What’s New

Cornerbacks live by the credo that you have to have a short memory. Jaylon Johnson took it a step further Thursday — he had no memory.

The Bears’ second-year cornerback not only was burned by wide receiver Darnell Mooney at practice on Thursday at Halas Hall, but also fell to the ground on the play, appeared to be shaken up and drew the attention of the training staff. But when asked about it after practice, he had no recollection of either incident.

“I don’t remember going down,” he said.

Did he at least remember the move Mooney put on him?

“No.”

Johnson repeated the act when asked about wide receiver Marquise Goodwin beating him for a touchdown — “I don’t remember that,” he said with a laugh. He likely was just having a little fun, perhaps an indication of the confidence and comfort he has this season after a promising rookie year — and just his happiness at finally being in a more normal football routine after last year was marred by coronavirus limitations.

Johnson, coming off surgery for a shoulder injury at Utah in 2019, had no on-field work prior to training camp last season, after the Bears’ selected him in the second round of the draft. He acclimated himself quickly, became a starter in Week 1 and started every game until suffering a shoulder injury against the Texans in Week 14.

Fully recovered from the shoulder injury that did not require surgery, Johnson is in a much better place this season. He’s already noticed the difference with fewer coronavirus restrictions in this year’s camp.

“This is the first example — having you guys here,” Johnson said at the podium in the Halas Hall media room — the first time the media has seen him up close in person as a Bear. “Just having more people involved. The facility was very limited last year. Just being able to see more people, get somewhat of the full experience and things like that.

“But even the atmosphere — it feels more open and we’re not as worried about being close and following certain protocols. Certain [unvaccinated] guys do, but for the most part, it’s pretty much opened up.”

The personable Johnson has opened up as well and already has a veteran’s mentality entering his second season. With former Pro Bowl cornerback Kyle Fuller in Denver after signing with the Broncos in free agency, Johnson is expected to fill the lead cornerback role. Veteran Desmond Trufant and second-year pro Kindle Vildor are competing for the other cornerback spot.

Johnson had his rookie moments but overall had an impressive first season that supported comparisons to Charles Tillman, a second-round pick in 2003 who became one of the best cornerbacks in franchise history. Johnson had 15 pass break-ups in 2020 — tied for ninth in the NFL, despite missing the final three games.

Johnson said completion percentage when his man is targeted is the stat he valued most as a cornerback. “If I can hold somebody to at least 50%, 60%, I feel like I’m all right,” he said.

But the number that bothers him most is the zero interceptions he had as a rookie. “I don’t really pay attention to the stats — I just know I didn’t have any interceptions,” he said. “So that’s what you’re going to hear from me and see from this year is getting my hands on the ball.”

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Scarlett Johansson is suing the Walt Disney Co. over its streaming release of “Black Widow,” which she said breached her contract and deprived her of potential earnings.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday morning in Los Angeles Superior Court, the “Black Widow” star and executive producer said her contract guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news of the lawsuit.

Johansson’s potential earnings were tied to the box office performance of the film, which the company released simultaneously in theaters and on its streaming service Disney+ for a $30 rental.

“In the months leading up to this lawsuit, Ms. Johansson gave Disney and Marvel every opportunity to right their wrong and make good on Marvel’s promise,” the lawsuit said. “Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the Agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel.”

Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

After its release was delayed more than a year because of COVID-19, “Black Widow” debuted to a pandemic-best of $80 million in North America and $78 million from international theaters three weeks ago, but theatrical grosses declined sharply after that. In its second weekend in release, the National Association of Theater Owners issued a rare statement criticizing the strategy asserting that simultaneous release lends itself only to lost profits and higher quality piracy.

Once taboo, hybrid theatrical and streaming releases have become more normal for many of the biggest studios during the pandemic, with each adopting its own unique strategy. This weekend, Disney is employing the same strategy with “Jungle Cruise,” and next weekend Warner Bros.’ big-budget “The Suicide Squad” opens both in theaters and on HBO Max.

The revised hybrid release strategies over the 16 months have occasionally led to public spats from not just theater owners, but stars, filmmakers and financiers who are unhappy with the potential lost revenues and the alleged unilateral decision-making involved.

