NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson thinks that second-round CB Kyler Gordon and S Jaquan Brisker should be immediate starters so that they can quickly make the jump to the NFL level. 

“I’d throw ’em in the fire if you asking me,” Johnson said, via Gene Chamberlain of SI.com. “I mean, they’re our first two draft picks. I feel like we’ve got to [see] what they can do right now. And then I feel like we can kind of know what the attitude and what the vibe is heading into camp. If I was the coach I wouldn’t ease them into it. I would throw them out there.”

• Bears HC Matt Eberflus said Gordon has been very impressive so far during OTAs: “Kyler’s been lighting it up the last two days. I’ll just tell you that. The guy’s got tremendous ball skills. He’s been playing the defense the right way and we’re very impressed with him.” (Adam Jahns)
• The Bears sent assistant GM Ian Cunningham and DC Alan Williams as representatives to the NFL’s front office and coaching diversity accelerator program. (Jonathan Jones)
• The Chicago Bears announced that they have promoted Breck Ackley to assistant director of college scouting, Chris White to assistant director of pro scouting, Sam Summerville and Francis Saint-Paul as senior national scouts, Ashton Washington as player personnel coordinator, and Charles Love to pro scout.

Lions

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler says to keep an eye out for an extension for Lions TE T.J. Hockenson, as he’s been a steady part of their offense the past two seasons. 
• The Lions sent assistant GM Ray Agnew and DC Aaron Glenn as representatives to the NFL’s front office and coaching diversity accelerator program. (Jonathan Jones)

Packers

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes Packers OL Elgton Jenkins is the next player in line for a contract extension in Green Bay, and he’s widely seen as a top-ten interior offensive lineman. 
• However, Jenkins also played left tackle in 2021 before tearing his ACL and was excellent, which adds another layer that Fowler says could complicate negotiations. The top guard currently makes $16.5 million a year, while top right tackles make around $18-$19 million a year and left tackles are over $20 million. 
• Packers DBs coach/passing game coordinator Jerry Gray believes that the team has many defensive backs who can play the slot position, including CB Jaire Alexander, CB Eric Stokes, CB Rasul Douglas, and S Darnell Savage. (Ryan Wood)
• Packers safeties coach Ryan Downard on seventh-round rookie Tariq Carpenter: “He really can move, especially for how big he is. That’s the biggest impression he made on me. He really can move. He’s rare.” (Wood)
• The Packers sent Gray and director of pro personnel Richmond Williams as representatives to the NFL’s front office and coaching diversity accelerator program. (Jonathan Jones)