What is Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles number one priority to address this offseason?

Summary

Forward Progress - A Chicago Bears Podcast

Episode: What is Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles' Number One Priority to Address this Offseason?
Date: January 22, 2026
Hosts: Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola

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Episode Overview

This episode, hosted by Dan Bernstein and Matt Abbatacola, dives deep into the Chicago Bears' offseason priorities, focusing heavily on roster evaluation, pending free agents, and the critical need at left tackle due to Ozzy Chapillo’s injury. The hosts dissect the end-of-year press conferences, speculate on the future roles of key players, discuss the upcoming schedule release, and react candidly to an ESPN list of top NFL MVP candidates. The tone oscillates between analytical and irreverent Bears-fan banter, but the underlying message is clear: solving left tackle is job one for Ben Johnson, Ryan Poles, and the 2026 Chicago Bears.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reflections on Season’s End and Viewership Surge (00:23–03:34)

• The Bears’ postseason ended with a “fairly uneventful quick press conference,” as Ben Johnson declared the team is “already on to 2026” and starting from scratch to improve.
• TV ratings for Bears playoff games broke records, with the Bears-Rams drawing an average of 45.4 million viewers—an indication the Bears will be featured often in primetime next season.
  • “Get ready for some late nights next season.” (Bernstein, 01:50)
  • The hosts joke about having to plan Thanksgiving around a likely Bears-Lions matchup.

2. Schedule Release Anticipation (02:51–03:34)

• Dan expresses excitement for the schedule release for the first time in years, feeling invested both professionally and as a fan expecting a big season.
  • Matt boldly predicts a 13-4 season, to which Dan responds with playful skepticism.

3. Offseason Personnel Moves: Future/Reserve Contracts & Free Agents (06:41–16:05)

• Discussion shifts to Bears’ roster management, including future/reserve contracts (e.g., Maurice Alexander, Britton Brown, etc.).
• Detailed breakdown of unrestricted free agents (UFAs), with focus on:
  • Safeties: Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard—hosts debate who is a priority to keep.
    • “If you had to pick one between Brisker and Bayard, I think you gotta go younger.” (Bernstein, 13:20)
    • “As much as I would not want to lose [Byard’s] leadership ... if I’m forced to pick one of the two, I would pick Brisker.” (Abbatacola, 13:30)
  • Cornerback: Concerns about overpaying for cornerback Nishan Wright after a statistically anomalous season.
  • Returners/Wide Receivers: Both feel Bears can upgrade from Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay, and suggest possible replacements, including Khalif Raymond (Lions).
• The health and future of promising young DB Terrell Smith is also a factor in secondary decisions.

4. Offensive Line and Left Tackle Concerns (21:14–26:09)

• Ozzy Chapillo’s injury (expected to keep him out “deep into next year”) creates an urgent need at left tackle.
  • “You cannot look at Ozzy Chapillo as part of your 2026 season. You can't.” (Abbatacola, 23:53)
  • The hosts agree that neither internal options like Braxton Jones nor Theo Benedict are viable solutions, stressing the necessity for outside additions—either via the draft or free agency.
  • “That guy right now is not on your roster ... They’re going to have to address that. And that’s got to be a priority.” (Abbatacola, 26:02)

5. Exploring Free Agent Options for Left Tackle (25:01–25:52)

• Names floated include Cam Robinson (30), Kelvin Beachum (36), and Andrew Wiley (31).
• Dan notes that a veteran free agent could make sense, especially with Super Bowl contention in mind.

6. The MVP Value List – ESPN’s Seth Walder (27:03–36:08)

• Matt brings up ESPN’s Seth Walder’s “Top 100 Real NFL MVP Candidates for 2025,” focusing on “value above average at their position.”
• Surprise and consternation: First Bear on the list is Darnell Wright (#41), followed by Joe Thuney (#44). No Caleb Williams in the top 100.
  • “You can’t have a top 100 list of value over average ... and then the numbers haven’t found a way to properly explain what Caleb Williams does and when he does it.” (Bernstein, 32:11)
  • Hosts are incredulous that Sam Darnold is included but not Caleb Williams.
  • “If you’re going to lay out the top 100 players for the 2025 season and Caleb Williams not to be in the top 100 ... That is incorrect.” (Abbatacola, 32:46)

7. Coaching Staff Speculation (36:08–38:09)

• Speculation over OC under Ben Johnson—possible hires include Will Long (from Boston College) and movement involving Declan Doyle and Al Harris.
• Acknowledgment that how the staff rounds out could impact development at key roster spots.

8. Crystalizing the Top Offseason Priority: Solve Left Tackle (38:09–41:49)

• Both agree Chapillo’s injury fundamentally changes the offseason priority list—left tackle must be addressed with a high-end solution.
  • “Your biggest gap right now on your championship roster is left tackle.” (Abbatacola, 41:44)
  • Strong caution not to mess with the right side of the line (“guard through right tackle is solid ... one of the best units in football”—Abbatacola, 39:38).

