NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Jordan Love

Bears

Bears HC Matt Eberflus said he enjoys attending Pro Day workouts because he was a former college scout for 18 years. 

“It’s good for me because it takes me back to when I was a college scout,” Eberflus said, via Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. “I did that for 18 years. They used to have regional combines and all that, and it’s really cool to go to those things and evaluate the movement skills of the athletes.”

Bears GM Ryan Poles thinks Eberflus is a good talent evaluator and understands how to develop players. 

“The beautiful thing … because of his recruiting background, he’s a good evaluator, he really is,” Poles said. “He can kind of see not only what the player is today but what he can become. I think both of us, from my time in Kansas City with (current Colts GM) Chris Ballard and his time with Chris in Indy, he can see traits, but yet the tape can be a little bit raw, and then understand how with coaching and with time we can develop players to be really good pros.”

Eberflus reiterated he enjoys attending workouts because it allows them to gather more information on players. 

“Yeah, we really believe going to the pro days (is) important because you can just glean that much more information about the way a guy catches, the way he moves in space, how he bends, how he moves with his coach,” Eberflus said. “I think that’s important. How much stamina he has. So you can see the preparation there. And then you get to talk to the coaches. You’re just sitting there talking to the head coach. I met with all the head coaches for 20 to 30 minutes on the field, defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator, and you can get really good information from a guy when you’re there in person.”

Lions

Lions GM Brad Holmes said G Halapoulivaati Vaitai is in a “good place” with his recovery from back surgery and they are also happy to sign G Graham Glasgow on the open market. 

“He’s in a good place,” Holmes said, via Benjamin Raven of MLive. “We actually got some recent re-reports back that he’s in a really good place. And we felt confident about doing the deal and glad to have him back. Yeah, and Vaitai, man, he’s a good player. He’s a starting-level guard who fits what we’re about along the offensive line. But obviously, there are question marks or were question marks about his health and all of that. To get Glasgow in the fold — and Glasgow is a guy that’s got positional versatility, as well. Obviously, we all know about his ability at guard, but the stuff that he did at center on tape last year was really exciting. It’s good to have that competition, and it should be good.”

Glasgow said he was eager to come back to Detroit after spending 2020-2022 with the Broncos. 

“It really just came down to, for me, I wanted to come back first and foremost and play with my friends,” Glasgow said. “Second of all, I’m not opposed to competing. I think I said it yesterday. They were talking about it being a prove-it deal. And I said, ‘if I’m going to prove it again, then why not prove it here? I’ve done it before.’ I’m not a stranger to competition. I feel like that’s something that brings out the best in a lot of players. I thought this would be a good situation for me. I know Vaitai’s a good player. I know he has been injured. With that being said, I think that he’s going to bring the best out of me, and I can bring the best out of him. And we go from there.”

Lions HC Dan Campbell said Vaitai is capable of competing for a starting role and also expects Graham to step into the lineup. 

“And so he’s a guy (Vaitai) that we know that can go in there and compete to start,” Campbell said. “And let’s see where Big V’s at coming off this back. I know we have some optimism in the building, you know? But we won’t know. And really, that’s what Graham gives you, man. He gives you ability — he can step in, and he can hold the fort down. Man, if you need him at either of the positions, left guard, right guard or center, you got a guy. It’s good to get him.”

Packers

Packers HC Matt LaFleur is not expecting Jordan Love to immediately live up to Aaron Rodgers and wants the quarterback to focus on developing. 

“Certainly, I think we’re fooling ourselves if we think he’s going to go out there and perform at a level to the likes of an Aaron Rodgers,” LaFleur said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN. “This guy is a once-in-a-lifetime generational talent, and I don’t think it necessarily started that way when he first started. But he progressed into that. It’s going to be a progression.”

LaFleur added Love will undoubtedly have a “different role” than Rodgers and they must “temper our expectations” going forward. 

“It’s going to be a different role for him, certainly, and I think we all have to temper our expectations for him,” LaFleur said. “It’s different when you’re going into a game vs. when you’re starting a game. It’s going to be a process, but it’s going to be exciting for him, for us. I don’t think any quarterback can truly do it on their own in this league. It’s going to be everybody rallying around him and trying to play at their best ability so that he can go out there and perform as good as he possibly can.”

LaFleur appreciates Rodgers’ time alongside him in Green Bay. 

“I’ve got nothing but love and appreciation for what Aaron has done for so many in our organization,” LaFleur said. “Obviously have experienced a lot of great times together, won a lot of football games together. Ultimately, didn’t bring home a Super Bowl, which will always be disappointing. He’s done so much for myself, my family, our coaches’ families, so many people within the organization, other players. A lot of people have been rewarded, quite frankly, because of his ability to go out there and play, and play at such a high level. I’m just going to leave it at that.”