The WSJ said Warner Media, for instance, paid over $200 million in “amended agreements” with talent over its decision to release its entire 2021 slate simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max.

But none have been as public as Johansson’s lawsuit. The actor, who has been in nine Marvel movies going back to 2010’s “Iron Man 2,” quickly became a trending topic on Twitter on Thursday after news of the suit broke.

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When instances of violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) older adults spiked earlier this year, one Instagram account featuring joyful photos of stylish seniors from Chinatowns across the country became a viral sensation, shared widely on social media in support of the AAPI community.

The curators of the @chinatownpretty account and authors of the corresponding book “Chinatown Pretty: Fashion and Wisdom from Chinatown’s Most Stylish Seniors,” photographer Andria Lo and writer Valerie Luu, were surprised by the support for their project, but understood that for many, it offered a counterpoint to the hate people were seeing on the news.

“A lot of people described the project as a ‘beacon’ for them during this really dark time,” said Lo. “We were glad to offer these personal stories that provide a real glimpse into the lives of AAPI older adults, who are our neighbors in all of our communities. Showing the joy of these seniors, not just through their outfits, but through their expressions and personalities that come through in the photos, was one of our main goals for the project.”

The authors and friends developed the idea for the project in San Francisco more than 10 years ago.

“We would go on dim sum dates in San Francisco’s Chinatown and when we were there, we would notice a very distinct style — layers of pat-terns, colors and florals, wide hats and big jackets – and so we wanted to know ‘how did they compose these out fits, and more importantly, where did they get their shoes?'” says Luu.

When they visited Chicago’s Chinatown, one of the oldest and fastest growing in the country, Lo and Luu met one of their most memorable subjects, a woman whose story they titled “Windy City Wear.”

Thinking that their chances of running into someone to photograph on this cold and rainy morning in Chicago were dreadfully low, Luu and Lo had to do a double take when they passed Mrs. Mei, standing in a doorway with her husband and taking shelter from the rain while the pair waited for the bus.

Wearing a teal, flor al print jacket, purple polyester shirt and yellow ’70s striped ringer tee, Mrs. Mei was a ray of sunshine on this gloomy day. Her vibrant out fit was topped off with a Burberry-print bucket hat, complete with a chin strap that Lo and Luu found to be a common and necessary accessory in the “Windy City.”

And as if Mrs. Mei’s ensemble couldn’t get any better, the authors asked to see her socks, which “to our delight were covered in puppy dogs and soccer balls.”

“Chinatown Pretty” is full of interesting stories like Mrs. Mei’s, all of which Lo and Luu hope will inspire people to get to know their neighbors.

“Through celebrating all of these seniors in the book, we hope that people are inspired to ask their grandmas and grandpas to share their own stories, and that they carry this sentiment when interacting with their neighbors. Everyone has a story to tell and we hope that people are encouraged to have these types of conversations more frequently in their lives every day,” says Lo.

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Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will be partly sunny with a high near 87 degrees. Tonight will be mostly clear with a low around 65. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny with a high near 78.

Top story

Fugitive who served 12 years for $10 million scam arrested in Orland Park for parole violation

Deputy U.S. marshals and Orland Park cops yesterday arrested a 50-year-old businessman who failed to report to federal prison for parole violations in a $10 million fraud case.

Lee Anglin was taken into custody at a sports and dining club on 143rd Street in Orland Park after the Orland Park Police Department got a tip he was there.

A man who said he runs the club’s daily operations told our Frank Main that Anglin’s wife, Jenni, is the president of the facility, called the Riviera Country Club.

Lee Anglin was paroled in 2018 after serving about 12 years in prison for a $10 million real-estate scam.

Anglin violated his parole when he failed to tell his parole agent about business ventures he and his wife were involved with in Utah. He also failed to tell the court he was getting paid for providing legal advice to inmates. He was supposed to report to prison June 29 for a six-month sentence.

Court records involving his parole violation didn’t mention his involvement in the Orland Park facility, which opened in June after closing under previous ownership during the coronavirus pandemic.

Main has the full story on Anglin’s arrest. For more background, read our 2018 story on how Anglin, fresh out of prison after serving 12 years for a real-estate scam, claimed he would straighten up and repay his victims.

