Bears 2025

[Coach Nowlin]

2 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

Short of Mike Ditka having de-aging treatments my horse would have been Marcus Freeman.  Other front runners were Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher. 

 

You should know that Ben Johnson was born in 1986 

Mike Singletary below

 

Quote

 

Memphis Express

On May 10, 2018, Singletary was named head coach of the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football. The Express went 2–6 before the league cancelled the rest of the season. The league eventually ceased operations altogether.^[35]

High school coaching

On March 29, 2018, Singletary accepted a job at Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, Texas. He left the school in December 2019 after going 1–21 in two seasons.^[36]

 

 

Brian Urlacher below

ZERO COACHING JOBS

 

I understand Marcus Freeman, however that was not something that lined up at this time

At least if you are trying to hold onto the clutches of the Ditka Era , you could of at least said Ron Riveria, he actually has an NFL coaching resume that could be taken serious unlike the ohter 2 Bear greats you mentioned.   

 

 

[Boilernation]

46 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

No kidding

I have been talking about this for 10 months plus,  this was the year, the bandaid stop gaps he tried didn't work out for various reasons,  Bates, Davis, Shelton 

They have 4 picks in the top 72 

around 70 million in cap space

SOunds like Coach Johnson is bringing OL coach from Lions with him, that is exciting (can they sneak Sewell in a suitcase out of Detroit? ) 

the OL will be addressed heavily so will the DL and LB corp imo 

 

C-MO out? Agreed. OL and DL will be addressed heavily. I just glanced at 4 mocks and 2 of them had Bears going Edge, 1 OL, and the other Jeanty. I think I may break something if Poles drafts a RB in the 1st round. I'm fine with Edge or OL in a best available scenario.

[Sparty]

41 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

Short of Mike Ditka having de-aging treatments my horse would have been Marcus Freeman.  Other front runners were Mike Singletary and Brian Urlacher. 

 

Lol

[Coach Nowlin]

9 minutes ago, Boilernation said:

C-MO out? Agreed. OL and DL will be addressed heavily. I just glanced at 4 mocks and 2 of them had Bears going Edge, 1 OL, and the other Jeanty. I think I may break something if Poles drafts a RB in the 1st round. I'm fine with Edge or OL in a best available scenario.

Yeah, I don't think they're going to get Boise's running back at 10th. Overall that be a little bit crazy however, the lions were thought to be pretty crazy thinking they were going to take Gibbs when they had Swift and then had just signed Montgomery.   

I agree that would be a total luxury pic that we don't have 

However, if there's somebody very similar to that kind of a third down electric type back that you could get middle of their draft that I am down for that.    Swift / Johnson combo though could be plenty good enough as well when you pair with Kmet DJ and Rome.  

Who is C-Mo? 

[Boilernation]

Chris Morgan. Run game Coordinator and OL coach. 

[Boilernation]

19 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said:

Very Important to listen to 

 

Ben Johnson switched agents just last week from.......Trace Armstrong to Rick Smith and Prioriity Sports.    

Today Bears hire Ben Johnson 

If this doesn't scream RYAN POLES IS IN CHARGE I do not know what else to you

 

 

Great message. I genuinely believe George wants the Bears to be good, but he just doesn't know enough about football to make it happen on his own. It's not like he's just sitting in an old money mansion up in some prestine older North Shore suburb and counting his cash like Reinsdorf probably does. The guy is fairly down to earth. He lives way out by DeKalb and volunteers as an ump for Illinois HS sports. Supposedly, he even walks the tailgates before games and talks to fans.

Bears fans celebrated when they finally hired a President of Football Operations that wasn't a McCaskey or a career Financial Accountant (Phillips). Hopefully, hiring Johnson AND freaking building an OL is what finally turns the franchise around. 

[Coach Nowlin]

If you listen to the Hughes fellas from Da Bears Blog, Coach Johnson was given assurances that Warren/McCaskey were 100% out of player decisions.    Time will tell on the press conference and if they say the same thing. 

I have seen McCaskey in the North Lot, he doesn't come to us low lifes in the 31st lot !!!  

Seems like they are starting to get everything alinged..... fingers crossed 

And yes, I am fine cleaning house if need be for Coach Johnson.  from what I have seen thus far,  HC Johnson,  DC Allen and bring in the Special teams coach who was interim for the Saints to come with Allen and the OL coach from Detroit.   Who knows if true yet 

[Coach Nowlin]

 

 

 

[Coach Nowlin]

My order of importance off season/ Wish List 

Hope for Bears to be able to pounce on Trey Smith who SHOULD be a FA this cycle and with Chicago having 66 million in cap space this makes WAY too much sense both financially and NEED.   That takes 1 of the OL needs. 