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the Bears’ Newfound Stardom:
  • “Get ready for some late nights next season.” (Bernstein, 01:50)
• On the Importance of Left Tackle:
  • "You cannot look at Ozzy Chapillo as part of your 2026 season. You can't.” (Abbatacola, 23:53)
  • “That’s got to be a priority. It has to be.” (Abbatacola, 26:09)
• On ESPN’s MVP Snub:
  • “You can’t have a top 100 list of value over average ... and then the numbers haven’t found a way to properly explain what Caleb Williams does and when he does it.” (Bernstein, 32:11)
  • “That is incorrect.” (Abbatacola, 32:46)
• On Roster Philosophy Shift:
  • “Where this year started as a rebuild of a rebuild, it blew past that ... The context of everything changed.” (Bernstein, 40:34)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:23 — Season Postmortem & Ben Johnson’s Outlook
• 01:50 — Bears’ Primetime/Island Game Forecast
• 06:41 — Status of Future/Reserve Contracts & Initial Free Agent List
• 13:20 — Safety Room Decisions: Brisker vs. Bayard
• 21:14 — Ozzy Chapillo’s Injury & Immediate OL Implications
• 25:52 — Free Agent LT Options
• 27:03 — ESPN MVP Snub: Darnell Wright, Joe Thuney, and No Caleb Williams
• 36:08 — Coaching Staff News
• 38:41 — Hard Line on LT as Offseason Priority

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Takeaway

The Chicago Bears have a championship-caliber right-side offensive line and a huge hole at left tackle, making that the unambiguous top priority for GM Ryan Poles and coach Ben Johnson this offseason. With Chapillo sidelined and no proven in-house options, signing or drafting a high-end left tackle is essential. Everything else—including the futures of key free agents and coaching moves—pales in comparison to this urgent roster need. As Dan and Matt hammer home, the team’s timeline and context have changed: the window is now, and the Bears must act accordingly.

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Summary by [Your Name], podcast summarization expert

Transcript

[A]

I mean if you're a Bears fan, you're thinking forward Progress. Come on.

[B]

10. 219. 219.

[A]

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

[B]

You are hereby given forward progress on 312 Sports. And we talk Chicago Bears and NFL. And we are coming off of the Bears putting a little bit of closure on their season with what was a fairly uneventful quick postseason press conference. And it's nice that there really wasn't a whole lot of news coming out of there other than the declaration by Ben Johnson that last year was last year and they are already on to 2026 and beginning to start from scratch to try to do better. So.

[A]

Because 2025 was not good enough.

[B]

Nope.

[A]

Just that simple.

[B]

Nope. It was a blast. We all had fun. But it's enough of that because now they got to sit down on their respective couches and watch other teams competing for bigger things this weekend in the championship games for many the best weekend of NFL football. A lot of you, a lot of us were watching a lot of these games, man. Did you see this number that the Bears and the Rams drew an audience of 45.4 million on average on NBC. And Peacock with the peak at 52.6 million. The biggest division round number for NBC since 1988. 88. It beat the prior high water mark was oilers Chiefs of January 94 by more than 4 million viewers. And what this tells me is that if you are a Chicago Bears fan, get ready for some late nights next season.

[A]

Yeah, I would agree with that And I think the week before against the packers it was the most streamed NFL game ever. The viewership for the Bears packers game in the wild card round. So yes, I would anticipate lots of island games, night games, featured games. I would also anticipate begin planning accordingly for your Thanksgiving day holiday. I would, I would guess the Bears would play the Lions that day. There's a story to be told there. Ben Campbell. Ben Campbell. Ben Johnson and Dan Campbell as the Lions took two from the Lions this year from the Bears this year. So I would, I would think that there are that that early game on Thanksgiving too. So if you're having people over going somewhere, make sure it's later in the day.

[B]

And I'll say this, that I generally don't get into schedule release day the way that some have in the past with what the team's social media staffs do with the various videos. And for the first time in a long time I'm invested in schedule release day. I care because of what we're doing now at our schedule and the amount of time professionally that we have devoted to the Chicago Bears and what I expect them to be next year. That when we start talking about where we're going to be and what we're going to do and how we do it, I'm. I'm all in for schedule release day this year. We know the combatants, we know the teams on their schedule. We just don't know when.

[A]

When they're beating them to go 13 and 4 next year.

[B]

That's. You're sticking with that. Okay. All right. That's your prediction. I'm just. I haven't seen the. I haven't looked at the props yet because I'm going to wait for tomorrow when we do our DBU picks. All I'm thinking about is the performance of my guy, Jarrett Stidham, and whether or not he's going to be trusted to the Broncos to climb on his ample shoulders so he can throw them to victory.

[A]

Okay. Okay. You do that.

[B]

Good luck with that, by the way. I just might. Good luck with that. I just might do that.

