Bears camp, with the ESPN crew

why even say something like that?

Well, he's— first of all, he's protecting himself, because if he says something like, we're going to draft a quarterback, or, or we're moving up to get a quarterback, or we really like this guy at quarterback, they're going to hold him to it. So why not just give general information, which is we're going to take the best guy available at that time? You know, young quarterbacks are great in this room. I got 2 veteran leaders that have been there, done it. I could teach them. No matter who they draft at quarterback, they're not going to be ready to play for the Chicago Bears this year. It's about this year for Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace. So even if they didn't— even if they did draft a quarterback, what, what does that mean? But it's the quarterbacks that they're going to be able to get going to save their jobs. I'm not worried about— if I'm Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace, I'm certainly not worried about helping the next coach.

So then you don't draft a quarterback.

So I can't give 2 damns about the next coach right now. Doesn't mean that I won't draft a quarterback for depth at a later position. I won't take one in the first round because none of them can help me right now.

But why even go on the diatribe though? Like, why not just say we're going to draft the best available talent? Like, why? That's my—

Because I'm a general manager. And that's what I do. I tell you what you don't want to hear versus what you want to hear.

I don't want to hear nothing from your ass.

No, not—

I don't need to hear anything. That's what I'm saying. If I'm the media, no, I don't want— less is more, Ryan Pace.

No, that's why they asked him a question, and that's why he's holding his press conference, because they want to know what the process is and what he's thinking. And he's telling them basically what he's thinking, which is, as of right now, we're going to take the best guy available. And we're not telling you who it is.

I just, I, I don't understand. Why are we listening to anything from any— like, it's like John Lynch is telling us anything that they're actually going to do.

Because this is reports that came out.

Hey, they love Mac Jones. Now we don't know who they love because it's lying and silly.

See, see, it's not— the NBA isn't the same, as you know, as the NFL Draft. The NFL is the NFL. The This time period right here is as big as, if not bigger, than the actual football season, believe it or not. This, this little week window that we have leading up to Thursday night is huge. People are into football. And so these press conferences and then in the information, sit around like—

Disinformation.

Like, like Alan. Alan, as soon as you say the Jets, he perks up like dog with ears. I mean, it's, it's, that's just what it is. They, they, people are into their teams. It, no matter where you go, it could be as quiet as all outdoors in Buffalo during the offseason. The moment that the draft conversation comes up, everybody stands up.

That's the anticipation of what's coming next.

I get that, but just, and I understand that, but if I'm a young QB out there who's, and my agent comes to me and says, well, look, maybe, maybe Chicago is a good— I don't want to go to Chicago. I don't want to go play for Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace.

But you're not going to play for them because you're not going to play. But I don't even want to be put in that situation.

I don't want— Yeah, but you, you don't have a choice. Think about— I know we don't have a choice, I know that. But think about how much we talk about culture.

Look at that.

Let's go back to what you talked about before the break.

Look at this list on ESPN2 right now. Bears starting quarterback since 2000.

That's what I'm saying.

That's almost Browns-esque.

Why do you want to go to a culture like that? When you talk about Look, generational talent is going to change franchises. We rarely see generational talent. We're talking about Trevor Lawrence potentially being that type of talent. Every other prospect, it's about fit, it's about culture. So if you're a guy that the culture determines whether you're going to be successful or not, I don't want to go to Chicago. And look, I played for the Bulls, I love Chicago, I love the Bears, I watch the games. If I'm a potential talent, do I want to go to a situation like that?

You don't have a choice to draft.

I know, but we're talking about 2 different things.

Okay.

You get drafted, but if you had the choice, would you want to go to Chicago if you're a quarterback?

No, because of the tenuous nature of the leadership of that franchise. That's why you wouldn't want to go there. You don't want to go anywhere where whoever it is is on the hot seat. And that's what we've been talking about is what GMs have to get it right in this draft. Who are the guys that have to get it right? You know, think about it. He's definitely one of them, don't you think?

Like, whatever this draft is, right?

They've got to get this right.

Give me another one. Ryan Pace, Dave Gettleman.

The Giants.

The Giants, they just got to get it. They got to get the draft picks right on how they pick.

Don't you feel though, like Dave Gettleman and the Giants though, I mean, having Saquon back healthy, having Daniel Jones, what they added—

Because it doesn't matter though, Jay, because if you pick another receiver and your offensive line isn't very good and you don't go get a pass rusher of some sort to help your defensive side of the ball, then what are you doing? Because they don't need another receiver. Okay, so if they decide to pick a receiver, that's bad.

But I feel like there's more pressure on the draft for guys like Ryan Pace more so than Dave Gettleman, because Dave Gettleman already has more resources already available. He has proven factors that are veterans to a degree.

Yeah, but he's also picked guys that haven't panned out. That's the problem. When you pick guys that don't pan out, your track record on the draft somewhat is stale. Plus, on top of that, It's not all about the survival stages. It's about building a team and the right pieces to go and win a championship. Now you say, what other general manager outside of that on the hot seat type general manager? A guy like, um, a guy like, uh, John Lynch. He's got to get that position.

Especially after that trade.

He's got to get that position right.

Yeah.

It's like Joe Douglas for the Jets.

Joe Douglas.

You got to get his pick right.

You got to get that right because—

You got to get it right.

Because of the decision to move on from Sam.

Exactly.

Like, now you got to prove that that was the right decision.

And John Lynch giving 3 ones and a third Yeah. And, and moving up. Now, who you moving up for? You got to be able to get that right. If you're moving up for Mac Jones and Mac Jones is the answer, and then all of a sudden Mac Jones takes you to the Super Bowl and wins it in the next 5 years, that was the right call. But if Mac Jones can't get out of his own way, then that was the wrong call. That's a lot of pressure to, to, to have to deal with, you know. It's— it— and so a lot of the general managers, based on where they're picking, have this pressure because if you pick wrong, then you're in trouble. And that's the way it is.