I had a lot of questions. Adam Jahns always has a lot of answers. On this pod we discuss:

• The fallout of the Ray McDonald signing at Halas Hall.
• Was Cliff Stein demoted with the hiring of Joey Laine? (Sure sounds like he was)
• Where the hell is Martellus Bennett and what does he want?
• Would giving Matt Forte another year tacked on to his deal suffice or is the back looking for a multi-year commitment?
• Shea McClellin. Lots and lots of Shea McClellin.
• The Ultra-Positive: observations from the John Fox practice field.

Another wonderful conversation with my buddy Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. (Apologies for the technical feedback. Soundcloud’s problem, not mine.) In the chat we discuss:

• Battling the national “source” guys
• Cutler’s fans inside the locker room
• How the Trestman era will be remembered
• Jay Glazer’s golf foursomes
• Possible surprises this coming off-season
• Much, much more!

Adam Jahns joins me for another free-wheeling conversations on all things Chicago Bears. Some important and/or telling information includes:

• Jahns describes the locker room this week as “cheery” after last week’s dourness, almost as if the team is resigned to their existence of being terrible. (Can’t imagine fans want to hear this.)
• Marc Trestman is described as a coach carrying himself like he knows he’ll be returning in 2015. Jahns says he would be “shocked” otherwise.
• Jahns is bullish on Jon Bostic and has been all season long. If Bears want one player to keep their eyes on these next three weeks, Jahns believes it is Bostic.
• Don’t expect to hear anything from Emery or McCaskey until season’s end.

Love these conversations. Expect them all year round.

For Tillman, Smith motivated through positive reinforcement. He referred to Tillman as an All-Pro cornerback in defensive meetings even though he wasn’t at that point in his career. It happened whenever the Bears faced the Detroit Lions and star receiver Calvin Johnson.

‘‘He’d be like, ‘They got their best player. We got our best player. I got all the confidence in the world in Peanut,’ ” Tillman said. ‘‘It was the confidence that he had in his players. You really felt it.

‘‘I believe in speaking words into existence. Part of being a coach is motivating your players, and it definitely got me going. My confidence was that much higher.’’

There’s even better stuff in the piece. Part of me wishes something like this had been written while Lovie was still the coach.

Sun-Times Bears beat reporter Adam Jahns joins me to take a look at where the entire Bears organization stands five games into the season. We talk struggles on offense, Jared Allen’s inefficiency, Willie Young’s emergence, Kyle Fuller’s rookie campaign, the Brandon Marshall Conundrum and whether the league has simply caught up to Trestman’s system. This is, without question, the best summation of five games you’ll find anywhere.

Thanks to Adam for the time and terrific insight. We’ll be making him a regular player around here.

PAEA IN THE SKY-A

Stephen Paea has been a disappointment for almost the entirety of his Chicago Bears career. In 2014 he is acknowledging that disappointment:

“You see how I played — I let my teammates down,” the defensive tackle said after the fifth of 10 organized team activity sessions at Halas Hall. “The best thing about it is, I have a second chance to do it …

“Just put a chip on my shoulder this year.”

For me Paea is the Bears fifth defensive tackle in 2014 and will see even less field time when the Bears slide some of their versatile ends (Houston, Young) inside on passing downs. You could make an argument that no player on the defensive roster outside of Shea McClellin needs a better summer.

WILL HILL WENT TO MY HIGH SCHOOL…

…but that is not the only reason I believe the Bears should be interested in the talented, pot-smoking knucklehead recently released by the New York Giants.

Read More …

Bears have added two veteran coaches with tons of experience to their defensive coaching staff. Paqualoni will coach the defensive line. Herring will coach the linebackers.

Adam Jahns adds another wrinkle to the hire, which I present without comment:

So the #Bears two new defensive coaches (announced soon) have a history in 3-4 and hybrid defenses…read into it what you want.

Well, one comment. There is clearly a philosophical change happening on the defensive side of the ball.