Jaylon Johnson sounds off on Bears' new additions on defense
Jaylon Johnson sounds off on Bears' new additions on defense
The Chicago Bears made some big additions to the trenches during free agency, where they retooled the entire interior offensive line and added some playmakers along the defensive line.
The Bears defensive line was the defense's biggest concern heading into the 2025 season, and general manager Ryan Poles made some big additions with veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who's an interior disruptor, and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, who is a rising star off the edge.
Jarrett and Odeyingbo will serve key roles in Dennis Allen's defense, and star cornerback Jaylon Johnson loves what he's seen from his new defensive teammates.
"Grady's been playing this game at a high level for a long time," Johnson told reporters Tuesday. "I've always been a big fan of his game when he was in Atlanta. So definitely getting a dog like that up front is going to help me out on the back end and I know he's going to cause some havoc too in the run game. Pairing him with A-Bill (Andrew Billings) I think will be a sight to see, for sure. And then Dayo, I think him seeing how aggressive he is off the edge and how disruptive he is, he can definitely help us on defense."
There are already some big names in that defensive line room with former Pro Bowl defensive end Montez Sweat and defensive tackles Andrew Billings and Gervon Dexter. Now, with the additions of Grady and Odeyingbo -- and any potenital newcomers through the 2025 NFL draft -- Allen has some disruptors up front on defense.
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New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Bears minicamp observations: Fun day at Halas Hall will fuel Ben Johnson's trick plays
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — One of the highlights from the third and final day of the Chicago Bears' mandatory minicamp was backup quarterback Case Keenum making a behind-the-back catch with two hands. It came after quarterback Caleb Williams caught a deep pass from receiver Devin Duvernay (who first made a catch on a throw from backup QB Tyson Bagent) and raced into the end zone where he screamed and celebrated. Advertisement It was a fun day at Halas Hall. Offensive linemen and quarterbacks caught passes during that one period in practice, while receivers, running backs and tight ends threw them. 'Yeah, I let those guys know, we only do this once a year, and it's an evaluation and we'll circle back in training camp and in the season to see who we can trust to catch the ball or throw the ball,' Johnson said Thursday. 'I think there's a couple guys on the (offensive) line that stood out. And then Case Keenum might have made the catch of the day, you know, behind the back about 50 yards down the field. So I think we've got some toys to work with.' 🚨 O-Linemen running routes 🚨 — Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) June 5, 2025 This is the Ben Johnson way. He's serious about the details but also about adding trick plays to his playbook. The fun and games from Thursday could be considered the starting point for the latter. Did Johnson see the one-handed catch that right tackle Darnell Wright made? 'Oh, I did,' he said, smiling. 'I did. I did.' Johnson was asked on Wednesday if any players stood out to him during minicamp. He asked for a day to consider the players. On Thursday, he provided his answer: defensive end Dominique Robinson, rookie linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II, tight end Joel Wilson and rookie running back Kyle Monangai. Robinson, inactive for most of last season, spent most of minicamp playing with the defensive starters opposite Montez Sweat, with Dayo Odeyingbo sitting out. 'Even without the pads on, (Robinson's) done a great job of consistently speed-rushing up the field or countering back to the inside,' Johnson said. 'He's done a really nice job there. And of course he's got some special teams value that he takes a lot of pride in as well.' Advertisement Hyppolite's opportunities increased with T.J. Edwards dealing with a soft-tissue injury. Johnson described him as 'the player we probably saw the most improvement from when he stepped in to now.' Hyppolite, the Bears' fourth-round pick this year, played with the starters as the weakside linebacker. He's also competing with Noah Sewell on the strong side 'There's a lot of moving parts there at linebacker play,' Johnson said. 'They're keying and diagnosing a few different deals, and just with (defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's) scheme, the match mentality that we like to play a lot of our coverages with, things change quickly. He's done a great job adjusting to that speed as we've gone through, and that's going to have to show up once we do get the pads on. But I think he's been improving every single day, and really, we're hoping that course continues.' Wilson, who initially joined the Bears' practice squad last October, caught a touchdown pass from Keenum during a situational period on Thursday. Johnson said he's made plays like that throughout the offseason program. Wilson went undrafted out of Central Michigan in 2023 before stints with the New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and New York Giants. 'He's got a little savvy in how he moves,' Johnson said. 'He's got a nice route feel about him. The test will really be when we get going in camp, how he holds up in the run game and the pass pro game. But so far in the running route section of tight end play, I think he's stood out in a positive light.' Johnson said that Monangai, the Bears' final draft selection this year, has 'really stepped up' during minicamp. That included catching a touchdown pass from Williams during a situational drill on Wednesday. 