happened. Man, you know what? Eric Studezville, he better be entertaining, man, because... Be enemy wise. From one ear to another. It's a lot of pressure for Studezville. I don't think we're going to get that sort of stuff from him.

Maybe, who knows? What about Press Taylor now? He's got a lot of pressure in the press conferences now that Declan Doyle is gone, and Declan Doyle has Max Crosby. Oh, man, yeah. You can make the argument. that Declan Doyle got a job from the work that he did in front of the media and answering every single question well and intellectually well.

This is a time where I want to just point out one difference between this negotiating window of two days versus years past. So every year we get new bylaws and resolutions. One of the resolutions proposed by Pittsburgh, the Steelers, has been accepted. So this is resolution G1A, officially from the NFL. Yes, you could say that in this context. For one year only, that means this is a one-off, this permits clubs to have one video or phone call

with no more than five prospective unrestricted free agents during the two-day negotiation period, permits clubs to make travel arrangements with such players upon agreeing to terms. So you can get some FaceTime with these guys if they're trying to figure out where they want to go and you're trying to figure out if you want to bring them in. But I think it's going to be more of a recruiting call

because you've obviously done your due diligence at this point. Well, it's also just them softening the – because really what's the penalty? If you're not going to punish anybody for this or you're going to be selective as to how you do it or you're even going to be like the NBA where they're like, tapering only applies to the heat and the bulls.

Wait, why? Why is that a thing? So if that's the case, then they might as well actually officially allow some product – like productive conversations to occur. The better question is, does anybody actually spend an hour? Because when we're getting news minute by minute like this within the first half hour of the window being open, what is there left to do with some of these guys?

And Mark, I want to know what you think, too. I sincerely doubt a lot of these conversations even go an hour. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I mean, maybe 20 minutes or so, get on the calls and make sure you're on the same page. and then move on. But yeah, no, I agree. And I think it's, it is, I mean, something that's being done already. They may as well make it out front and make it legal and make it real because if everybody's

doing it, then you might as well make it out in the open. I mean, it's kind of like the situation with Connor McGovern, for example. So the latest report that we had had prior to the weekend was the bills had not conversed with him. And then suddenly, well, he's resigning with the team. Four years, 52 million. That's kind of how I see this part of this year going. I think the conversation on the govern specifically, as Grody just mentioned, was like,

oh, by the way, four for 52. Okay, yeah, yeah. I know I haven't heard from you in two weeks, but that works. Well, when you assume you're going to get a deal done, too, perhaps that's the reason there hadn't been a lot of discussion. And I feel like that's happening right now. For example, one of the texts we just got on our text line, do you think that if the Eagles released Jalen Carter, would the Bears consider signing

him with his dysfunctional past. They're not releasing. Why was he released? Hey, hey, guys, like right now? In all actual, I know you're laughing, Leila, but they, right, presently, the bears may not have the proper infrastructure to take care of him. Still, I'm joking. Of course, if you could get him, you get him.

But the defense is kind of not there at the moment. Okay. So the original report was, from Mike Florio, who said it was a report that the Eagles have received to trade calls. That doesn't mean he's getting released. Shooter shoot. Yeah, that's that's really, you know what right? Dare to dream.

Dare to dream. It's shooter season is what it is. Not just for us, you know, treating this like the store where we have unlimited funds, like we're on a shopping spree that we won, the old service merchandise shopping spree at the end of Will of Fortune, circa the 1980s. We're not living in those times anymore. So let's fast forward to 2026. and look at the reality of limited resources.

Do you know what his fifth-year option salary is? Just so you guys are aware, his fifth-year option salary, because of his Pro Bowl appearances, which I like Jervon Dexter, but he has not had them for people who say that Jervon is better than Jalen Carter, which is also strange to me. His fifth-year option salary has spiked to $27.12.7 million. So almost 27.2. $2 million.

Didn't I just say that Montes, what was your highest right now, your highest cap hit? Come on, guys. Like, what are we doing here? Well, this is all, this talk is coming because, in part, in part, because Eagles have a lot of guys. They're trying to keep or sign. They signed tackle Jordan Davis to a three-year $78 million extension with $65 million guarantee, locking him up through 2029.