[A]

It's going to be nasty. Nasty weather in New England.

[B]

Is it?

[A]

Oh, yeah. It's going to be bad. Yeah.

[B]

But Jared Stidham loves nasty weather or something. I don't know. I made that up.

[A]

I hope so, because he's going to need to play well in shitty weather because it's going to be awful.

[B]

Yeah, it's going to be cold. It's all right.

[A]

There's lucky. There's no NFL games in Mississippi this weekend.

[B]

That's okay. No matter what. I'm just going to have enough cayenne pepper in my socks and I'm going to be fine in my new. The poofy socks I got from Walgreens.

[A]

I have one of our.

[B]

One of our commenters, Zoe, stole the polka dot ones, buddy.

[A]

They're lady socks. I told you that was going to happen.

[B]

But she took the polka dot ones.

[A]

And there was a fair question, were they like crew socks or were they ankle socks?

[B]

Their ankles, they go up about halfway up, so.

[A]

More than ankle.

[B]

Yeah, they're not. They're not like, over the calf. They're about halfway up the calf.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Why?

[A]

So, yeah, I was just wondering, did somebody asked on the YouTube comments if they were, you know, ankle or like regular crew socks and. Yeah, I told you that the ladies of your home are going to steal the ladies socks that you purchased.

[B]

Beth won't steal Them. And I think after, if I wear them, no one will touch them. They'll only touch them with, like, tongs or surgical instruments or something. Or like a.

[A]

Like a.

[B]

One of those. One of those snake sticks. What are they? What do they call that? The. The.

[A]

The.

[B]

The metal stick with the right angled bend at the end that they use for transporting, like, venomous snakes.

[A]

Yeah, one of those are like one of those things you use for, like a really angry, rabid dog. You know, they have those big. Yeah. And then. Yeah. They just. They tighten up the little loop around your sock to throw it across the room. Yep.

[B]

I know exactly what you mean. Yes.

[A]

Yeah. One of our other. Another YouTube comments or said that maybe for the storm down south, they can just shoot big piles of cayenne pepper into the air to combat the ice and storm.

[B]

Yeah, we know that. We know it will. Yeah. So, yeah, it's called a snake hook, I guess. Okay. A snake hook. There's a guy I watch on Instagram, Bruce the snake wrangler. He's great. And he's always being called into houses to find rattlesnakes that have gotten into the backyard and underneath the planters.

[A]

Very cool. Yeah, that. It's like Florida, too. Gators. You got gators in your home. You got snakes. Arizona. Like, you open a cabinet and there's like a fucking scorpion sitting there staring at you.

[B]

Members of the Scorpions.

[A]

Yeah. Not interested in that.

[B]

At there with your German rock and rollers. You got to be really careful.

[A]

Fall out of your kitchen cabinets.

[B]

Yeah. So where are we with as far as any roster moves with the Bears right now? When are things going to happen? How quickly does this start going on? When do we start hearing about, like, reserve futures contracts or. We know which contracts are up, but we don't know if and when any moves are coming. The players may know from exit meetings. They may know if they say, look, we intend to bring you back, or go ahead and see what kind of offers you get, but make sure you call us. So they've probably told the guys how they feel about them and whether or not they're part of the plans next year. But all we have are this. This list of names. Want me to go through it?

[A]

Yeah. Wait, I'm just pulling up. I'm sorry, because you did ask about future reserves.

[B]

Yeah, the reserve contracts. Okay. All right.

[A]

Anybody names we know they did sign 14 players already.

[B]

Yeah, but it's. It's probably some of those are all like, there's administrative moves that they have to make just to retain Rights on guys. And a lot of those other deals are, like, for, you know, Canadian League players and such who aren't necessarily under any other deal for reserve futures.

[A]

Yeah, but. But apparently they'd already, you know, signed 14 guys from the 2025 season, so. Maurice Alexander, Britton Brown, Steven Carlson, Luke Elkin, Dallas Flowers, Jonathan Garvin, Dominique Hampton, Kyle Hergel, your tight end, Nicola Kalinick.

[B]

Yes, we saw him.

[A]

Dante Manning, Jeremiah Martin, Jervarius Owens, JP Richardson, and Nephi Sewell.

[B]

Okay, so these are all practice squad or outside the practice squad guys that they can at least have first rights of refusal on, I believe.

[A]

Yeah, I think that sounds right.

[B]

So over the Cap has provided this list of their current free agents. There are unrestricted free agents, there are restricted free agents, there's one exclusive rights free agent, and then there are what they call street free agents. Okay, so the important names here. Let's start with the unrestricted. Again, this all comes from over the cap, unrestricted free agents right now, these are players with four or more accrued seasons and an expired contract. They can negotiate and sign with any team at the start of free agency. The Bears are allowed to negotiate with them before they hit free agency. All right. Case Keenum, Durham Smythe, Travis Homer Alamade, Zakias, Devin Duvernay, Braxton Jones, Ryan Bates, Scott Daly, Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard and Elijah Hicks, C.J. gardner, Johnson, Jonathan Owens, DeMarco Jackson, Jalen Reeves, Mabin, Nishan Wright, Jalen Jones, Nick McLeod, Chris Williams, Andrew Billings, Dominique Robinson, and Joe Tryon Shoyinka. So, big list of UFAs.

