NFC Notes: Jordan Love, Jaire Alexander, Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

• Bears WR Darnell Mooney is currently in the concussion protocol. (Kevin Fishbain)

Lions

• Lions HC Dan Campbell hopes S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DT Alim McNeill and FB Jason Cabinda are all likely to take snaps in the team’s final game. (Tim Twentyman)
• Campbell says he is ready to move past the officiating error from the loss against the Cowboys: “I’ve got controlled fury and I’m ready to go. I’m absolutely ready to go. I don’t go the other way and the team won’t either…We will use this as fuel. I’m full octane right now.” (Nolan Bianchi)

Packers

• ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler note Packers QB Jordan Love is setting himself up nicely for a contract extension this offseason. He’ll be entering the final year of a two-year deal he signed this past offseason, just hit 30 touchdown passes for the season and could cement a playoff berth for Green Bay by beating the Bears in Week 18. 
• Graziano adds Love could be counting on the Packers to do right by him after he gave them a massive discount on his extension this past offseason. Had he not signed the deal, the Packers likely would have declined his fifth-year option and had to franchise tag him at well over $30 million this coming offseason. 
• Love is due just $6 million in 2024 and Graziano doubts the Packers make him play for only that. 
• Regarding Packers CB Jaire Alexander, the Athletic’s Matt Schneidman writes the team hopes the suspension will serve as a wake-up call for him and help curtail what have clearly been growing problems behind the scenes. If it doesn’t, Green Bay may explore its trade options with him this offseason, although the dead money hit for dealing him would be substantial. 
• Schneidman thinks the past two weeks have helped RB Aaron Jones‘ case for a roster spot in 2024 substantially, and Green Bay will try to bring him back on a reduced cap figure. 
• Alexander said his suspension was a learning experience and he’s moved on from it: “I think it was definitely something to learn from. There were definitely things I could have improved upon during that week to help with the communication. Moving forward, that won’t happen again.” (Ryan Wood)
• Packers HC Matt LaFleur called CB Eric Stokes‘ hamstring injury “just a bad deal” and said it was a “frustrating season” for him: “Every time it seems he’s turning the corner and ready to go, there’s been some kind of setback.” (Ryan Wood)
• Packers second-round WR Jayden Reed said his chest x-rays came back clean and he doesn’t have serious injury: “Everything was fine. Went in and got the X-rays, scanned and everything was good … I feel pretty good.” (Schneidman)