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Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show

Dan Wiederer: Bears' window of contention is open (Hour 4)

26 Jan 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

1.955 - 4.827 Marshall Harris

This hour is brought to you by Cars for Kids.

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6.46 - 18.859 Dan Wiederer

Dan Wiederer, Bears reporter and senior writer for The Athletic. You're going to be relying on a lot of young players, guys that have to materialize into who they thought they were. The Bears are who we thought they were. On-air contributor for 670 The Score.

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18.899 - 22.404 Leila Rahimi

We'll mention this mainly because Dan Wiederer said we would mention this nugget.

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Chapter 2: What insights does Dan Wiederer share about the Bears' 2025 season?

22.444 - 25.99 Leila Rahimi

Host of the Take the North podcast. We're going to take the North and never give it back.

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26.01 - 27.212 Unknown

Dan Wiederer. Thanks, Coach.

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Chapter 3: How are young players impacting the Bears' performance this season?

27.292 - 33.902 Unknown

We'll go first to Dan Wiederer. On Chicago Sports Radio, 670 The Score. Weezy!

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35.418 - 60.632 Marshall Harris

Dan Reeder is the senior writer for The Athletic covering the Bears. He is also the co-host of the Take the North podcast. And he joins us via the Circa Resort and Casino Hotline, CircaLasVegas.com. And yeah, for everybody saying the new Buffalo Bills Stadium, it will be a, technically it's a canopy. It's like Texas Stadium in my opinion. But that was a dome that just had a mistake.

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61.673 - 62.995 Marshall Harris

So they had a hole in the roof.

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63.835 - 64.496 Unknown

That's not good.

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64.696 - 81.625 Marshall Harris

They finished what they could. Sometimes that's what you got to do. But yeah, technically it's a canopy. But the point is people aren't going to be shoveling and stuff. It just won't be as bad as it used to be. Dan Weider, we're talking about the weather affecting the games. And so that was brought up. I know you can chime in on this as well.

82.55 - 100.767 Dan Wiederer

Yeah, I mean, look, it was fun to watch the end of that game in Denver yesterday just visually. It was quite an appealing sight to see some snow football. Obviously, we got a couple games here in Chicago this month with playoff action with some weather involved. You know, I don't know which way I lean on this because it is fun to see it.

100.787 - 112.017 Dan Wiederer

You also understand the purpose behind going indoors and all the things that you're trying to get done with that. So we'll see. We'll see which way the ball turns. If that's not the right analogy, but you get what I'm saying.

112.283 - 125.517 Marshall Harris

I think that that is an appropriate analogy for the result of that game. I said if you like defense and you like weather, which a lot of people who listen to this station do, then that was probably a game they loved.

126.543 - 146.914 Dan Wiederer

Yeah, you know, it felt like Denver, obviously they missed the opportunity to put some game pressure on New England in the first half when they bypassed that field goal early. You know, I don't know, for me, I love the aggressive plays more often than not, but there's certain times where you've got to understand the situation when you're in and you're at home.

Chapter 4: What are the implications of weather on Bears' games and strategies?

319.459 - 335.239 Dan Wiederer

And Chicago knows that as well as anyone. We haven't had three consecutive winning seasons in this town since the 80s. That's incredible when you say it out loud, you know, and so that you understand how difficult it is and you've got to go about doing the work that puts yourself in position to achieve those things.

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335.641 - 344.515 Unknown

And looking at where this team is and you start trying to figure out, okay, what can be restructured and then what are the priorities?

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345.557 - 360.18 Unknown

Are you looking at certain deals and saying, well, they're going to probably have to do something with this current contract just to buy the space that they need, whether bringing back someone who is a free agent or to go out and get a need, say, I don't know, defensive line?

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360.987 - 382.75 Dan Wiederer

Yeah, I mean, you're going to have to start to work those numbers. I think one of the names that comes up often in this conversation is Tremaine Edmonds, and is there an opportunity there to move on and create some more salary cap space for yourself? Now, you've got another starting linebacker who was extended last offseason who's now going to be rehabbing from a pretty serious injury in T.J.

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382.77 - 401.561 Dan Wiederer

Edwards, and so that's going to factor in to your decisions. And so there's a lot of this stuff that – You can't look at individually. It's all part of a bigger picture, and you've got to start to go through that process with Ben and Ryan together, figuring out what fits do you like, what fits would you like to improve, and then how do you just kind of marry all that together?

401.581 - 418.063 Dan Wiederer

We all know that they're going to probably need to figure out an answer at left tackle going into next season to give themselves time. the best chance. So what does that look like? Is that a draft pick? Is that a free agent on a short-term deal? And so all these things kind of blend together. There's going to be a lot of discussion about DJ Moore in the next month, I would imagine.

