NFC Notes: Justin Fields, Jordan Love, Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

The Bears are looking for QB Justin Fields to take another step forward in 2023 after his first season in OC Luke Getsy‘s offense last year. So far, Getsy says they’ve definitely been able to make some progress, with Fields progressing from just focusing on doing his own job at a high level to having more command of the entire system. 

“Last year was probably, ‘I’m going to do my job,’ and playing the position at the highest level is being in control of it all,” Getsy said via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “He’s on his way to being able to do stuff like that. That part has been really fun in training camp. We were in 101 classes, now we’re in 201 and 301 classes.”

Getsy added there’s also some natural progression in terms of maturity and decision-making that they’re seeing from Fields same as they’d see from any other young quarterback. 

“With any young quarterback, they have a really hard time letting go of plays,” Getsy said. “You make the play call and you’re excited, but the defense doesn’t present what you want. Some guys just want to say, ‘Screw it, we’re going to make a play and see what happens.’ But there’s a patience to it, and know we will come back to it, or maybe they blitz you in a way that you weren’t prepared for. It’s about being able to respond to those things in the right way. We don’t want to waste a play, but we don’t necessarily have to get everything out of the play we intended with the call. So he’s able to say, ‘OK, I’m hot, I’m throwing it hot. Or he’s able to check the play because it wasn’t the premier look, which young quarterbacks often struggle with.”

• Fowler notes new Bears DE Yannick Ngakoue initially was asking for $13 million a year from teams, which was a non-starter. The Bears were also under the impression Ngakoue wanted a multi-year deal, but in the end he settled for a one-year, $10.5 million pact.
• Fowler adds Chicago’s backup option was veteran DE Justin Houston, who signed with the Panthers shortly after Ngakoue inked his deal. 
• The Bears are still sorting through what their rotation at running back is going to look like, per Fowler. Third-year RB Khalil Herbert is still leading the committee but Fowler points out veteran RB D’Onta Foreman, signed in free agency this offseason, has shown more pass-catching versatility than expected. 
• Bears fourth-round RB Roschon Johnson is a player the staff remains excited about long-term but he’s still adjusting to the NFL, according to Fowler. 

Lions

• Per the Athletic’s Colton Pouncy, Lions HC Dan Campbell explained why Detroit has been pursuing veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater as a backup and finally closed the deal on a contract Monday: “I was with him [in New Orleans]. …When you’re with somebody for two years, you get a really good feel for what they’re capable of.”

Packers

Packers QB Jordan Love hasn’t played much over the past two seasons. But it was actually his relief appearance last year against the Eagles that helped give the Packers confidence he was ready for a bigger role. Love didn’t play much, attempting just nine passes. But he completed six of those for 113 yards and a touchdown and more importantly didn’t look like the stage was too big. 

“The thing that was so impressive to me was, and granted it was a very limited sample size, but I just love his composure in the Philly game,” Packers HC Matt LaFleur said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “You’re talking [about] a prime-time game, just thrust in there, and he f—ing performed. That’s where we’re like, ‘Wow this kid has come a long way.’ The little things, you notice from him.”

In contrast, Love’s only other significant playing experience in his three-year career so far was a start against the Chiefs in 2021 that did not go nearly as well. The Packers scored just seven points in a loss and Love was 19-34 for 190 yards, one touchdown and one interception. 

“That experience in Kansas City was an eye-opening experience,” Love said. “Like, O.K., this is what it’s like now; it’s not preseason, you get in a real game, where these defensive coordinators have been game-planning for exactly the looks you might mess up on, and I don’t have the right answer for. And then, obviously, if you don’t pick it up in the game, they’re going to keep sending the same stuff.”

But the Packers believe Love has taken that experience and learned from it, along with considerable time on the bench to learn behind former starting QB Aaron Rodgers. With the Eagles game as a little scrap of proof, LaFleur believes all that time has been a positive influence for Love. 

“I think — this is my opinion — the league would benefit if more guys took that approach,” LaFleur said. “What happens is, these guys, a lot of them, get thrust into situations where there’s not a lot of talent around them, and they lose confidence. I’ve seen it happen too many times, and it’s hard to recover from that. I do think that we would be able to develop more quarterbacks if guys were given a couple of years to sit and learn the game.”