NFC Notes: Hendon Hooker, Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

Bears fourth-round RB Roschon Johnson was a favorite of the coaching staff at Texas for the way he embraced whatever the team asked him to do. He hasn’t even taken the practice field yet for Chicago but it already seems like there’s a sky-high opinion of him in the building. 

“This human being is wired differently,” Bears area scout John Syty said via the Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain. “The more time you spend around him, the more you realize that you are probably the one who has things you need to work on, not him. He’s that kind of guy. I’ve been doing this now for five or six years and just thinking back as we’re making that pick, I don’t know if I’ve ever written (about a guy’s) character as him. This is a special, special human being.”

Bears GM Ryan Poles expanded on how they see Johnson impacting the team. 

“I think he increases the competition in the running back room,” Poles said. “But the cool thing is, if you watch Texas tape, he does a lot. He pass protects really well. That stands out. He’s done some quarterback stuff. He came out of high school as a quarterback. So this is going to allow our offensive staff to maybe do some really cool things with him and keep a defense on their toes.”

Lions

Lions GM Brad Holmes is hoping that third-round QB Hendon Hooker is able to recover and develop despite tearing his ACL only five months ago. 

“We didn’t draft him No. 6 overall when we were there or anything like that,” Holmes said, via Pro Football Talk. “He’s got to get healthy, and he’s got to develop.”

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer believes the Lions were ready to take Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 6 overall, as he was their favorite player left on the board. 
• Initially, the Lions wanted Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon, who went one pick earlier to the Seahawks, and then planned to try and trade up from No. 18 for Gibbs, per Breer. 
• He adds the Cardinals trade proposal made a ton of sense for them, as by moving back to No. 12 they stayed in front of the Patriots and Jets who they had heard connected to Gibbs. 

Packers

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said it’s part of the job to see key players such as WR Davante Adams and QB Aaron Rodgers leave the team and they have to be prepared to reload.

“That’s part of the job, right?” Gutekunst said, via PFT. “Absolutely. That’s part of the job. Obviously, Aaron was entering a time in his career where he was going to be ending, and we had to be prepared for the future and get prepared to try to move forward. Yeah, that’s part of the National Football League. Great players are going to come, and they’re going to go. You’ve got to be prepared to add good football players to your roster, so you can keep winning. This is the National Football League.”