Bears
The Bears signed DT Grady Jarrett this offseason, who was released after spending his first 10 years with the Falcons. Jarrett is refreshed to reinvent himself in a new place and expressed his pleasure with the city so far.
“Being in a new place for the first time around new people is really refreshing,” Jarrett said, via Gabby Hajduk of the team’s website. “It puts you in a position to where you want to put your best foot forward every day. Not that I’m saying I didn’t want to regardless of where I was prior, but it’s just, I mean, it’s natural human instinct. I’ve been enjoying it, man. My life up here in Chicago has been awesome so far.”
After spending years playing against each other in the NFC South, Jarrett is excited to play for DC Dennis Allen because of his experience.
“What is refreshing is working with a coach that has such a high standard for what he expects, and the detail, with the work to back it up, the resumé to back it up, and to be able to just learn from a great defensive mind, I’m really appreciating.
“That’s something that I’m definitely taking from this experience, and I can’t wait to see where it takes us.”
Bears
Bears WR D.J. Moore had a down year for his standards after failing to reach the 1,000-yard mark despite making 17 starts. Moore is confident he will thrive in new HC Ben Johnson’s offense because of the work he’s putting in off the field.
“It’s not hard unless you’re not studying. If you’re studying and on your stuff and knowing different spots, you’ll be okay,” Moore said, via Mike Pendleton of the Bears Wire. “Yeah. To shake things up, keep everybody motivated and going. You never know what you’re going to get the next day. Then there’s always a question of what we got and you’ve always got to be ready.”
Packers
Packers S Xavier McKinney signed with Green Bay before last season after spending his first four years with the Giants out of Alabama. Following a career-best year, McKinney now aims to lead Green Bay to be one of the league’s best defenses.
“That next step I think is to have one of the best defenses in the league,” McKinney said, via Mike Spofford of the team’s website. “That’s what we’re aiming for. We’re trying to be a defense that always creates turnovers, that plays with a level of intensity where the offense can’t match us, and I think we got the guys to do that.”
Despite an All-Pro season, McKinney has zero intention of letting his guard down going into 2025.
“I’m not going to let off the gas for nothing or nobody. That same intensity, that same energy, it’s going to stay the same.”
McKinney also expressed his pleasure that DC Jeff Hafley is still leading the defense after interviewing for the Jets’ HC opening.
“I’m happy that Haf is still here. Everybody’s happy that he’s still here, that the defense is still the same. We’re just finding little, small things to correct and make sure that it’s clean.”
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