Clay Harbor reacts to Kyler Gordon's workout video

0:00So what times I actually saw a clock over time for play harbor. Lane and Wimbley Stadium 90,000 sold out crowd London. And for some reason, my heart's beating. Get out of a limo to go date some girl. What's first off? What's wrong with you football analyst for Chicago sports network, former NFL player, not a quarterback. I'm a tight end, but I've watched a lot of tape. I've been in meeting rooms with Tom Brady. Been in meeting rooms with Drew breeze. I've been in meeting rooms with Michael Vic. Quarterbacks know what they can do and what they can't do. And I know what a quarterback can and can't do. And when you're supposed to expect them to be able to be successful, play harbor with Haim Peyton on 104 three, the score. Welcome back. Happy Thursday morning. You're listening to Haim Peyton Chicago sports radio 104 three, the score, Jared Peyton, David Haugh here until 10 o'clock. And we are pleased to welcome in my colleague from the Chicago sports network, man about town and a guy who does a little bit of everything on a lot of different teams. Clay Harbor. Hey, Clay. Thanks for having me and I got a little boned pick. I don't know if that was Dustin, but I thought we're done with the bachelor,

1:02you know, entrance here, man. You know, come on. We got to tell me it was fine. Clay, you said you was good. It's okay. It's okay, man. Hey, oh, no, man. Yeah, you got to embrace it. Yeah, I've been trying to run away from this thing for probably 10 years now, since I did it. But no, it's fine. It's fun. Well, we get like new now we can get like color analyst work on Northern Illinois football, right? And I you football, baby. Let's go Huskies. Let's go. Yeah. And Illinois State and ISU, campaigner, I say a lot of games. Yeah, National runner up. So I want you to keep track of how many games you call this year because you're going to be a lot of them. And then the state championships this year for the IHSA as well. You're a busy guy, but you also are immersed in Bairdom. So you know what's going on at House Hall. And this week, I would call it a saga and it's ongoing. And we've talked about it before on the big pro football show. And the Kyla Gordon saga took another turn on Wednesday. When he released a video of him working out and looking fit and cutting and doing

2:04things and showing explosiveness in a way that doesn't depict a player who is injured or even hurt clay. The that seemed to be to me early in the show, I called it a middle finger to the bears, who a day earlier had Ryan Poles essentially call him out publicly and label him soft. What did you think of what Pol said and the way that yesterday Kyla Gordon responded? I think this is Kyla Gordon sending some form of a message. I'm not sure what that message is because if you're healthy, you would figure that he would be ready to play. So it's interesting. It's something. It's a mess. You got to decipher. It's like a code message. I don't know what he's trying to send, JP. Because obviously the bears need him at slot and slot is one of five to rank my top positions on the bears roster that I'm worried about right now. It's slot corner. Okay. I think Malik Muhammad is going to have a good career. You got to realize this guy played 95% of his snaps at Texas and outside corner.

3:05You guys know how difficult that is to move inside the NFL and he's going to take time. I hope bearers fans give him that. It's going to take time for him to become a good professional slot cornerback. I think don't think him in that he played a little bit in there. He's he's you see the range. You see the speed. You see he's picking up things in his man to man coverage. This preseason has not looked good. So that is a position that they really do need help. If Kyler Gordon is healthy, you're going to want to put him there. We all remember Dennis sounds opening press conference when he comes here. I'm looking forward to to see Kyler Gordon. This guy can do a lot of things. He plays in the run game. He's physical. He can cover. I don't understand the message he's trying to send. He does look healthy. Obviously there's a big big difference between posting an Instagram video running and playing football, but it's it's confusing. And I think there's just a really big disconnect between the team and him. But Clay, my it's hard. How do you kind of mend this this fracture that's between the player and the organization?

