Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - What does the future hold for veteran safety Kevin Byard and the Bears?

Episode Date: February 4, 2026

Leila Rahimi and Marshall Harris wondered if the Bears will retain veteran safety Kevin Byard as he’s set to hit free agency in March.

Rahimi Harrison Grody. Could you imagine Lovie Smith doing the whole good, better best thing? And saying bleep the Packers. Come on, guys, good better best. Never let it rest. I'll see on Tuesday. Middays 10 to 2 on 104 3, the score. To throw, pressure up the middle.

Zips one deep in a heavy. Yeah, that's right. That's courtesy of, is that? Who is that? Fox or ESPN? Why did I think it was ESPN for a second? Because sometimes they all sound the same. It's courtesy of Fox.

This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 104.3, the score. 104, Lela. Get it right. I have to tell myself, guys. And Kevin Byard, yeah, seven interceptions that led the league for the regular season. Devin Lloyd, two less than him at five. A group of five was Lloyd, J.C. Horn, Ernest Jones, Antonio Johnson, Xavier Watts, and Nashon Wright, by the way, also of

free agent now. Isn't that comforting Marshall to know that the guy who got you seven picks and the guy who got you five picks are both free agents now? Yes. Like if you're managing the Bears checkbook, you're like, well, isn't that nice?

I just like when I try to evaluate moves versus moves, it's so funny how one year you can think, oh, this was great or this was terrible and then three or four years down the road, actually it's the other way around. Well, I mean, it's a wonderful problem to have, but it is still very much a problem.

The fate of Kevin Byrd, the fate of Nashon Wright, the fate of even Tremaine Edmins, when you're trying to figure out what's going to happen next for the Bears, who also was up there at interceptions with four. So it's a jigsaw puzzle that Ryan Poles and the crew are desperately going to have to fit together. And number one, I think for all of us in our minds, and we even heard this when it came to Jaquine Brisker, was. Who are you going to keep? And Brisker versus Byard was the discussion when we heard it talked about at the end of the season press conference. Who we didn't hear from after the end of the season

press conference was Kevin Byard, who's out and about because of the pro bowl games. Why are you throwing up the air quotes? That were on a Tuesday. That man had an interception. For some reason. That man had an interception that he took off and ran back and I think it didn't count

because there was a penalty on the play. Like, I think there was, like, an illegal screen because you can't screen in flag football. I know a lot about flag football because I called the IHSA flag football championships this year, and it was a delight. Screening in flag football does seem like a real illegal defense type of move. You can't block. The entire game becomes rendered irrelevant if you're screening. Yeah, because that's just, that's not allowed.

Because that would be it. That'd be the end of the game. I watched some of the Pro Bowl last night, but that's another story for another segment. My favorite's always Tug of War and then the big men commentating on the Tug of War. That's all I like. I miss Tug of War. I think we should be out here doing Tug of War. Pro Bowl games for adults?

Well, we got invited actually by Herb Howard, I was going to say us two years ago. They were having the outdoor games and I couldn't go that day, but I was like, that looks like so much fun. And Tug of War was one of the things. Like you bring your team of adults and you see. see if you got what it takes against other adults. Adult field day. Yes. I think that's what it was called.

I'm not running the 100. No, I'm not doing any of that. Potato sack race. Get me out of there for that. The games of coordination, yes. But the games of like speed and physical. Violence? No.

Maybe hitting somebody. I mean, that's speed and power and violence. Yeah, but like just not the fast and coordinated part. Maybe like the willing to sacrifice your body for the. You really want to be a linebacker. That's all I'm hearing right now. Yeah. And after the linebacker survey where they were asked about a lot of questions, it wasn't just linebackers, the player survey and hearing from all the NFC defensive players, I was like, yeah, you guys are my people. Okay. So he's more of a safety type, but if you want to

be a linebacker, we'll let you do with the full backs. I'm a linebacker, linebacker is me. That's a low center of gravity battle. That's why I feel like I would do okay. I feel you. All of that said, I can't play for the bears. Kevin Byard might not play for the Bears. So our friends, Adam Hogan, Adam Johns for CH Joe, were at the Super Bowl. They're at Radio Row. And they talked to Kevin Byard about the possibility of what, basically, we all want to know. So are you staying here or what? I think I was one of the only guys that he actually brought up by name. So now it's always good. I obviously hear your GM say that they want you back. And obviously I had meetings with him

and Ben, and they basically all echoed the same thing. And I said the same thing as well. like if all else is fair and all else is equal, everything's equal, and I would love to come back to the Bears. I think just the city, the organization, has embraced myself, my family. We had such a great year this year. And obviously, and I kind of said this in my interviews after the exhumans, it's like the hardest thing to do, and I think in this league is to get the quarterback and the head coach right.

And I think that's something that Chicago has, so I think that window is going to be open for as long as it needs to be. So obviously, I would love to come back and play for the Bears. You know, we know this is a business, and I know Pose, Ben, they have a lot of decisions to make on the roster. They're probably still trying to figure out how all that stuff works out. So like I said, haven't really had too much conversation about it because it's still January. You know, I'm pretty sure when the combine comes around where all the decision makers and agents are all in the same room, those conversations are probably pick up a little bit more.

Okay. What do we always talk about with Kyler Gordon? We're like, oh, Dennis Allen mentioned him by name. Yeah. And you remember when we played that clip, when he went through the safety. I was like, I noticed he didn't say Jaquam Brisker out loud, but he sure made sure to say Kevin Byard out loud. I said he name-checked him,

and I'm glad Kevin Byer was paying attention to the name check as well. Why am I not surprised that Kevin Byard, respected veteran, leader in the locker room, NFL regular season interception leader, had the elevator pitch on lock. He nailed it. If you're going to go do Radio Row and hang out with a bunch of media guys, you got to have a plan.

