NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

Bears QBs coach John DeFilippo said he’s eager to see which of their potential starting quarterbacks, Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles, has the “juice” to prove himself as a leader. 

โ€œPassion, energy and swagger, baby,โ€ said DeFilippo, via Dan Weiderer of the Chicago Tribune. โ€œThatโ€™s how weโ€™re defined in our room.โ€

DeFilippo reiterated that their starting quarterback must have “passion for the game” and have a “swagger” about themselves. 

โ€œIt means we have a passion for the game. We have a ton of energy,โ€ DeFilippo said. โ€œWeโ€™re the same people every day. But then we walk around with a little bit of swagger to ourselves in terms of knowing weโ€™re the best quarterback room in the National Football League.”

Upon meeting Trubisky, DeFilippo said he told the quarterback to detach from football “for a few weeks” to help recover from the 2019 season. 

โ€œI told him he needed to get away, man,โ€ DeFilippo said. โ€œI said, โ€˜Bro, you had a rough season. Like from a mental standpoint. (From a) physical standpoint, youโ€™ve got a shoulder you need to rehab. But you need to go clear your mind for a few weeks.โ€™ Sometimes you have to steer young guys into that realm as well.โ€

Lions

First years for tight ends are typically rough, and getting drafted in the top ten didn’t stop Lions TE T.J. Hockenson from dealing with some struggles as a rookie. He ended up going on injured reserve with an ankle injury part of the way through an up-and-down 2019 season. Lions OC Darrell Bevell said he’s happy with how Hockenson has progressed through his rehab so far. 

โ€œAs far as I know right now, heโ€™s in his running part of the protocol. Heโ€™s on land, heโ€™s running, heโ€™s running routes, doing that thing. You canโ€™t say heโ€™s 100 percent yet, but I think heโ€™s well on the way to getting there,โ€ Bevell said via Pro Football Talk. โ€œHeโ€™s done a great job with his rehab, heโ€™s always been a good worker that way. I know heโ€™s going to get some time with Matthew [Stafford], throwing and catching. So yeah, Iโ€™m comfortable with where heโ€™s at with the rehab part.โ€

Packers

  • Dan Graziano of ESPN mentions RB Aaron Jones as a potential extension candidate for the Packers. Although, Green Bay using a second-round pick on A.J. Dillon could complicate things for Jones.
  • Another notable player to watch for the Packers is LT David Bakhtiari. Graziano mentions that Bakhtiari is way underpaid relative to the market, at $11.5 million this year.
  • On the defensive side of the ball, the Packers will need to address DT Kenny Clark, who is underpaid this year at $7.69 million.

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