Ben Johnson PRAISES Ryan Poles + MORE Unsung Heroes Emerging For Chicago Bears

Ben Johnson PRAISES Ryan Poles + MORE Unsung Heroes Emerging For Chicago Bears

I’m Harrison Graham. Here’s what we got coming up on Chicago Bears now. Ben Johnson praising his general manager Ryan Poles. We’ll dive into that. Also, seems like every week there’s new unsung heroes and we saw a couple more emerge in the Bears win over the Steelers. And then are Kyler Gordon and Jaylen Johnson going to return against the Philadelphia Eagles here on Black Friday? We dive into all these topics and more coming up here on today’s show. But do you believe do you believe that the Bears can beat the Eagles here in just what 4 days? Black Friday. It’s going to be here quick. If you do, get the bear downs going in the comments section below. All right. Ben Johnson at his Monday press conference had this to say just about the tight-knit group in that locker room. He said, “I think we’ve got the right type of guys.” Ryan Poles has really done uh a great job of constructing the roster that way. The veteran leadership is outstanding. Kevin Bard, who they got last year, obviously Joe Tuni, Grady Jarrett. This year, uh we probably have 10 to 12 guys that we really lean into on a weekly basis just to get a pulse of the team. And they do a really good job of keeping the main thing the main thing in the locker room. It’s really those veterans that I just can’t sing their praises enough. Listen, Ryan Poles is certainly a polarizing figure among Bears fans, but I think one thing that he has done a much better job of really this offseason, but with Kevin Bard last year that he kind of ignored his first few years, even when they were rebuilding, is even when you have a team that you don’t really expect to go win a Super Bowl or anything, you got to have a couple of quality vets in that room. Guys who have been through the battles, guys who have seen winning, who have been there and done that. First few years, they just didn’t have any of those guys. It was a lot of young guys. It was a lot of randoms. The veterans they did have were just like low-level players. Like remember they brought like Riley Ree. It’s like okay that like that’s not what I’m talking about. Grady Jarrett, we can talk about his contract. He is a very valuable guy to have on this team. And by the way, he’s been playing better recently. Kevin Bard, he’s been a hell of a leader since he got here. Joe Tuni, not the biggest raw guy, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this offensive line has been awesome this year with him being a part of it. Drew Dolman uh is a leader in that room as well. Jonah Jackson uh helps rally the troops. Like listen, these guys just make a difference. You look at all the great teams, they always have those veterans. They always have those guys who uh teams can lean on. I mean, like last year, I’m not going to pick on the guy and he’s a vet and he’s a raw guy, but like when Demarcus Walker is breaking you down before every game, like again, I’m not going to rip on Demarcus Walker, but it’s like, okay, like he’s a fine rotation player. Like, that’s that’s not that inspiring to me. Okay. Um, they got they got dudes they got dudes that they have brought in that have been there that have done that. And oh, by the way, if we’re going to sing Ryan Poz’s praises a little bit, don’t look now. But this draft class, remember after a month, five weeks, we’re like, is anybody in this draft going to contribute? A lot of these guys contributing. Just yesterday, Coloulson Lovelin had a touchdown, had a few nice catches. Uh, he’s been contributing every week now. Luther Burton’s role continues to have an uptick. Azie Trapillo, first career start at left tackle, played really well. Ruben Hiplight made a few plays early before he left with an injury, stepping in for injured linebackers. Luke Newman played 22 snaps, held his own. I thought initially Ryan Bates went to the game. No, Luke Newman. So, that’s a good sign. That means he’s progressing in practice to the point where he’s your top backup guard. Kyle Manungai uh for weeks now has been contributing. Yesterday had a key touchdown as well. You’re seeing development and that’s where the coaching staff obviously gets a lot of credit, but they picked some guys that can play. That’s a really, really good thing to see. like it’s up to the front office along with input from the coaching staff to pick the right players and then it’s up to the coaching staff to develop. And I think you’re seeing both those things merge uh right now. And uh that’s that’s how you build a good team. You got to draft, you got to develop, and then you got to bring in the right veterans when you trade or sign guys in free agency. So yeah, I think um I think Ryan Ples uh has to deserve some credit here uh when it comes uh to those type of things. And kudos to Ben Johnson for uh for giving him that credit when it comes to the roster construction. All right, we’ll keep it rolling here on Chicago Bears now, but this episode is brought to you by Prize Picks. The holiday season is here. It’s the best time of year for sports. Bowl games, basketball matchups, playoff pushes, it’s all happening at once. And while you and I are out here making decisions every day, what gifts to buy, what to eat, which game to watch, there’s one place where it feels good to be right. Rice pigs. And I don’t know about you, but my seasonl long fantasy football team has been finished for weeks. That’s why I like daily fantasy with prize picks is I can play with different players all the time and set new lineups every single day. Just pick two or more players and take more or less on their stat projections to qualify for a prize pick lineup. New feature alert. Price picks now has early payouts. If your lineup gets off to a hot start, you may now have the option to cash out those winnings before the game even finishes. Little two-player lineup I like tonight. Christian McCaffrey more than seven targets. They’ve been peppering him in the passing game. And then Tedaro McMillan, excuse me, has been Bryce Young’s favorite target all year. 66 and a half receiving yards. I like the more there. $20 lineup to win 60 bucks. Download the Price Picks app today. Use our code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That is code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your $5 lineup. Price picks. It is good to be right. Okay, more unsung heroes. A big theme of this season is guys stepping up. I mean, this team has been decimated with injuries, especially on the defensive side, and we saw it again. Demarco Jackson, who we knew was going to play, led the team in tackles with 15. Abbog Bamiga, who we did not know was going to play at linebacker, when Ruben Hiplight went down, he stepped in there. He had 14 tackles. for these two guys to combine for 29 tackles. I’m not saying they played perfect. Early on, it felt like the linebackers were out of position, but they’re around the football. They’re playing hard. Tackles, if nothing else, is a stat of motor. Like, you may not, you know, some of these tackles might be seven yards downfield, but you are, you have that relentless effort, and that is something you can work with. That is something you can work with. You’re talking about your LB4 and your what? LB6 and AM O. Amido is a special teamer, right? And he missed like the first two months of the year on IR. Comes in in a game he didn’t expect to play. Has 14 tackles. I mean, that’s that’s a job well done. The Bears are getting contri contributions from everyone. Everyone is contributing to this team. If you’ve been on the 53 this year, you’ve probably helped contribute to a win at some point. I mean, these are just a few specific examples of deeper backups stepping up and helping you win. Josh Blackwell blocks the field goal in Vegas. You win that game. Jake Moody, who’s not even here anymore, helps you beat Washington. Kyle Manungi when DeAndre Swift was out, goes for 200 allpurpose yards against the Bengals. Huge game. And then this week, DeMarco Jackson Aan Abbab Bamiga combined for 29 tackles. I mean, Ben Johnson kind of sarcastically said it in his locker room postgame speech like, “How are we going to win this game? We have no linebackers.” Well, that’s that’s a testament to coaching and belief. Like, hey, this is why you put the work in in training camp during the week because when it’s your time, you got to be ready to go. And these guys are ready to go. Doesn’t mean they’re perfect players. They’re backups for a reason. But hey, they’re stepping up to the plate. They’re taking on the challenge. The best example of this from a seasonl long standpoint, Nan Wright. No one even thought he’d make this team when they signed him. He’s been unbelievable. So, really, really nice to see. I mean, their backups are playing better than starters would before, it feels like on prior coaching staff. So, I I just think this staff has done a really good job. And obviously, you got to give players credit, too. Like, they’re they’re out there making plays. So, really really awesome stuff. Thank you guys so much. We hit 141,000 subscribers during our Bears Steelers watch party. Next milestone is 142K. If you want to support the movement, you want free and daily Bears content, hit that subscribe button. Let’s keep the train rolling. All right, don’t forget Bears could get some key reinforcements this week um to return as it is a short week, but it felt like if it wasn’t a short week that Jaylen Johnson andor Kyler Gordon might have played on Sunday, but I think with the quick turnaround, they they took the cautious route. I think at minimum one of these two is playing, Jaylen or Kyler. And you would probably lean Jaylen because he’s had more full participation practices. Uh, we’ll keep an eye on TJ Edwards. If not this week, I would think that next game against Green Bay, he’ll be back and ready to go. He was playing really well before the injury. Excuse me. So, uh, that would be potentially really, really big news for the Chicago Bears if they could get one, two of these guys back this week and then eventually all these guys back. Uh, keep an eye on Tyreek Stevenson as well. He got banged up in that last game. So, we’ll monitor that on the injury report this week. Uh, Brad Bigs with a piece of news. tight end Nola Kenic who uh was a game day elevation yesterday. Guess he got hurt on special teams or something. He’s been placed on the practice squad IR list. Uh and the Bears have added three players to the practice squad. Dominic Hampton who was actually a draft pick for the Commanders last year. Kind of a safety linebacker hybrid. Kadir Ishmael at tight end. Need a practice squad tight end because remember Steven Carlson’s game day elevations. They don’t have any left. So you need a fourth option there in case you need a game day elevation. and then Jeremiah Martin, another defensive lineman in there as well. So, they’ve added a few players to the old practice squad. All right, that’s going to do it for this edition of Chicago Bears. Now, appreciate everybody for tuning in to this episode. As always, hit that subscribe button and bear down

