NFC North Notes: Bears, Lions, Vikings

Bears

Bears HC Matt Nagy says fourth-round WR Riley Ridley stood out at rookie minicamp. 

“I thought Riley had a good day,” Nagy said via Larry Mayer of the official team website. “I thought he looked good, not a lot of mental errors.” 

Ridley is the younger brother of Falcons’ WR Calvin Ridley, who made an immediate impact in Atlanta last season on the back of strong route running. 

“My brother really prides himself on running routes,” Riley Ridley said. “He takes that and gives it to me and just lets me know that running routes can really help you as a receiver. It helps you gain separation and makes the catches easier. You’re more open. It makes your quarterback gain more trust in you.”

Bears GM Ryan Pace said the team was already looking at trading up in the draft for RB David Montgomery when the Rams traded up to take RB Darrell Henderson. 

“We were already talking to teams at that point,” Pace said via the Athletic’s Adam Jahns. “It wasn’t that what triggered it. We knew we wanted to consider getting up in that area. Just because we knew that it was an area that we were kind of targeting. It wasn’t like that happened, and then there was this panic in the draft room where we needed to move. Those were conversations that were happening beforehand.”

Lions

• While the Lions only talked to TE T.J. Hockenson at the Combine and didn’t host him for a visit, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer says the relationship between GM Bob Quinn, HC Matt Patricia and Hockenson’s OC at Iowa, Brian Ferentz, helped give the Lions the intel they needed to feel comfortable taking Hockenson at No. 8 overall. 
• Lions RB Kerryon Johnson is excited about the addition of OC Darrell Bevell and his run-heavy offense he brought from Seattle: “We all know what he likes to do, what he brings to the table.” (Michael Rothstein)

Vikings

• The Vikings liked what they saw from CB Terrance Alexander at rookie minicamp and could sign him to a deal soon. (Chris Tomasson)
• The Vikings were impressed by P Shane Tripucka‘s kicking and holding at minicamp and could add him later down the road as well. (Tomasson)
• Minnesota HC Mike Zimmer has some concern with current P Matt Wile as a holder.