There's also the question of, I think I brought up. Jalen Phillips. I can't remember it was here or last night, but Jalen Phillips, also I think the Eagles are desirous of getting something done with him. So the Eagles, Eagles are trying to keep the band together, but that is an expensive band right there. And as long as they continue to do well in the draft, they can pick and choose who they want to keep because they know they've got a new wave of guys coming up that'll be ready if not their rookie season, that second year of their rookie contract. to contribute to a team that's been very good and very consistent for a while now under Harry Roseman, who is, as we know, not afraid to kick the proverbial can down the road. Well, that's the difference. It's just because one team does it or just because another team, like say the Cowboys do it,

doesn't mean the Bears can. And for all of us talking about the stadium, too, which I think is a big part of the discussion, in this scope, do the Bears have the... capital, knowing how much of the gap they have to fill in on the stadium. Do they have the capital to kick the can down the road? Like, that's part of it is a cash-rich team like the Cowboys or the Eagles who you know got into a private equity interest. I don't necessarily know that the bears are in that position credit-wise to be able to do some of these things. There is an amount of capital that you have to have. Do I know what it is offhand? No, but I

understand that teams who have those influxes are probably more likely to do those things. The way I'm looking at the Eagles, like the cap hits right now. And the way it looks for the multi-year table and the way it goes up. The multiverse. Their own version of the multiverse, it feels like they're going to have to make decisions. And they've been very good at making the right decision on these types of moves. So when you hear things like, oh, well, A.J. might get traded and understand he's owed over $100 million over the next four years, easier said than done sometimes. And I do wonder if the bears are just trying to avoid ever being in that situation,

or especially being in that situation before you're at least on the second contract of the quarterback, Caleb Williams. There's always a way, though. Like, I get it. Like, there are, we could all look and look at the salary cap, but there are, yes, there's always a way to kick the can down the road. Now, the Bears have done that in the past. It has worked to varying degrees, giving up assets.

I was talking about this last night on Fox 32, a little bit different, but the Bears have had those years where they are the team twice in the last two decades, where they have given up the two first round picks and extra stuff down the road, once for Jay Cutler, second for Khalil Mack, who, by the way, is going back to the Chargers. again after flirting with the bear. That's okay. That's okay with me.

I mean, you're obviously, we're not getting premium Khalil Mack anymore. That wasn't a make or break thing. Oh, we're not getting Kalil Mack. No, it wasn't. You understand Kalil Mack's not the same Kalil-Sys not. There were a lot of people who called for Khalil Mack. There were quite a few people who wanted Khalil Mack. You know what I say to that?

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. But we saw it. We saw it on our text line. We saw it in social media. There were a lot of people who thought that he would come back. But Kalil Mack still got paid very hands. handsomely, too. 35.

Is he a slam dunk Hall of Famer? I heard somebody say that. Like, Khalil Beck, no doubt about it. Slab dunk, got to be a

first round Hall of Fame, first ballot Hall of Famer. I don't know. He was on that trajectory early in his career, but quite frankly, since the year 2018,

has it's kind of been a, here's why he is. Here's why he is. A first ballot? Oh, not first ballot. That's what I mean. So it's like, no, he'll walk right in.

to Canton, Ohio. Oh, I thought the question was, will he be a Hall of Famer? Yeah, I think he's a Hall of Famer. Yeah, I think he's a Hall of Famer about. But I mean, like, automatic, you don't have to think about it. Yeah, first ballot. Oh, I don't think it'll be First Ballot just because the way it works. But I think he will be a Hall of Famer, no doubt.

And it won't take long. So was Rishan Gary not hacked? Oh, that's a great. That's a great point, Leila. Tell the story. Tell the story. Tell the people. You see what had happened was, Rishon Gary told everybody who wasn't going to be a Packer

anymore and he had this really cool custom graphic that was made kind of like the one Kenneth Walker just busted out saying he was a part of the cheese but Kenneth Walker waited. So Rashon Gary on Friday about the time our show ended around 2 o'clock or so, posted this big graphic about how he wasn't going to be with the Packers anymore, but all 6'5-200-some-on pounds of him was going to play in the NFL somewhere else. It seemed pretty well done, seemed pretty legit. And then suddenly it was like, I've been hacked. I didn't say that.

