Did you get any information postgame, and what other injuries did maybe you see or hear about that maybe haven't been reported yet?

Yeah, I mean, listen, the commit injuries, I'm sure they're kind of bracing for – Bad news with that.

And that's a tough one because he brings so much to the table.

He last night, prior to the injury, joined Mike Ditka as the only tight ends in franchise history with $3,000.

career receiving yards.

Bears have been playing football for a long time and Cole's in the best company possible there.

And while Colston has kind of become the primary pass catcher at that position, They lean on Komet for everything, and he's outstanding as a blocker in the run game.

The play itself and also just in that decision to be able to call that type of play in that situation down by the goal line.

Did you get any information post-game, and what other injuries did maybe you see or hear about that maybe haven't been reported yet?

Yeah, I mean, listen, the Komet injuries, I'm sure they're kind of bracing for Bad news with that.

And that's a tough one because he brings so much to the table.

He last night, prior to the injury, joined Mike Ditka as the only tight ends in franchise history with $3,000.

career receiving yards.

Bears have been playing football for a long time and Cole's in the best company possible there.

And while Colston has kind of become the primary pass catcher at that position, They lean on Komet for everything, and he's outstanding as a blocker in the run game.

The play itself and also just in that decision to be able to call that type of play in that situation down by the goal line.

How has that evolved?

Well, I mean, it's evolved pretty well for him here since Ben Johnson arrived, right? Caleb took...

a league-high 68 sacks as a rookie, and didn't look good.

But you looked at it and you said, my goodness, this coaching situation is a complete disaster.

And they knew they had to fix it, right? So they fired Matt Eberflus and that staff, and they were able to sort of win the lottery, they felt, anyway, for Ben Johnson.

You saw Caleb's game really take off last year.

The notable things from 2025 would be some of the ridiculous plays he was able to make in the final minutes of ballgames, but he had that clutch gene, I think, that you can see as they had seven fourth-quarter rallies, I think it was.

Yeah, I was not wanting to

Is there a simple explanation for that?

No, if there was, they'd have been able to fix it by now.

The biggest explanation I can come up with for their struggles and their – They're under 50%.

You say, well, what's the percentage? What's the red zone percentage? That's the percentage of touchdowns you get on possessions that reach the red zone.

So they're at... what's it at now? Like 46%.

I don't have it right in front of me this second, but San Francisco 49ers are number one.

So they're on the absolute opposite end of the scale.

So how do you see this unfolding?

Is there a simple explanation for that?

No, if there was, they'd have been able to fix it by now.

The biggest explanation I can come up with for their struggles and their – They're under 50%.

You say, well, what's the percentage? What's the red zone percentage? That's the percentage of touchdowns you get on possessions that reach the red zone.

So they're at... what's it at now? Like 46%.

I don't have it right in front of me this second, but San Francisco 49ers are number one.

So they're on the absolute opposite end of the scale.

So how do you see this unfolding?

Him and also TJ Edwards going down as well.

Well, I mean, you're talking about three soft tissue injuries yesterday, Dio with a quad, TJ Edwards and Tyreek Stevenson, both with hamstrings.

Yeah, not ideal.

They'll have to take a look at it.

TJ battled some hamstring issues last year, and last year was the first year he had really kind of been beat up for a while in his career.

He's a guy who you look at his track record and, always available and so it's it's that's getting a little bit more difficult for him as he gets older Tyreek had a hamstring like a couple times now so I don't know if it's the same one or if it's a different one but that popped up for him again you gotta you've got to make a at least one at least one roster move this week right Shemar Turner will come back to the 53 and Man roster from the pup, the clock, the window for him to be at practice and everything expires this week.

So they're going to need a spot for Shamar Turner.

Cause if they can't stop Bijan Robinson,

Do you expect the Bears to come at Jordan Love early and often with an array of blitzes and pressures?

Yeah, the first thing they've got to do is keep that Packers running game stuck in the mud.

Green Bay's got one of the least productive rushing attacks in the league right now.

They've got 232 yards rushing as a team through four games.

They're averaging 3.2 a carry.

So the first order of business is you... stop the run, so you're putting them in a second and eight.

You're getting them in a third and six in positions they don't necessarily want to be in.

Is that a vulnerable spot for the Bears going into Sunday?

Do you expect the Bears to come at Jordan Love early and often with an array of blitzes and pressures?

Yeah, the first thing they've got to do is keep that Packers running game stuck in the mud.

Green Bay's got one of the least productive rushing attacks in the league right now.

They've got 232 yards rushing as a team through four games.

They're averaging 3.2 a carry.

So the first order of business is you... stop the run, so you're putting them in a second and eight.

You're getting them in a third and six in positions they don't necessarily want to be in.

Is that a vulnerable spot for the Bears going into Sunday?

Tell me what you see out of this Packers team coming into this contest.

The biggest thing that jumps out to me is just the total inability to this point to run the football.

And if you can't have some success running the football, it puts a ton of pressure on On your quarterback, and in this case, I think it's been too much pressure on Jordan Love.

It's all been on his shoulders, and the pass protection hasn't been great.

So what happens, you get a guy who is considered to be a highly accurate thrower.

He was over 66% last season.

He's at, what, 56.5% right now.

What would it take for the Packers to win this game in your sense? When you look at this and you say, okay, if this Packers team does this, this, and this, or maybe if they exploit whatever this weakness is of the Bears, what would it take for the Packers to get the win?

What would it take for the Packers to win this game in your, in your sense? When you look at this and you say, "Okay, if this Packers team does this, this, and this," or maybe if they, they exploit whatever this weakness is of the Bears, what would it take for the Packers to get the win?

Well, I think you start with, uh, playing pretty good, uh, pretty good run defense.

If in the-- I thought the Packers did a decent job defending the run against the Bears last season.

You go back to the wild card game, right? The Bears had 93 yards rushing.

Okay? So Green Bay did a really good job against a high-powered, uh, rushing attack in that game.

Um, so if, if the Packers can do that, if they can slow down what is far and away been the league's best, uh, running game through four weeks, then they've got a chance.

Then, then you're saying, okay, you're putting pressure on the backup quarterback in Tyson Bagent.

Defensively speaking, how good have the Bears been up front to where you think, eh, you know what? Maybe they could really control the line of scrimmage if the Packers aren't completely up to snuff in this game.

I don't expect you to be an expert on the Jets secondary, but isn't that strange? Was that all last year a product of the scheme, Al Harris, everything coming together? Because here's a guy coming to town on Sunday you think you would miss, but I don't know that you do.

Yeah, and he had a, listen, Nishan had a terrific season a year ago.

Five interceptions for the Bears.

He gave up some big plays, though.

Like, I think there's a, there was a pretty clear reason why they didn't re-sign him for what would be a reasonable amount.

Like, it's not like, it's not like he killed it in free agency.

I mean, it's a great contract for a guy who really didn't have an opportunity to do anything in the league until a year ago.

Can he be a big problem for this Dennis Allen defense? Do you think they can find ways to get some takeaways?

What is your prediction?

I think the Bears are gonna win thirty-one, seventeen, something in that range.

I want to know, Dave, what your prediction is for one o'clock today, Jed Hoyer talking at Wrigley Field.

I don't think they have any starting pitching under contract for twenty twenty-seven.

Well, that's a great, that's a great question, Brad.

What's the pitching plan for twenty twenty-seven? Like, do you get to some Dodgers level luxury tax situation to fix it, or? I don't think, uh, Tom would sign off for that, but.

What are your expectations? What are you hearing about the Vikings playing a quarterback Sunday?

Wow.

Well, that's interesting.

I mean, Kyler Murray limited, I believe, the last two days.

So you figure it looks like that's sort of inching in the right direction for him.

Carson Wentz came off the bench and played pretty well.

