Chicago Bears DENIED in final appeal for Comp Picks

Summary

Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode: Chicago Bears DENIED in final appeal for Comp Picks
Date: April 3, 2026
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt Abbatacola

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola dissect the NFL’s final rejection of the Chicago Bears’ appeal for compensatory draft picks following Ian Cunningham's hiring by the Atlanta Falcons. The duo pulls no punches breaking down the league’s reasoning, the behind-the-scenes politics, and what this decision signals for the Bears and the NFL’s broader policy landscape. Afterward, they pivot to an in-depth discussion of the Arlington Park stadium negotiations, explore Bears draft prospects, and close with lighter banter about NFL off-field moments and coaching quirks.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL Denies Bears’ Compensatory Pick Appeal

[00:24–08:36]

• Summary:
  The Bears’ hopes for compensation after the Falcons hired Ian Cunningham were dashed as the NFL formally denied their second appeal. The league’s chief reason: Cunningham was not given the top football executive role, as defined by league policy.

• Key Points:

  • The NFL’s compensatory pick policy rewards teams when a minority candidate is hired away for the “primary football executive position.”
  • The league determined Matt Ryan (not Cunningham) filled that role for the Falcons, even though insiders (including Ryan himself) acknowledged Cunningham’s major responsibilities.
  • The crux: It’s all about titles, not the actual work or promotion level.
  • Dan speculates the league’s reluctance connects to ongoing attacks on the Rooney Rule and fear of political blowback or precedents.

• Quotes:

  • Dan Bernstein [02:02]:
    “The NFL, the policy is designed to provide picks for the primary football executive position. The league determined Mr. Cunningham did not fill that role with the Falcons, as it is defined in league rules.”
  • Matt Abbatacola [03:08]:
    “Job title is higher, but his title is higher than Ian Cunningham. Even though Ian Cunningham is doing all of the work of football operations.”
  • Dan Bernstein [05:11]:
    “We can debate it all day… it isn’t about just getting a promotion. For these picks, he’s got to be the top guy by title.”

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2. Why Is the League So Reluctant? Possible Motivations

[05:38–08:36]

• Summary:
  The hosts wrestle with the rationale behind the NFL’s hard stand on the issue.

• Key Points:

  • Concerns about setting new precedent or sparking a wave of similar claims.
  • Potential owner resistance behind the scenes.
  • The argument: Sticking to the letter of the rule (titles), not the spirit (promotions/responsibility).

• Quotes:

  • Dan Bernstein [05:42]:
    “Or if there is an avalanche of petitions to come based on precedent … they may just feel the cleanest way is clinging to the absolute letter of the rule.”
  • Matt Abbatacola [06:33]:
    “Are there teams or owners that would say, yeah, the Bears—we don’t want the Bears getting two more picks?”

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3. Arlington Park & Bears Stadium Tax Negotiations

[08:49–22:11]

• Summary:
  Matt transitions to breakdown of the Bears’ stalled stadium project in Arlington Heights, focusing on real estate tax strategy, negotiations, and overall franchise risk tolerance.

• Key Points:

  • The Bears purchased Arlington Park outright for $197 million, paying property taxes with their own funds while seeking a favorable long-term tax deal.
  • The recent tax agreement (December 2024) fixes their annual bill at $3.6M through 2027 for the unimproved land.
  • Questioning why the Bears’ ownership didn’t secure tax certainty sooner, avoiding millions in extra payments.
  • Dan explains the difference between property taxes versus what the Bears would owe after stadium construction and why leverage with local governments is central to their strategy.
  • The McCaskey family is described as risk-averse, willing to let money sit to secure long-term advantage.
  • Uncertainty and delays attributed in part to maneuvering for tax certainty before breaking ground.
  • Dan’s sources in Springfield indicate optimism the legislative process will resolve in the Bears’ favor, ending the prolonged stalemate and enabling stadium construction.

• Quotes:

  • Matt Abbatacola [15:14]:
    “They could essentially pay through 2027… and have spent $230 million of their own money… I don’t understand how the McCaskeys are okay with that.”
  • Dan Bernstein [15:30]:
    “They’re trying to make it up on the back end… all else is leverage… when all is said and done, who gives a shit about $9 million or $3.6 million when you’re talking billions with a B?”
  • Dan Bernstein [16:20]:
    “It hasn’t been well done, but I think it’s close to being over, this whole story. With legislature talks ongoing, I believe they’ll pass this and the Bears will be headed to Arlington Heights.”

