Bears
Bears S Kevin Byard says that the additions the team has made defensively have him excited for the start of the season.
“Just the additions we made, especially on that front four with Grady (Jarrett) and Dayo (Odeyingbo) coming in, being able to help Montez (Sweat) and all those boys, I think that’s where it starts,” Byard said, via BearsWire.com . “It starts up front. It starts with those guys first and foremost. Stopping the run is something we really weren’t good at last year. We can attack in that way. If we stop the run, then everything opens up for the defense. Those guys can pin their ears back, get after the quarterback, and then you start making plays. Once you get a good front four that can pretty much stop the run and also get after the quarterback and everybody’s going to sit in the zone, make plays, get interceptions. We’re going to attack and it’s going to start with those guys up front.”
Lions
Lions TE Sam LaPorta said he’s working to approach the game from a “quarterback’s perspective” and understand “exactly” what Jared Goff needs.
“Start to see the game from the quarterback’s perspective,” LaPorta said, via Tim Twentyman of the team’s site . “What Jared needs exactly and maybe not just knowing what I’m doing on the field but what other people are doing as well. Just seeing the big picture.”
LaPorta wants to clean things up in both the run and passing game.
“Looking ahead to this year, just continue to polish things off in the run game and pass game,” LaPorta said.
As for playing under new OC John Morton, LaPorta said they could be looking to get him the ball in “different ways.”
“There might be different ways that Johnny (Morton) wants to get me the ball,” LaPorta said. “Maybe other areas we might step away from. I think there’s a relationship that needs to be built there as well, and we’ll learn what each other needs.”
Packers
Packers QB Jordan Love is excited to take on his former mentor, Aaron Rodgers , when Green Bay faces the Steelers in Week 1. He also looked back on his drafting and watching Rodgers from the sidelines to start his career.
“It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be awesome. I’m excited for it,” Love told Jason Wilde of Channel3000.com . “I can’t wait to be on different sides, meeting up, and I know we’ll talk pre-game, things like that. And hopefully we can exchange jerseys after.”
“I appreciate definitely the way A-Rod handled being in that situation, and I think a big part of it — which he told me — was he knew how it was for him being in that same position, and the things that he went through and the way the situation might’ve been handled [differently],” Love continued. “I think his perspective was, ‘I’m trying to go about this a little bit differently,’ which I think was awesome. In my time with A-Rod, we had a great relationship. It was awesome being in the same room with him, being able to learn. He was amazing with everything. And I definitely appreciate the way he handled everything on the outside with obviously him leaving and me taking over, and he’s been very supportive of me [since]. It definitely helped with some of the negativity that might’ve come with that. But A-Rod handled it like a pro and did very right by me.”
“I was excited for A-Rod. I don’t think I was too surprised,” Love concluded. “I feel like there were a lot of rumors going on throughout the whole offseason about him going to the Steelers. I was excited for him, that he was obviously coming back and going to be playing. There were also some rumors that he might be done, so just knowing he’s going to keep playing, that’s pretty awesome.”
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