NFC North Notes: Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

The 1985 Bears have long been the standard for elite defensive performance for NFL teams. Bears S Eddie Jackson thinks the 2019 Bears have the potential to top that. 

“I’ll go right now for our defense to be No. 1 across the board. Like I told ’em earlier, shouts out to the ’85 Bears, but we want to top everything they’ve done,” Jackson said on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

Packers

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has spent the offseason learning a new offense for the first time since he was a rookie 13 years ago. 

“It’s a foreign language, it really is,” Rodgers said via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.

That language’s architect, new Packers HC Matt LaFleur, has worked with Rodgers to smooth the quarterback’s transition, however. 

“There was just good dialogue back and forth about how we can do things,” LaFleur said. “We worked together on calling things, because what was interesting is, here’s a guy that has 13 years of experience, and he’s ran some of these plays before. I’ve called them one thing, he’s called them another. It’s how do you marry that and who do you pick? Somebody’s going to have to change something, so just working through that and see what names made the most sense. There were certain things that we kept calling the same as he’s always called it and some things we changed.”

• ESPN’s Rob Demovsky listed Packers K Mason Crosby as a potential veteran cut. Green Bay signed K Sam Ficken to push Crosby in case his trend of missed kicks in 2018 continues. 

Vikings

Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph says he’s been the most impressed with first-round C Garrett Bradbury, who’s expected to immediately step into a starting spot on Minnesota’s offensive line. 

“I’d have to go with our rookie center,” Rudolph said via Pro Football Talk. “Any time you draft a guy in the first round obviously there’s expectations for them to come in and contribute to your football team and help your team win. Garrett’s come in and he’s a phenomenal young guy. He’s really, really intelligent. But he’s a great athlete and he fits our scheme perfectly. Going up against guys like [DT] Linval Joseph is a pretty good barometer of how you’ll match up in this league and he’s more than held his own.”