More news you need

1. A CTA employee was stabbed in the neck after he accidentally sprayed a woman with water while cleaning a platform in the Loop last night, according to Chicago Police. The woman was arrested at the scene and charges were pending, police said.
2. Charges have been filed against a man who broke into his girlfriend’s West Humboldt Park home last November and shot her, police said. The man was arrested yesterday and is expected to appear in court today.
3. A pair of settlements between the city and two food companies will pay $935,000 in restitution to thousands of employees for unpaid sick hours. One of those companies is also at the center of the corruption scandal that culminated in the indictment of Ald. Edward Burke (14th).
4. The many people entering Grant Park today for Lollapalooza were greeted not only with a requirement for proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test, but by signs informing them that, by attending the festival, they assume all risk related to exposure to the virus. The signs make clear that Lolla won’t be held responsible if anyone gets the coronavirus while attending.
5. If you’re among those not going to the festival, you can still watch live performances from many of the biggest acts on Hulu. Subscribers will be able to watch sets from Post Malone, Foo Fighters and more.
6. Sticking with Lolla news, festival organizers announced a new program that will donate $2.2 million over five years to supporting arts education in CPS schools. The fund is being created in partnership with Ingenuity, an arts education nonprofit.

A bright one

Field Museum gives inside look into how researchers analyze millennia-old portrait

The Field Museum gave a glimpse into how scientists can analyze a 2,000-year-old portrait that can reveal ancient trade routes for painting materials and manufacturing techniques using state-of-the-art technology.

Researchers can examine the way paint reflects, absorbs and emits radiation at different wavelengths by using a special camera that can capture light in the ultraviolet and infrared ranges beyond what can be seen with the human eye.

The portrait examined yesterday is thought to have been displayed in the 1893 World’s Fair and was later added to the Field’s collection. Researchers Giovanni Verri of the Art Institute of Chicago and Marc Sebastian Walton of Northwestern University are leading the effort to learn how it was made — and what it can tell us about the period.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Walton said the millennia-old portrait helps tell a story of a period when Egypt was part of the Roman Empire that helped blend Roman, Greek and Egyptian culture into one. This meant including a painted portrait of a deceased person on a slab of wood that was then incorporated into the mummy’s wrappings.

“When we are looking at this, it is in a fragmentary state, but by using all these analytical techniques, we can basically go back in time to realize what these might have looked like originally,” Walton said. “This is considered to be the beginnings of Western portraitures and would become very critically important when we are talking about the entire scope of the history of art. This is really where our painting practices began.”

Manny Ramos has more on the fascinating process.

From the press box

Your daily question ?

If you could create your own Lollapalooza lineup, who would be the headliners?

Reply to this email (please include your first name and where you live) and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday, we asked you: With August right around the corner, what’s something you want to do before summer ends? Here’s what some of you said…

“Perhaps go out to eat and just relax and be waited on, by myself. Just to be able to sit, people watch or read for awhile would be heaven.” — Sue Shannon Whelan

“Hit the lottery and be OUT and in HAWAII FOREVER before winter hits. Otherwise, I just want to go to the beach at least one more time.” — Anthony Howard

“I want to have a quality of life in the little things like eating out, going to a ballgame or an evening walk with the dog while feeling safe from violent crime.” — Jennifer Weed

“Clean out my garage and have a garage sale.” — Regan Robertson

“Camp at a state or national park, and hope I’m not eaten by a bear, or attend the Illinois State Fair.” — Elliott Avant

“Go to a Cubs game.” — Deb Zenner

“Go to Brookfield Zoo.” — Frank Collins

“Go swimming at the beach.” — Mike George

Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

Sign up here to get the Afternoon Edition in your inbox every day.

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Chicago Bulls could move into first round of 2021 NBA Draft by Ryan Heckman

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(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The Chicago Cubs are sellers at the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline. Nobody would have thought it when they finished off one of the best months in the team’s history earlier in May but things have fallen off hard since. They are more than likely going to be breaking up the core that ended the 108-year curse that kept the Cubs from winning the World Series. It is surely going to be interesting to see what comes of this.

