NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Jameson Williams, Packers

Bears

After a breakout season in 2021, Bears WR Darnell Mooney finds himself as the No.1 receiver on the team and is ready to do whatever it takes to prove he deserves the spot.

“It’s nice. I’m not satisfied yet,” Mooney told Ehsan Kassim of The Gadsden Times. “I don’t plan on getting satisfied yet. I have a lot more in the tank that has been hidden. Hopefully, I can let all of that out this year. I’m ready for whatever anybody brings to me. I’m ready for any task, any type of defense that we’re seeing, whatever it is, anyway, I can help the team. You know, if I get double-teamed, I’ll be a decoy for the team so everybody else can be open. I mean, I’m good with that. Any way I can help win.”

• Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune reports the Bears were forced to remove their Tuesday OTA practice after violating offseason rules of the CBA with prohibited contact during the month of May.

Lions

Lions OC Ben Johnson said this offseason is a difficult situation for first-round WR Jameson Williams given he’s missing time as he recovers from a knee injury. 

“It’s going to be a challenge cause you can’t really compare it to the Josh Reynolds situation from last year, which I would love to do because he came in late and he had to learn, and we didn’t really know him and what he necessarily did best,” Johnson said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “But at least there was a comfort level between him and the quarterback, and we don’t have that.”

Johnson reiterated that they want to get Williams up to speed with QB Jared Goff  and it may require “a little bit of time.”

“That’s a real struggle for us is to get him back, to get him healthy, and then (get him) as many reps as possible with the quarterbacks so that we know exactly where he’s going to be, we can anticipate the throw,” Johnson said. “That’s the one thing that (Goff had) naturally with Josh coming from their days in L.A., so yeah, it may take a little bit of time. I think we have a good vision for how we want to use him, though, and right now our biggest issue with him, we just, the mental. We got to continue to load him up and let this thing sink in.”

Johnson believes they have “smart players” at receiver and envisions that their offense will be able to “attack defenses.” 

“We got smart players,” Johnson said. “Really, across the board we have smart players, which once again we talk about the verbiage and all that. The system. That’s necessary. We’ve got to have smart players if we’re going to be able to attack defenses the way we’re looking to attack them. That room looks really good right now. If we just continue to stay healthy and push each other along and the sky’s the limit.”

• Lions HC Dan Campbell doesn’t expect Williams to be ready for the start of training camp: “I don’t see him being ready for training camp. … I’m very hopeful, but I don’t see it.” (Chris Burke)
• Campbell added that Williams still requires “a lot of strength development” prior to returning: “He needs a lot of strength development in that body, his lower extremities, his legs, his knees, his everything. Until he’s able to stabilize himself and really get some strength that we feel good about … we’re not going to put him out there.” (Kyle Meinke)

Packers

• Packers RFA WR Allen Lazard isn’t in attendance for the start of mandatory minicamp. His agent issued the following statement regarding his absence: “Allen’s total focus is on having the best possible season he can have as a player and helping the Packers win the Lombardi Trophy. Everything he is doing is to further those objectives.” (Matt Schneidman)
• Regarding the decision to sign veteran WR Sammy Watkins this offseason, Aaron Rodgers said: “I was 100 percent on board with that. I think it’s important you get guys who have a lot to play for, and I think Sammy has the opportunity to continue and travel down a new path in his career … I love the disposition. I really enjoy the person.” (Matt Schneidman)
• As for the new receiver group as a whole, Rodgers stressed the importance of production: “I like production over potential. There’s some production, and a lot of potential. So we need to temper expectations, and heighten accountability.” (Ryan Wood)
• Packers CB Rasul Douglas took a number of reps at slot corner on Tuesday, but he’s still unsure how much be positioned there during the season: “It’s early.” (Ryan Wood)