4:09Because when you listen to Ben Johnson talk, it's like, I don't know that guy. And to me, there has to be some type of trust factor here. The bears are hoping to trust him. And at the moment, they just can't trust him at the moment. Yeah, exactly. JP, he's going to have to build some trust. He's going to have to get out there. He's going to have to start practicing. He's going to have to show that he's bought in that he's willing to do whatever it takes to get on the field. And I don't think that's something that he's willing to do. And he's one of these guys. It looks like he has these outside trainers. And you know, you get into trouble when you work with these outside trainers because they might see things differently than the training staff that this organization pays a lot of money to make sure that these players are ready to go are okay. And they will tell you when they are ready to go. There's a lot of money invested here. There's a lot of imaging. There's a bunch of stuff that goes on here. And when there's a disconnect, it makes the GM and the coach really, really concerned. I've heard this before in guys that I do know where they do have that outside outside team that's working.

5:13But that outside team is working hand in hand with the team at Hallis Hall. That's not doesn't seem like it's going on. That's not happening. And that's that's the problem. Not only is the that it's an issue between the his team and the team they place for. It's also between him and his organization. I just don't see how that fixes. I don't see. And Clay, you spent nine years in the NFL. I just wonder how common that divide is among players who I know you played several years ago. But I think in the last 20 and I've covered the bears for the last 23. I can remember this as far back as 2006's, sevenish. There were players who had their own teams and their own people they trusted. And then they had to integrate that with the teams training staff. So there's going to be conflicts of interest and maybe. But sell them do you see it gets at this point where it's played out as publicly as this has become? It's strange. And when you when you hear polls saying, I don't know if he's going to play for us again this year.

6:15I hope. And then you see Catergordon post a video like that. That's a huge disconnect because to me that video looks like he's at least close. Polls are saying, I don't know. So for me, it feels like there is something else going on here that I don't think we know. I'm not sure exactly what that is. If it's just the confidence in his body. If he if it's just he thinks he's more injured than the bears do. That seems like something that this is really been blown out of proportion. If that's the case. So for me, I feel like there's got to be something else going on here because firstly, JP is you know, NFL coaches and GM's if a player is injured, they don't they don't give you a lot of grief for this. They know this is a physical sport. This is tough. Players are going to get injured. They're not going to go out and say, Hey, you got to get on. They're going to let you get back. But the disconnect happens when maybe he's not doing the recovery, right? Maybe he's going somewhere else and he doesn't feel like he's at a point where the team does. What it seems to me.

7:16Said he doesn't want to be here. That's what it seems to me. I mean, just flat out honest because if you did, you would you would be back. You would be around more. I just doesn't seem like he wants to be here. But okay, I get all that. Understand defensive line though has changed a little bit. And so you have some you got Van and Berg six round pick. You have some undrafted guys that got rid of John Dexter. You kind of saw that meaning that Ryan Poles felt good about the guys that he actually has inside of that room moving forward. What was your take on Dexter's departure to Atlanta and the guys that you've seen that are still in that room? I get both sides of this take and I don't mean David went at a little bit on the big pro football. So it makes sense. You got a guy that has played a lot of football for you at six acts last year, five sex the year before. And he's guys got good pass rush. I look at Dexter. He's big. He's six foot six. He's a good look. He's that first dude off the bus. Tie issues standing up. He's got a little wiggle too or he can get that pass rush to get him one on one.

8:18You know what he can't do at six foot six? He can't stop the run. When you're six six inside there, it's hard for you to leverage. And just watching this year's preseason tape. I posted a couple clips on X of Devon Dexter getting pushed over five six seven yards on a double team. He doesn't anchor as well as loving or vandenberg. He doesn't can Tavy Street even Neville, Gala Moore. That's not what he does. He does other things good, but he can't anchor the same way these guys can. So that makes him a, you know, makes it so he doesn't fit Dennis Allen's game. I told David this, I think maybe on the day that it happened, it was more of his pad level. You look at the other guys that you name, they get off the ball. Pad level is low. The one thing with Dexter always came up too high, which goes to your point, getting pushed back a little bit and when let's guys put their hands on your chest and your numbers to move you back. Guys, he was, I get it. He wasn't a good run stuff or necessarily because he didn't have the body type. I get it that there were times where he wasn't the all pro caliber, pro bowl caliber defensive tackle that you wanted to see.

