NFC Notes: Bears, Packers, Aaron Rodgers, Saints

Bears

2023 will be a big year for both the Bears and WR Chase Claypool. It’s a contract year for Claypool and he needs a strong season to cash in. Meanwhile, Chicago is desperate for receiving help and would love it if Claypool justified the steep price they paid to acquire him in a trade from the Steelers. Bears OC Luke Getsy said they plan on giving Claypool plenty of opportunities to prove himself in 2023. 

“I don’t think we have that figured out just yet, but I see him getting a lot of opportunities,” Getsy said via the Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain. “He’s someone that we need to play at a really high level, and he’s capable of that. He’s done that in the past. We’ve got to get the most out of him, and he wants that, too. The best thing is that he kind of got his feet wet in Chicago, he knows what we’re doing now, so we can get into the offseason and just kinda take off.”

• Fishbain mentions the Bears have already been mentioned as a team that could be aggressive in free agency to address the offensive line, which makes sense given the loads of cap space they’ll have available. 
• Outside of that, however, others noted to Fishbain it’s not a particularly deep free-agent class and the Bears might elect to keep their powder dry more than some might expect. 

Packers

• According to SNY’s Jets beat reporter Connor Hughes, multiple sources believe the Packers are going to do whatever QB Aaron Rodgers wants to do this offseason. If he wants a trade, the team will accommodate him, but if he wants to come back, they’ll welcome him. Hughes mentions there are people within the Packers building who are operating as if Rodgers will be back in 2023. 
• Rodgers on having Raiders’ fans attempt to recruit him: “I’m under contract with the Packers, people forget that. That gets lost in the conversation.” (Rob Demovsky)
• Rodgers says that after the Super Bowl, he will have “self-reflection in some isolation” and will then make a “final final decision.” (Matt Schneidman)

Saints

• Cardinals DB coach Marcus Robertson is being considered for the Saints defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator. (Josina Anderson)