Then the next thing you know, you're getting the reports that Rishon Gary is being traded to the Dallas Cowboys. Because the Dallas Cowboys need an address shirt. Oh. Who was then traded to the Packers who played opposite Rashon Gary. And the Packers are going to receive a fourth round pick in 2027 as the return that per Ian Rappaport. Well, if it isn't you trying to fix the problem, you create it down in Dallas. I just. But he wasn't hacked or he was hacked?

Does he just repost it and be like, Sike, I wasn't hacked after all? He knows that we know that he wasn't hacked. And this is why today is done. You could be like, oh, well, you're talking to five people today. We've been talking. We've been talking to people. He was not hacked.

The fact that it's the same exact graphic as the first giveaway. The second giveaway is how well done the graphic was. I mean, this wasn't some like, thanks for the memories, like with a random picture. It was like there was calligraphy involved. like the cursive was exemplary like I it clearly this man knew he was no longer going to be a packer it just took a little longer for him to be dealt

to the Dallas Cowboys so no don't lie until you were hacked because you're offending not our football sensibilities just our regular life social media sensibilities come on man off sides of Rishon Gary from a bear's perspective I'm happy Rishan Gary is gone

from a bear's perspective I'm worried that Rishon Gary is gone because whether they got them up their sleeve. They have Zaire Franklin. What could there be more beyond? What are they going to do with their extra resources? But yeah.

I think they are very bullish on Zaire Franklin. And I think that that was probably part of what they wanted to get done was adding him to the team. It's just Rishon Gary. Like every year, this guy like he's the up and he's great. He's his up and come and then gone. I guess that's the NFL. In 2024, Rishon or Zire Franklin had a hundred.

173 tackles. So he becomes a replacement for Quay Walker. But I think that they have to move some money around to allow for these guys to be on the team because Gary made a ton of money. He had that $496 million contract. I was worried they might have been gearing up for Max Crosby or Tray Hendrickson or something like that. That's just, maybe that's just my barrenoy. They very well still could be because over the cap.com is, I don't know how much they get to refresh it right now and when it becomes active and how that number is going to change based on today. But according to over the cap.com right now, the Packers have $19.7 million of cap space. Is that enough to somehow work a Tray Hendrickson deal and extend when you know Hendrickson made 30? Yeah. That's a good question.

Yeah. But that should be updated with the Franklin move, for example. So I wonder how much much that plays into this. We have more to come here on Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043, the score on this opening of the NFL negotiating window, which happened about 40 minutes ago. Stay with us. Hey, everyone. I'm Josh Radner, and I am so excited to tell you about how we made your mother a rewatch podcast looking back at how I met your mother. And I'm here with Craig Thomas, who co-created the show along with Carter Bays. Hi, Craig. Hey, Josh. Somehow, it has been 20 years since the show premiere. I'm going to check the math on that. Ten years since it went off the air.

And we thought that made this a perfect time to look back, see what the hell we did and why the show still seems to resonate with fans around the world today. Follow and listen to How We Made Your Mother, wherever you get your podcasts. Rahimi Harris and Grody, Midday's 10 to 2 on 1043, The Score. This is Rahimi Harris and Grotie on 105, 1043, the score. And I'm reading like 18 tweets that we've got here. so let's go through some of the news that we're seeing.

In Rappaport, according to sources, the Bucks are finalizing a deal to resign their standout tight-in, Kate Otten, taking a big-time target off of the market and a deal done by Excel football. Not surprising or necessarily notable, but it is interesting to see some guys staying in place. Another former Chiefs Cornerback in L.A., former Kansas City quarterback Jalen Watson,

this according to Adam Schaefter, reached agreement today on a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams. calling Roberts of Excel, who's very busy because he is getting the news out to everybody. He was also involved in the previous news, and it's $4,120 for Jalen Phillips to the Panthers with 80 million in guarantees. So that is big. And then there's this. What I tell you guys about left tackle being not exactly a bargain?