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4. Draft Prospects: Potential Picks for Chicago Bears

[22:11–25:08]

• Summary:
  The hosts review recent NFL.com analysis predicting two potential Bears draftees: TJ Parker (Edge, Clemson) and AJ Hulsey (Safety, LSU).

• Key Points:

  • Both prospects projected as “eventual average starters” with 6.29 combine grades.
  • Hulsey's Combine score is highest among safeties, but noted for his “below average recovery speed.”
  • Parker ranked as an edge rusher, but concerns arise about his ability to hold the edge and recover after initial contact.

• Quotes:

  • Matt Abbatacola [23:49]:
    “Taking a slow safety with a first round pick is not my idea of maximizing your assets.”
  • Dan Bernstein [24:22]:
    “There are some guys who, if they can’t get to the quarterback, can still affect the play. That’s what I want.”

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5. NFL Off-Field Fun: The Tale of the Missing Coaching Photo & Haircuts

[25:11–33:41]

• Summary:
  The episode lightens as Matt and Dan riff on new Browns head coach Todd Monken missing the NFL coaches photo—because he was at a haircut appointment.

• Key Points:

  • Monken’s missed photo is dissected, drawing laughs and comparisons to comically hapless NFL coaches of yore (Jim Tomsula).
  • The hosts debate who actually made Monken get the haircut and poke at the idea of NFL coaches botching their schedules.
  • Personal anecdotes about haircut expectations and partner feedback.

• Quotes:

  • Matt Abbatacola [27:42]:
    “He got the haircut he thought he needed for the photo instead of actually attending the photo, and now he’s stuck with a haircut he didn’t want.”
  • Dan Bernstein [29:00]:
    “If that were a player who missed a meeting—oh, all hell’s come to breakfast, but especially over a haircut for a photo.”

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6. Podcast Banter & Chicago Bears Culture

[33:01–34:41]

• Summary:
  Warm, relatable stories cap off the show, with Dan referencing family dynamics on air and drawing parallels to public radio legends. The hosts tease each other about spousal feedback on haircuts and close with their usual blend of Bears fandom, humor, and irreverence.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “It’s not Ed Policy. It’s their policy.”
  — Matt Abbatacola [08:07], punning on the Packers exec’s name and the league’s rigid stance.

• “The entire time it’s been about leverage. But your new timetable just happens to sync up with the general assembly session. Yeah.”
  — Dan Bernstein [21:58], calling out the transparent stadium negotiation tactics.

• “Taking a slow safety with a first round pick is not my idea of maximizing your assets.”
  — Matt Abbatacola [23:49], drawing a firm line on draft priorities.

• “Who gives a shit about $9 million or $3.6 million when you’re talking about billions with a B?”
  — Dan Bernstein [15:30], on NFL team finances.

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:24 – 08:36: Compensatory pick appeal breakdown, NFL’s rationale, and surrounding politics
• 08:49 – 22:11: Arlington Park tax strategy, stadium negotiation process, McCaskey ownership analysis
• 22:11 – 25:08: Bears draft prospect preview: analysis of Parker and Hulsey
• 25:11 – 33:41: NFL coaches photo mishap, haircut talk, and coaching personalities
• 33:01 – End: Podcast banter, family hijinks, and show sign-off

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Tone & Style

The episode combines razor-sharp critique of the NFL bureaucracy with the warm, irreverent banter familiar to dedicated Bears fans. Bernstein and Abbatacola balance deep expertise with self-deprecation and real-life asides, making it both accessible and incisive for any football follower.

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This summary captures the essential insights, memorable moments, and the dynamic flow of the conversation, offering listeners (and non-listeners) a comprehensive guide to the episode’s content.

Transcript

[A]

I mean, if you're a Bears fan, you're thinking Forward progress. Come on. 219.

[B]

219. Forward progress. A Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.

[A]

You're awarded forward progress as of right now. We will spot the ball at its furthest point or farthest point down the field. That was achieved before. You have been pushed backwards. Damn it. And sadly, the Bears compensatory draft pick saga has come to an unfortunate end as the NFL has denied the Bears appeal to receive compensation for Ian Cunningham being named general manager of the Falcons.

[B]

So it's like. It's like their second appeal. Right. Because didn't they appeal it initially? They didn't. They reached out to the league office, and then this time they actually physically went.

[A]

I think there was. I guess there was an informal appeal that became a formal appeal. Okay, so it sounds like to me that they.

