NFC North

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields believes his team has a lot of work to do before it is ready for the start of the 2022 NFL season.

Speaking to reporters at mandatory minicamp Tuesday, Fields provided an honest answer when asked if he believes the Bears would be ready for the season to start right now:

"Uh, no. I'm not ready for the season to start. I'm the type of guy that would like to know I'm prepared. So, right now, I'm just being honest. We're not ready to play a game right now. And when that time comes, we will be ready. So, right now, no—not ready to play a game."

The Bears have experienced a great deal of turnover on both sides of the ball from a team that went 6-11 last season, plus they have a new head coach in Matt Eberflus, who replaced Matt Nagy.

This season will also mark Fields' first full campaign as the Bears' starting quarterback after he started 10 games as a rookie in 2021.

After deciding to move on from 2017 No. 2 overall draft pick Mitchell Trubisky, the Bears invested in a new face of the franchise by taking Fields with the 11th overall pick last year.

Fields began as a backup to Andy Dalton, but he eventually took over and went 2-8 as a starter.

The former Ohio State standout appeared in 12 games overall and completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 1,870 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions while also rushing for 420 yards and two scores.

Although the overall numbers weren't great, Fields didn't get a ton of help from those around him, including his offensive line, which allowed him to get sacked 36 times, nine of which came during a September loss to the Cleveland Browns.

In addition to a new coach, several changes have been made since last season, with wide receiver Allen Robinson, tight end Jimmy Graham, offensive lineman James Daniels, pass-rusher Khalil Mack and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks all departing the team.

Now the Bears are trying to integrate new arrivals through free agency and the draft, including wide receivers Byron Pringle and Velus Jones, who figure to be two of Fields' top targets this season along with returning wideout Darnell Mooney, tight end Cole Kmet and running back David Montgomery.

The Bears are clearly a team in transition, and there may be some major growing pains along the way, which is why Chicago is widely expected to be among the NFL's worst teams in 2022.

Even so, Fields is committed to preparation and doing whatever he can to ensure his team is at least competitive this season even if it doesn't win games regularly.

Chicago Bears defensive end Robert Quinn reportedly is expected to skip the organization's mandatory minicamp, which gets underway Tuesday.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported Quinn, who's been the focus of trade rumors throughout the offseason, is "away from the team training on his own."

The 32-year-old three-time Pro Bowl selection is coming off a 2021 campaign where he recorded 49 total tackles, 18.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 16 appearances. His sack total ranked second in the NFL behind the Pittsburgh Steelers' T.J. Watt (22.5).

Chicago has undergone a significant roster overhaul during the offseason, however, including the trade of superstar outside linebacker Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers.

In April, Quinn said he was surprised his edge-rushing partner got moved, but expressed his desire to remain with the Bears.

"I didn't expect to go anywhere, or want to go anywhere, but again, this is a crazy business," Quinn told reporters.

The UNC product is sure to attract a lot of attention if he's available on the trade market leading up to training camp thanks to his 101 sacks in 156 career games.

Quinn has three seasons left on his five-year, $70 million contract, which includes a $17.1 million salary-cap hit for 2022.

The combination of his high-end production last year and the multiple years of team control should give the Bears ample leverage in potential trade talks despite the substantial cap hit.

Meanwhile, it's unclear whether the Bears gave Quinn an excused absence from the minicamp because of the ongoing trade speculation, similar to the Cleveland Browns with quarterback Baker Mayfield.

It'll be best for all parties involved if the situation is finalized—either with a deal or confirming he'll return for the 2022 season—before camp gets underway in July.

The Chicago Bears are reportedly "happy" with the progress second-year quarterback Justin Fields has made during the 2022 NFL offseason.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Tuesday the Bears are also "excited" about the potential for new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to unlock Fields' full skill set.

"They aren't going to be great, but he's got big-time ability," an NFC coach told Fowler. "He'll be able to make plays."

Fields endured an up-and-down rookie campaign after being selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 draft.

The 23-year-old Ohio State product completed 58.9 percent of his throws for 1,870 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions across 12 appearances (10 starts). He added 420 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.

He ranked last among 31st qualified quarterbacks in ESPN's Total QBR (26.4) and received a lackluster 64.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

Fields should benefit from the coaching changes. Getsy, who spent the past two years working alongside Aaron Rodgers as the Green Bay Packers' passing game coordinator, and new head coach Matt Eberflus figure to implement a more up-tempo approach.

