Interview- Gabe Salgado

Me: Let’s address the elephant in the room. Roquan Smith. To you, is he really happy? Do you see him as a member of the Bears after this season?

Gabe: I doubt he’s happy. He wanted a contract extension before training camp began, and deservedly so. I’d like to see him return in 2023, but unless the Bears pony up on the money, he could find the financial security he’s looking for somewhere else next year.

Me: I can see that. Now, I want to talk about the coach. Can you talk about Matt Eberflus and how the team is responding to him?

Gabe: Aside from the Roquan Smith and Teven Jenkins issues, the team seems to be buying into the culture change he’s implementing. Whether or not that turns into on field success remains to be seen, but the fact that the team is believing in him thus far is a good sign.

Me: Okay, this question comes from a big time Bears fan. His name is T.J. Hopkins. He asks who steps up for this offense that isn’t named David or Darnell?

Gabe: In addition to seeing improvement from the offensive line, we also need to see production from the receivers behind Darnell on the depth chart. Some of the veterans at this position (St. Brown, Pringle, and Harry to name a few) have less than stellar career numbers. I also want to see what this defense can do.

Me: I think Pringle can be a nice addition. I saw what he could do with Patrick Mahomes given the opportunities when he was open. Let’s talk about the quarterback. What can we expect from Justin Fields in his first full year as the starting quarterback?

Gabe: Providing that the run game is consistent, and the offensive line does it’s job, we can expect to see improvement and growth from Fields. I like what I saw from Luke Getsy’s playbook during the preseason, and if all goes well Fields will start living up to the potential we heard so much about last year.

Me: Is there anyone on this team that you see having a breakout year?

Gabe: I’m hoping David Montgomery has his first 1,000-yard rushing season since 2020, and that defensive rookies Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon contend for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Me: There’s someone who’s reading this interview that wants to break into this industry. What advice would you give them?

Gabe: Be prepared to work more than one job, be patient, and always have something to fall back on in case it doesn’t work out. Not everyone gets their dream job, or even a paying job in this business right away. And since the pandemic hit, I’ve seen people who’ve worked in this industry for years walk away to do something else.

Me: Well said. Final prediction for the Bears this season?

Gabe: 8-9