NFC North Notes: Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

• According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the Lions began converting fourth-year Jamal Agnew from cornerback to wide receiver late into last season and are including him at the position in their virtual offseason program.
• Birkett adds that Agnew also continued taking part in the cornerback’s offseason program, but Detroit is expected to transition him exclusively to being a receiver. 
• Birkett says the Lions approached Agnew about making a full-time conversion to offense after appearing in 16 total offensive snaps in 2019 including 10 in Week 17. 

Packers

The Packers’ decision not to dip into what was seen as a historic wide receiver class was panned by fans and draft-graders alike. But the guy throwing the ball in Green Bay, QB Aaron Rodgers, agrees with the front office that the Packers have enough at wide receiver to succeed. Rodgers mentioned obviously they have an elite option with Davante Adams, then highlighted a number of other young players the Packers have been developing like Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Jake Kumerow and Equanimeous St. Brown who could step up, along with free-agent signing Devin Funchess. 

“For them to not pick a guy early on to me says they really like our guys and have faith in them,” Rodgers said via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “It all starts with Davante and his abilities. He’s a dynamic player. When you have a dynamic guy like that, he opens up the field for the rest of the guys. That’s where you saw guys like Allen Lazard make big strides, you saw Jake make big plays, you saw MVS have games where he was a big factor for us. I’m excited about seeing EQ back in the mix and then adding Devin, a veteran guy who’s made plays in the league for a number of years and is hungry. I feel really good about that group and obviously the front office did as well.”

• Packers S Adrian Amos said his pec injury didn’t need surgery this offseason and healed on its own: “It healed up pretty good. I’m 100 percent right now. I’m feeling good.” (Demovsky)
• Packers RB Aaron Jones said he’s not paying too much attention to Green Bay drafting RB AJ Dillon in the second-round, instead focusing on what he can control entering a contract year: “I would love to be a lifelong Packer.” (Ryan Wood)
• Jones added: “I trust my agents, and I trust the Packers. I trust them to get a deal done. If I can control what I can control, I feel like it will be taken care of.” (Demovsky)

Vikings

• The Athletic’s Chad Graff and Arif Hasan point out the Vikings were actually more successful on offense when they had three receivers on the field as opposed to just two, which makes replacing WR Stefon Diggs even more important. 
• Vikings first-round WR Justin Jefferson will be asked to take on the brunt of that load, even as a rookie. 
• Minnesota will then rely on 2019 seventh-round WR Olabisi Johnson, veteran acquisition Tajae Sharpe and slot WR Chad Beebe to round out the depth chart. 
• While Sharpe has a more comparable skillset to Diggs, Graff and Hasan write Johnson has more potential and that could give him the edge. Beebe needs to stay healthy to secure a roster spot.