Bears
Former Washington QB Robert Griffin III had a brilliant rookie season in a similar offense to what the Bears run now. Griffin’s career was derailed by injuries and he still serves as a cautionary tale of the downside for dual-threat quarterbacks. But he thinks Bears QB Justin Fields was a much better player when he embraced his athleticism in 2022 and should continue to do so.
“I didn’t avoid the injuries and the big hits, but that doesn’t mean that Justin Fields can’t,” Griffin said via the Athletic’s Adam Jahns. “For him, don’t try to go out on the field and try to prove you can play QB from the pocket. Just go play football. React how you’re supposed to react. Don’t try to play the position how somebody thinks you should play the position. Play it the way that you know how.”
Lions
The Lions list second-rounder Brian Branch as a defensive back on the roster, reflecting their plan for him to play multiple spots in the secondary just like he did in college at Alabama. Right now that means learning three different positions in the playbook; both safety spots and the nickel corner.
“Thankfully, Alabama prepared me. I got a little advantage,” Branch said via Tim Twentyman of the team website. “Just studying the playbook every day. That’s how you learn it.”
For now, it’s not clear where exactly Branch will line up or who he’ll have to beat out for playing time. Right now he’s just trying to put himself in the best position to be successful.
“I have to learn every position because you never know,” he added. “Easiest way to get on the field.”
The Lions already had DB C.J. Gardner Johnson who’s expected to play a similar role, but the value with Branch was too much to ignore when he slipped to their second pick in the second round.
“He has playmaking ability and he’s an instinctive player,” Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew said after the draft. “He makes plays all over the field. He can play multiple spots. He’s a tough kid, a gritty kid. He’s just a playmaker. We like those Alabama guys. They are good football players.”
Packers
Packers OC Adam Stenavich spoke to the media about building the team’s offense around QB Jordan Love.
“It’s kind of trial-and-error,” Stenavich said, via Wisconsin State Journal. “I think the preseason, that’s going to be very important as well. But just going out there [during OTAs], getting him around all these young receivers and tight ends and working with our vets and allowing him to put his leadership on there, put his stamp on it [will be valuable]. And then once we see how it’s going, then you can go in that direction.”
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