[B]

So it's not like the scene in A Few Good Men where she objects, then she strenuously. Yes.

[A]

You strenuously object.

[B]

I object.

[A]

Overruled.

[B]

I strenuously object. Still. Overruled.

[A]

Overruled.

[B]

We will hear from the doctor. He is an expert, and. Yeah. The court will hear his testimony.

[A]

Yeah, that's what's happened. And the matter is now closed following the club's appeal. That is according to the NFL. That is a quote. The matter is now closed following the club's appeal. The NFL is informed. The Bears today they will not receive compensatory picks. Ready for the explanation?

[B]

I am, because I'm really confused by it. So fire away.

[A]

The NFL, the policy is designed to provide picks for the primary football executive position. The league determined Mr. Cunningham did not fill that role with the Falcons. And as it is defined in league rules. So this is the. Exactly what the NFL said. They have stuck to their guns despite anything Matt Ryan has said to undermine that official position. The league is saying that Ryan is the primary football executive. Even though the quote that we used. What yesterday on. On PFD Live when Matt Ryan said, I think in every facet of the word, Ian's a general manager in this league. The actual. This league has disagreed.

[B]

And so it has nothing to do with his job role being elevated. Right. They're basing this all on job title.

[A]

They're basing it on somebody being above him in the hierarchy.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Yeah. So I don't think it's.

[B]

Job title is higher, but his title is higher than Ian Cunningham. Even though Ian Cunningham is doing all of the work of football Operations.

[A]

Correct, but.

[B]

So it's a promotion from the Bears to the Falcons, but that doesn't matter to the league discerning his his role.

[A]

Correct. He technically received a promotion, but he is not in full charge. He is still underneath someone. Apparently you have to be determined to be the top of the football hierarchy and he is not.

[B]

So I don't understand why the league is fighting this so hard. So help me understand that. Like what does the league lose out by giving the Bears their picks?

[A]

Well, remember what I speculated yesterday, that because of what's going on with your guy UTH Heimer in the, in Florida, in the Florida Attorney General going after the Rooney Rule. Mike Florio here says it's no surprise because the league would have had to admit it got it wrong in the first place. Throw in the recent assault on the Rooney Rule by the Florida AG and a decision to give the Bears the picks would have created a potential political problem for the league, possibly in the form of a late night social media assault focusing on something other than the new kickoff information. That may be true, but the more I think about it, what do they care? Especially now, now that Goodell has essentially dug in on the Rooney Rule and said we like it, we think it's good business. Are they really scared of something Posted at Truth Social the NFL?

[B]

Yeah, I just, I don't, I don't quite get it. Yeah, because like as you said, they dig in. They stand behind the rule that they've been promoting and using in the league for years. You have an opportunity to show the how it plays out, how it works, how it benefits everyone involved. And yet they deny it because of really, it really just comes down to titles. It's not about work, it's about titles. Ian Cunningham is doing all the work. Matt Ryan has a higher title.

[A]

We can debate it all day.

[B]

Yeah, I'm not debating. I'm just, I'm confused by it. It just doesn't make sense.

[A]

Yeah, it isn't about just getting a promotion. It's about for that, for these picks, he's got the top guy. By title.

[B]

Yeah, it's just by title. It's not by activity or work. I mean, when the guy above him, it keeps saying over and over again he's the guy. What does the NFL lose out by giving the Bears these picks?

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

Unless there's other owners fighting against it

[A]

behind the scenes or if there is an avalanche of petitions to come based on precedent. If they think that all of a sudden that they're that A door is going to break down and say, whoa, whoa, whoa. Now we got to go back retroactively. What about this guy? What about that guy? They may just feel that the cleanest way they can do this is by clinging to the absolute letter of the rule.

[B]

All right, well, I'm going to have to spend some time and look into anything retroactively. Where are there other similar hirings that took place?

[A]

I can't name one. Off the top of my head, I

[B]

cannot name one either.

[A]

Yeah, I'm just spec. Maybe they're speculating if somebody remember what happened with.

[B]

With.

[A]

With Larry and you said it was this. Well, doesn't this change that now? And maybe Goodell's just worried about coming back to his office to a bunch of phone calls.

[B]

Yeah, I'll have to look into it and see if there's something similar to it, because the only thing I could really think of outside of that would be owners behind the scenes for some reason not wanting that to go through. If someone is. Is in Goodell's ear saying, this isn't the way this works out, Matt Ryan is the guy. Regardless of what Matt Ryan is saying, regardless of what Ian Cunningham is going to do for the Falcons, which is all of the football operations work, are there teams or owners that would say, yeah, the Bears. Bears. We don't want the Bears getting two more picks.