'I appreciate the attention to detail and the pride he takes and how quickly he's picking things up,' Johnson said of Monangai. Advertisement Johnson has continued to quiz his quarterbacks on play calls. Quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett provides the play, and the quarterbacks have to repeat it and then go through its operation until they get it correct. Each quarterback gets three plays in a row. 'It's been intense,' Bagent said. 'At the beginning, when he was doing those quizzes, it was just kind of like putting somebody in a corner and pinning them there because we didn't really know what any of these words meant. So just trying to put together a play call when you don't really know what each word means is kind of hard. 'But I think that just that act in itself was like, at least for me … when I would go home, I would go straight into my iPad and try to figure all that (expletive) out. So I think it served wonders for the quarterback room going down the line, just what the expectation is of having to be on top of your (expletive) every day that you walk into the building, so I thought it was great.' Two years ago, Bagent was a rookie who beat out veteran P.J. Walker to be the Bears' No. 2 quarterback behind Justin Fields. But this year, it's apparent that he's fighting to maintain that spot against Keenum. 'Just compete my ass off and try to put myself in the best position possible, and I'm sure everybody in that room and in the building will do the same,' Bagent said. Keenum, though, has also turned into a great resource for Bagent, who shared a story from the first NFL game he attended: The Giants' 41-35 win in overtime over Washington on Dec. 22, 2019. Keenum led a 14-play, 99-yard scoring drive for Washington that day to force overtime. 'I'm about five rows up behind the end zone and they're backed up on their own 1,' Bagent said, recalling how Keenum nearly stepped out of bounds before one of his best completions. 'And just the angle and the drive that followed was something that I didn't forget.' Advertisement Bagent brought that game up to Keenum the moment he met him. 'What a guy,' Bagent said. 'What he brings to the room, really just an encyclopedia of information. Just somebody that's been in every role that a quarterback could possibly be in in the NFL, and I've just been trying to take advantage of that. … He's been great with answering every question that really everybody in the room has so far.' Rookie tight end Colston Loveland could be getting closer to returning after shoulder surgery. He was spotted in uniform, accompanying staff members to other practice fields at Halas Hall while the rest of the team practiced on Fields 1 and 2. 'I just knew the springtime here, he wasn't going to be available,' Johnson said, 'and at some point here in camp, we should get the green light.' (Top photo of Darnell Wright, left, and Jonah Jackson: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
Chicago Tribune
2 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
David Greising: The conversation about new sports stadiums in Chicago just got simpler
What an unusual and pleasant surprise it was to wake up Tuesday and learn that Joe Mansueto, owner of the Chicago Fire soccer team, has committed to build a new stadium at The 78. There was no begging or badgering for billions in public funds. No threats to move the franchise to Nashville, Tennessee, or Tampa, Florida, or some other city desperate to lure a migratory sports team. No hand-wringing over downtown versus suburban stadium sites. No demand that the public pay up, for the benefit of the wealthy sports team owner. None of that came from Mansueto. Instead, the Calumet City native and billionaire founder of the Morningstar research and financial services firm simply published a notice in local newspapers. Mansueto's full-page advertisement gracefully broke the news, stirring the spirits of a city that's bone tired of sports team owners asking taxpayers to lay out billions so the owners can get even richer. Mansueto's low-key move is simple: He'll plunk down $650 million to build a 22,000-seat soccer venue in time to open the 2028 MLS season. And the knock-on effect is that the civic conversation about what government owes to sports owners who want to move their teams just got a lot simpler. When asked by those owners, a firm 'no' from city and state is definitely an option. The burden of proof for any kind of need should firmly lie with the owners; the public figures who give anything away should make a detailed and persuasive financial case to the public, and we hold elected officials accountable for any concessions they do make. The Halas-McCaskey family, owners of the Chicago Bears, and Jerry Reinsdorf, lead owner of the White Sox, both have banked on public funding to help them build new stadiums. Reinsdorf on Thursday revealed he has agreed to sell the White Sox to investor Justin Ishbia beginning in 2029 — with capital infusions to come from Ishbia during the intervening years. Chances weren't good for either team even before the Fire announcement. Gov. JB Pritzker, in particular, has been steadfast in his refusal to help the Bears or the White Sox build new playgrounds for their teams. He allowed staff to meet with the Bears toward the spring legislative session, but nothing so far has come of what appeared to be a courteous gesture on the governor's part. Reinsdorf reportedly was prepared to seek $1 billion in taxpayer backing early this year to help move the White Sox from Rate Field to The 78. He may yet try to make The 78 site work for his ballclub. Never mind that taxpayers, through the good offices of the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA), have paid off only about one-third of the $150 million in bonds sold in 1989 to build The Rate so Reinsdorf's team could play there. Ishbia's commitment to make investments is welcome news for taxpayers, in that Reinsdorf's case for government support just got weaker as a result. The