NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

Bears QB Justin Fields‘ longtime personal quarterback coach Ron Veal said that Fields took issue with former HC Matt Nagy‘s gameplan last season, especially when he was sacked several times against the Browns.

“It was bad,” Veal said, via Pro Football Talk. “He took a beating that day. It was kind of crazy and weird at the same time. . . . I know he was a little pissed about it but I didn’t get an explanation. And I really didn’t ask because I know he was in a situation where he was really pissed off about it. He played well at times and he struggled at times, which is what happens with rookie quarterbacks.”

• Vikings CB Patrick Peterson mentioned the Bills, Bears, Buccaneers, Colts, and Commanders were all showing interest in him as a free agent. (All Things Covered)
• Bears S Dane Cruikshank‘s one-year, $1.187 million deal includes a signing bonus of $152,500 and a fully guaranteed salary of $1.035 million. (Aaron Wilson)

Lions

Regarding the Lions bringing back LB Jarrad Davis after spending 2021 with the Jets, GM Brad Holmes said that they were impressed by Davis last season and he’s a “good fit” in their system.

“I think everybody deserves second chances,” Holmes said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “We did see some things on tape that encouraged us to think that he’d be a good fit here.”

Davis feels “brand new” returning to Detroit and is grateful to reunite with the organization that drafted him in 2017. 

“It feels brand new, honestly,” Davis said. “It’s amazing like how life works. Like, you step away from something or you step away from a thing and you feel like, you don’t know what’s going to happen after that. After you turn your back and you walk out the door, you don’t know if that door’s going to ever open up again. You don’t know what it’s going to hold, you don’t know what the reunion looks like, you don’t know anything, if there is even going to be a reunion. But it’s just amazing to have an opportunity to come back in this building and to be able to go to work.”

Packers

• Pete Dougherty of PackersNews.com reports that extension talks for GM Brian Gutekunst and HC Matt LaFleur have begun.
• Packers HC Matt LaFleur on the future of QB Aaron Rodgers: “I think he’s got a lot left. I could see him playing really until he decides to hang it up.” (Tom Pelissero)
• Aaron Wilson reports that University of Houston LB Deontay Anderson has drawn interest from the Packers, Seahawks, Texans, Steelers, and Bills.