418.083 - 435.223 Dan Wiederer

And is he a trade chip? Is there anybody out there willing to give you a draft pick to help you clear a broom there? I don't know, right? So this is all going to be fluid here in the next month, month and a half. And the Bears have to be really serious about what they're trying to get done and then very calculated in how they go do it.

435.338 - 456.3 Marshall Harris

We're talking to Dan Weterer. He is the host of the Take the North podcast, and he is the senior writer for The Athletic covering the Bears here on Rahimi Harrison-Grody on 670 The Score. We got the news about Jonathan Gannon, expectedly, reportedly, becoming the defensive coordinator for the Packers. Where do you think this leaves Al Harris, who also interviewed with Washington?

456.922 - 478.896 Dan Wiederer

Well, I think you connect the dots with Mike McCarthy going back up to Pittsburgh, and you wonder if there will be some heavy interest there, and if so, whether Al would be ready to roll up there and go rejoin Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh. You get some good news today that Declan Doyle is sticking around and pulled himself out of consideration for the Philly offensive coordinator job.

Chapter 5: What factors are influencing the Bears' chances for playoff contention?

843.289 - 846.535 Dan Wiederer

And really, you go look at his playoff history. There's not much beyond that.

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846.92 - 863.421 Marshall Harris

And then also, you pointed this out on your Twitter feed, big ups to Bears cornerback Nashawn Wright, who has been added to that Pro Bowl games you just mentioned, Dan, as a replacement for Quinion Mitchell. A nice reward after a breakout season with nine takeaways. So that's good news. I think he deserved to be recognized.

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863.901 - 868.287 Marshall Harris

It made sense as to why other people may have been selected before, but that was great to see.

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868.857 - 889.009 Dan Wiederer

Pro Bowl games will be back near his hometown out there in California as well. So that's a fun little sort of footnote on his storyline. But, yeah, good little reward for a season that was very deserving of it, in my opinion. And so it's good to see Nashawn kind of get that last piece of punctuation on the year that he had and the breakthrough he had under –

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888.989 - 901.134 Dan Wiederer

You know, the guidance of both Al Harris, as we talked about earlier, and Dennis Allen, who found ways to give him a role that mattered. And he seized that opportunity, and he went a long way with it, and now he gets to go enjoy the Pro Bowl because of it.

901.154 - 909.411 Unknown

I'm so curious, Dan. Do you get time off now? How does this work? I mean, I know you're not used to working and covering the actual beat this late into the season, but hey, here we are.

910.032 - 927.338 Dan Wiederer

Yeah, it slows down. It'll slow down a little bit. Now, I always remind people that the combine comes a knocking, you know, and I think we're like four weeks away from being an Indy for the combine. And so, you know, we'll have some content here over the bridge here as we cross it, but it will slow down here, which is a beautiful thing, Marshall.

927.358 - 944.103 Dan Wiederer

Believe me, it's time to take a deep breath and sit back for a little bit and hopefully reconnect with my family. For a few weeks, it was good to wake up on a Sunday yesterday and not have to go anywhere. So that was a fun piece of the journey to lean into now that we're here.

944.383 - 949.771 Marshall Harris

Yeah. What is Weedsy's first item on the agenda now that you have a slower season?

Chapter 6: How does the Bears' coaching staff plan to address roster needs?

1152.168 - 1169.758 Unknown

Rahimi Harrison-Grody. Middays, 10 a.m. to 2 on Discord. And picked up by Giannis. Giannis over the mid-court line is going to dribble it out. And Giannis all the way to the rim with a window. Right-handed slam. Are you flat-out kidding me? Seriously.

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1171.342 - 1188.517 Marshall Harris

This is Rahimi Harrison-Grody on 670 The Score. We have a little bit of potpourri, if you will. It's kind of like one of those Jeopardy categories where, you know, it's all a little different. So I'll just give you a preview of what we've got. You could call it the request line if you want. I see what you did there, Tyler.

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1188.557 - 1203.47 Marshall Harris

Number one, we're trying to figure out if this is LeBron's last trip to the United Center. The reason why I ask is he's 41 years old and the Lakers are here tonight. And the Lakers crowd, whether or not you want to admit this, brings a little energy to the building.

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1204.251 - 1212.28 Marshall Harris

And then my favorite part about it is the Bulls crowd brings the retaliatory energy to the Lakers fans who are in there with energy that they brought themselves to the building.

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1212.761 - 1218.867 Unknown

Wait, wait, I'm following you on everything you just said, but I feel like tonight will be less of a Lakers crowd, more of just a straight up LeBron crowd.

1219.208 - 1224.113 Marshall Harris

Also, there's that too. And LeBron famously is wearing a patch to commemorate himself.

1224.97 - 1227.878 Unknown

I can't get on board with that. I cannot get on board with that.

1228.259 - 1232.732 Marshall Harris

We haven't discussed it because, well, what is there to say?

1232.792 - 1239.992 Unknown

The patch has a color that represents every team he's played for.

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