NFC Notes: Bears, Buccaneers, Packers

New Bears WR Ted Ginn said he had “plenty of conversations” with HC Matt Nagy leading up to joining Chicago. 

“Me and Nagy have had plenty of conversations throughout this process of recruitment,” Ginn said, via Alyssa Barbieri of BearsWire. “I call it recruitment because it was kind of like an old school feel. We called each other every day, he called me every day. We’d talk for 30 minutes, 20 minutes, five, an hour. Just different types of conversations that led me to want to be able to go there and play for that ball club.”

Ginn felt that Nagy’s ability to “have fun” and trust his players led him to sign with the Bears. 

“Nagy is a guy that loves to have fun, pretty trusting to his players, and I felt like that was a good fit for me.”

• Ginn brings a much-needed speed element to the Bears’ offense and is expected to replace WR Taylor Gabriel as Chicago’s starting “Z” receiver. (Adam Caplan)
• Bears fifth-round WR Darnell Mooney is also projected to line up at “Z” and can “flat out fly” per Caplan’s source.

Buccaneers

Buccaneers EDGE Shaquil Barrett turned 2019 in a clinic on how to maximize a “prove-it” deal. After signing a one-year deal with Tampa Bay, Barrett blew up as one of the NFL’s best pass rushers, leading all players with 19.5 sacks. But Barrett hit a bit of a speed bump as long-term negotiations between the two sides haven’t been fruitful since the Buccaneers placed the franchise tag on Barrett. The veteran is understandably a little peeved. 

“I mean, there is a little frustration because I did do everything I could do and I tried to make it as easy as possible so that it wouldn’t be like nothing up in the air,” Barrett said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. “But I guess I didn’t do as much as I needed to do or as much as I thought I needed to do. I don’t mind having my back against the wall but I do love security a lot more.”

Packers

• Field Yates of ESPN proposes the Packers trade CB Josh Jackson to the Broncos for CB Isaac Yiadom.
• Yates explains that while Jackson’s career was off to a promising start in 2018, he was a backup player last year who could now benefit from a change of scenery.
• Yates adds Yiadom was a starter for the Broncos part of last year and has enough raw ability where a change of scenery could really help him.