NFC Notes: Jaquan Brisker, Calvin Johnson, Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

Bears S Jaquan Brisker said their defense is “really engaged” and feeding off of his energy in practice. 

“It’s been huge because you could just tell that the players are really engaged, they’re feeding off my energy and we’re playing together,” Brisker said, via Gabby Hajduk of the team’s site. “So when there’s an incomplete pass, guys are flapping their hands. It creates energy. A lot of passion out there for the guys, and we’re all together on it.”

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson said Brisker came to OTAs with a different energy about him.

“When we came back for OTAs, minicamp and all of that, he definitely had a different swag that I was able to see clearly,” Johnson said. “Then of course, throughout camp, him talking and communicating, making certain plays, making certain reads to where it showed a lot of maturity from year one to year two. He’s just full of energy, full of a lot of words. I mean, he’s always talking. He’s always being competitive, a lot of juice. So just allowing himself to be who he is. I think now it’s just continuing to light the stage up as far as his energy and playmaking goes.”

Bears HC Matt Eberflus said Brisker has shown improved communication as he enters the third year of his career. 

“I just think he took ownership going into a second year that he was gonna elevate his game,” Eberflus said. “And part of elevation of game is the communication side of it. When you play at a high level and you communicate at a high level, people respect you. And that’s where the leadership comes from. Leadership is about doing. And he did the job. That’s where I saw him grow the most. And I’m gonna see him grow more this year.”

Lions

Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson said Hall of Fame WR Calvin Johnson has been spending time around the team facility and is an inspiration to their players. 

“Honestly, just him being around the facility now these days and I feel like him showing his face and him having that gold jacket, he’s such a legend, man,” Hutchinson said, via Eric Woodyard of ESPN. “He doesn’t have to say much for you to be inspired by him.”

Hutchinson thinks their team deserves the hype as Super Bowl contenders going into 2024. 

“It’s unreal. There’s a lot of hype coming into this year, but I think it’s well-deserved hype,” Hutchinson said. “I think a lot more guys on our team understand what this year is, and we understand what we got and we’re all ready.”

Johnson believes the Lions can compete with any team in the league and they must first focus on winning the NFC North. 

“After last year, I feel like they can play with anybody,” Johnson said. “The first step is to handle what we do in our division. If we can handle what we do in our division, that goes a long way.”

Packers

The Packers’ pass-catching group is full of young players entering year two or three in the league. Green Bay WR Jayden Reed mentioned how his close relationship with WR Dontayvion Wicks helped them become their best versions. 

“It was kind of mutual,” Reed said, via Wes HodKiewicz of the team’s website. “Like, we’d seen the potential in each other, and it was like, ‘Man, we could be something special. We need to stick together close because you are what you surround yourself around.'”

“That’s my brother. Just the relationship was more important to me – just getting to know him more, cause at this point, if I go out there and I’m not doing something right, he’ll hold me accountable, and I won’t feel any type of way about it. And I can do the same thing to him.”