Packers Morning Buzz: Kareem Hunt not joining Khalil Mack in Chicago

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com.

We'll start with the news Monday of former Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt signing with the Cleveland Browns. Packers fans can breathe a sigh of relief, because there were indications that the Chicago Bears might try to reunite Hunt with head coach (and former Chiefs offensive coordinator) Matt Nagy.

On the heels of the Bears' acquisition last year of star edge rusher Khalil Mack, adding Hunt to their backfield (once he serves an NFL suspension) could have made Chicago an NFC North powerhouse.

Bears beat writer Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times writes:

During the Bears’ season-ending news conference on Jan. 14, general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy opened the door for the possible signing of Hunt when they were asked about him. At the very least, they would discuss Hunt and his future internally.

Nagy was the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator in 2017 when Hunt became the NFL’s leading rusher as a rookie. Nagy said he had a “good conversation” with Hunt on the phone after the Bears’ season ended. ...

Bears chairman George McCaskey gets directly involved when it comes to signing players with troubled pasts such as Hunt. But on Jan. 28, McCaskey told the Sun-Times that internal talks regarding Hunt hadn’t progressed.

“We’re not there yet,” McCaskey said. “The player’s not even eligible. The important thing is that he address issues in his personal life at this point.”

You can read Jahns' full story here:

Leave it to Browns general manager (and former Packers executive) John Dorsey to pounce on the opportunity:

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network with more on Hunt and the Browns:

Another NFC North team expressed no interest in signing Hunt:

Even without Hunt, big things are expected from the Bears, who have surpassed the Packers and Vikings as division favorites:

More evidence that the Packers likely will open the 2019 NFL season playing at Chicago in a Thursday night game as part of the league's 100th-anniversary celebration:

The Packers are in desperate need of a playmaker at linebacker, writes Jim Owczarski in the latest installment of our nine-part position analysis:

Some familiar faces for Packers fans are dotting the new AAF rosters:

If the Packers fail to make the playoffs in 2019, they could be compelled to appear on "Hard Knocks" in 2020:

The Packers reportedly aren't expecting offensive lineman Cole Madison to rejoin the team for the 2019 season:

Packers receiver Davante Adams had only five drops last season:

With Kyler Murray committing to the NFL draft and being a likely high pick, it could push another good player down to the Packers at No. 12 (and if Murray were still on the board, they'd have the option of trading down with a quarterback-needy team):

And finally: It looks like former Packers and Wisconsin linebacker Vince Biegel is staying in the Big Easy: