Bears Reinforce Offensive Line to Support Caleb Williams

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00:00So, you talk about winners in free agency and you start with the Bears and what they

00:05did up front offensively to protect Caleb Williams.

00:09Yep, Scott, every year we're always looking for who's that breakout team, right?

00:13The Bears, they've underachieved for years, they've never gotten it right at quarterback.

00:18Really since, I mean, you could talk about Jim McMahon and really we're talking about

00:21having it right for a number of years and obviously taking Caleb Williams two years

00:24ago with the first pick overall.

00:26But bring in Ben Johnson, arguably the NFL's best play caller.

00:30He's now going to be their head coach.

00:32And Ben Johnson knew looking at this football team, they had a bad offensive line.

00:35The word around the league was that they were going to be very aggressive in free agency

00:39and the draft on their offensive line.

00:41So what did they do?

00:43They've completely rebuilt the interior of their offensive line.

00:46They traded for Joe Tooney.

00:47I know he got handled by the Eagles in the Super Bowl, but folks, he played left tackle.

00:51He hasn't played left tackle since high school, excuse me, since college.

00:55So he played left tackle the final quarter of the season.

00:58It didn't work well, but he's now on the final year of his deal, so the Chiefs traded

01:01for him.

01:02Chiefs traded him to the Bears and got a draft pick for him.

01:05So he'll start at guard.

01:06They got Jonah Jackson from the Rams, Ben Johnson was with him, Jonah Jackson with the Lions,

01:12and then Drew Dolman, the former Falcons center, will be their starting center.

01:15So they've completely rebuilt the interior of their offensive line.

01:19And now when you really look at it, Scott, they've added a couple defensive players who

01:23I like.

01:24Adayo Odingbo, who's kind of a funny name, formerly of the Colts, he's a former second

01:29rounder, he's really underrated, they're paying him about $15 million a year.

01:34Their pass rush was horrific last season.

01:36So they add him in there.

01:37So Scott, this could be the team, I'm not, because you and I laughed last season with

01:41Matt Eberfuss being the potential coach of the year.

01:44They got off to that great start, then they had a terrible losing streak.

01:47This is actually legit.

01:48If Ben Johnson's the coach that the Bears think he is, with this revamped offensive

01:52line, with the talent they have at the skill positions, this absolutely could be that breakout

01:58team to make the playoffs.

01:59Well, we'll see, won't we?

02:01And what about the Commanders?

02:03Yeah, and Scott, when you look at the Washington Commanders, this is a team that knew if they

02:09want to compete for a Super Bowl or compete for a playoff spot against those Eagles, they

02:14got to rebuild their offensive line.

02:16Like, they overachieved last season.

02:17They're playing Brandon Coleman, who is either going to be a left tackle or a guard for them,

02:22I'm told, last season.

02:23So they decided to play him at left tackle.

02:25He tried his hardest.

02:26It wasn't good enough.

02:28So they made the crazy trade of giving up four picks to get Laramie Tunsell, the Texans'

02:32left tackle.

02:33So now they've got a legit left tackle for a number of years so that they could move

02:39now Brandon Coleman, I'm told, most likely, he's indefinite, but most likely to guard

02:44where he's better off.

02:45Now they've strengthened their offensive line in two positions.

02:48And Scott, when you really look at it, they needed playmakers.

02:52They got their offensive line fixed.

02:53They got Debo Samuel, who Adam Peters was with, the Washington Commanders' general manager

02:58when he was their personnel director.

03:00See, Debo Samuel, Scott, I don't think he's on the downside of his career.

03:04He had the problems with Brock Purdy being injured.

03:08Their passing game was not what they thought it would be.

03:11So they traded Debo Samuel, who's 29 years old, still can play.

03:14Scott, he's a playmaker.

03:15Yes, he's not a nine-route runner.

03:17He's not a deep threat.

03:18He can play, run after the catch, get the ball in his hands.

03:21He also can play running back, as we know.

03:24Cliff Kingsbury, Scott, one of the best play callers and play designers for the National

03:27Football League.

03:28This is a great match.

03:29Remember, last year, they had interest in Brandon Ayuk, so we knew they were looking

03:33for a receiver.

03:34They got one.

03:35And defensively, I know people thought this contract was crazy.

03:38Javon Kinlaw, a former first-round pick of the 49ers, was a disappointment there.

03:43He's getting, on his contract, $30 million fully-guaranteed siding, one of the best

03:48contracts in free agency.

03:50He played really well, Scott, last season with the Jets, where he did not play well

03:53with the 49ers.

03:54He's going to help solidify their defensive line, and they now can compete.

03:59And you look at Scott.

04:00They overachieved last season.

04:01Let's call it like it is.

04:02They didn't have a very good roster last season.

04:04They overachieved, and now they are a legitimate contender to be a perennial playoff team.

04:08But they still need a little bit more help on defense.

04:10But now they know they can compete in the NFC Youth for sure.

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