Adam Schaefter reporting, Commander's Pro Bowl tackle Laramie Tunsell reached agreement on a two-year $60.2 million contract extension with Washington. Washington. So at two years 60, that sounds about in the neighborhood of 30 million. Or as Grody was saying last week, 30 mil-dough. I think you said it in an interview as a unit of measurement. Is that like million dollars converted to an abbreviation? Yeah, it's a cool way of contraction. Yeah. Is there a hyphen between the mill and the dough or is that just straight through M-I-L-D-O-D-O-G-H? Or is it M-I-L-D-O-U-G-H? Because that would also... No, no, no, no, just mill-d-d-o.

Everything gets misspelled anyway these days. So just go with the mill, though. I'm sad to see Jalen Phillips off the board. I really like Jalen Phillips. I don't know if it was realistic to think that he was actually going to come to the Bears. But that's tough. He's gone. Off the board.

Scratch him off. Where do we go now? Where do we go now on the defensive line, on the defensive end? Also, this news coming down that Michael Pittman, according to Adam Schefter, is being traded to the Steelers. He has the Colts. Yeah, he had the franchise. put on him in 2024 by the cult and then signed a three-year $71 million deal, 46 Mildo, guaranteed,

and now he is on the move from the very disappointing Indianapolis cults from last year relative to the way they started their season. Well, a lot of that had to do, I think, with Daniel Jones going down and apparently they're working on some huge deal for him now, so he's going to get paid this offseason. Yeah. Cordomac goes down. It is tough. Apparently this is a pick swap, according to Schefter.

Trade terms, teams are swapping late-round picks. Plus, Pittsburgh is preparing to sign pitman to an extension. Who's throwing him the ball? Likely Malik Willis, is that the estimation? Do we feel like that's the likely move for Pittsburgh? Well, we got Malik Willis news just in this very moment. Seriously? Yeah, Packers, Free Agent, quarterback Malik Willis

reached agreement today with the Miami Dolphins coordinator to Adam Sheffter. Literally. You spoke it into it. Turns out he may be one of the 32, eh? If he hadn't heard to Atungavaloa, he was released. Was that it? Or cut? I don't know what the exact terminology was.

So, yeah, that's why that. So, okay. I just got your tweet, right? Because our Wi-Fi doesn't work in the back of the studio. Well, well, well. Kind of makes things hard on a day like this. So that's big. Are you happy about Malik Willis being out?

out of the division. I am because he's a very capable backup. He looked good against the bears. He absolutely did. So I guess. I don't really care, but relative to him playing well against the bears, I suppose. He was problematic. His ability to run really threw the bears off, if you'll remember.

Yeah. And there's a reason why the bears won two out of three games against the Packers, but it was close. It was really, really close. His line was Tyson-Bajun is stalled with the Bears. Everybody's happy. As long as nobody's messing with, because, hey, I know there was that big flurry of Tyson-Vagin talk at the Combine. I love Tyson.

Stand by. Well, Ryan Pols had said he received calls. Exactly. And with all the movement that we're seeing, whether it's Tuatong of Iloa, whether it's Kyler Murray, whether it's Malik Willis, if he is considered by the league to be in that tier of quarterbacks who are, Ben Johnson says one of the 32, is he a capable backup? somebody people trust. So if that's the case, then I feel like what we're seeing is some movement on that side of the quarterback market. So it just makes you wonder how much of a bridge quarterback he could be. Now, here's the other part of this. Aaron Rogers is still out there. And I don't think he's retiring next season. Marshall's guy. So what happens to Aaron Rogers in all of this? Or does he say

it's either I'm starting or nothing? I think Aaron Rogers is going to be back with the Steelers starting and it's going to be fine. Yeah, I ever know other names necessarily attached of substance. Can you see another scenario where he's starting somewhere? Well, I was questioning whether or not he was going to complete the Breitfarv arc, the team arc and go to Minnesota. But it sounds like they've got a lot of options there as far as what they want to do behind J.J. McCarthy. Minnesota is going to have a parade of quarterbacks maybe.