[A]

The packers. Is Matt LaFleur calling them having Ed Policy?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

When Ed Policy isn't busy telling Everybody that Matt LaFleur is okay and he's a great teacher. Yeah, that's you. It's usually a bad sign when your boss has to come out and keep saying you're. You're good at what you do.

[B]

I can't believe that people thought I'd fire him. I'm shocked.

[A]

Why would I fire him?

[B]

Well, other than the fact we keep losing, you know, in the playoffs and. Yeah, he's a great teacher.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because his parents were a teacher. And he's a natural fit to teach these men to be men.

[A]

Maybe someday we'll find out exactly why the NFL had to hold so strongly on the letter of this. Why they had to be so specific to. And it's not like it's the Constitution. The league could do whatever it wants. We're not talking about this like there's some immutable laws involved here.

[B]

Let's not pretend like the Constitution is.

[A]

No, I know, but it's. Anyway. But it's just their policy.

[B]

Right.

[A]

That's all it is. Right.

[B]

It's not Ed Policy. It's their policy. And they could say, yeah, he doesn't qualify, or, yeah, he may not be the top man by title, but he's running all the football operations, as Matt Ryan is saying.

[A]

So they could, they could have said, you know, you're probably right. This is a borderline case. Here's one third round pick instead of two. Or maybe we see some merit to this argument. Here's a fourth round pick.

[B]

Sure, they could do anything they want.

[A]

Right?

[B]

You're exactly right by that. I just don't get it. It's very confusing. Very confusing to me. Another thing that's confusing. Dan, I want to ask you about this. So this morning I was just reading through and looking through the Arlington park purchase by the Chicago Bears.

[A]

Okay, the original purchase.

[B]

The original purchase. So we're going back three years. Now, the bears, the McCaskeys, purchased the land in Arlington Heights from Churchill Downs because they were ready to sell. And they control the timing of it for $197 million. Now, they, they purchased that land with their own. Their own money, their own funds. They didn't have to do anything to borrow, right? They didn't borrow. They didn't do anything. They used their own capital to get that property for $197 million. Since then, they have paid a total of. Let me see here. So in 2023, they paid 8.9 million in tax. In 2024, they paid 8.9 million in tax. They came to a new tax deal in December of 24, which then gave them a fixed rate for 2025, 2026 and 2027 at an annual rate of 3.6 million in tax.

[A]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

So that would have been. What is that, $25 million they've paid so far. So to date, they've paid $222 million to get the property and in tax with 3.6 million owed this year and 3.6 million owed next year. So 7.2 million they still have to pay out. Okay, so right now they're at 222 million. Help me understand this. So if the Cook County Assessor looks at the valuation of the property, because it's an unused property right now, they were able to give them a lower tax break instead of the full rate because they're not building, not doing anything.

[A]

It's not generating anything other than sitting the value of the land itself.

[B]

Right. It's unimproved real estate right now. So they get a better tax rate. Then they come to this deal and they're paying not the 8.9 million, but the 3.6 million, if they were able to purchase this land with their own money, $197 million, able to pay the taxes so far, and then work out a deal to get a lower tax break? Because they're not doing anything. They're not building a stadium on there right now. Why in God's name in the last three years were they not able to sooner than where we're at now? Why were they not able to accomplish something for a guaranteed tax figure before? This mess is all where we're at now with Hammond. Like, why, if they were able to get this tax deal done In December of 24, why were they not that able to get something done sooner to say, yeah, we're going to build a stadium, here's what we're going to do. Why couldn't they work out some type of tax deal for at least a certain number of years to know what they're going to be spending for the Next, let's say 10 years or the next?

[A]

Because. Because the negotiation was with a different group about a different tax. This is property taxes. And to do it before anything else is going on. They haven't built their project there. They haven't built anything. So there's. They weren't responsible locally to the Arlington Heights School District when it came to their taxes, which is what they did

[B]

to figure out that deal in December of 24 with three of the school districts to say, yeah, we'll pay this amount. We'll give you this break, because you're not doing anything. It's unimproved real estate at this point.