#2.  Cut Edmonds.......no where did the Bears get the Bills player who went to 2 probowls.....save cap money cutting him 

#3.  Sign Ronnie Stanley if he somehow gets out of clutches of Baltimore, big up grade at LT there.

#4:    Take Best OT available at 10, with 1 condition, Carter from Penn St. is off the board......if he is there at 10, that is the pick, LSU Campbell from some scouts say he is more of an NFL Guard.    Sign Smith , draft Campbell, there is your 2 OG.   If you can pull off Smith and Taylor wow, that will be a tough task 

#5.  Take a swing at Josh Sweat if Eagles let him walk as edge rusher 

#6. Sign Nick Bolton to replace Edmonds at LB 

Draft 4 players in the first 72 picks to be:  3 Lineman, either side of ball, depends on FA, if the breakdown is 2 DL or 2 OL.   Then with one of the picks, best playmaker available 

 

[Sparty]

3 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said:

If you listen to the Hughes fellas from Da Bears Blog, Coach Johnson was given assurances that Warren/McCaskey were 100% out of player decisions.    Time will tell on the press conference and if they say the same thing. 

I have seen McCaskey in the North Lot, he doesn't come to us low lifes in the 31st lot !!!  

Seems like they are starting to get everything alinged..... fingers crossed 

And yes, I am fine cleaning house if need be for Coach Johnson.  from what I have seen thus far,  HC Johnson,  DC Allen and bring in the Special teams coach who was interim for the Saints to come with Allen and the OL coach from Detroit.   Who knows if true yet 

Aren’t these podcasts/blogs just the new am radio/talking heads on tv?

[Coach Nowlin]

 

 

[Coach Nowlin]

1 hour ago, Sparty said:

Aren’t these podcasts/blogs just the new am radio/talking heads on tv?

They can be in the same boat yes.  

Hence why I said IF, you listen to Jeff Hughes ....

 

Just passing along things that I have found on the topic of Bears football 

I always go into these scenarios knowing far majority of this stuff is all noise .....only those inside Hallas know.    

I gather my information across multiple forms from X , some of it I value most of it I don't.  Then I listen to press conferences and Read Beat writers such as Brad Biggs to formulate my vision of what Bears are doing 

[Whiting89]

With hiring Johnson I see bears drafting Jeanty if he falls he need his Gibbs 

[Sparty]

2 hours ago, Whiting89 said:

With hiring Johnson I see bears drafting Jeanty if he falls he need his Gibbs 

He’s not even in the same stratosphere as Gibbs and I like Jeanty.  Jeanty to me is too similar to the other back they have, Johnson maybe

[Boilernation]

14 minutes ago, Sparty said:

He’s not even in the same stratosphere as Gibbs and I like Jeanty.  Jeanty to me is too similar to the other back they have, Johnson maybe

Roschon could be a good comp even though Jeanty is a little shorter. Both physical type of backs. Agreed, nothing like the lightning quick speed of Gibbs. 

[Boilernation]

5 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said:

They can be in the same boat yes.  

Hence why I said IF, you listen to Jeff Hughes ....

 

Just passing along things that I have found on the topic of Bears football 

I always go into these scenarios knowing far majority of this stuff is all noise .....only those inside Hallas know.    

I gather my information across multiple forms from X , some of it I value most of it I don't.  Then I listen to press conferences and Read Beat writers such as Brad Biggs to formulate my vision of what Bears are doing 

Speaking of AM Radio, I was listening to Waddle and Silvy from yesterday and they had on a beat guy from Detroit. I thought he provided some good info. Said that he thinks Johnson is perfect for Chicago. He's an analytics guy, but not in the geeky mold like McDaniel. He said Johnson is very intense and will rip into players to hold them accountable. He also said Johnson is very demanding of the players to play within his structure.  

[Boilernation]

8 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said:

My order of importance off season/ Wish List 

Hope for Bears to be able to pounce on Trey Smith who SHOULD be a FA this cycle and with Chicago having 66 million in cap space this makes WAY too much sense both financially and NEED.   That takes 1 of the OL needs. 

#2.  Cut Edmonds.......no where did the Bears get the Bills player who went to 2 probowls.....save cap money cutting him 

#3.  Sign Ronnie Stanley if he somehow gets out of clutches of Baltimore, big up grade at LT there.