Yeah, stand by to see what they do too. like in their quarterback room. Trying to figure out, you know, what the rest of the division is going to do and monitoring that to me is just as interesting as following what the bears are or are not doing in free agency as opposed to whether there's more trades to be made

and or, you know, how they're looking at this draft. We have a bear signing. Oh. This according to Tom Pelliserro. The bears are citing defensive tackle Neville Gallimore to a two-year $12 million deal sources tell the insiders. You got your defensive

lineman market, Marshall Harris. Neville Gallimore has arrived. He is here and he will be a depth piece on the Chicago Bears defensive line. That's what this is. Yeah. So we were wondering... You need players. That's it. You need players and as we've seen with the injuries

that have been a concern, you need more so than you most likely think. Nose tackle for the cults. So the cults are making some moves with some people. Like the Colts are wheeling and dealing, it sounds like, when it comes to transactions, trades, and the like extensions as well. And we'll find out more about Neville Gallimore. What I can't tell you is he spent the first four seasons in Dallas, and then he played

a year with the Rams. And then he played last year with the Colts where he started all 17 games, or excuse me, he played in 17 games, started eight of them. I want to see how this matches up with what other moves they make, right? but that's $12 million that's been shuffled into that position, $6 million for the 2026 season. 29 years old for his career in a career, 147 tackles, seven and a half sacks, six pass deflections just off the thumbnail that I'm looking at right now.

He's from Ottawa. He played nose at Oklahoma. Yeah. He is Canadian. Oklahoma. Ontario. Okay. I thought he said Iowa at first.

Ottawa. I think I did too. Sorry. My bad. Ottawa. Okay. Well, hopefully we can learn more about him, but he was a third round pick in the 2020 NFL draft where the Cowboys took him with the 82nd overall pick as well.

Okay. Yeah. You know what it is? Michael Pittman had a $29 million cap hit since we're examining Colts news. That's large. Wow. It is not small. It is a significant cap hit.

Well, that makes it make more sense as to why the deal was what it was. We have more to come here on Brahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043, the score. So we've got three pieces of news when it comes to the Bears. DeMarco Jackson staying with the team, Daniel Hardy staying with the team, and now defensive lined up with Neville Gallimore, the former Colt. Yes? Does that mean that, I guess I should have thought of this right away, that they're not bringing back Andrew Billings,

that this is more of Dennis Allen's type of guy at that position? What about Dominique Robinson, too? Yeah, he's the defensive end, but he's going to be, yeah, but we'll see. We'll see about Dominie Robinson. I mean, since we're thinking of the backups, D-Rob was effective last year. Yeah, I don't know if they look at him necessarily as their starter, but I know that they, it felt like, although Billings still played plenty last year, it never felt like he was a Dennis Allen guy.

So maybe this is a Dennis Allen guy. He was a me guy. I always liked Andrew Billings. A me guy? I liked Andrew Billings. Oh, you like, I thought you meant like you were saying he's like selfish. Like he's a me guy. That's what that connotes.

Me. Leela, I liked him. Okay. And who didn't? It's like big guy running around. I mean, it was a massive. And frankly, the Bears needed way better run defense. He had a nice run with the Bears.

For all the pass rush we talk about, their run defense was terrible. Some might argue he was as big as an apartment complex. He's an apartment complex. Yeah. What if he heads up on the Packers? And he could be back with the Bears, too. I don't know. I'm just, I've just, I've just,

I'm trying to connect dots and figure out the significance of the saying. I mean, I'm following money here. You know, I'm thinking, I think about it. I think about it in position group in term of money. That's why I was also thinking out loud about DeMarco Robinson. So, I mean, Dominique Robinson. Thank you. Got it.

I just call him D-Rop all the time. That works. I feel like everybody does. So that's, that's my thing is, oh, how much money is allocated to this, to this position group. It's a cheaper option, I think. Yeah. So I think that that's a fair question. So we know Daniel Hardy, we know Tamarco Jackson, and now Neville Gallimore.

Those are the moves with the Bears. Five on it is coming up next as we take a look at the NFL on this negotiating window day. Hi, I'm Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a board certified OBGYN and menopause specialist. My new podcast, Unpaused, is the place for bold, unfiltered conversations about what it really takes for women to thrive in the second half of life. Every week, I sit down with medical experts, cultural icons, and powerhouse, women to talk about what really matters. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Listen to and follow unpaused with me, Dr. Mary Claire Haver, available now wherever you get your podcasts.