[A]

So what they're trying to do now is pursuant to the project, they want to do that rather than allowing their property to be assessed after the fact. When it's. What. Hines is replacing Kagi as the Cook County Assessor now that he'll be able. Rather than him just making this judgment and looking it over and saying, here's what you're generating. This massive stadium with this many people and this much parking and this much money is going to be taxed to this appropriately for what it's generating and what, you know, what it means to the community. Rather than doing that, they want before they start their project, to have the pilot program, payment in lieu of taxes negotiated with all the. The people that could lay claim to whatever those property taxes might end up being. The largest group represented being the school districts of Arlington Heights. And the fact, until that gets done, they don't feel they can start building there. I Think all else is leverage. All else is leverage. Anything else outside of that, all of the stupid ill fated dalliances with Chicago, that last gasp possibility, knowing that they could make Hammond dance around because Indiana wants to be business friendly, which means they're, they would rather take care of rich people than their own taxpayers. That they, because they'll claim. Well, it's the, it's the job makers, it's the job creators and trickle down economic. It's all, it's all based on everything. It's been proven wrong with every state that's tried to adopt it, that had their schools desiccate and their roads collapse and their, their bridges be unsafe.

[B]

So I just, what I have a hard time understanding is I know that they're very wealthy, they're billionaires, the McCaskey family. Now there are some, and there are some current sitting NFL owners that if they needed to pull out $2 billion for a stadium, they would be able to do that on their own. Right? The McCaskeys aren't one of those owners. They're going to have to take on all of that risk and borrow that 2 billion to put towards the stadium. But so what it seems to me is as they are wealthy, they are very risk averse. They don't live this type of elaborate what you would expect an NFL owner to live lifestyle.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And so to have paid now 222 million with 7.2 million more to go. So they could essentially pay through 2027. So by January 1, 2028, they could do nothing on that property and have spent $230 million of their own money.

[A]

Correct.

[B]

On the land and the taxes. I don't understand how the McCaskeys are okay with that. I don't understand how they can say, oh, it's okay, we've spent 230 million of our own dollars. They don't see.

[A]

Now I'm sure they have because they're trying to make it up on the back end. They're just trying to, they're trying to absolutely just say. And what Kevin Warren can say is if you give me more time to work my magic and play people off of each other, we're going to lower our total costs, we're going to pay less in taxes, we're going to own more of it, we're going to have more control over it. And I guarantee you he's just saying that that's going to be pennies on the dollar compared to what's going to be generated.

[B]

And so I knew that's what your answer would be to that. But then it comes down to my next question.

[A]

Do you.

[B]

Do you believe Kevin Warren? Do you trust that he's the guy to get that done? Because as. As each month passes, I have less and less confidence in Kevin Warren. And I'm just an idiot who's a fan who doesn't care where they Play. How can McCaskey still feel confident in everything they've seen over the last, you know, 18 months?

[A]

It hasn't been well done, but I think it's close to being done. I think it's close to being over this whole story. I do think that with everything that is moving forward, with ongoing discussions in Springfield, with. With the legislature, that everything syncs up with the time when this term is supposed to be up. And from what I understand, and I'll just say from my sources in Springfield, I believe the governor's office is optimistic and that the General assembly is gonna pass this and the Bears will be headed Darlington Heights. That is if I were betting on it based on everything. I'm not hearing anything that says talks are stalemate. Nobody's returning phone calls. All I'm hearing is they're constantly talking. Everything is ongoing that they're in the horse trading stage of the final aspects of this bill. And now, now they're just this. Now the political process is occurring, making sure that. That people get taken care of, that there's compensation for an early breaking of the lease of Soldier Field. But the question for Kevin Warren then is going to be when the Bears actually say, what took so long? Why did this take so long? And he comes later, it'll say, he can say. And what I would say, if I were trying to. To make myself look good from Kevin Warren's perspective, I would say, come on, man, you gave me an impossible task here. You bought the land and then wanted to do leverage. You bought the land and then wanted to shop this around. Everybody knew you owned the land. Everybody knew where you wanted to be. What did you expect me to do? What can I do? I pulled out every stop. You know, I had the band playing. I had tried everything in the city. Michael Reese hospital, we got the preacher. They looked at the Michael Reese site. They looked at the Soldier Field renovation, they looked at the 78. They looked everywhere, and it wasn't possible. And we finally got Hammond when we threw out an open casting call to anybody who wanted to offer us something. Hammond looks viable, kind of barely enough that we think we can use it and we know that we can work them over. To have them sell it all for us and make a big deal out of it and make stupid people think that it's real. Like he, he knew that they could do that, but it was it. The question the Bears will have, was it worth it? Was it worth it? The answer might be yes, it might be. Who, who gives a shit about 9 million or 3.6 million when you're talking about billions with a B? When all is said and done.