[A]

Yes, it is.

[B]

And I guess my first instinct is to really not say, you know, yes, no, maybe on any of these because we don't know what the alternatives might be, at what price with the. The ages, the abilities, etc. My guess is they'll bring back their long snapper. I don't know if they plan to make any kind of upgrade at emergency quarterback like Case Keenan. Where do they want him? Sticking around and helping out. But as far as their. Their, I don't know. I wouldn't. I don't have real strong feelings other than Brisker and Bayard, because you're talking about both your starting safeties and. And Nishan Wright would be the next big name there. I think as much as we love Andrew Billings, that he's probably gone and maybe Dominique Robinson did enough at the end of the year to. To merit an opportunity to return. What are your thoughts?

[A]

Yeah, so I wrote down five names as you were Going through that list, Brisker, Bayard, Dom, Rob Daley and Nishan Wright. Oh, I also forgot. I would consider what they could do contract wise with DeMarco Jackson as well too because he played really, really well and he was very good in coverage. Yeah. And I wonder if he, if he had a starting role, what that might do to elevate his game a bit too.

[B]

I do not want to overpay Nishan Wright. I don't know what the market is going to bring. I don't know if anybody is going to look at an outlier statistical season and think that that is going to be repeatable and the market's going to tell us that. I wouldn't mind having Nishan Wright. I don't. I'm not sure I want to go into next year with him as a starter.

[A]

Yeah, I'm definitely not going to break the bank to keep him. You know, obviously you have the opportunity, as you mentioned, to negotiate and talk before free agency. I also wouldn't be opposed to allowing him to see what happens at free agency.

[B]

What is the health situation with Terrell Smith? I got to know that first about how he's coming back because when this year began, I should use the Bears vernacular.

[A]

Last year, last year began.

[B]

When last year began, he, Terrell Smith was that next guy. He was the guy they were excited about finding series for, finding snaps for as if not a starter. Somebody who was going to play every game for them in something other than just a next man up reserve role. They thought they're that he could essentially start for some other teams around the league they were just that deep. And if they think he's coming back to himself, they might. That upgrade over Nishan Wright potentially is internal depending on how big a contract offer he gets. But otherwise you're going to have a lot of money committed at that position. The and then safety. If you had to pick one between Brisker and Bayard, I think you got to go younger.

[A]

Yeah, I would have to pick Brisker as much as I would want not want to lose like his leadership and I mean knowing the defense, the durability, always being out there, the way he carries himself as a teammate and also in front of the cameras for the organization and being all pro this year, I mean if I'm forced to pick One of the two, I would pick Brisker.

[B]

Yes, but he's 30. Yeah. Bayard is 32. Like at some point that drop off is going to happen. It did not happen this year and maybe you just count that as as some Good fortune and say, look, they got an all pro year out of this guy where he was one of the best two safeties in the entire NFL. But paying him for the future may not necessarily be. Be wise. I think that would be defensible.

[A]

Yeah. No, again, if you had to force. If you're forced between one of the two, I wouldn't. I mean, I would certainly would love to have both guys back, but it would have to be very smart and reasonable and financially responsible as well.

[B]

Okay. Who else on this list is. I mean, every name elicits some kind of feeling. I know we saw a lot of Durham Smythe, but that doesn't mean there isn't an upgrade possible there. Lamide, Zacchaeus. Okay. And Duvernay. Maybe you can. Maybe there's a guy who can handle both of those roles rather than have it would be more efficient roster wise to have a backup wide out who was also your number one returner.

[A]

Yeah, I'm leaning towards finding another option for both those guys.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

For sure. Yeah. I mean, I would like to upgrade in the return game with more consistency and I would like to upgrade in the bottom of your wide receiver list with a little more consistency and maybe the opportunity, you know, given plays to make plays like Jade Walker did. He took advantage of the limited opportunities that he had. Certainly wasn't a complete product by any stretch of the imagination, but when he was out there, he took advantage of it. And I just think Oz dropped more and left more to be taken on the field than. Than he provided. And Duvernay, I think you can upgrade that return position. And then certainly in the, in the receiving game, he wasn't a factor at all. So I think you can upgrade both there. I'm, I'm not, you know, would I be upset if they're. If they're back just like Derm Smythe, I wouldn't be mad about it. But I think you could, you could do better for the limited role that they ask of those guys and limited. And I know Duvernay is your main return guy. I know that's not a limited role, but, you know, he's. He's very, very a specialty player there, and I think you can upgrade that really easily.