Yet the Bears' front office didn't make significant changes to the pass-catching group around their franchise quarterback.

Allen Robinson II, Damiere Byrd and Jakeem Grant Sr. departed, while Byron Pringle was the only notable free-agent addition. Chicago also added Velus Jones Jr. in the third round of the draft.

Whether Darnell Mooney, Pringle, Jones and tight end Cole Kmet represents enough playmaking talent for Fields to take a major leap in his development is up for debate. It could depend on whether Mooney emerges as a true No. 1 target after a breakout 2021 season.

In May, Fields told Bleacher Report's Scott Polacek he's happy with the players around him on the Bears' offense:

We don't have an Odell [Beckham Jr.] or a Cooper Kupp on our team, but at the end of the day I think if everybody is on their P's and Q's, and we're on top of everything and not making mistakes, the players we have right now are good enough. The front office thinks that, too. The fans outside of the facility, they don't know what's going on at practice. Just because we don't have a big-name guy, doesn't mean those guys aren't talented. I have plenty of confidence in myself and my teammates that we're going to get the job done.

While it's unlikely Chicago will suddenly transform into a Super Bowl contender this season, there's definitely room for growth in an NFC that's wide open beyond the top few teams.

Whether the Bears can take advantage of that opportunity hinges heavily on Fields, whose raw talent provides optimism he can eventually become a Pro Bowl-caliber player.

There is reportedly some thought within the NFL that Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields will have a tough go during his second season because of a lack of quality supporting cast members around him.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, an anonymous AFC scout commented on Fields' prospects for 2022, saying: "God bless him and good luck. Good thing he can make things happen on his own. Long road ahead."

Fields had plenty of ups and downs as a rookie last season after the Bears selected him 11th overall in the 2021 NFL draft, and now he is set to enter his first full season as Chicago's starter under center.

After a standout collegiate career at Ohio State, Fields was heralded as the savior of the franchise when the Bears drafted him.

Despite that, Fields began as a backup behind veteran Andy Dalton before starting 10 of the 12 games he appeared in. Fields likely would have started even more games if not for a rib injury and a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Fields largely struggled as a passer, completing 58.9 percent of his attempts for 1,870 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions, but he did plenty of damage with his legs, rushing for 420 yards and two scores.

All told, Fields went 2-8 as a starter for a Bears team that went 6-11 in 2021 and is likely to be even worse in 2022.

Chicago has experienced some major losses on both sides of the ball, including pass-rusher Khalil Mack, defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, wide receiver Allen Robinson II, tight end Jimmy Graham and offensive lineman James Daniels.

Fields' top returning offensive weapons are wide receiver Darnell Mooney, running back David Montgomery and tight end Cole Kmet. All of them have potential, but none are considered to be anywhere close to the top of their respective positions in the NFL.

In terms of additions, the Bears brought in wide receiver Byron Pringle in free agency from the Kansas City Chiefs and selected wideout Velus Jones Jr. out of Tennessee in the third round of the 2022 draft.

There simply aren't many big-time playmakers around Fields, and that could make it tough for him to improve in his second season.

The fact that Fields can improvise and make plays with his legs when needed should help him, but it is difficult to envision him putting up big passing numbers or the Bears winning a lot of games in 2022.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love said he tries to avoid the endless talk about his future with the organization, though it can be difficult at times.

"I am human," Love told reporters Thursday. "And that stuff's going to be there, regardless. But I think I do a pretty good job at compartmentalizing it. I don't even want to think about that stuff."

The 2020 first-round pick is entrenched as the Packers' backup because Aaron Rodgers has continued to play at an elite level, winning the NFL MVP Award each of the past two seasons, which has raised questions about whether Love will eventually have to switch teams for his shot as a starter.

"I can't control what's going on. I have no idea what might happen," he said. "So rather than stressing about things that might happen, things that might not happen, I'm just here right now. I'll take what I'm given and run with it."

After a few years where Rodgers' future in Green Bay was questioned amid rumors of discontent, he declared Tuesday he's "definitely" going to finish his career with the team. He jokingly added that stance will hold "unless they trade me."

The 38-year-old California native didn't put a timetable on how much longer he's going to play, saying he makes the decision on a year-to-year basis and then becomes "100 percent invested" once he makes the choice to keep playing.

