NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

According to Dan Patrick, the Bears were one of the final few teams Tom Brady was deciding between before opting to join the Buccaneers. 

“Did you know that the Bears were in the final list of teams for Tom Brady?… The final list that Brady was looking at, the Chargers, the Bears, and the Buccaneers. I was told this yesterday. I said, ‘Wait a minute. The Bears?’ [The source] told me yes,” Patrick said, via The Big Lead.

• The Bears officially list DE Robert Quinn (ankle) as doubtful for Week 1’s game and have T Germain Ifedi (triceps), LB Khalil Mack (knee), RB David Montgomery (groin), WR Cordarrelle Patterson (knee), CB Buster Skrine (finger), T Jason Spriggs (knee), WR Javon Wims (achilles) down as questionable.

Lions

After his release from Washington, RB Adrian Peterson says that he is excited about his uncertain role with the Lions and is trying to learn as much as he can prior to the start of the season.

“They’re asking me to do a lot,” Peterson said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I don’t think we have really locked in exactly (on what my role will be), but what the obvious thing is, is what I’ve done for 14 years is run the ball well, catch the ball when I have the opportunity, pick up blocks. Even though I have my time with Bev, coming from Washington and learning a totally new offense and then, bam, trying to cram so much in within two days now, two or three days, it’s been a whirlwind for me. So there’s a lot of things that I’m still learning. I’m investing time cause obviously when I got signed I wasn’t thinking about not playing this weekend, so we’ll see how things go.”

• The Lions officially ruled out TE Hunter Bryant (hamstring), S C.J. Moore (hamstring), and T Halapoulivaati Vaitai (foot) for Week 1’s game and list WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring) as doubtful.
• Detriot also has WR Danny Amendola (hamstring), DE Da’Shawn Hand (groin), CB Jeff Okudah (hamstring), LB Julian Okwara (knee), and CB Darryl Roberts (groin) down as questionable.

Packers

• Packers’ LT David Bakhtiari is entering a contract year with the goal of making it his most memorable year yet. He also spoke about the lack of talks surrounding a possible contract extension: “Nothing meaningful has really been talked about.” (Matt Schneidman)
• Packers’ GM Brian Gutekunst addressed a possible extension for Bakhtiari by saying it’s a priority for them: “It is. Bak has been a very good player for a long time here. He certainly is someone we want to keep around here. He’s at the top of his game, he’s one of the top left tackles in the National Football League… Recent data has shown they (left tackles) can go into their mid-30’s and play at a very, very high level. David is one of those guys that takes extreme care of his body, he’s such a professional. I think he’s got a lot of good years in front of him.” (Aaron Nagler)
• Packers’ running backs coach Ben Sirmans gave RB Jamaal Williams a to-do list that he hoped would help him become “a more complete player” and says that Williams “went out this offseason and did that.” (Wes Hodkiewicz)
• Sirmans also spoke about the culture within the Packers’ running back group: “I don’t think there’s a guy in there that, from my observation, has any animosity towards another. They talk on the phone, text each other. They all play video games together.” (Hodkiewicz)
• Packers RB Aaron Jones said he has not talked to his agent, Chris Cabott, in a couple of days regarding extension talks: “I’ll just wait until I hear from Chris.” (Tom Silverstein)
• Jones mentioned that he knew sometime in offseason Packers were in contract talks with his agent. (Ryan Wood)
• Regarding the possibility of getting a deal done with Green Bay, Jones said: “You’d love to get that contract done as soon as possible, as anybody would, but I understand it’s a process. So I’m just going to wait until it’s my time.” (Wood)
• The Packers officially ruled out LB Randy Ramsey (groin) for Week 1’s game and list DE Montravius Adams (toe) and G Billy Turner (knee) as doubtful.
• Green Bay also has S Raven Greene (quadricep) down as questionable.