NFC North Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

Bears TE Trey Burton said that he expects to line up on the outside and as in in-line tight end this season.

“I would say tight end, in general, in this offense is fun because you get to do a little bit of everything,” Burton said, via Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. “They move you around. You can line up outside. You can line up tight, a bunch of different things.”

Lions

Lions RBs coach David Walker referred to second-round RB Kerryon Johnson as a “three-down” running back and is excited about the qualities he brings to the offense.

“He’s a guy that’s a three-down player,” said Walker, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “(At Auburn he) showed he can play on first, second and third down. He showed he can play in all situations, which was important for us. Very productive in a very good league. So you see the physical qualities, the flexibility in terms of how you can use a guy like that, and then you have a chance to meet him and see how smart and driven he is. He’s kind of the type of player that fits with our program because he’s smart, he showed he’s productive and then he has flexibility in terms of first, second, third downs.”

Packers

Packers HC Mike McCarthy seems to be a fan of new GM Brian Gutekunst’s approach to free agency.

“I think it goes back to Brian’s comments, and just the conversations we had,” McCarthy said, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “Player acquisition is a 12-month process, and there’s definitely a pool of players that come available at this time of year.”

The Packers just signed two veteran players to contracts including TE Marcedes Lewis and OT Byron Bell.

“This is a market that he wants to be active and aggressive in,” McCarthy said. “And once again, when it fits, we’re looking for an ability to improve. Any time you can add experience, and let’s not forget about the way these men fit into the locker room, their reputations, what they bring, that’s all part of it. Because you’re always focused on the chemistry and the culture of your locker room, and it’s just an opportunity to improve.

“I think we clearly have done that this week.”

• Field Yates reports that the Packers signed veteran OT Byron Bell to a one-year contract that includes an $850,000 base salary, a $500,000 signing bonus and $362,000 in current bonuses/incentives.
• Bell will count $1.712 million against the Packers’ salary cap.