NFC North Notes: Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes that after the Lions released RT Rick Wagner, the team will likely move forward with RT Tyrell Crosby as their starter.
• While LT Taylor Decker, LG Joe Dahl, and C Frank Ragnow will likely return as starters next season, Birkett notes that the team will have a hole at right guard, as former starter Graham Glasgow informed the Detroit Free Press that he doesn’t anticipate re-signing with the Lions.
• Birkett believes the team may also look to sign former Packers RT Jared Veldheer, who is a Michigan native.

Packers

Falcons free-agent TE Austin Hooper has ties to Packers HC Matt LaFleur from their time together in Atlanta and has been linked to Gren Bay in recent weeks.

“When he was a coach in Atlanta, I really liked Matt LaFleur as a person,” Hooper said. “I wasn’t a quarterback, so I couldn’t really see his coaching style as much. But he definitely helped me out as a younger player. For that, I’ll always be grateful. He’s a good guy; really likable person.’‘

Hooper called Packers QB Aaron Rodgers one of the best quarterbacks of all time and praised Rodgers for how he “carries himself.” 

“One of the greatest to do it, for sure,” Hooper said. “Definitely a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback. I mean, I can’t say enough good things about the guy. Some of the things he does, I don’t think anyone else in the league can do. I’m not saying anything revolutionary here. I really like his style and how he carries himself. He’s just got a swagger about him where he’s cool, calm, and collected. He always has an answer for what’s happening.”

Vikings

Vikings’ free-agent S Anthony Harris said he would like to re-sign with Minnesota given the culture of the organization and the city of Minneapolis. 

“Yeah, if all things were equal — looking at the organization from a standpoint top to bottom, from the owners down to the coaches down to the locker room and the culture they have. It’s somewhere I’d definitely like to stay,” Harris said, via SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I love Minneapolis, love the organization, it’s a good city. The people there are really nice. It’s very competitive, so I mean it has it has everything I want and I’d definitely like to stay if possible.”

Harris mentioned that Vikings HC Mike Zimmer‘s defensive system requires him to be a better communicator with his cornerbacks and linebackers. 

“He definitely requires those guys in the back end to have a lot mental gymnastics, I always like to say,” Harris said. “Just being able to be really good communicators, for one, but really being able to understand what it is that we’re getting done. There’s a number of checks within the actual call, based off the formations, where people are, disguises, where you need to be. So it’s a lot of orchestrating, knowing where you fit, but also, you know, in that safety position, being a good communicator with the guys around you. Not only at corner or nickel, but also at the linebacker position, as well.”

• Vikings S Jayron Kearse posted on Twitter that he prefers to play for a different team next season.