The Cubs just went through the best stretch in the history of the team. It led to a few deep playoff runs and one World Series title. Now, they are looking to rebuild for the future and that is going to come at the cost of some fan favorites.

The trade deadline is on Friday at 3 PM central time. That means it is within the next 24 hours now as we pass the 3 PM mark on Thursday. They need to work hard to get some of these deals done. The longer they wait, the harder it is going to be. It would be doing themselves a disservice to not make any of these big moves because it is going to be hard to rebuild without them.

If they are smart with these deals, they won’t be a bad team for very long. The group they have together right now isn’t getting it done anyway so it is time for a change. These are the three big trades that they need to get done before the deadline in 24 hours (or less):

Next: Player one is the ultimate utility man

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It’s officially here: Lollapalooza 2021.

The music extravaganza by the lake kicked off today in Grant Park. More than 100,000 music fans are expected to attend the four-day event.

Though a few things have changed this year — no Kidzapalooza stage and strict new COVID guidelines to be aware of before heading to the park — the stacked four-day lineup is an impressive feat to have pulled off in record time.

Keep in mind there are numerous COVID safety restrictions in place for the fest. You’ll need proof of vaccination or proof a a negative COVID-19 test for entry to the festival grounds. Lolla is the largest public event to date held in Chicago since the emergence of the coronavirus last March. Despite worries over the virus’ Delta variant and rising caseloads nationally, the show will go on this weekend.

We’ve got the festival covered from every angle. For a complete guide to all things Lolla, check out our guide here. If you want our tips of the acts to catch, you can find our Top 10 picks here. And keep in mind, there are gobs of street closures in place; you can find the details here.

Here’s a look at some of the sights and sounds from Day 1:

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Lollapalooza officially returns to Grant Park this week for four days of music and good times despite concerns about how bringing together over 100,000 people each day will affect the ongoing pandemic.

The festival, which opens Thursday with vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test required for entry, represents the largest public event to date held in Chicago since the emergence of the coronavirus last March. Despite worries over the virus’ Delta variant and rising caseloads nationally, the show will go on this weekend.

Huge acts will be in town luring giant crowds to the park, including Miley Cyrus, Foo Fighters, Post Malone and Tyler, The Creator. Many surrounding streets will be closed through Sunday night.

The Sun-Times will be there all four days covering the big shows and big crowds. Keep this page bookmarked for updates throughout the festival.

Photo highlights

DAY 1: Sights and sounds from Thursday

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Check out more sights and sounds captured by our photographers on the first day of Lolla here.

Lolla signs warn attendees they assume risk for COVID-19

The thousands of people entering Lollapalooza on Thursday are being greeted by signs explaining something that’s not included on their public health and safety website: By attending the festival, “you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19,” which they mention “can lead to severe illness and death.”

Read the full story here.

Must-see acts to check out

Some of the names on the Lolla lineup are a lot bigger than others. Selena Fragassi parses through the dozens of bands and artists to break down 10 must-see acts that attendees won’t want to miss this weekend. Here’s what Fragassi says about one of the festival’s earliest performers, Orville Peck:

No one exactly knows who this incognito Canadian country singer is (his trademark look is a long, fringed mask and cowboy hat) but the boudoir-looking John Wayne has heaped tons of due praise in his few years on the scene. Both for crafting a highly contagious psychedelic outlaw sound that refreshes the genre and for being an LGBTQ iconoclast whose work with Trixie Mattel and Gaga will soon put him in a new league.

Check out all of our recommended shows here.

How to watch performances live online

Unlike past years, Hulu is the exclusive live streaming partner for Lollapalooza 2021. All Hulu subscribers will be able to watch live performances for free as part of their subscriptions. Complete streaming schedules for all four days are already up on Hulu’s website, although they warn that set times are subject to change.

How will COVID-19 affect the festival?

With coronavirus case figures rising across the country amid lagging vaccination rates and the emergence of the Delta variant, Lollapalooza put in place security measures to help make the festival safer.

For those attending the festival, a vaccination card or proof of negative COVID-19 test will be required for entry. Get more information on how that’ll work here.

