NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes if Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky holds onto the starting job, Chicago would still likely keep QB Nick Foles in 2021 since he’s due $8 million guaranteed. 
• Biggs thinks the Bears have too much talent on defense to drop in range for one of the top quarterbacks in 2021 even if the season goes poorly. 

Lions

The Lions dipped back into the well at running back this past draft, using a second-round pick on RB D’Andre Swift despite already having former 2018 second-round RB Kerryon Johnson on the roster. Johnson hasn’t been able to stay healthy his first two seasons and the Lions prefer to use a rotation of backs, so he wasn’t surprised when Detroit added Swift. He’s just happy they added a player he thinks is “lightning in a bottle.” 

“Look, I knew we were going to draft a running back eventually,” Johnson said via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News. “I think we got, in my opinion, definitely one of the top two (in the draft). I love having a running back. I love winning games and I think he can help us do that, so I wasn’t tripping at all.”

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes the Lions coaching staff will continue working remotely for now until there is further notice. 
• Over The Cap’s Nick Korte lists Lions S Will Harris as a player helped by the new CBA’s PPE rules and on track to get a raise in his fourth season. 

Packers

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers said a few weeks ago that he was “really excited” to see the team re-sign veteran TE Marcedes Lewis.

“I was really excited to see ‘Big Dog’ come back. He not only provides a great presence to our run-blocking scheme but our locker room. He’s just a consummate professional, a fantastic leader for our football team. Bringing him back was an important part of shoring up that (tight end) room,” Rodgers said of Lewis, via Packerswire.com.

Rodgers also explained that they’re working to fine-tune their offense to include some of the things HC Matt LaFleur loves with some of the stuff Rodgers has done well over the years. 

“We were blending some of the things Matt loves to do with a few of the things I’ve done well over the years. This has been a great opportunity to go back and fine-tune everything. Go through everything we did last year, what was good, what didn’t work, what we want to add to it, what we want to take out. I think Matt and Nathaniel have done a really good job of going through those and keeping me in the loop. We’ve had a number of conversations about these installs and I feel really good about where they’re at,” Rodgers said.