NFC Notes: Nick Foles, Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

Bears QB Nick Foles holds Colts HC Frank Reich in high regard, calling him “one of his favorite coaches of all time“.

“Listen, Frank Reich is one of my favorite, if not the favorite, coaches of all time,’’ Foles said, via Mike Chappell of Fox59. “He understands me as a player. He understands me as a person. But I haven’t had any talks with (the Colts). I’m a Chicago Bear right now.

“But he knows me. He understands me. You all watched the 2017 season and the playoffs where he changed the offense and built it around me and you saw what happened. He understands my mentality as a player, and he was able to build it around me and put me in a successful position, and my teammates.”

Foles believes that QB Carson Wentz “will bounce back” and will be successful in the Colts’ offense.

“But that being said, they have Carson. Carson and I have a lot of history, and I have a lot of respect for Carson. He’s a tremendous player. He’s going through adversity once again, but he will bounce back. You know what? He might miss a few games, but I know he’ll be back out there,” Foles said. 

Foles says he or his agent haven’t had any talks about a potential trade with the Colts, and he’s focused on his role with the Bears.

“We haven’t had any talks. I’m still a Chicago Bear, and I’m going to keep slingin’ it with these third-stringers, and we’re going to dice ‘em up,’’ Foles said. 

• Bears HC Matt Nagy said following a throw by QB Justin Fields to TE Jesse James that James is “a friendly target“: “He’s got super long arms and he’s got friendly hands. So when you throw that football to a guy that is as tall as he is with the long arms, it’s a friendly target.” (Kevin Fishbain)

Lions

Lions RB coach Duce Staley isn’t interested in the Lions’ past running game struggles.

“It’s very easy for me to go back in history and find the bad things,” Staley said, via Dave Birkett. “It’s very easy to do that, and around here I think that’s what people do. But I’m looking forward to the backs I have here now, the type of system that we’re going to run offensively and we’re going to put our playmakers in position to make plays.”

Packers

Packers second-round C Josh Myers faces the tall task of replacing All-Pro C Corey Linsley this season. Myers has been able to lean on Linsley even though he’s gone, though, as the two Ohio State alums were in touch even before Green Bay drafted Myers. 

“He has been great throughout this whole thing,” Myers said via the Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. “Anytime I’ve ever had a question for him, he’s answered it and been absolutely awesome throughout the whole thing, so we’ve been in contact for a lot of this — even pre-draft, and especially post-draft.”

• New Packers OT Dennis Kelly figures to slot in as the backup swing tackle to start despite having considerable starting experience, per Schneidman.
• The Green Bay Packers worked out TE Jared Rice and CB Saivion Smith, who signed with the Broncos. (Aaron Wilson)
• Packers’ HC Matt LaFleur said that LB Kamal Martin suffered an injury that will sideline him temporarily, yet the team still plans to use him as both an inside and outside linebacker. (Tom Silverstein)
• Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers on the current state of his relationship with GM Brian Gutekunst: “I think it’s a work in progress for sure. I think relationships aren’t formed in a matter of a couple days. There’s a time where respect grows, and the communication follows.” (Ryan Wood)

Vikings

Vikings QB Jake Browning said he is going to take advantage of his role as the starter while he can.

“I think that’s part of being a back-up in this league, you’ve always got to be ready. I’ve been preparing like that for two years, so the opportunity presented itself. I felt like I was ready,” Browning said, via Jeff Wald. “Gary Kubiak used to say nobody knows if you’re ready until you just get thrown in there. Try and make the most of those reps and really just take it one day at a time.”

• Vikings HC Mike Zimmer on WR Dede Westbrook returning from a torn ACL: “He’s still a little ways away.” (Chris Tomasson)
• Zimmer said QB Kirk Cousins will be back at practice Thursday after being placed on the COVID-19 reserve list. (Chris Tomasson)
• Zimmer also noted QB Nate Stanley will be back Thursday as well, but was unsure when third-round QB Kellen Mond would be returning. (Chris Tomasson)
• Zimmer said it hurts to lose such a high draft pick in CB Jeff Gladney: “Those high draft picks, Rick (Spielman) thinks they’re like gold. You’ve got to hit on those guys.” (Chris Tomasson)