NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler says a source told him the Bears think they could win 10 games with Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback. 
• Fowler adds first-round QB Justin Fields is excited about the challenge of turning around the Bears’ fortunes at the position, as the team has never had a 4,000-yard passer in franchise history. 
• Around the league, some were surprised Bears GM Ryan Pace had the green light to trade up for a quarterback again, as an AFC scout voiced to Fowler: “I’m just surprised ownership let Ryan Pace make such a big move up after Trubisky didn’t work out.” 

Lions

The Lions ended up using their first three picks on players to bolster their trenches, which is pretty much what the league consensus thought the new duo of HC Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes would do given their backgrounds. But Campbell said they would have taken a receiver earlier if they had the opportunity to and the draft grades lined up. 

“Look, I do feel like probably at our core, Brad and myself, because of where he came from and where I came from, the big guys up front on your O-line and D-line are pivotal to having success. I know at my core I believe that. And I feel like he’s the same way. However, that being said, we were not going to get pigeonholed into making a move that we didn’t want to make, either,” Campbell said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “We were certainly open to taking a receiver if the right one had been there. But I think Brad spoke on it well, the way this thing fell for us and the moves that were made, it was just too hard to pass on [Sewell]. It just was. Now, am I excited to have three big guys? Yeah, I am. I can’t lie to you. I’m very excited. But the plan was not to go in and say, ‘Listen, with our first three picks, let’s find the best three big guys we can find.’ That wasn’t the plan.”

Holmes was on the same page, adding they had plenty of holes to fill and couldn’t afford to zero in on just one place with their research. 

“He’s right. That’s also been brought up, will it be wide receiver? It really is like, s—, when Dan and I first got in these seats, there were a lot of holes on this roster. Let’s be honest. Whether we would’ve went with a damn good player at wide receiver or a damn good player at tackle, it would’ve been a great football player that we were excited about. And that would’ve made an impact. … We try not to anchor ourselves on that in terms of we’ve got to get one position or another,” he said.

• Video from the Falcons’ draft room shows GM Terry Fontenot taking a call from the Lions inquiring about the No. 4 overall pick but Detroit did not increase their offer from an earlier discussion this offseason: “Yeah, we’re gonna pick. It’s the same as what we talked about? OK, yeah, we’re picking.” (Falcons Official Twitter)

Packers

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes there was a real sense around the league that the Packers would have taken WR Rashod Bateman if the Ravens didn’t scoop him up two picks before Green Bay. Bateman even thought he was going to the Packers. 
• Fowler says Packers second-round C Josh Myers got flagged medically by some teams due to a broken bone in his foot that knocked him out of his pro day. But according to a source, Myers is expected to be cleared in a month and should be ready for camp. 
• Fowler mentions former Packers OT Ricky Wagner is planning to retire, though he got some interest from the Dolphins earlier this offseason. 
• According to Field Yates, the Packers put in a waiver claim on LS Matt Orzech before being signed by the Rams.