[B]

A name that was sent into us as a possibility, maybe for both spots is Khalif Raymond from the Lions, who was their primary punt returner, was backup wide receiver. Had kick returns as well on the smaller side at 5 8, but. And, and he's 58 with a long neck. So he's probably, you Know, functionally considerably shorter than that. But he's at £180 and with a. A long time in Ben Johnson's offense because he had been with Detroit since 2021 and he's going to be 32 years old. But that's a possibility.

[A]

Yeah. There's also a guy in that, that futures and that reserves, contracts. Dallas Flowers, who's a guy defensive back, I think he got in for snap or two in the, in the Cowboys game. But he was a return guy too in college and I don't know how he's developing or growing or there's any possibility there. If you're trying to look on a more like financially reasonable position, you know, a guy like that that could maybe improve or help your return game at all. But yeah, again, I wouldn't be mad about it. I think Zacchaeus, I'm kind of, I'm kind of good on. I'm ready to not see Zaki is out there again, DuVernay, if that's the guy you think that is the best option we have, I'm not gonna be mad about it. But I think you can improve there.

[B]

As far as restricted free agents, and these are players who have three seasons and an expired deal, which means they're allowed to negotiate and sign anywhere. Bears can offer a tender and they can match. There's only two. There is somebody who was thrust into the spotlight in the final game and apparently was hurt during that game. Jordan McFadden is one of those. And the other is Daniel Hardy, who was you as a core special teamer who's been an edge, a linebacker and at times this year a fullback for the Bears. So the versatile Daniel Hardy is a restricted free agent. You don't have to do anything there. You can just see if they get an offer and then make your decision.

[A]

Right? Yeah. Again, I mean he's a guy, if you're looking at, you know, a roster, he's down towards the bottom of that roster. But he's a guy that can fill a lot of different holes for you. But he's just the guy. Yeah. So I think nothing, nothing to be really concerned about there.

[B]

Exclusive rights. Free agent is there's one Theo Benedict and that just means that he's had fewer than his three seasons. His deal's up and if the Bears offer him a one year deal, he can't negotiate with other teams. So if they want to bring Theo Benedict back, they can. I'm sure they will. I think they've probably.

[A]

For what purpose though?

[B]

I think they've invested a lot in his development and the fact that he was included as a tight end, that he was. That they. They did look at him maybe as like, what's the guy's name? Dan Skipper. Is that the. The big dude on the Lions that Ben Johnson always liked to have? I'm not saying that Benedict's going to have his same role this year as a. As a primary swing tackle, but certainly maybe worth having a on the roster if they give him an offer at the league minimum.

[A]

Yeah, but if he can't, he can't fill a role for you of playing tackle because the competition is going to be too tough. Then I don't want him on the roster.

[B]

Yeah, but we hear that every year for the team. This is. The competition has never been tougher to make this team a hard team to make. They were saying that before, too.

[A]

No, I don't mean like internal competition. I mean the external guys you're playing. And he clearly wasn't good enough to play tackle this past weekend. So I don't want him on the roster. Then, then do away with him. Because if he can't, if he can't fill a need, you have a glaring need in front of you and you'd rather make altercations on your alterations on your offensive line. I don't, I don't. I don't have a use for him for taking up a roster spot. And I'm not saying that he couldn't play it, but this based on the decision they did and what they showed me against the Rams. He wasn't good enough to play in this game. And we rather have a guy who didn't take any snaps play guard for us and move our guard to tackle. Then he shouldn't be there. That's just. That's what I think.

[B]

They have three, what are called just street free agents. And these are players out of contract and are unfettered. They can sign with any team immediately. All three of these guys ended the season on the practice squad ill. And that's Ricky Stromberg and offensive lineman, linebacker Ty Summers. And I didn't even know the Bears had wide receiver Kadir Ismail. It's the son of Quadri Ismail.

[A]

Is it really?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, I had no idea.

[B]

I saw that name and I saw it like, that has to be a relative. And yeah, Kadri Ismail's son. Kadir was a wide receiver on the Bears practice squad who finished on the injured list.

[A]

I did not know that.

[B]

Okay. All right. Well, he can sign with anybody, anywhere. Good luck to him. Yeah, there's, there's, there's nothing here that really is of massive concern other than just making sure you make the right call on your safeties.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, I, I agree. I agree. And you know, and I wonder with the, the move of Theo Benedict not playing with Ozzy Chapillo, as the GM told us yesterday that his time, time timetable is deep into next year. That's what he said, quote, deep into next year, end quote. Does that put offensive line at a higher priority in the draft than maybe it was a few weeks ago?

[B]

Yes, is the short answer. Unless they think that they have something in McFadden, if they've found some materials that are more developable than they thought with higher upside than they thought. If you want talent, you find it in the draft.

[A]

Or do they look at free agency for left tackle?

