NFC North Notes: Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

Lions rookie RB Kerryon Johnson left Sunday’s game with a right ankle injury, but the good news is that he believes he could have returned to the game if needed.

“Yeah, I think I could have,” Johnson said, via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. “If I can walk, I can run. That’s just the mindset I’ve always I’ve always tried to play with. If I needed to, I think I could have.”

Packers

• Packers HC Mike McCarthy said of QB Aaron Rodgers‘ level of play while dealing with his knee injury: “He’s not going to make excuses and I’m not going to stand up here and go that route, but he’s playing through a lot. I think what he’s given us is … a lot. And that’s the reality of it. But he’s playing through a lot.” (Rob Demovsky)
• McCarthy said there’s hope rookie CB Jaire Alexander (groin) will be able to play this week, but it will depend on how he does during practice this week. (Michael Cohen)
• McCarthy also mentioned that they plan to stick with K Mason Crosby, despite five missed kicks on Sunday. (NFLTR)

Vikings

Long-time Vikings RB Adrian Peterson admitted that it’s disappointing that Minnesota didn’t offer him a contract after spending a decade with the team.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed [the Vikings didn’t offer him a new deal],” Peterson told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “After spending 10 years with a team, you would think you would get some type of offer. I talked to [General Manager Rick Spielman] at the exit interviews and he said, ‘How do you feel about coming back?’ I said, ‘I’m open to it.’

“The next time I heard from him was he was calling me to say that they signed [Latavius] Murray. . . . They weren’t going to pay me $18 million, but from what I’d done over 10 years, maybe something more reasonable. But those conversations never started.”

Peterson added: “I could be beneficial to them right now.”