Bears
Bears QB Justin Fields said his hip is feeling good heading into the offseason and could’ve played week 18 if needed.
“I could’ve [played in Week 18], but I don’t know if I would’ve played my best game,” Fields said, via ESPN.
Fields was disappointed that he didn’t have an opportunity to break the rushing record for a quarterback, but said he has his sights set on a different goal.
“Yeah, but it’s a rushing record and I’m a quarterback,” Fields said. “Of course, it would’ve been cool to have, but I’m not really into records like that. If there was one record I’d like to break, of course it’d be a passing record, so we’ll see if we can get that done in the near future.”
Fields has full trust in Bears GM Ryan Poles and his ability to surround him with talent.
“I know Ryan has a great understanding of what needs to be done around here, what holes we might need to fill and stuff like that,” Fields said. “That’s not my job to control any of that. Whatever he needs me to do in terms of recruiting, I’m sure we’re going to have that conversation here in a bit. So, whatever he’s going to do, I fully trust him. His goal is to make the best team he can for us. I know he’s going to do a great job of that.”
Fields believes that he has stepped into a leadership role and believes that this is “his team.”
“I feel like [this franchise], it’s already mine,” Fields said. “The guys in here, they know how hard I work. They know what I want to accomplish and just my mindset overall. Really just trying to get guys on the same page, that mindset, that culture to where no matter what we go through, nothing can phase us, having that swagger, having that confidence going into every game like they have to play us, they have to beat us, so just have that mindset going into every game, we’ll be fine.”
Bears DT Justin Jones vouched for Fields as the team’s quarterback of the future.
“Justin Fields, having a quarterback like that, having your franchise quarterback like that?” Jones said. “A lot of people are still looking for theirs. We found ours. That’s No. 1 right there already. Once we start getting some more pieces around him and everything and start actually building an actual scheme for him that can really showcase every athletic talent he has, every ability that he has, it’s gonna be real, real dangerous out here.”
Lions
- Field Yates notes that the Lions will roll over $2,223,156 in unused 2022 cap space to next season.
Packers
Packers WR Allen Lazard told reporters that he has considered the fact that he has played his last game with Green Bay.
“Definitely going into the game I kind of had a realization that my first game here and potentially my last game — which it is — was going to be versus the Lions at home,” Lazard said, via Pro Football Talk. “I took in just a few moments just to kind of soak it all in and just like pat myself on the back, I guess, and just be thankful for this opportunity and this experience to be here for four-plus years now, to see the growth I’ve made on the field, but more so off the field.”
- Field Yates notes that the Packers will roll over $1,612,380 in unused 2022 cap space to next season.
Vikings
Vikings OLB Za’Darius Smith admitted his knee injury held him back to begin the year, but he’s fully healthy and ready to get after the quarterback.
“First half of the season I was going crazy but the (knee) injury held me back a little bit. As you can see Danielle picked up. So it was good have both of us one up & one down But right now it’s the playoffs & we’re ready to go, ready to get after the QB,” he said via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.
- Field Yates notes that the Vikings will roll over $439,013 in unused 2022 cap space to next season.
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