[B]

Well, I tend to think that the McCaskeys care. That's just the feeling I get with it. And then let me see if I'm correct too. With this December of 2024 tax deal that they got in place to Instead of pay 8.9 million, pay the 3.6 million and that covers only stadium related development. So is it possible that they could have been working on developing the stadium, shovels in the ground, getting the stadium built and just the stadium while still paying just at 3.6 million in annual tax fees?

[A]

I think it's possible. But the Bears unilaterally said they would not begin construction until they had their full tax deal. They said that, that this was, this was in, to use their parlance, this was tax certainty but not enough for when it was going to be actually open and hosting games.

[B]

Yeah, I get that. But it just, to me it just seems like that's, that's missed time to save a lot of money in taxes while getting your stadium up and running.

[A]

Yep, they could have, but.

[B]

And then figure out the rest around it.

[A]

Right, right. It isn't just the missed time of. I don't think it's having to pay those taxes. I think it's the missed time of generating the massive revenues that they're just later to. So that's up to the McCaskeys. How they feel about that and what their actual expectations were. I don't know. I know for us it seemed to drag on. Maybe Kevin Warren was transparent about it, maybe said, hey, you've given me the very difficult deal here. You're going to have to give me some latitude and a lot of, a lot of rope here. Cut me some slack guys, because it's going to take me a while to gin up some, some pretend leverage here.

[B]

Yeah. And maybe, maybe he had that foresight and that's why that December of 24 deal is in place through 2027, that he said maybe, hey, realistically, to get this started, it might, might not happen until, you know, the spring or summer of 2027.

[A]

It's possible that because the Internal timetable and the external timetable may not sync up. And when it all ends up, it may just be. We knew this would get us here at this time and we're happy with everything Kevin has done for us. There have been too many shifting goalposts for me to believe that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Too many times. Our focus is only Chicago. Our focus is Chicago. Our focus is the South Lotta Soldier Field. Our focus. Now we're expanding our focus. And it was all obvious overt attempts at leverage. They even to the point where in one of the press releases they said, this is not about leverage. Come on man, like you gave away the game there.

[B]

Yeah, that was the one. I think they first introduced the Hammond thing.

[A]

Right? I think so too. Yeah. This is not about leverage.

[B]

Right.

[A]

All right, then what's it about? Leverage. The entire time it's been about leverage. And that's why.

[B]

But it's not about leverage. It's just about leverage.

[A]

But your new timetable just coincidentally happens to sync up with the time of the general assembly session. Yeah.

[B]

So. Yeah, so we'll see. We'll see what happens. One other area I want to look at too. If you saw an NFL.com Eric at home put out the two best fits draft prospects for every team. And I just wanted to highlight the two players he had for the Chicago Bears. One being the 25th pick, TJ Parker, the Edge out of Clemson. I think we've mentioned his name once before.

[A]

Well, there's the other Clemson guy, Peter Woods.

[B]

Peter woods, the defensive tackle? Yes. This is TJ Parker. Parker, the edge out of Clemson. He ran a 45240. His overall combine score is 6.29, which means eventual average starter. 6 foot 215. Oh, no, no, no. I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. Wrong stats. This is AJ Huy, the safety, so.

[A]

Oh yeah, we mentioned him.

[B]

We mentioned him. TJ Parker from Clemson, 64263A 6.29. Eventually an average starter. And then this the the second pick for the Bears. He has AJ Hulsey, the safety out of LSU. He ran the 45240 6.29 combine score also as as TJ Parker had. So that means eventually we'll be an average starter. 6 foot 215, 85 total score though that's number one among all safeties at the combine. The thing about him that I read about his negatives, below average recovery speed. A lot of things about below average or average speed which doesn't seem to sync up with what Ryan pulls. Dennis Allen, Ben Johnson have started this

[A]

off season, I would agree.

[B]

And then one other negative on TJ Parker, the edge from Clemson. One thing I didn't like in reading about the negatives, the ability for tackles to push outside and keep outside just doesn't sound like something I want from an edge guy to push him. Like if you're not able to recover, keep him out. To keep him out. To keep him out. If you're not able to recover from that initial, that initial hit, I would say from a tackle that doesn't sound like a guy that I want in first or second round.