[B]

Well, let me ask you this. With Braxton Jones being a free agent with all the starts that he's had, don't you think other teams would look at that right now? If we do this whole grass is greener thing and you were looking at somebody going, geez, this guy was a starter there. Why couldn't he be a swing guy? But yet we know this coaching staff does not like Braxton Jones.

[A]

No, they don't. Otherwise he would have played.

[B]

I wonder if they had a chance to trade him, you know, because that would be. That. That's a perfect example of somebody just not being what this group looks for. His ability to anchor, his ability to buy himself, be able to at least cancel somebody out on most plays. And this is the same group that thought enough of the significance of the position. And I know you're stuck on this and I'm not just sort of picking it a scab here, but to move Joe Tuney out to left tackle when they did that left tackle matters to Ben Johnson. It is that important to make sure that you, you can stymie some of the best rushers to at least be formidable enough to not need constant help. That's really important to him.

[A]

Well, then what, what they showed me this year is that that is going to be a main priority, then that's going to solving that position with Ozzy Chapillo not back until deep into next year. And when he does get back and is able to play and perform, we don't know at what level that will be with that given injury. But I mean he's, he's not part of your. You cannot look at Ozzy Chapillo as part of your 2026 season. You can't.

[B]

No, I'm not.

[A]

Like, you have to act like he's not even there right now. So what are you going to do? How are you going to address left tackle because it's currently not on the roster?

[B]

Well, it's a good question for him because I think it's seeing what is available. If you're talking about old, you know, like they could actually. It wouldn't be out of the realm of reason to take a stab at someone in their early 30s just because it's gonna time up with Tuney. And if you're gonna try to win a Super bowl in the next three years, it wouldn't make me mad if, if they found a vet, because that, that is a position at which you can sustain your ability as you age, more so than other skill positions. You know, we. Hell, we saw what Jason Peters did here. We've seen. We've seen guys near in the final act of their careers remain valuable and formidable.

[A]

All right, just looking at some unrestricted free agents at the position. Cam Robinson in Cleveland.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Kelvin Beachum from Arizona. He's 36. Cam Robinson is 30.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Andrew Wiley, 31.

[B]

I wouldn't even know without diving into some of these PFF grades and the.

[A]

The.

[B]

Continuum of mass versus run ability, the way their skills would mix them and where they'd fit in a primary outside zone scheme. You know, you have guys that have just been running different stuff. But, but, but yeah, let left tackle is something to circle and we're going to be talking a lot about it.

[A]

Yeah, for sure.

[B]

A lot.

[A]

Yeah. Because like, like, as I said, that, that, that guy right now is not on your roster. Given that you cannot look at Ozzy chapillo for the 2026 season.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

That guy right now is not on your roster. So they're going to have to address that. And that's got to be a priority. It has to be.

[B]

It's too bad because, you know, finite amount of cap space. Although we're going to believe forward progress every day. We've got a lot of off season to do, a lot of this when it comes to finding this money. And there's already people hunting around saying, well, if you move DJ Moore, here's all this money and you can do this and that. But let's, let's just slow our roll a little bit and, and we'll. We'll handle this. I don't want to get. It's real easy to get sped up and to get. And to get too far ahead than where I Think they probably are right now. I think they're going to finish the exit interviews. I know they're going to watch every play again. That that's one thing they're going to do is, is what you can't do during the season is actually take all that time to go through every bit of tape, even practice tape, find out what they missed, you know, reevaluate their own guys before making some of these decisions.

[A]

All right, I got something here for you. I thought this was interesting. I came across it on ESPN. Seth Walder wrote this on ESPN and it is the. The top 100 real NFL MVP candidates for the 2025 season. So obviously this is all his opinion.

[B]

Real MVP candidates. What does that mean?

[A]

So here's what he did. In this exercise, we're measuring player value relative to average at respective positions.

[B]

All right?

[A]

So to evaluate players, I rely on a variety of sources. Statistics, quantitative metrics, awards such as All Pro team feedback from NFL for an office personnel and colleagues at espn.

[B]

So voa Value above average. It isn't value above replacement player.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Because a replacement player is significantly less than average at the position. Value above average at the position.

[A]

So the Seth Walder, he says, so let's dive into the 100 player ballot, starting with my real pick for MVP. So his number one player is Drake May.

[B]

Okay, let me. Can I ask another question here? Yes, sir. I don't want to over Bernstein this, but I can help myself. Does he rank and does he adjust for the importance of a given position?

[A]

Yes. Yeah. And he said that's why you'll see more quarterbacks higher because of the position. Right. Okay. So number one for him was Drake May. Number two was Dak Prescott. Wow. Number three, Matthew Stafford. Number four, Josh Allen. Five, Jordan Love. Six, Patrick Mahomes. Seven, Justin Herbert. Number eight was Jackson Smith in Jigba from the Seahawks. Number nine, Pukinakua. And number ten was Miles Garrett.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Those are his top ten.

[B]

Okay. I'm certainly not going to.