"This is my 18th season. Of course you think about the next chapter and what's next in your life all the time. It doesn't mean you're not fully invested," Rodgers said.

While it's rare for an athlete in a major sport to play beyond the age of 40, Tom Brady has kind of broken the age curve for quarterbacks as he continues to post terrific numbers into his mid-40s. Brady briefly retired this offseason before returning for his age-45 season.

Given the way Rodgers has played in recent seasons, it's plausible he could follow a similar path if the competitive fire continues to burn in the years ahead.

In turn, the Packers are going to face a key decision on Love next offseason.

That's when they'll either have to exercise or decline the fifth-year option in his rookie contract for 2024. The value is dependent on a variety of factors, including the average salary at the position and performance.

For this year's group (the 2019 draft class), the basic quarterback option was worth $19.6 million for players who didn't reach any thresholds based on playing time or Pro Bowl appearances, per Over The Cap.

So Love's option will likely check in a little over $20 million based on the rising salaries for QBs, and that's an untenable figure if he's going to remain a backup.

The franchise tag, which also comes with a lucrative one-year salary, won't be an option in that scenario, and the Packers wouldn't want to lose a player who was a first-round investment for nothing.

It makes a Love trade next offseason a probable outcome if Rodgers' intentions haven't changed.

The 23-year-old Utah State product made six appearances last season, including his first career start while Rodgers was going through COVID-19 protocols.

He completed 19 of his 34 throws for 190 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 13-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He added 23 rushing yards.

It was a modest performance, but not much more could be expected from a player who's received such limited first-team opportunities since being drafted.

Love explained Thursday he's happy with the progress he's made given the circumstances.

"What it comes down to is, I'm always confident in myself, but it's about being a lot more comfortable, relaxed and being able to process things at lot faster," he said. "And that all ties into it. I definitely feel very confident in myself right now."

Love is likely going to get an opportunity to become a full-time starter in the NFL at some point, but whether that happens in Green Bay or elsewhere remains a mystery.

Rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams' recovery from a torn ACL is likely going to prevent him from taking part in training camp with the Detroit Lions.

Head coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Thursday that he doesn't see Williams "being ready for training camp" and that they won't rush him back before he's at full strength.

Williams tore his ACL in the second quarter of Alabama's 33-18 loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff Championship on Jan. 10.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported at the time that doctors believed Williams will be able to retain the speed he had before the injury after undergoing surgery. The 21-year-old had the procedure on Jan. 18.

Speaking to NFL Network's James Palmer on March 30, Williams said he is "ahead of schedule" in his rehab and he's expecting to be fully cleared before the start of training camp.

The Lions had no concerns about Williams' ability to make a full recovery. They traded up with the Minnesota Vikings to get the No. 12 pick in the 2022 NFL draft that they used to select the Alabama star.

Last season was Williams' first year at the University of Alabama. He transferred to the Crimson Tide after spending the previous two years at Ohio State.

Williams struggled to get on the field with the Buckeyes playing behind Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, who were also first-round picks in this year's draft. He had a breakout 2021 at Alabama with 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns in 15 games.

The Missouri native was named to the All-SEC and All-America first teams.

Thursday marks the final day of mandatory minicamp for the Lions. Training camp will begin in late July, though the team has yet to announce an official start date.

Aaron Rodgers told reporters Tuesday he will "definitely" end his career with the Green Bay Packers.

The quarterback also said he is taking it year by year when considering retirement.

Rodgers agreed to a four-year, $200 million extension in March, securing his future with the team after years of uncertainty.

The 38-year-old has spent his entire career in Green Bay, although the partnership seemed to be coming to an end when the team used its first-round draft pick in 2020 on quarterback Jordan Love.

The next offseason, Rodgers reportedly wanted to be traded and skipped the Packers' offseason programs before returning for training camp.

Even after winning his second straight MVP award last season, the quarterback was unsure about his future in Green Bay.

"I'm gonna take some time and have conversations with the folks around here, and then take some time away and make a decision—obviously before free agency," Rodgers said after the Packers' divisional-round playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Now he says he doesn't want to play for any other team, although it's unclear how long he will play.

Rodgers discussed retirement with reporters Tuesday:

He also said earlier this month that he "can definitely see the end coming."

The 10-time Pro Bowler will at least be on the field in 2022 as he looks to bring home his second Super Bowl title.