NFC Notes: Aidan Hutchinson, Marcedes Lewis, Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

Veteran Bears TE Marcedes Lewis is heading into his 18th NFL season and feels it would be a shame to waste his gifts, as he still has the ability to play at age 39 when others don’t.

“It’s one of those things where if I were to stop playing this game, it would be mentally first because physically, that’s going to be there,” Lewis said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN. “It’s when your mind just checks out, your body normally just follows that. But mentally I’m still at a place where I still feel like I can help a team win ball games and ultimately win a championship. If I still have that feeling and there’s still an opportunity out there for me to showcase my talent, why not? Part of it, too, is showing people that it can be done … this is part of my purpose. I was born to do this. I’m not going to disrespect the gift by still being able to do it and not being here.”

Bears GM Ryan Poles believes that Lewis is going to be a big part of the team and more than just a locker room leader this season.

“It’s incredible at his age,” Poles said. “His tape is still good. His ability to win on the edge and help us get on the perimeter and also get movement in the run game, that’s going to be critical.”

Lions

Lions HC Dan Campbell said DE Aidan Hutchinson is playing with a lot more confidence and has “more in his toolbox” going into 2023. 

“I feel like he’s got more in his toolbox and he was already a confident player, but you can just see has a ton of confidence,” Campbell said, via ProFootballTalk. “You see these tools coming out that have elevated his game, so he’s got a counter move, he’s got a spin, he’s got a bull. He’s violent shedding the run game. He sets an edge. He’s a big man. He’s got a high motor. He’s taken it up a notch. That’s what you want to see.”

• Campbell on RB Justin Jackson‘s decision to retire at 27: “I think he came to the crossroads with ‘hey, this is what I feel is right’ and I respect that. I wish him the best. If I can help in any way, I will.” (Eric Woodyard)

Packers

Packers DC Joe Barry conducted exit interviews at the end of last season and then met with the entire defense to see what changes they would like to see made. Several players including cornerbacks Rasul Douglas and Jaire Alexander weighed in, as did DL Kenny Clark.

“He said, ‘You all don’t know it, but I’m going to communicate what you guys want to do,’” Douglas told Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “We basically told him we want to be aggressive. We want to be up close in guys’ faces and we want to challenge and make throws tight. So far that’s what he’s doing.”

“I think last year, we were making a bunch of excuses for ourselves,” Alexander said. “Joe Barry can go out and call whatever call he wants to, but at the end of the day, we have to execute that call.”

“It didn’t translate to the field last year,” Clark noted. “But all we can keep doing is going to work and hope we do it this year.”

Packers HC Matt LaFleur agrees with the assessment of the players that they need to leave it all out on the field and get things right this season.

“I think we’ve got a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball and it’s our job to try to maximize that and get guys to play at their potential,” LaFleur added. “In this business, if you don’t evolve, you fall behind.”

• Packers QB Jordan Love on TE Luke Musgrave: “Sky’s the limit for him. He’s a really good player, explosive player. He’s really fast… We’ve just got to keep getting him the ball, keep feeding him and seeing what he can do after the catch. He’s going to be a really good player.” (Ryan Wood)