[A]

No, no, no. I mean, yeah. But here's what I did. So I started scrolling through when do you think the first Chicago Bear shows.

[B]

Up on his list in the top 100?

[A]

Yep.

[B]

For. For this year's performance only 2025. This is simply based on what they actually did this year. This is not a ranking of who you would want for next year. It is just there what they did on the field.

[A]

He's voted. So you're see they say that, hey, here, here's a ballot. Fill out your top 100 MVP players. When does the first Bear show up?

[B]

And he's got positional. So even though I think the Bears best player is Joe Tooney, I would think that by these rankings, he's probably. Even though he's better at his position, it's. Left guard is nowhere near as important a position as others. I'm going to say Caleb Williams shows up somewhere in the 20s.

[A]

The first Chicago Bear to show up comes up at number 41. Wow. And it's not Caleb and it's Darnell Wright.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

All right. Now we drop three slots to 44, and there's your second Chicago Bear. Any guesses? Bayard, Joe Tunney. Okay.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So now we're at 44. So now we have 45 through 100. When do you think the next Chicago bears shows up 45 to 100?

[B]

The fact that you're asking me. Now, I'm gaming it, to be honest. Now. Now I'm gonna game it and I'm going to say 66.

[A]

You'd be incorrect. Guess again.

[B]

Is it closer to 100?

[A]

Guess again.

[B]

80.

[A]

Guess again.

[B]

90.

[A]

Guess again.

[B]

98.

[A]

That is it. There is no other Chicago Bear on the list.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Darnell Wright at 41. Joe Tuney at 44.

[B]

Well, then this clearly is more statistically based on. Than it is if you don't have Caleb Williams in the top 100. Yes, that's a mistake.

[A]

It's a big mistake.

[B]

That's. That's simply wrong.

[A]

Yeah, I'm just going to. I'm going to scroll through it for the fifth time just to make sure I am not missing the Bears logo at any of these numbers. 41, 44.

[B]

Yeah, that. That doesn't seem right to me. And that. That shows you where we're still having problems with what some of these numbers can do or can show, because that's. That's just wrong. You can't have a top 100 list of value over average. And then. Then the numbers haven't found a way to properly explain what Caleb Williams does and when he does it.

[A]

Brock Purdy, 89. Sam Darnold, 95.

[B]

Or maybe there's. There's just a specific punishment he gets for end of game interceptions. I don't know.

[A]

Yeah, I don't know. But I was, you know, I wasn't like looking to see him in the top 10 or anything like that, or I'm not being a Bears meatball and angry about it. I was just. I was really surprised that if you were going to lay out the top 100 players for the 20. 25 season and Caleb Williams not to be in the top 100.

[B]

Yeah, that's wrong.

[A]

Whether I'm a Chicago fan or not. That is. That is incorrect.

[B]

That. Yeah, that's wrong. Like some editor should look at that and just say, are you, are you sure about this? But again, it's value above average. So that's critical to remember that it's not value above replacement. So I just wonder who would rank as their, like the example of their average quarterback who was middle of the road.

[A]

In this exercise, we are measuring player value relative to average at respective positions. So we will almost certainly have quarterbacks at the very top. It is the highest leverage position.

[B]

Okay. And how many other quarterbacks took.

[A]

Okay, no, yeah, so. But also cannot have more than 16 on the list. So he doesn't have Caleb Williams in the top 16 quarterbacks. If he were to put 16 on this list, which is in. Yeah, that's sane.

[B]

Yeah, that's just not true. You can't name 16 quarterbacks. But again, it's like it's the question of would you rather have is different than based on last year's performance and last year's performance alone. But even so, that's a standard that should have Caleb Williams.

[A]

Right. And I'm not, I'm not going to look at numbers. I'm going to, I'm going to watch the games.

[B]

Yeah. There must be just a lot of punishment for completion percentage being low.

[A]

Let's see. So we have. So there's, there's Drake May, Dak Prescott. That's two. Stafford is three. Allen is four. Love is five, Mahomes is six, Herbert's seven. So that's seven quarterbacks so far. Trevor Lawrence.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

8. Jared Goff is 9. C.J. stroud is 10. Bo Nix is 11. Daniel Jones is 12. Lamar Jackson is 13.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

This is just order of court. Of BAKER Mayfield is 14. Yeah. And then that would have to go. I think Brock purdy would be 15. And then 16. Yeah. And then Sam Donald. 16. You've got to be shitting me.

[B]

Well, that's. Well, I think maybe the lesson is then that this is one of those examples. And I don't think this is homerism. I don't think this is just because of all of the Caleb Williams that we've watched. I just think that's wrong. I think that is where we're really seeing a gap between how good the numbers say you are and how good your play actually says that you are. That's quite a thing.

[A]

Yeah. I just, I don't get that at all.

[B]

I mean, this isn't taking anything away from Darnell writer Joe Tooney.

[A]

No, not at all. Absolutely not. But if you're going to go through this exercise with the top 100 MVP candidates for your ballot and Caleb Williams not to be in the top 100 is just. That's ludicrous.

[B]

Let's also talk real quick about some of the job openings around the NFL and who's involved. I think it's looking increasingly like we're going to have Will Long maybe even as offensive coordinator for the Bears. This was Ben Johnson's buddy from Boston College. He was the offensive coordinator of Boston College. He also played with Johnson at North Carolina. We talked about Will Law ing potentially replacing Eric B. Enemy at running backs coach. But now with the Eagles talking to Declan Doyle, maybe they're going to shuffle some things around on the offensive side of the ball. I know that OC under Ben Johnson doesn't mean as much just like it doesn't under and Reed, because we know who's in charge, we know who's calling the plays, we know whose offense it is. But the whole point of having a young guy like Declan Doyle there professionally for Ben Johnson is, you know, to hope that he gets a job like this. The hope that he start building a tree and you get some of these guys promoted. And I think that nobody would be more supportive of that than Johnson if Declan Doyle were to get that Eagles job.

[A]

Yeah. And maybe that's what Ben Johnson realized was going to be happening, which is why he called on his buddy out at Boston College. Will Long to come come through. Because we knew that. That the hire was made. Just didn't know where he would fit within the staff. If it would be running backs coach if Declan Doyle were to leave, that might make sense that he would go there. We also learned that Al Harris had an interview with the Green Bay packers as their defensive coordinator. Possibility. So we'll maybe see what happens there and then how the Bears fill that void as well. Because what, he was the defensive backs coach.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah. So I think that's. I think that's all that's. That's been up right now. Doyle and Harris, right? Yeah. Obviously, B Enemy went back to kc. There will be more Maggies out there. I wonder if Matt Naggy can kind of come in, get a role somewhere on the staff.

[B]

I wouldn't object to him having a role with that, but he obviously wants much bigger than that. This is his next time to strike, I think. But what, you know, my takeaway right now, it's really kind of resonating with me is. Is the. Is just how bad that Tripillo injury is. And the. For the. For this Bears team to go into this season now with a. With a glaring opening at left tackle, is that. That's got to be a very, very high priority. However they want to do it, and it's not going to be a rookie. It can't. No.

[A]

I think. I think as of right now, as we're just talking through it, I think it is the number one priority going into next year. There is. There is no way that Ben Johnson doesn't have that as the number one area to fill.

[B]

All right, so let me. Let's say this. If right now with this roster, we know what they did for the last game, but my first choice as, and I hate to do this, but before they make this move at the moment, your left tackle would have to be Darnell, right?

[A]

It would, but I don't want to do that.

[B]

No, I don't either. Yes.

[A]

He's your. He's your starting right tackle. You address it with a new body. He's your starting right tackle. Let's not fuck around with. I mean, you have. You have guard through right tackle is solid.

[B]

And barring any injury, maybe more than solid. Maybe probably top five in the league.

[A]

Oh, top five minimum. Top three. Top three. We could say from left guard to right tackle, you are one of the best units in football. Let's not mess with that.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

We have an off season now to find a left tackle address that. I think that has to be the number one priority. It has to be. It has to be. And cleaning up your offensive line, too, with backups as well. I mean, because for me, you cannot include Theo Benedict in that. You cannot. He was not good enough to play.

[B]

Good enough.

[A]

He was not good enough to play in the game on Sunday. Therefore, he shouldn't be part of this roster. He just shouldn't be. Because you can't tell me that. Oh, no, we believe in him and, you know, and he's developing and progressing and growing and we're going to coach him up, we're going to work with him. You can't get to a game and then say, we have a need. We can't use the guy that's there to fill that need.

[B]

And this isn't.

[A]

We're going to adjust some things around.

[B]

And where this year started as a rebuild of a rebuild, it blew past that.

[A]

Right?

[B]

And now you're not there. You changed everything. The context of Everything changed. And if it so happens there are guys on your roster that develop, that's great. But that's not what it's not the game you're playing right now.

[A]

No, you're exactly right. And while one season doesn't build on the other and there is no momentum and you're starting from scratch, the context has changed. You're exactly right. It's no longer you're the NFC north champions. It's no longer, let's go out and see what we can do. Rah, rah. Good, better. Best defend the title of your division, do better in your division, get further in the playoffs. That's where you're at right now. And what does that mean? It means finding a left tackle that's going to be there for 17 games plus and is not only a solid player, but is going to grade out as one of the best left tackles in the game. That's where you're at. That's your priority right now. It has to be. I didn't think that going into the show, but that's what it has to. It has to be. That it has to. Dan, like, you can look at the other roster issues, your unrestricted free agents, guys that may come and go, coaches that may leave your biggest gap right now on your championship roster is left tackle.

[B]

I think that's the takeaway from this edition of Forward Progress, a Chicago Bears podcast on 312 Sports.

[A]

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