[A]

No. There are some guys who, if they can't get to the quarterback, can still affect the play. That, that's what I want. Somebody who, if you're okay, you're going to overplay me to this side. You're not going to let me run the bubble and use some speed. Well, I'm going to, I'm going to cross arm under you and I can at least come back down and make a tackle, you know. But if you're, if you're just riding.

[B]

I want, I want for my first round pick a guy that.

[A]

Yeah, if you're writing a guy all the way out of the play and that's the only move he's got, that doesn't help you much. So again, keep adding names though. I'm never, I'm not against any names. There's no bad ideas right now. Taking a slow safety with a first round pick is not my idea of, of maximizing your assets.

[B]

No. I'm hoping you didn't see this story.

[A]

Why?

[B]

But you noticed there, there were two guys missing from the NFL coaches photo, right?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Remember who they were?

[A]

They were Todd Monken and Sean McVeigh. Yes.

[B]

Did you see why Todd Monkin missed the NFL coaches photo?

[A]

No. I think. Okay, let me guess. He missed it because his wife sent him to Home Depot to pick up rose bushes.

[B]

No.

[A]

No.

[B]

Good guess.

[A]

Okay, here's the story.

[B]

Todd Monkin created quite a stir. Go. Go ahead. Watch your other guess. Give me another guess.

[A]

I would say he, he was too busy watching tape and he had to grind away at a new defense that he felt he had to counteract.

[B]

No. Here you go. This is what Todd Monkin had to say. He said that's major disappointment. About missing the team photo or the coach's photo. He missed the team photo, Dan, because he was out getting a haircut for the coach's photo.

[A]

That's. It's like. It's the worst O. Henry story of all time.

[B]

He.

[A]

Wait, now I'M confused.

[B]

There's major disappointment. That's, that's why I went and got a haircut, for God's sake. Monkin told Andrew Siciliano in his podcast. I wouldn't have got a haircut if it wasn't that damn important. I went and got the haircut and then I missed it.

[A]

Wait, so I think you're making a logical leap here. That may not be true. If he said I went and got the haircut and then I missed. Sounds to me like he got the haircut in anticipation of it and then may have missed it for a completely different reason.

[B]

No. Here's the headline of the story. So this is the story. New Browns head coach Todd Monken explains how haircut kept him from first coach's photo. So that's not a leap and it's not something I'm making on my own. It was the fact that he got the haircut that made him miss the photo.

[A]

He got the haircut he thought he needed for the photo instead of actually attending the photo and now he's stuck with a haircut. It sounds like he didn't want.

[B]

It sounds like he didn't want the haircut.

[A]

Right. Sounds like otherwise he would have looked, you know, let his freak flag fly. I don't know.

[B]

But so if the, if the headline is how Haircut kept him from first coaches photo. So maybe he had the time wrong. Maybe it was all right, we're doing the photo at 11 and he went and got a haircut at 10:30, but the photo was really at 10:30. So there was something there, there was something missed in his scheduling, in his calendar, that the actually getting the haircut for the photo is what kept him from missing the photo.

[A]

Yeah, this, this doesn't bode well. I mean this, this is, this is not.

[B]

I, I share this with you because, you know, firm to solidify. Okay. To give you greater confidence that I've

[A]

made the right call, that he's the first of this class to be fired.

[B]

He's the first of the new coaches to be fired.

[A]

Yeah. This is, this is not Jim Tomsula walking into a door and cutting his head open on the way to a press conference. No, but for a, for an NFL coach to have a scheduling issue, just screw up a scheduling issue. Because you know, if that were a player who missed a meeting.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Oh, all, all hell's come to breakfast,

[B]

but especially over a haircut for a photo.

[A]

Uh huh. You missed this walk through because of a haircut for a photo. Who gives a shit about your Hair. We got football to play. And then he's casually like, I don't know. I had to get this damn haircut. Who made him get the haircut?

[B]

I don't know. I love that the story kind of. It hints at the fact that he's irritated or angry or upset that he had to.

[A]

I had to get my hair cut for this. I never want to get my hair cut. It is the very source of my biblical strength. I don't know what he's talking about.

[B]

That's what it is. Or no, maybe it's the source of his football intelligence.

[A]

Yes, maybe. Maybe if you cut his hair, he gets football stupid. Or maybe it's where he keeps his calendar.

[B]

I don't know. Who was the head coach that would just drive around and look for lights?

[A]

Jim Tomsula.

[B]

Oh, was it. Okay, I thought it was Jim Tomsula.