Chicago’s top health official, Dr. Alison Arwady, said Tuesday that the city’s virus situation is in “good control” ahead of the festival. However, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said recently that she would not hesitate to impose measures in Chicago such as face covering requirements if the city’s daily caseload keeps rising — and Arwady said she expects “some cases” of COVID-19 to result from the festival being held.

Lineup and schedule

Complete daily schedules for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday can be found here.

The after-show lineup includes Modest Mouse, Journey, Jimmy Eat World and Freddie Gibbs. Check out the complete list of official Lolla after-shows here.

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McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc (childhood home), Oak Park

Andy Fine: Can we get some outdoor seating? Where am I supposed to eat my Egg White Delight and Fruit ’N Yogurt Parfait?

Jeremy Owens: This house is in desperate need of special sauce.

Andy: The perimeter looks like a four-piece McNugget in a 20-piece box.

Fox 32 reporter Natalie Bomke and season 5 Bachelorette Winner Ed Swiderski, Riverside

Andy: That’s a lot of brown.

Jeremy: I haven’t been this bored since season 5 of The Bachelorette.

Andy: The entrance is terrible. Where’s the limo supposed to pull up?

Jeremy: Jillian, girl, congrats — you dodged a bullet.

Former Bulls forward Jabari Parker, Near South Side

Jeremy: I hope Jabari has good insurance; those stair railings look rickety.

Andy: What do you call this style? Mary Poppins chic?

Jeremy: Any player who leaves the Bulls deserves to spend eternity in a haunted mansion. Mazel tov!

Former Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp, Lake View

Andy: Is this the newest branch of the Chicago Public Library?

Jeremy: Wait, are we sure that’s not a prison?

Andy: This house is as cold as ice … hockey.

Jeremy: The Stanley Cup money couldn’t buy a yard?

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A list of new and recently released books from Chicago authors or publishers, plus some books you might have missed when they first came out.

MEMOIR

The Flowering: The Autobiography of Judy Chicago by Judy Chicago with a foreword by Gloria Steinem (July 2021, Thames & Hudson)

The creator of the groundbreaking 1970s art installation The Dinner Party was born in Chicago in 1939, and writes about her life and career in this new memoir.

Her Word is Bond: Navigating Hip-Hop and Relationships in a Culture of Misogyny by Cristalle “Psalm One” Bowen (August 2021, Haymarket Books)

The acclaimed rapper with roots in Englewood tells the story of her fight to be heard.

FICTION

Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev (July 2021, William Morrow & Company)

The author of the Chicago Reader Book Club’s November 2020 pick Recipe for Persuasion offers the third in her series of love stories focused around the Raje family.

NONFICTION

Stories Are What Save Us: A Survivor’s Guide to Writing About Trauma by David Chrisinger (July 2021, Johns Hopkins University Press)

The leader of the Harris Writing Program at the University of Chicago offers this collection of writing exercises and lessons that he’s learned from his years of teaching writing to military veterans and other survivors of trauma.

Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen: The Emotional Lives of Black Women by Dr. Inger Burnett-Zeigler (June 2021, Amistad)

Burnett-Zeigler, a licensed clinical psychologist and associate professor at Northwestern, explores the connections between strength and adversity as they relate to Black women’s inner lives.

CHILDREN/YOUNG ADULT

Maya and the Robot by Eve L. Ewing (July 2021, Kokila)

This illustrated novel for tween readers by Chicago writer and sociologist Eve L. Ewing concerns fifth grade scientist Maya and a homemade robot that comes to life.

Darling by K. Ancrum (June 2021, Imprint)

Ancrum recasts Peter Pan as a Chicago underground impresario in this thriller written for young adult audiences (the Chicago Reader Book Club’s July 2021 read).

ICYMI (some titles you may have missed on their initial release)

Bullets for Dead Hoods: An Encyclopedia of Chicago Mobsters, c. 1933 by John Corbett (October 2020, Soberscove Press)

Music writer, art gallery owner, and past Reader contributor Corbett found this unusual document in a Chicago junk shop in the early 2000s: a typewritten overview of the Chicago mob of the 1930s (published here along with a pull-out map of Chicago notated with locations referenced in the original manuscript).