Bears had hoped to persuade Pritzker to kick in as much as $2.4 billion in taxpayer money to build a new stadium south of Soldier Field. When that went nowhere, they switched to Arlington Heights, claiming they could build there without direct taxpayer support. But watch that space: An ask is coming; we just know it in our bones. Already, the Bears have wrangled tax breaks from Arlington Heights and local school districts. Editorial: Soccer-loving Joe Mansueto comes through for Chicago and its FireAnd if the Bears do leave Soldier Field any time soon, taxpayers will be on the hook for their vacated but recently remodeled home. ISFA still owes more than $400 million from the remodeling of Soldier Field — a project so tasteless that Soldier Field lost its national landmark status as a result. Mansueto is not the only area billionaire funding a new stadium from his own bank account. Up in Evanston, Northwestern University is building a new $850 million football stadium, courtesy of a contribution by billionaire alumni Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan. What's the difference between Mansueto and the Ryans on the one hand and Reinsdorf and the Halas-McCaskey families on the other? Unlike Mansueto and Ryan, it's altogether possible that the Halas-McCaskeys and Reinsdorf simply cannot cover the cost of the new stadiums they covet. And both owners understandably believe their teams need new arenas in order to compete in their leagues, given the stadium-building boom that has beset professional sports. There are options available that would enable both ownership groups to build new stadiums, maintain control of their teams and proceed without drawing from public funds. The Bears franchise last year was valued at $6.4 billion by Forbes magazine — nearly double the estimated value in 2020. The White Sox are worth more than $2 billion, according to Forbes. Private equity firms are eager to buy minority stakes in sports teams. Nearly half of all MLB teams already have sold ownership shares to private-equity investors, and Reinsdorf just joined the group with the planned capital infusions and eventual sale to Ishbia, a private equity investor. The NFL last year began allowing private-equity investments for the first time. This opened up a new source of capital for owners and helped turbocharge an unprecedented boom in franchise valuations. Reinsdorf's deal with Ishbia shows one way this can be done: But Halas-McCaskeys please note: An outright sale isn't necessary; a significant capital infusion can happen without requiring a change of control. Selling chunks of the franchises could raise the capital the Bears and Sox owners want in order to help them afford new ballparks. Ryan already owns nearly 20% of the Bears and is considered likely to want a bigger stake. The owners also could borrow against the value of their franchises. This would affect their cash flow, true, but also could enable the owners to avoid diluting their ownership stake. Holding onto equity is particularly important in the NFL, where franchise valuations have increased at double-digit rates over the last five years. Finally, the Bears just might qualify for public support if they would open their minds to the possibility of building a stadium at the former Michael Reese Hospital site. Public incentives would be defensible, given the economic impact that would result from a major investment on the outskirts of Bronzeville. But the Bears just don't want to go there — which is their right, so long as they keep their paws out of the public till. David Greising is president and CEO of the Better Government Association.
Miami Herald
3 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Former NFL stars Vick, Jackson to battle in Philly as HBCU coaches
Former Philadelphia Eagles teammates Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson will square off as opposing coaches in 2025 -- and they'll do so at the home they used to share. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rivals Norfolk State and Delaware State will meet on Thursday, Oct. 30, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The Eagles announced the news Thursday featuring statements from Vick and Jackson, who are entering their first years as head coaches at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Vick is from the Norfolk, Va., area and took over Norfolk State in December. Jackson was hired by Delaware State soon after. It is the first head coaching position for both men, who played together for the Eagles from 2009-13. 'This is a tremendous opportunity for our student-athletes to play in a world-class venue on a world-class stage,' Vick said in a statement. 'Coach Jackson and I made so many unforgettable memories together at Lincoln Financial Field -- this stadium holds special meaning in my NFL career. I am thrilled to be a part of this historic moment and want to thank the Philadelphia Eagles, Norfolk State and Delaware State for their collaboration to make this happen.' 'I came to Delaware State University to start a new phase of my career with a unique institution that cares about its students and is helping to transform their futures. I know Coach Vick feels the same way at Norfolk,' Jackson said. 'A part of that transformation is opening our students and scholar athletes up to a whole new set of experiences at the highest level. For our teams to be playing in Philly, at the Linc, on the field Coach Vick and I called home for many years will be special for our players, our coaching staffs, our alumni and fans, and for HBCU culture around the country.' Vick spent five of his 13 NFL seasons with the Eagles and made 42 starts at quarterback for the team. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2010 and overlapped all five years with Jackson, who was in the prime of his career and made the Pro Bowl in 2009, 2010 and 2013. Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved
