Anthony Heron

Of course, another really good draft cycle has to happen, but also once you get in between the white lines, once these guys are on the field, that's where this coaching staff, because you,

You both know, and especially Gabe, I've been on the air with you talking about this a lot over the years, the development of the players within the Bears locker room.

That was something that lacked from multiple previous coaching staffs.

And we finally saw an example last season of what quality coaching, quality development can look like.

And it got the best version of a lot of guys on the field.

The dependence on the blitz to get after the quarterback, that played out well enough for the Bears last season, but even without pass rush pressure, to your point, Ruthie, they were able to create so many takeaways and get those interceptions.

My hope is that

you see a healthy Jalen Johnson, a healthy Kyler Gordon, because both guys are at an age where they're kinda just entering what should be their physical prime.

So I feel good about the idea that at 26 years old, both those guys are gonna get back to full health.

Can they sustain it?

Can they maintain health?

Because it's been a question with each of them to a certain extent.

Last season was the most extended time that either of them have missed in their career, and it happened to just come in unison, and you could have used both of them that much more.

So the D-line, a guy like Austin Booker, it'd be great to get another step to see him go to another level, but a lot of the guys who we would be hopeful about whether or not

they can really provide more pass rush pressure, are already fairly veteran at this point.

So Austin Booker's a guy you say, all right, that's a really young football player.

We possibly haven't seen anywhere near the best of Austin Booker, but I feel like we've got a sense for Sweat and Jarrett, a dang bow when he's healthy.

Dexter, again, good football players, but are these guys who suddenly are going to become one of the most ferocious pass rushing units in the league?

I'd be pleasantly surprised if that ended up being the case.

So the secondary to me is, again, where I think the Bears are likely going to have to lean just to see how much can they get from those guys as far as adding to the blitz package, adding pressure on the quarterback, but also their coverage abilities on the back end.