9:26I guess I pushed back a little at you, Clay on the big pro show was because number one, he did show up every Sunday. Number two, he's a second round draft pick that you are discarding, dismissing, giving up on. And the number three thing is that you don't have, you're not dealing from a position of strength. I understand that they like their depth. I understand they want to come at the teams and waves, but when you have a position group where you can add a six round draft pick and an undrafted free agent and a journeyman in Contavia street who is on his fifth NFL team and you're happy with that. Okay, good luck, but I do think there's some risk involved in getting rid of a player that was as durable as as Jervine Dexter was last season. This is, this is why I like this. This is because they, they are watching the film and the tape and they're saying, I don't care who you are. I don't care where we drafted you. Does this make Ryan Polz look good? You think he wants to get rid of Jervine Dexter?

10:26The last thing he wants to do is have Chicago say, you just got rid of your second round pick. You can't draft anybody. That's, that's why I'm laughing over here with a smile on my face because you know what? It's a new regime and the big dog upstairs, Ben Johnson. He's watching going, it's not what I want. You just demoted Ryan Polz. I'm just, I'm just saying, if we're going to give, I believe in my heart. He's the one making, someone making all the money. He's the one probably making all the decisions. See, see, now when you put it that way, I will, I will say this. You don't get the sense in watching Jervine Dexter, even though we did show up 19 times that he has it same sort of maniacal focus that Ben Johnson brings. Exactly. He is not that same type of guy. And here's my Jaden Loving story. I told you guys I was going to tell you, you know, I go to lifetime fitness downtown Chicago. I didn't know that. You never talk about your workouts. JP, this shirt isn't that tight. I'm just my arm to this big. Okay. You know, this is just, you know, I'm saying I came. I'm going to work out four on my face.

11:26Meeting. This is a real story. A couple days ago, I think was it yesterday? It was a two days ago. I'm on the treadmill. I'm doing my normal treadmill walk. I walk uphill. I do uphill forward and I go flip backwards for a minute. I do this for 30 minutes. It's tough cardio. If you guys are looking to get in shape out there, try it out. But here's the funny part. I'm walking in my forward session. I turn around. I flip on the treadmill and do my backwards session. I just see a big body on the, on the stair master right behind the treadmill. It's Jaden Loving on the Bears off day, drenched in sweat. This is true story that yesterday, two days ago, I'm getting old on the stair master on the Bears off day in lifetime fitness, getting extra work in on the stair master. I did like a quadruple take and he looks at me like I'm crazy. I just pretend like I didn't see him. I'm like, that's Jaden Loving. And I go and ask my boy from lifetime. He's a trainer Josh. I was a Joshua Josh. Do you know who that is? He goes, yeah, that's Jaden Loving, a kid from the Bears. I go, okay, I'm not crazy. That's the type of guy that says, this is an off day.

12:28You just make the bear team. If you ask him to work out too. No, I was just impressed. I left him alone, but that's the type of worker that you want. If you're the Bears and to go back to Dex are real fast. David said he's not good against the run. Okay. I obviously I can tell you, but this adds some context, JP. Profit, buff focus. David loves him. I know it's not the end all be all. He had a 44 run defensive grade. That was 108 out of 134 qualifying interior defensive line. And he's dang near on the back of the boat there. This guy was not good at the run. And then let's look at the bear's rushing numbers. They gave up 134 rushing yards of game. 27th in the NFL. Five yards of carry. What's two runs of five yards of carry? That's a first down 20, ninth in the league. A 29 run stop win rate, which is 27th in the NFL. Rushing the passers are privileged. If you even want to rush the passer, you can give up five yards per carry. So give me some guys that can clog some holes.

