Bears
Bears TE Cole Kmet is excited about the team’s potential on offense this year, adding that the team is focusing on highlighting QB Justin Fields‘ mobility to create and extend plays.
“I don’t want to get too much into detail with it — but Justin’s on the move a lot, and I think he does well with that,” Kmet said, via Bears Wire. “That’s been exciting to see and you see the types of throws he can make, with his legs and on the run and off-schedule. No pads right now, but you can see that type of stuff and it gets exciting. It’s been a lot of fun seeing him move and doing things like that.”
Kmet said that he, Fields, and WR Darnell Mooney met up this offseason to continue develop chemistry on and off the field.
“It’s not so much timing and getting a feel for each other on the field, but more just relationship. I think that’s important, having a good relationship with the guys,” Kmet said. “Me and Mooney and Justin met up this offseason — it was good bonding and good feel for each other and I think that goes to the field.”
Kmet said that Fields has shown his confidence this offseason and has taken on a leadership role within the team.
“Man, he’s confident,” Kmet said. “He’s confident coming in, so it’s been fun to be out there with him. Confident in the huddle, in his calls. Taking initiative with everybody, and that’s been a lot of fun to be a part of.”
Lions
Lions DE Julian Okwara took a respectable step forward in his second season, going from hardly playing to notching five sacks as a part-time edge rusher. The Lions are putting even more on his plate in Year 3, cross-training him during OTAs at both defensive end and off-ball linebacker.
“We consider him a linebacker. He is a hybrid,” Lions HC Dan Campbell said via Tim Twentyman of the team website. “We consider him in base as a linebacker, more of a SAM linebacker or on the edge. In sub or in nickel, he becomes more of that defensive end. Third down he could become kind of that spin or stand up X player. But, just as far as if you’re rolling out base, he’s one of the guys competing in our edge, SAM linebacker.”
Packers
Packers CB Rasul Douglas mentioned that he had to re-dedicate himself to studying film with passing game coordinator Jerry Gray, which helped him improve.
“It was kind of like watching a show you’ve watched 1,000 times, so it was getting boring,” Douglas said, via Mike Spofford of the team’s official site. “I was falling asleep, because I didn’t really know what I was supposed to look at. Sometimes I caught myself looking like, oh that’s Julio (Jones), and I’m watching him make catches, and I’m forgetting I’m supposed to be watching how he’s running his routes.”
Douglas said that he must continue producing despite signing a three-year, $21 million deal this offseason.
“It feels good, but I mean, nothing’s ever … you know what I’m saying?” said Douglas. “A contract means a contract, but at any time, if you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing, they can let you go. You’ve just got to keep working.”
Douglas added that their goal is to be the “best defense” in the NFL
“We’re trying to be the best defense,” Douglas said. “I think we’ve got the pieces, we’re coming along, we’re getting it, we’re grinding. We’ve still got another month of going back home, getting our body right, get in the best shape we can get in. But we’re going to try to make a run for it.”
- NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reports Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, who decided not to attend OTAs, is now joining the team for mandatory minicamp this week.
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