#4:    Take Best OT available at 10, with 1 condition, Carter from Penn St. is off the board......if he is there at 10, that is the pick, LSU Campbell from some scouts say he is more of an NFL Guard.    Sign Smith , draft Campbell, there is your 2 OG.   If you can pull off Smith and Taylor wow, that will be a tough task 

#5.  Take a swing at Josh Sweat if Eagles let him walk as edge rusher 

#6. Sign Nick Bolton to replace Edmonds at LB 

Draft 4 players in the first 72 picks to be:  3 Lineman, either side of ball, depends on FA, if the breakdown is 2 DL or 2 OL.   Then with one of the picks, best playmaker available 

 

Agree 1000% on cutting Edmonds. He is not worth the money! Sounds crazy , but I wouldn't mind seeing what they could get in return for Jaylon Johnson. He got his way by getting Flus fired and basically quit at the end of the year. I can't respect that. 

Edited January 22, 2025 by Boilernation

[Coach Nowlin]

I don't know Johnson a top 5 corner and locked up in contract.    I'm holding 

Beat guys I trust the most as they are there daily.  And for some Years.  Good ones hold teams accountable, bad ones are cheerleaders.  Watching some Detroit meltdowns has been fun. 

I just don't see need to draft Skill guy until round 3 or later.   

12 hours ago, Whiting89 said:

With hiring Johnson I see bears drafting Jeanty if he falls he need his Gibbs 

See the stats Detroit put up without Gibbs posted in this thread.  Still top 5 

[Coach Nowlin]

Excellent tone from Coach Johnson and I do believe that McCaskey finally has listened to football people, Warren and Poles and this is why Coach Johnson CHOSE the Bears and no where else. 

Loved his tone and how he looked directly to the players in attendance, "BE READY TO BE COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE".     Hey Hey.  Thats a start 

Loved his answer to a question about pitfalls as a 1st time HC, talked about his plight to the HC, 7 years in Miami and 6 in Detroit, he. pointed out those were not necessarily all flowers in those jobs and he saw not only how good works, but MORE importantly what it looks like on the opposite end, felt authentic in that answer 

Time to go to work 

 

[Boilernation]

Gotta give George credit as well for be willing to pay the bag while still paying Flus. Johnson is getting paid. And credit to Poles for moving quickly. I believe they conducted a zoom call on Saturday morning and then locked in a contract on Monday before Johnson even visited Halas Hall.

[Coach Nowlin]

2 hours ago, Boilernation said:

Gotta give George credit as well for be willing to pay the bag while still paying Flus. Johnson is getting paid. And credit to Poles for moving quickly. I believe they conducted a zoom call on Saturday morning and then locked in a contract on Monday before Johnson even visited Halas Hall.

That happens when you dump Trace Amrstrong for Rick Smith and Priority Sports!!  

 

St Brown Pod was good today talking about type of Coach Johnson is from Aman's eyes,  his brother doesn't hold back thats for sure 

 

[Coach Nowlin]

and this is why I believe this is truly a new era of Bears leadership,  the Money given out and then the fact that POLES was the man in charge the whole time 

[Boilernation]

2 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said:

and this is why I believe this is truly a new era of Bears leadership,  the Money given out and then the fact that POLES was the man in charge the whole time 

I'm hearing Johnson will be around the 7th highest paid coach in the league. Not sure about accuracy. Regardless, the McCaskey's have never opened up the pocket book like this before. 

I finally listed to the presser. I really liked his comment about the playbook. He said he won't be dropping Detroit's playbook on the table and saying let's go. He said he'll be stripping the playbook down to the studs and rebuilding it around what works for CW. One of Waldron's biggest flaws was not developing a playbook around CW and forcing CW to embrace Waldron's playbook, which a lot of people said was too complicated for a rookie QB.

[Coach Nowlin]

Couldn't agree more

[Boilernation]

On 1/21/2025 at 12:39 PM, Coach Nowlin said:

If you listen to the Hughes fellas from Da Bears Blog, Coach Johnson was given assurances that Warren/McCaskey were 100% out of player decisions.    Time will tell on the press conference and if they say the same thing. 

I have seen McCaskey in the North Lot, he doesn't come to us low lifes in the 31st lot !!!  

Seems like they are starting to get everything alinged..... fingers crossed 

And yes, I am fine cleaning house if need be for Coach Johnson.  from what I have seen thus far,  HC Johnson,  DC Allen and bring in the Special teams coach who was interim for the Saints to come with Allen and the OL coach from Detroit.   Who knows if true yet 

Sounds like Fraley has decent shot at OC in Seattle. I've never been to the 31st Street Lot. Is that a hike to walk to the stadium from? I think that's the area Warren is now eyeing to build a stadium IF they don't build in Arlington Heights. Supposedly, the chances of them getting taxpayer funds for a stadium are more likely if they build in the area of 31st Street.