Bears

The Bears landed Ben Johnson as their head coach after he entered the offseason as one of the most in-demand coaches on the market. When appearing on the Mully & Haugh Show, Johnson said Chicago’s ownership and front office structure were appealing to him.

“That’s the best part of this particular situation I walked into, I was talking to Ryan (Poles) about it the other day, a lot of the structure was already in place,” Johnson said. “From great ownership to Kevin Warren at President, to Ryan (Poles), there’s a lot of things that I might’ve struggled with if I was with a first-time GM and we’re both finding our way. Ryan, naturally, he’s helped so much, it’s really a good thing that he’s been around and been helpful that way. You look at it that way and then the coaching staff, they’re a high level. We’ve got a wealth of knowledge and it makes my life easier, I didn’t have to do this blind. It was by design that it was all structured this way and I think it gives us a better chance to get us off the ground faster.”

Lions

Lions GM Brad Holmes explained why the team only kept 50 players on their initial 53-man roster.

“We had 50 make the team,” Holmes said, via NY Times. “That’s it. I don’t know what else you want me to say. I think I explained it. Do you want (the) three first guys out that (were) close? Go ahead and give it to him? He didn’t really (earn it) — but go ahead and give it to him because we’re only at 50. If you only have 50 that we deemed as the standards of making it, then you’ve got to look elsewhere. So, that’s the approach that we did.”

Detroit cut a pair of 2023 third-rounders in QB Hendon Hooker and DT Brodric Martin. Holmes explained that the decision-making process has improved since the two failed selections.

“Unfortunately, you know, they did not meet expectations in the timely manner that we would have liked for them to do,” Holmes said. “You’ve just got to look at it. I’m a big self-assessment individual — after action review, look at it, analyze it. I think we’ve already identified some areas. But yeah, you’ve just got to learn, you’ve just got to grow and get better.”

Holmes added that even though they didn’t work out, he still feels good about the processes that led to the selection of those players.

“I think all you can do is put all the work in and feel good when you take the player,” Holmes said. “Look, I think there’s risk involved with every single pick that you do. There was a great definition of risk. … It was one of Morgan Housel’s books. I’m not sure if it was Morgan Housel’s quote, but he said, ‘Risk is what’s left after you think you’ve thought of everything.’ And I think it’s a very clear, vivid illustration of I don’t know how much more preparation that we could have done when we select these players, but it’s just a respect of the unknown.”

Holmes has emphasized retaining the team’s homegrown talent, but understands he will have to make tough decisions. The team was able to rework a contract with LB Alex Anzalone to keep him in Detroit for the near future.

“I understand where he was coming from; we had productive communication with that, and I’m glad that we came to a resolution for the immediate,” Holmes said. “But we don’t know what the future’s going to hold long term. … You just don’t know, but glad that he’s with us for the immediate right now. I’m glad we’re able to reach something to get him in a better place, and I expect him to play good football for us.”

Holmes hopes to come together on contract extensions with both DE Aidan Hutchinson and WR Jameson Williams.

“Nothing’s changed from our end in terms of the importance of getting something done,” Holmes said. “We have had dialogue that has started, so we’ll just kind of see where it goes. In terms of the level of importance, that has not changed. It is very important.”

Packers

In an interview on The Pat McAfee Show, the Athletic’s Matt Schneidman said that he believes new Packers president Ed Policy is on the fence regarding the future of HC Matt LaFleur and GM Brian Gutekunst. 

Policy told reporters back in June in one of his first meetings with the press that he was not planning to extend the contracts for the two men before the 2025 season but he didn’t think it was productive to have them entering what would be a lame duck year in 2026. 

Schneidman explains he interpreted those comments at the time as Policy leaning toward extending LaFleur and Gutekunst, noting Policy hasn’t been running things but has been involved with the team for the hires of both men. 

However, he adds he spoke to someone recently who said Policy is “truly up in the air” about the future of the team’s football leadership. 

“If the Packers don’t make the playoffs this year…I could certainly see Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst — and I don’t think this is hyperbole — both getting fired after this year,” Schneidman said. 

Should the Packers make the playoffs but lose in the first round, Schneidman thinks Policy could have LaFleur and Gutekunst play out a lame duck year in 2026. If they go on a playoff run, the point becomes moot and an extension is likely in the cards, but Schneidman’s whole point is that it’s not a given despite the success Green Bay has already had the past several years under those two.