NFC Notes: Draft Buzz, Braxton Jones, Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

Chicago added three new starters at offensive line, but is unlikely to have a new left tackle in 2025 unless they take one early in the draft. New Bears HC Ben Johnson believes last year’s starter Braxton Jones is capable but wants him to put on weight to improve his pass protection.

“The No. 1 thing, in my opinion, that tackles need to do is pass protect,” Johnson said, via Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns of The Athletic. “So I think he has the feet to get that done. We’re going to challenge him to maybe gain a little more weight so that he can anchor a little bit better in pass pro. But everything I’ve seen so far has shown a phenomenal athlete out there on the edge that we feel like we can work with.”

Johnson also spoke on how much he liked OT Kiran Amegadjie a year ago when scouting him in the draft process.

“I liked Kiran a lot coming out last year. He was a guy we had earmarked as a potential developmental prospect. He had a lot of traits to work with. I don’t know if the vision last year in Chicago was for him to have to play so quickly. But they were kind of forced into that spot. And so he had some ups and some downs, as you would normally think for a rookie lineman, much less one who you thought would take a little more time to get playing at a high level. We’re not discouraged at all by what he put on tape. He got put into some tough situations last year. And I know (offensive line coach Dan) Roushar has been really, really excited to get to work with him soon.”

• Per the Athletic’s Jeff Howe, other teams view left tackle as a real possibility for the Bears with the No. 10 pick in the first round. One exec told Howe: “They’re a left tackle away from having one of the better offensive lines in football. Protect (QB Caleb Williams), and make sure (HC) Ben (Johnson) can establish the run to help the kid even more.”

Bears

Players returned to the Bears’ facility for their voluntary offseason program this week. Veteran S Kevin Byard said everyone in the building is excited for the upcoming season under new HC Ben Johnson. 

“I wasn’t expecting snow today, but it’s fun coming back and seeing the guys,” Byard said, via Larry Mayer of the team’s site. “I feel like we just took a little break. The camaraderie is still there, and everybody is excited to get everything back rolling… Our first meeting was great today. [Coach Johnson] brought a lot of energy. He’s brought an excitement to this city and this team.”

Bears RB Roschon Johnson reiterated that he’s glad to see his teammates again. 

“It’s been great to see all the faces of teammates, coaches, staff and everybody new,” Johnson said. “It’s great to get us all in a team setting and kind of get back in the flow of things.”

Bears P Tory Taylor thinks Johnson will instill an “aggressive mindset” in the team. 

“We’re going to learn a lot more about him,” said Taylor. “But I think you’ve only got to turn on the tape from Detroit to see his aggressive mindset, and you can tell he’s an aggressive person. It’s going to be something new and different, and that’s always exciting. It’s going to be hard, but we want it to be hard. So, I’m really excited.”

Lions

Lions GM Brad Holmes wants to continue his strategy of drafting the best players available instead of chasing after players at positions of need.

“I think you can get in trouble chasing needs sometimes, and then you’re depending on a rookie,” Holmes said. “You do the best you can, but nobody has a crystal ball. So, it can be a tough world to live in.”

Packers

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said the team doesn’t have any glaring needs and they can focus on drafting the best player available.

“If we had to go play next week I feel really good about our roster,” Gutekunst said, via the team’s website. “I feel like we could win and go compete. Really across the board. Hopefully as this draft unfolds we’re able to just sit back and select the best player that falls to us. I think that’s (a position) we prepare ourselves to be in.”

Gutekunst said that LB Quay Walker and DL Devonte Wyatt‘s fifth-year decisions won’t be decided until later but said that they are still a part of the team’s long-term plans at the moment.

“We won’t deal with that until after the draft, but whatever mechanism we use, we’d like to keep those guys around for ’26 and beyond,” he said. “So whether that’s through doing the fifth-year option on these guys or extending them one way or the other, we’re planning to do that. We’d like to do that.”