The Chicago Bears had multiple storylines following their Week 12 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS and use code CLNS and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Ben Johnson praised GM Ryan Poles after the additions the Bears made during the NFL offseason. Multiple players, including LB’s D’Marco Jackson and Amen Ogbongbemiga, stepped up for Chicago due to multiple injuries. Also, Joe Thuney, Grady Jarrett and Kevin Byard have been excellent veterans for the Bears. Chat Sports host Harrison Graham gives his takes and reacts to the latest Bears injury news.

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Bears head coach Ben Johnson on Bears locker room:
“I think we’ve got the right type of guys. Ryan (Poles has) really done a great job of constructing the roster that way. The veteran leadership is outstanding — Kevin Byard, Joe Thuney, Grady (Jarrett). We probably have 10-12 guys that we really lean into on a weekly basis just to get a pulse of the team, and they do a really good job of keeping the main thing the main thing in the locker room. It’s really those veterans that I just can’t sing their praises enough.”

Bears rookies who contributed against the Steelers:
– Colston Loveland (TE)
– Luther Burden III (WR)
– Ozzy Trapilo (OT)
– Ruben Hyppolite II (LB)
– Luke Newman (OG)
– Kyle Monangai (RB)

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Bears key veterans:
– Kevin Byard III (S)
– Joe Thuney (OG)
– Grady Jarrett (DT)
– Drew Dalman (C)
– Jonah Jackson (OG)

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