Bears

Heading into year two under HC Ben Johnson, Bears DE Montez Sweat is prepared for the intense practices during training camp because of the results it can have on the season down the line.

“He worked the s— out of us,” Sweat said, via Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. “We just was all on one accord. Everybody was on the same page and everything was really about winning. If it wasn’t about winning, then it was nonexistent.”

Lions

Lions HC Dan Campbell is bored answering questions about S Brian Branch, who is returning from injury, entering the final year of his contract.

“I guess there’s always a chance. I’m going to just go ahead and widen the window so we don’t have to talk about it anymore. Let’s just go ahead and say December,” Campbell said of Branch’s potential return, via Eric Woodyard of ESPN. “Anything before that is a bonus. Look, there’s no setbacks with him. That’s what I can tell you. He’s doing a good job. He’s putting in the work, but until we really get closer, I hate to start throwing a timetable on him, but he’s doing well. I think you always want to know that your guys are healthy and that this is truly healed. You always kind of want to lean that way, knowing the investment that would go into that.”

Packers

Packers pass rusher Lukas Van Ness said he will continue to put pressure on himself despite the less-than-ideal start to his career after being selected by Green Bay in the first round of the draft. 

“It’s probably not been my ideal career if you would have talked to me in 2023 when I was a fresh rookie coming in here, but everyone’s got their own process and their own path,” Van Ness said, via the Associated Press. “I’ve trusted the path. I feel really good about where I’m at. I think pressure is a privilege to have. We’re obviously in a blessed position where there’s people watching our spot and people are obviously going to have their own opinions, but at the end of the day I think you’ve just got to believe in yourself and believe in what you’re hearing in the building from your coaches and from your circle and other players in the defensive room.”

“He puts the work in and he’s a guy that he’s always making practice hard on us,” QB Jordan Love added on Van Ness. “I think for him his get-off is what I’m noticing right now, his speed around the edge, so I’m excited about it.”

“I think Luke is someone that people sleep on the most, and I don’t know why,” LB Micah Parsons commented. “At the end of the day, I feel like talk is cheap. You’ve just got to put it out there when it matters.”