Bears

Bears GM Ryan Poles shared his frustrations over the calf injury that DB Kyler Gordon is dealing with, which will keep him out for an unknown period of time.

“Kyler Gordon on PUP, with his calf, he was here all offseason training, getting right. We had a delay in that. All hands on deck to get him back,” Poles said, via Pro Football Talk. “He’s frustrated, we’re frustrated. We just want him back. He helps our football team. But we have to move forward with the guys we have, and when he’s ready to go he’ll be ready to go. Everybody here is putting all their time and effort to get him back right.”

“I really don’t know. He’s got to get right and the important thing we’ve all talked about is when he gets back he’s got to stay back,” Poles added. “When he gets back he’s got to earn that trust back.”

Lions

• Lions HC Dan Campbell told reporters they hope to get S Brian Branch back to practice in late training camp or the beginning of September. (Tim Twentyman)
• He added S Kerby Joseph is on a similar timeline, but it would be a bonus if he were available in time for Week 1. 
• Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs was not taking part in practice as he and the team are engaged in contract negotiations. (Dave Birkett)

Packers

Packers DC Jonathan Gannon said it was a no-brainer to go after DT Javon Hargrave because he’s a team-first, smart player with a tremendous work ethic. 

“He’s a good player; that was a good defense with a lot of good players, and he was a part of that defense,” Gannon said, via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “When we had the ability to acquire him or the chance to acquire him, team-first guy, loves football, smart, and he works his butt off and he’s tough as nails. So, anybody that kind of checks those boxes, you want to acquire them if you can. He checked all those boxes. I’m excited to get back with him.”

Vikings

Kyler Murray enters his first year with the Vikings after spending seven years with the Cardinals. One anonymous former coach from Arizona thinks Minnesota will get the “best version” of Murray, and the quarterback is determined to prove himself. 

“I think you’re about to see the best version of Kyler Murray,” the coach said, via Alec Lewis of The Athletic. “And I’m f—ing pissed that I’m not going to get to be a part of it. I’m going to be jealous when he’s in a good environment, his headspace is good, and he shows people who the f— he is.”

Former Cardinals and current Commanders RB Chase Edmonds is also confident that Murray will be 

“I think how his career has gone the last two or three years has been necessary for his growth,” Edmonds said. “The Vikings are going to be getting the best Kyler Murray that anyone has ever seen in terms of consistency.”

Former Cardinals assistant and current UMass WRs coach Jordan Hogan said Murray wants to be a pocket passer and avoid taking unnecessary hits. 

“He is not an idiot, and neither is his inner circle,” Hogan said. “Being in the NFC West, he knows what this type of offense is about. He wants to live in the pocket. He wants to be a pocket passer. He doesn’t want to run around because that’s how you get hurt at that level, and he knows that.”