NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

Bears HC Matt Eberflus isn’t quite sure how the 49ers are planning to use QB Trey Lance in Week 1.

“You’re projecting a little bit,” Eberflus said, via Curtis Pashelka of the San Jose Mercury News. “You have to project how they’re going to use the young man and where they’re going to use them in their offense. We certainly have an idea of what this offense looks like. But how they’re going to use him, no one really knows. You have to use your rules, have your calls and make sure you’re sound.”

• Bears WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette believes he came full-circle landing with Chicago after having a big game against them last year: “I torched them last year. So go figure. It was just meant to be. They got me and I’m happy to be here.” (Dan Wiederer)

Lions

Lions GM Brad Holmes said that they were aware of DT Levi Onwuzurike (back) and DL Josh Paschal‘s (hernia) injury concerns when they drafted them in 2021 and 2022 respectively. 

“We’re not kicking ourselves,” Holmes said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “We’re not saying, ‘Oh, we overlooked this or that.’ It was just things that we were prepared for.”

Holmes reiterated that they knew Onwuzurike and Paschal’s injuries and they would take time to recover. 

“I think everything is, especially when it comes to medicals, it’s always case by case,” Holmes said. “Levi is dealing with something that we were aware of and that we knew about. He actually was able to do more than what we thought he was going to be able to do last year. And so unfortunately he’s had to still deal with it, but you don’t have that crystal ball quite yet. And then with Josh, it was something that we were aware of that we knew he had to deal with and we have a timeline in place, and we don’t have any problem with it.”

Lions’ assistant GM Ray Agnew had high praise for first-round DE Aidan Hutchinson.

“I can’t stop smiling,” Agnew said. “I love the kid. The kid’s relentless, effort, and much better athlete than you thought he was in the draft process. Man, the things he can do rushing the passer, inside, off the edge, using his hands, he’s very creative as a rusher. I would just say this, we got the right one.”

Packers

Packers OT David Bakhtiari is planning on being ready to go for the team’s opener.

“I can get through the season,” Bakhtiari said, via ESPN. “It’s going to be fine. You have to just manage while playing. I’m just getting back in the swing of things. So, I mean, I think there’s normal rust and then new normal with three surgeries, so just kind of working that out and figuring out what my routine is.”

Vikings

• Vikings CB Cameron Dantzler has regained his confidence this offseason: “I lost (my swagger) a little bit last year lost it a little…and my confidence…So I just had to gain that back…I came to OTAs I was very confident…I just had that swagger back.” (Chris Tomasson)