And Wentz actually started five games for him a year ago.

brad what's your prediction for sunday's game

What are your expectations? What are you hearing about the Vikings playing a quarterback Sunday?

Wow.

Well, that's interesting.

I mean, Kyler Murray limited, I believe, the last two days.

So you figure it looks like that's sort of inching in the right direction for him.

Carson Wentz came off the bench and played pretty well.

And Wentz actually started five games for him a year ago.

Brad, what's your prediction for Sunday's game?

Should we take anything that's happened in the first two games and look at that and attach it to what the Bears offense might be able to do or not do on Sunday in Carolina?

No, and I'd remind you what I said yesterday morning, that you can get some oddball results in week one.

Things can look dramatically different shortly after.

week one uh so i i just um that that's and and fortinbaugh could talk about it late later this morning you know from his perspective that the greatest um you know kind of misconceptions in the nfl are formed after one week of football uh the rams didn't look great You know, I talked to Torrey Taylor, the punter, yesterday, just about the NFL playing over in Australia, and he said he didn't know which plan ahead was better, the 49ers going almost a week early or the Rams showing up not long before kickoff.

He said whoever wins, obviously everyone will say that that was the best strategy, but he said, I'm just glad...

I don't have to play in a game in Australia, you know, make that trip and play a football game.

So we'll see.

What's he saying about Bo Gardner? I loved what HT said about him yesterday and just sort of the pressure he's under and what opposing, you know, what these opponents are going to maybe throw at a rookie long snapper.

Should we take anything that's happened in the first two games and look at that and attach it to what the Bears offense might be able to do or not do on Sunday in Carolina?

No, and I'd remind you what I said yesterday morning, that you can get some oddball results in week one.

Things can look dramatically different shortly after... week one uh so i i just um that that's and and fortinbaugh could talk about it late later this morning you know from his perspective that the greatest um you know kind of misconceptions in the nfl are formed after one week of football uh the rams didn't look great You know, I talked to Torrey Taylor, the punter, yesterday, just about the NFL playing over in Australia, and he said he didn't know which plan ahead was better, the 49ers going almost a week early or the Rams showing up not long before kickoff.

He said whoever wins, obviously everyone will say that that was the best strategy, but he said, I'm just glad...

I don't have to play in a game in Australia, you know, make that trip and play a football game.

So we'll see.

It's going to be exciting on Sunday.

What's he saying about Bo Gardner? I loved what HT said about him yesterday and just sort of the pressure he's under and what opposing, you know, what these opponents are going to maybe throw at a rookie long snapper.

The Cam Lewis thing,

significant loss, right, because he was their most expensive free agent addition.

The Kyler Gordon thing, they've been bracing for this since the spring, right? He literally didn't do anything on the field in the spring either, so they had to know they were going to be in this kind of situation.

I'll say what I said yesterday.

week or two ago, three weeks ago, undersold here is how Jalen Johnson has looked this summer.

And Dennis Allen talked about those improvements yesterday and, and the reasons that they're excited about how he's looking, you know, if you're going to say, uh, what's the most important out of these three outside corner nickel or safety, I, if you get an elite one, it's, it's an outside corner.

So Jalen Johnson's look good.

How would you assess the possibility or describe the possibility of the Bears being involved in trade talks for an edge rusher?

The Cam Lewis thing,

significant loss, right, because he was their most expensive free agent addition.

The Kyler Gordon thing, they've been bracing for this since the spring, right? He literally didn't do anything on the field in the spring either, so they had to know they were going to be in this kind of situation.

I'll say what I said earlier.

A week or two ago, three weeks ago, undersold here is how Jalen Johnson has looked this summer.

And Dennis Allen talked about... those improvements yesterday and, and the reasons that they're excited about how he's looking, you know, if you're going to say, uh, what's the most important out of these three outside corner nickel or safety, I, if you get an elite one, it's, it's an outside corner.

So Jalen Johnson's look good.

How would you assess the possibility or describe the possibility of the Bears being involved in trade talks for an edge rusher?

