NFC Notes: David Bakhtiari, Teddy Bridgewater, Hendon Hooker, Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

When asked about Justin Fields, Bears new QB coach Kerry Joseph said he’s still unsure of the front office’s stance on their quarterback position.

“I haven’t even got to that point,” Joseph said, via Nicholas Moreano of AllChgo.com. “I don’t even know where my office is at yet in the building. I haven’t set foot to really think about anything outside of getting transitioned over there and coming down here. Everything happened pretty fast for me.”

Joseph said new OC Shane Waldron‘s offense requires a confident quarterback who can stay “connected to the play caller.” 

“When you think about Shane and what we will be able to do with the offense, quarterback play is about having confidence,” Joseph said. “Quarterback play is about being competitive. It’s about being smart, being dependable, having a good IQ of the game, being passionate. When you think about traits when you talk about quarterback play, when you talk about Shane’s mentality, it’s just about being connected to the play caller, being connected to the offense, and that’s some things that you’ve gotta have and you’ve gotta bring to it.”

Joseph wants their quarterback to have superior arm talent, accuracy, quick delivery, physicality, toughness, and swagger. 

“Arm talent, accuracy, you know,” Joseph said. “Delivery quickness, physicality, toughness, swagger. You got to have a little swag playing the quarterback position and when I say that, I mean confidence. You got to have confidence and I like to say arrogance, but arrogance to me, all it’s is confidence under control.”

Lions

Lions QB Hendon Hooker said he’s grown close to veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater and plans on visiting him in Miami this offseason.

“I’ve got my own place, but I will go down there and stay with Teddy this time, really hang out with Teddy and his family,” Hooker said, via Kyle Meinke of MLive. “He’s really kind of brought me into his circle, and it’s a blessing. I’ll be down there a lot. I’m eager to go down there and hang out with him, and Maurice Alexander, ‘Hard Time,’ he’ll be down there too.”

Hooker called Bridgwater a “mentor” to him this year and he’s helped him grow as a professional. 

“I think really just how to be a pro, honestly,” Hooker said. “That just comes from Teddy. Teddy’s been my mentor this whole year, and I’m going to continue to work with Teddy this offseason. Really just follow him around, take mental notes, little tidbits that the naked eye might not see, or coach might not see. Teddy’s been in those positions where he’s been on the field and in control. Just some of the timing (is crazy). He’ll throw the ball super early, and I’m like, ‘No way!’ Then it’ll be right on the money. So some of that timing, footwork, cheat codes and mechanisms to be more efficient at the quarterback position.”

Hooker explained Bridgwater has given feedback on how to learn the scheme based on his playing style.

“He’s a 10-year vet in the NFL,” Hooker said. “How much better can you get than that? Especially from a standpoint of talking scheme, and then how the scheme ties in with how you’re throwing the ball, how your feet are, and then the thought process speeds up and everything kind of gels into one. That’s my plan to play top-tier football.”

Packers

When asked about Packers’ veteran OT David Bakhtiari, who carries a cap hit of $39,994,925 next season, GM Brian Gutekunst said they are at the “beginning stages” of how to proceed and want to know where Bakhtiari is physically. 

“We’re still at the very beginning stages of looking at how we’re going to move forward with all that,” Gutekunst said. “Obviously, David’s been through a really rough stretch with the injury stuff. He’s going through a very major surgery, trying to get back to where he’s able to play. We’re monitoring that. I know he’s working his tail off. Once we’re down the road and see where he’s at health wise, we’ll make those decisions.”