13:28And a lot of defensive line play comes down to desire. I mean, you need to have the traits. You need to have the strength. You have to have the leverage and all the technique. I get it. But you have to to begin with have the mentality. And maybe that's what is the most inditing thing about Jaland Dexter is that they in essence labeled him by trading him a guy that doesn't meet the standard that way. Yeah. That's how it looks. It looks that way and that they believe in all these guys and believe in a guy like Grady Jared that's going to be there and actually be serviceable for an entire year, which you're asking a lot of a guy that has a lot of miles on him. Look at all the guys that Ben Johnson has brought in. They're all the same type of players. They're maniacal football players. It's like he said, if you take football away from these guys, what else are they going to do? And like Dennis Allen sent us press conference yesterday. I guess effort is a talent. And you look at loving, you look at Van and Berg, you look at even James Lynch. They cut, they bring him back.

14:29These guys are given all types of effort. James Lynch, not the most talented guy. Can he say that? I see him. He said, he said that. He said, that sounds like talent. Sounds like a billboard or a t-shirt. It should be. And James Lynch is lined up at nine technique. I see him at six. I see him at three. I see him at nose. I go, how are you going to give rid of this guy who's giving you effort? He's pressuring you. He just gives you a lot of versatility. So I know people haven't heard of Neville Galemore. They haven't heard of Contavia Street. Obviously Van and Berg's becoming a folk here already in Chicago. But when you see these guys effort, they're pad leveraged, they're stance, they're get off. It was much better than Jervon Dexter. And guess what? He was on a contract next year. He wasn't even going to be here. So let's get a fifth round pick. Let's get a corner back that can maybe help in the slot, even though he's never played slot in the NFL. I looked up the numbers. He played like 10 total snaps in a fell. He played in college. That's a different game. He played slot in the NFL versus college. I get that. They're going to pick on you. But would you feel more comfortable having that instead of going with a rookie? Yeah, because he's actually had some experience in last year.

15:31I think he played in one game because he torn his triceps or his pack or something like that. So you're it's some give and take here. But he is a guy turned on a little film. Phillips. I think he's got good short area quickness. He's a guy that you could you see the traits where we could play inside. He's five nine. He's probably a little small for outside, but he makes up for it with his competitiveness. And that's what the bear is like. All right. So we heard from Dennis Allen yesterday. And obviously the defensive line is full of guys that are either overachievers or they like the mentality. We know what he thinks about Jalen Johnson because I thought that his compliments were intentional. And also I think they probably landed very well on a player that every now and then doesn't mind hearing house how much he's needed as a leader. And in that secondary, where are you on Monta Sweat? How realistic is it to expect him to take a step forward this year and increase his sack production? You've seen him in preseason. Yeah. I training camp. Where where is Monta Sweat? Dave, I've been telling you the same thing about Monta Sweat for the last three years since we've

16:34been working together. And I think Monta Sweat is a solid, good solid, professional ed rush. He's going to set the edge. He's going to give you some sacks. He's not a guy that you really have to double team chip. And they if you watch it, take people say, Oh, he's getting chip because there's nobody else in he's not. You're not double team and you're not shipping them. And I'm sliding to him that much. If I turn on the film and I you know, watching it like a tight end and I see sweat. I go, okay, he's solid. You know, if I turn on the film, I see Michael Parsons, I turn on the film, I see Miles Garrett, I turn on the film, I see some. It's not even close, right? So I think sweat is a solid defensive end ed rusher. He's a guy that I think is sealing his 10 sacks. I think he can get there solid ed rusher, six foot six long arms. You know, Dennis Allen likes those big guys that can tie their shoes, standing up. But he is not a guy that is going to carry a defensive line group to a bunch of sacks. He's going to be a solid ed rusher. All right. We got to talk about tight ends because the tight end in residence is in the building clay harbor here

17:34from the Chicago Sports Network and the Big Profit Ball Show. We'll get to more of the roster, more of the Bears. Keep it right here on Hawn Peyton Chicago Sports Radio one, four, three, the score.