Bears

Bears TE Colston Loveland enters the second year of his career after being a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Chicago HC Ben Johnson highly praised Loveland, saying he’s building an understanding of receiver routes and even shows an effort to learn special teams. 

“He knows pretty much every spot,” Johnson said, via Dan Weiderer of The Athletic. “He’s looking at the receiver routes. And it’s amazing to me when you go into a special teams meeting and see him taking notes and hear him asking questions about special teams units that he’s not likely to be on. It says a lot about who he is. He’s just a sponge right now. He wants all the information. He knows all this knowledge is going to make him a better player and that he’s going to continue to play faster.”

Lions

The Lions brought in C Cade Mays as a free agent this offseason following his four years with the Panthers. Detroit HC Dan Campbell said they are “throwing a lot” at Mays to learn their system ahead of Week 1 and feels like he is a “good fit for us.”

“We’re throwing a lot at him, he’s got a lot on him,” Campbell said, via Tim Twentyman of the team’s site. “The MIKE points, all of those things, where we’re going, we’ve got a lot of scheming right now. And then we’ve had this system in place for four years now, so it’s a lot. For (Jared) Goff, it’s not a lot. For (Mays), when you just walk through the door, there’s a lot going on here. But I feel like he’s handling it well. And I think every day he gets more and more comfortable. So, I like it, I think he’s a good fit for us.”

Mays said he’s been spending time with Goff off the field in hopes that it will help build their chemistry. 

“Relationships outside of football just make it stronger when you’re out here,” Mays said. “Just getting together talking through things. What he likes. How I see things and how he sees things. Just got the ball rolling. He’s really mastered this offense he’s been here so long. He’s very intricate in what he knows. It makes my job easy. Anything that I might now see, he’s on top of it.”

Mays added that he’s looking to maintain Detroit’s high standard for its offense. 

“I knew before I got here they had a good offensive line the past few years and the standard is set,” Mays said.

Packers 

Zaire Franklin enters his first season with the Packers following his eight years on the Colts. The veteran linebacker commented on what it takes to be a leader, saying he needs to understand his teammates and continue being a strong communicator on the field. 

“I feel like leadership starts with a servant mentality and a true connection,” Franklin said, via Wes Hodkiewicz of the team’s site. “For me, it all starts with learning the guys on this team, building genuine connections off the field and in the locker room, and truly getting to understand who they are as men. In terms of on the field, it’s just me being myself. I’m a communicator. I’m a talker. I’m going to get people in order.”

Fellow LB Isaiah McDuffie said Franklin brings a lot of energy and experience to their defense. 

“He’s a great football player but he’s a good person also,” McDuffie said. “He’s good to be around and definitely brings a lot of energy and a lot of experience. He’s played a lot of ball, so I’m getting to pick his mind a little bit. It’s been great having him in the room.”

Franklin thinks being traded from Indianapolis was “divine timing” for his career and is confident about what they are building in Green Bay. 

“I just feel like every moment that I’ve had in my career has prepared me for this moment,” Franklin said. “I truly feel like God placed me here. I feel like this is just a divine timing. I’m just blessed to be on a team and organization that’s ready, that’s got everything we need. The building’s got everything we need. The organization’s got everything we need. I’m just trying to come here and do my part.”