Sweeter Voices Still: An LGBTQ Anthology from Middle America edited by Ryan Schuessler and Kevin Whiteneir, Jr. (January 2021, Belt Publishing)

An anthology of nonfiction by and about queer life in the midwest, including writing from Chicago authors Owen Keehnen and Elizabeth Harper.

How Did We Get Here? by Sterling Bartlett (February 2021, First to Knock)

The first comic book by Bartlett, a Los Angeles-based painter who has designed merchandise and illustrations for music clients like the band MC5 and singer Chris Stapleton. Published by First to Knock, an independent book publisher and record label based in Michigan City, Indiana.

the other option is to slow down by Amanda Williams (March 2021, Candor Arts and Smith College Museum of Art)

A unique, hand-constructed monograph detailing Amanda Williams’s experience as the inaugural artist-in-residence at Smith College Museum of Art. Williams is a visual artist based in Chicago who participated in the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale, and had a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in 2017.

The Quarantine Times edited by Jeremiah Chiu, Edward Marszewski, and Nicholas Wylie (paperback edition March 2021, Public Media Institute and special handmade hardcover edition by Public Media Institute and Candor Arts)

A collection of writing and art responding to the challenges of 2020 and first published online as part of the Quarantine Times website created by Bridgeport’s Public Media Institute.

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The Bears drafted David Montgomery thinking he’d be a dynamic rushing and receiving threat out of the backfield, and that hasn’t fully materialized. That’s partly on Montgomery, who is still developing as he goes into his third season, but he also hasn’t gotten a great opportunity yet.

Throughout his two seasons, the Bears have been wildly inconsistent on the offensive line and at quarterback, and there have been ample questions about coach Matt Nagy’s inclination to run the ball. Montgomery would never raise those issues publicly, but there’s no doubt those would be challenging circumstances for any running back.

The Bears hope it’ll be a more favorable scenario this season. They believe they’ve solidified at least the three spots in the middle of the offensive line and brought in a more stable quarterback in Andy Dalton. Nagy is also talking about getting Montgomery 20 carries per game, but he’s talked about running more before.

“It’s very doable,” Nagy said. “And when you look at where David has been the last couple of years, getting him the football is a good thing. He can make a lot of people miss.

“When you’re able to get in that fourth quarter and you have the lead and you can hand the ball off to David Montgomery, that’s a good thing. Unfortunately, we haven’t been in that situation enough in the past two years, so it’s limited him a little bit with carries.”

Whether the Bears truly have answers on the line and at quarterback and whether they ever have a fourth-quarter lead are beyond Montgomery’s control. For his part, he looks at his 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns last season and knows he can exceed it.

“Of course, because I know myself and how good I can be,” he said.

While that production was very good by recent Bears standards — they hadn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since 2017, and wide receiver Allen Robinson was the only other player to put up 700-plus yards from scrimmage — his 4.3 yards per carry ranked 29th in the NFL.

He was better, though, as a receiver and jumped from 25 catches, 185 yards and a touchdown as a rookie to 54, 438 and two last season. He was fourth in yards receiving among running backs.

“I proved that I can catch the ball, but I have so much more that I can improve on,” he said. “But it’s like beating a dead horse telling you what I can do. I’m just going to go out there and show it.”

The bar is high. Matt Forte had 477 yards receiving as a rookie and averaged 61 catches for 516 yards over his eight seasons with the Bears.

Montgomery is doing everything he can to get to that level and already feels “a lot looser, a lot shiftier” than he did in training camp last year because of putting in extra time in the offseason to perfect his running mechanics.

He also has made good use of Dalton’s experience. Mitch Trubisky was still a fledgling player himself, whereas Dalton has 142 starts and more career snaps than Trubisky, Nick Foles and Chase Daniel combined.

“He’s definitely big on making sure that everybody’s on the same page, and if you need something, ask him,” Montgomery said. “I’ve asked Andy so many questions you would think I’m the cops or something. I’m just trying to sharpen my game and… I’ve never seen somebody come in and be so vocal and work as much as him.”

And Dalton’s cool with being pestered all the time?

“He ain’t told me to shut up yet, so I’m good,” Montgomery said.

That’s probably because Dalton knows how much he’s going to need Montgomery. With so much uncertainty going into this season, a dangerous running back would make a huge difference.

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