NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears HC Matt Eberflus thinks that Justin Fields is showing better footwork, pocket presence, and ability to throw under pressure. 

“I see more progress in practice,” Eberflus said, via ProFootballTalk. “His footwork’s getting better, his delivery when he’s feeling pressure, how he slides in the pocket and delivers the ball, that’s getting a lot better too. He’s improving every single day.”

Eberflus added that Fields does well throwing on the move and in play-action calls.  

“He does a really good job with the movement passes, the play-actions, in pocket, out of pocket, and to be able to deliver the ball,” Eberflus said. “So we’re excited about that.”

• Bears LB Roquan Smith will play in the final preseason game against the Browns despite not participating in team drills. (Courtney Cronin)

Lions

Lions second-overall pick Aidan Hutchinson is ready for Week 1 of the regular season to begin, telling reporters that he can hardly wait for his first actual game as a professional.

“I’m ready to go,” Hutchinson said, via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. “I think I just want to get [to the regular season]. All the preseason, all the camp stuff, it’s good getting better, but man, you just want to get to that Week 1 and get into the season and get rolling. Just getting a little antsy. So yeah, that’s how I feel.”

Packers

Packers OC Adam Stenavich believes OL Jake Hanson has the ability to play all three positions on the interior of the team’s offensive line at a high level.

“Yeah. He has the ability to play any inside position and hopefully, he does a good job in these next preseason games and proves it,” Stenavich said, via Packers Wire.

Hanson is fully healthy this year and Stenavich has seen drastic improvement in his ability, adding that he’s been one of the team’s best players in camp thus far.

“Jake has had one of the best camps of anyone on our offense, just from taking that next step,” Stenavich said. “I think his first year, his hip was banged up and he just didn’t look right. He got his hip fixed and then has come back and he looks like a brand-new guy. So, he’s playing with physicality, he’s intelligent, he has the ability to center. I’m excited about him.”

Vikings

• Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell hopes second-round CB Andrew Booth Jr. is medically cleared for the team’s opener against the Packers. Booth is currently dealing with an ankle injury: “He’ll be a little bit more than day to day. “We’ll see how he progresses throughout the week, but the hope is, no matter what, he should be greenlit for the Green Bay game (in the Sept. 11 opener).” (Chris Tomasson)