It was almost like another reminder to the fine politicians of Illinois, hey, we're really going to leave now if you don't get this

together.

If this Indiana deal was so unbeatable and so great and so enticing, you're telling me this thing couldn't have been done by now? I mean, I don't buy that for a second.

And there's there's so much due diligence going on.

We've got to come up with like a new new plural form of diligence like that could have been fast tracked.

I think that the thing could have been signed, sealed and delivered if if going to Indiana was like, absolutely.

That's our first choice.

Defensively, what are you most interested in?

But you make a great point, Brad, because it felt like while you're committed to Hammond and while they're making, I believe it was very, very good progress in that direction, that It was almost like another reminder to the fine politicians of Illinois, hey, we're really going to leave now if you don't get this

together.

If this Indiana deal was so unbeatable and so great and so enticing, you're telling me this thing couldn't have been done by now? I mean, I don't buy that for a second.

And there's there's so much due diligence going on.

We've got to come up with like a new new plural form of diligence like that could have been fast tracked.

I think that the thing could have been signed, sealed and delivered if if going to Indiana was like, absolutely.

That's our first choice.

Defensively, what are you most interested in?

Wow.

It's Burton, it's Raymond.

Uh, then you see Rome in there.

Uh, so that's gonna depend on w- you know, what they wanna do, because Burton and Raymond both have the speed to be that go route guy in a, in a 13 personnel where then you've got the tight end, Loveland or Kmet, you know, dragging across the middle as the secondary, uh, option.

So lot of, uh, [laughs] lot of weapons if they all stay healthy, a lot of choices, uh, for Caleb Williams, and, uh, it's gonna be interesting to see.

But Burton, Burton's so far ahead, guys, because he had a, uh...

he had an injury that he suffered, uh, during the off-season shortly after they drafted him, so he was kind of hurt going into training camp still.

Yeah, first round pick.

so brad what is the plan in terms of indoctrinating or bringing in dylan thenam into the starting defense if indeed that is the plan and i don't see why it wouldn't be given his draft status

Yeah, I mean, he's running with the ones.

Elijah Hicks is the only guy who would kind of force Dylan to bide his time a little bit with the reserves during training camp because Hicks has got a ton of experience.

He's been a starter for him.

He's a draft pick here.

I think what you're looking for in a backup safety, if it's not a young developmental guy with upside, You like the steady guy that is a core special teams player for you that you can put out there and he's going to know where he needs to be, and that's Elijah Hicks.

Well, he's got a shin injury that's going to keep him out for a while.

How did the nickel position look just, you know, in a very basic practice level?

so brad what is the plan in terms of indoctrinating or bringing in dylan thenam into the starting defense if indeed that is the plan and i don't see why it wouldn't be given his draft status

yeah i mean he's running with the ones elijah hicks is the only guy who would kind of force Dylan to bide his time a little bit with the reserves during training camp because Hicks has got a ton of experience.

He's been a starter for him.

He's a draft pick here.

I think what you're looking for in a backup safety, if it's not a young developmental guy with upside, you like the steady guy that is a core special teams player for you, that you can put out there and he's going to know where he needs to be, and that's Elijah Hicks.

Well, he's got a shin injury that's going to keep him out for a while.

He's on PUP.

How did the nickel position look just, you know, in a very basic practice level?

You tell me what you think of the division.

I think it's one of the better divisions of football.

Um, and it, and it certainly was, uh, a year ago wh- when you look at, um, you know, how those teams played.

Because e- even, uh, even the Vikings l- last year, you know, they beat the Bears at Soldier Field In week two, I think it was.

And then the Bears needed like a 65-yard kickoff return from Devin Duvernay to pull off one of those comeback wins at the very end at Minnesota.

So I think Kevin O'Connell is really underrated by some people.

I'm curious to see what he can do with Kyler Murray, who I think we all have an idea what his warts were when he was playing for the Arizona Cardinals.

But what are the question marks?

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