[A]

Yeah. Yes. That's the guy who walked into the door.

[B]

Yeah. So he walks in the door, and then he would just drive around Friday nights looking for lights to creep on high school football games.

[A]

Correct.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Drive around, we look for lights. Right. Have fun with that. Because I think your kids might say, dad, can we go home?

[B]

I'm tired of looking for lights.

[A]

And you can look for lights.

[B]

Be like, hey, dad, we have lights at home.

[A]

Right? He's like, he's like a moth.

[B]

His favorite light was probably the refrigerator light.

[A]

If you asked a moth what it does on Friday nights. Fly around and look for lights.

[B]

Yeah, look. And especially those big high school lights

[A]

over football stadiums, right? At football stadiums. Loves them and they're eaten by kestrels, but that I. This is not quite there yet, but I want you to keep collecting data because this is going to be your next Nathaniel Hackett. Your next. Your. It's not Jim Tomsu. It's not as much fun as Jim Tomsula, but I, But I will give him the opportunity.

[B]

Yeah, but I, I, I really hope that. I really hope that this story is just. Is Todd Monkin missed the photo because he was busy getting a haircut. For the photo.

[A]

For the photo. Against his desire.

[B]

Desire, yes.

[A]

Against his. I can't believe I have to get my hair cut. These guys all look good, man. These guys look, look sharp and in shape, and they're sucking in their guts and they're sticking out their chests and they're, they're powerful men. As long as Mike Vrabel isn't, like, kicking them aside with his massive thighs.

[B]

Do you think it was his wife that said, you need a haircut for this photo, Todd.

[A]

I hope so. Or one of his kids, somebody in his life who said, you got to get lined up. Get that thing. You know, I need a haircut right now. I know it. I do. It's long.

[B]

Is a little long.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, I can tell. It gets, you know, like, around my ears.

[B]

Oh, yeah. That's where. That's the great indicator.

[A]

Yep, yep. So look, we know. We know when we do. And then what happens is I'll get my hair cut, and my wife will say, oh, I liked it long. Like, well. And then if I don't, she goes, oh, you know, you really could use a haircut. And I never know which it is. It's like when she comes home. When she comes home after a haircut, I don't say anything. I say, how do you like your haircut? And then if she says, I like it, I'll say, I do, too. And if she says she took off too much and I got to redo it, then I'll say, okay. And then I'll run into another room and hide.

[B]

You should. You should probably still say that it looks good. It looks great, though.

[A]

No.

[B]

And then run and hide.

[A]

No, because if she doesn't like it and I say it looks great, I mean, then, like, then she'll say, you're just saying that. And you. Why would you say that if, you know, I don't think it looks great?

[B]

Is that when you tell her to go get back on the peloton again?

[A]

Get on the peloton. Yeah, I said that if you get

[B]

to the peloton, it might help. Help the way your hair looks.

[A]

There was a lot of response to her appearance on DBU yesterday, including, as

[B]

we gathered for the Seder, unscheduled appearance. Yes.

[A]

And my cousin Brian was asking about it, and he said something funny. He said that Howard Stern broadcast from his own basement. He said the same thing happened, or has happened multiple times when he's been listening to Howard Stern's pod or the show or whatever it is now. And his wife is also named Beth. And he said that he had. There was, like, a similar exchange where you just hear this voice, well, off microphone and off camera telling him to go screw himself so.

[B]

Well, in. In so many words. Yes.

[A]

Welcome to it. Yes.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

In so many words. Be fruitful and multiply, but not in those words. Yes.

[B]

All right, that'll do it for Ford Progress on this Friday, April 3rd. Looking forward to a great weekend. And we're. We're back here Monday. Ford Progress through the entire off season. As we are just 20 days away from round one of the NFL draft. Dan, I'm very excited about that. So it's Thursday, April 23rd. We'll get ready. We'll be here for you every day throughout the entire calendar year.

[A]

And we'll have draft prep, too.

[B]

Yes, we will.

[A]

We're going to be diving in and doing stuff.

[B]

Well, we have a lot of stuff to do for the draft.

[A]

I know. And I'm starting to feel I'm going to get, like, anxiety dreams now because I haven't done all my homework yet.

[B]

Well, you have plenty of time to get your homework done. He's Bernstein. I'm a vaticola. This is Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast on 312 Sports.

[A]

Forward progress has stopped.

[B]

Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast with Dan Bernstein and Matt Abeticola on 312 Sports.