AFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

Bears GM Ryan Pace believes the team is in a “good position” with veteran QB Andy Dalton as the starters and that there’s “no need” to rush first-round QB Justin Fields to start. 

“I just feel like we’re just in a good position with Andy,” Pace said via Larry Mayer of the team’s official site. “It starts with how we feel about Andy, and we’re very confident in him and where he’s at. So, there’s no need for us to rush Justin.”

Pace believes Fields still has to get acclimated to the “weekly preparation” it requires during the regular season to be a starting quarterback. 

“Playing quarterback in the NFL, there’s so much that goes into that and so much different than you’d even see in the preseason—the weekly preparation, seeing NFL defenses in the regular season and all those things,” Pace said. “I just think the more time he has to learn that and observe that, the better off for him.”

Lions

When asked about Lions’ rookie RT Penei Sewell struggling throughout the preseason, GM Brad Holmes is confident that Sewell will be ready to go for Week 1. 

“I believe that he will be ready for Week 1 and I think he’s ready now,” Holmes said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “Yeah, I mean, he’s going through the normal process that a rookie would go through, regardless of where he’s drafted. That’s a tough position to play out there on that island and he’s sat out for a year. So what he’s done, and I know it’s magnified by what may be a hiccup here or there, but there’s so much of the good stuff that maybe kind of hidden when you really kind of deep dive the film, little subtle nuances that is going to make a big difference.”

Holmes thinks Lions’ new QB Jared Goff has done well proving he’s an “accurate quarterback” and is hitting open receivers. 

“I do think that Jared, that you can fairly evaluate him because he’s throwing to some guys that are getting open, that are creating separation, that have explosiveness, that are making tough catches, that are being where they’re supposed to be,” Holmes said. “So Jared is a very accurate quarterback and he has receivers that are getting open, and at the end of the day, that’s what a receiver’s job to do is to get open and catch the football. So I think it’s been easy to evaluate Jared.”

Regarding the Lions’ defensive backs struggling last season, HC Dan Campbell said S Will Harris, S Tracy Walker, and CB Amani Oruwariye have all had strong camps. 

“Look, it is a young secondary, but those corners are coming along pretty good and Will Harris and Tracy, they’ve had pretty good camps now,” Campbell said. “And Will has grown — Will and Amani may have had two of the best camps of anybody on our roster, as a matter of fact.”

Vikings

• Vikings OC Klint Kubiak had high praise of backup QB Sean Mannion‘s mentality and communication with coaches: “Mentally, there’s very few guys I’ve been around as bright as him. The way he sees the game, the way he communicates with the coaches, he’s an extra coach on the field on top of being a heck of a player.” (Courtney Cronin)