But consider what else he said. All things being equal. Here's the problem. What's the problem? I don't know that if all things are being equal, then I assume he's implying salary. And you and I were just going through a list of some of the highest paid salaries in the NFL. Let's give a frame of reference.

Number one is Kyle Hamilton at 25.1 notes. That's why I said let's give a frame of reference. Here's the frame of reference. That money is what Kyle Hamilton made, the safety from the Baltimore. Ravens last season. Additionally, you got to go... We're not doing franchise tag here because it implies the average of the top paid at your

position. You got to go all the way down to number 24 because Kevin Byer was the 24th highest paid safety last year at $7.5 million. And if the Bears could resign him at a rate of $7.5 million for two or three years, they would absolutely do it. But the NFL Interceptions Leader is not going to get paid $7.5 million, even regardless of the fact that he's over the age of 30. So Kirby Joseph at 21 and a half is number two.

Antoine Winfield, 21, Derwin James, 19.1, Mika Fitzpatrick up there at 18.4. Point is you have to go a long way. Before you even get to a number that Marshall and I talked about being 13 million, and that's Talanoa, Tala Noah Hufanga of Denver. Amani Hooker's at 13.5. Kyle Duggers at 14 and a half from Pittsburgh. Cameron Bynum of Indiana or of Indianapolis is at 15.

So when I consider those numbers, even though he's older, don't you think for even like a year, he's going to get paid somewhere in that range? Is that crazy? Josh Mattelis is getting 12. I threw out to you because this is a guy who's, what, 33 years old, going into his age 34 season. If the bears could get him on, let's say, a two-year deal where he's getting paid. paid 13 million per year, would you be okay with that? And what was your answer, Leila Rehemi?

I forget. You were kind of like, that seems like a lot. But then I made you look at all the other salaries. I mean, that's, yeah, we did that together. So I would say this. That would be what I think in a salary cap world, if you can get him to come back on 13 million per, and maybe it's a three-year deal with guarantee of, you know, let's say $30 million or something like that.

It's a lot relative to what he got paid. but the problem is it's not a lot relative to who he is now among in his position group. First team all pro. It was a steal. It was an absolute steel. First team all pro. You know, when you have our first team all pro and you are making plays in a secondary that was very questionable at times. Oh, yeah.

I mean, the first two games. So you got to give credit where credit is due. He was an anchor on that team. any other team that is interested in him right now understands that you're not just getting the first team all pro guy, you're getting a rock of a leader in a locker room kind of guy. But that's why I said, you know, he nailed that elevator pitch because he said all things being equal. Does that sound like a guy who's going to give a hometown discount to you? No, but it does sound like a guy who understands this is his last chance to get paid and

understand that the Bears as an organization have other people to pay and understand also this. you're getting paid not for your past performance, but what they think you will do going forward. Yeah, but I think somewhere in the middle is the fact that his production was so wildly high based on the previous contract. That's why it came up and almost doubled his salary at $13 million compared to the 7.5 year and last year.

Yeah, and you're right. I said that was a lot compared to what he was making, but not compared to the rest of these dudes who frankly have some questionable money on the books, some of them. Yes. And like Mika Fitzpatrick was paid for his past performance. And I think he's a fabulous player. but you know what I'm saying.

And now that looks like a deal. You know, Buda Baker, 18, okay, for Buddha? Don't you think that that's probably still relatively speaking, knowing Kyle Hamilton is getting 25.1? That's a deal. Here's what I'll say. If you take the top, let's say the top 12 guys, how many of those guys, safeties,

that's not a premium position, how many those guys end up playing on a playoff team? That's the point. Like Cameron Bynum is somebody who I kind of zeroed in on. I'm like, is that the kind of neighborhood money you're talking about here? year. And as we know, the Colts did not play in the playoffs. Javon Holland, not in the playoffs.

Jason B. the third, not in the playoffs. Zavon McKinney was in the playoffs. Lost to the Bears in the playoffs. Sure did. Trvon Moring, was, Mowbrick, excuse me, was in the playoffs. A lot of guys, more than half the guys,

did not make the playoffs last year in that top group. And Cameron Bynum is in, this will be the second year of a contract, and he's only going to be 28. 33. That age is. Yeah, that's the age. The age piece of this, the question becomes,

how much is age going to knock off the price of the contract for Kevin Byard? I thought 13 was a fair number, A-A-V. I thought it was a fair number. Also, some of these salaries are going to go up. Somebody's going to become the top-paid guy, I would think. Oh, yeah, timing helps with that. Like, for example, Mika Fitzpatrick is only going to be 30 in 2026. So, yeah.

either pay Kevin his money or keep your name out of his mouth. I think that's what Kevin's going to end up saying at the end of this. He just said it so well. He nailed the elevator pitch, man, especially saying all years, you know, all things being equal. Like, he just, he nailed it. I would just walk around saying first team all pro. That's what I would do if I was him. And then the fact that he's like, yeah, the GM mentioned be my name.

Name Chet. He said, I think I was the only guy that got mentioned by name. It wasn't just that he mentioned his name. He was like, I was special in him mentioning my name. Flawless execution. Kevin Byard, flawless in the business. Flawless. Ah, I love it.

Almost as much as I enjoyed his play this year. Make that money, Kevin Byard. I just don't know if it's going to be here. We have to do this next, right? The clip you guys were talking about with Marshawn and Jackson Smith and Jigba. Do we have it? Oh, yeah. Are you good with hold?

Oh, it's that good? It's that good. It's Marshon Lynch. Anything with Marshot Lynch is amazing. And it makes sense because Seahawks back in the title game. All right. We'll do it next.