NFC Notes: Bears, Buccaneers Packers

Bears

Though he only has 15.5 sacks in three seasons, the Bears are still high on former first-round LB Leonard Floyd this year.

“This is a rare athlete playing the position,” Bears LB coach Ted Monachino said via the Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain. “There’s a whole bunch of guys that are great hammers and guys that have the pass-rush gene that have that dominant trait. This is a rare athlete for the position. I’ve coached a bunch of good ones. I’ve coached big ones, I’ve coached smart ones, I’ve coached fast ones. I’ve never coached an athlete like this. … His length. His short-area quickness. Long speed. The ability to cover and change direction. All of those things are very special with this player.” 

Buccaneers

New Buccaneers DT Ndamukong Suh is thrilled to be joining Tampa Bay to work with DC Todd Bowles and HC Bruce Arians in particular. 

“I’m very excited,” Suh said in an interview on the Tennis Channel. “I actually had the opportunity to talk very deeply with coach Todd Bowles, as well as Bruce Arians, two elite coaches that I’ve had great interactions with in years past. I like being part of things you can build, and be able to put them over the top. Hopefully my talent, as well as all the other guys — former Nebraskans, Lavonte David— we can play together and change the game there, and get us to a winning situation.”

Packers

New Packers HC Matt LaFleur says things are going pretty well as the team installs a brand-new offense for the first time in a long time. 

“I think every team’s a little bit different in terms of how fast guys pick things up,” LaFleur said via Margaret Nazcek of PackerNews.com. “I will say this, being directly involved on the offensive side, I’ve been pretty impressed with how guys have been able to digest this information and go out there and compete. They know what to do so they can go out there and play fast and physical. I think our guys have done a good job, they’ve been locked in, and we’re just going to keep trying to give them as much as they can handle.” 

LaFleur said he’s been impressed at how he hasn’t had to dial back the fire hose of new information quite yet. 

“At some point certainly everywhere I’ve been, there’s been a point in time where you know that you’ve got to pull back certain points,” LaFleur said. “Two days into the install, I haven’t felt that yet.”