NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

Lions

The Lions didnโ€™t win many games in HC Dan Campbellโ€˜s first season. But Campbell did win over his players. Lions S Tracy Walker re-signed with the team this offseason to stay with Campbell who made a heck of an impression even in a three-win season. 

โ€œHe always believed in his players, regardless of what we were going through,โ€ Walker said via the Athleticโ€™s Dan Pompei. โ€œEvery game, we went in with the mindset that we could beat anybody. Regardless of the team weโ€™re playing, they have to block the gates. We in there with them.โ€

Campbellโ€™s energy and big personality has been on display even before the Lions were selected for HBOโ€™s Hard Knocks. Heโ€™s not changing who he is but he has learned to tone things down to a degree. 

โ€œIโ€™m still being me, excited as ever,โ€ he said. โ€œBut I donโ€™t always feel like Iโ€™m going to rip my shirt off and run around. Once youโ€™re in it a year, you have a feel for what it is. You can keep your emotions in check.โ€

Heโ€™s not afraid of being labeled a meathead, though. In fact he relishes it. 

โ€œIt doesnโ€™t bother me,โ€ Campbell said. โ€œIf youโ€™re an opponent, the dumber you think I am, the better off we are.โ€

Packers

Packers WR Sammy Watkins continues to give good reviews of QB Aaron Rodgers since joining the team.

โ€œHeโ€™s amazing. How he controls the ball,โ€ Watkins said of Rodgers, via Larry McCarren of Packers.com. โ€œHow he puts everyone in place. Iโ€™ve been with a lot of quarterbacks, and Iโ€™ve never seen them carry themselves like Aaron Rodgers.โ€

Packers HC Matt LaFleur says LT David Bakhtiari (ACL) has done well with his recovery this offseason. 

โ€œI think heโ€™s done a nice job, and heโ€™s champing at the bit to get out there with some of the team reps and whatnot. Weโ€™ll see where weโ€™re at after this week,โ€ he said via Bill Huber of FanNation

Vikings

There are concerns about the conditioning of the Vikingsโ€™ veteran pass-rushers Danielle Hunter and Zaโ€™Darius Smith, but Hunter tells the media that HC Kevin Oโ€™Connell knows what he is doing. 

โ€œ[Oโ€™Connell] definitely knows when to turn it on,โ€ Hunter said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. โ€œHe gives us maybe a couple days of going as hard as we can, and he takes care of us. But at the same time, we still need to put in a little bit of work. They have a good balance of when to turn it on and when to turn it off.โ€

  • Vikings WR K.J. Osborn believes recently acquired QB Nick Mullens will have a positive impact on the team: โ€œItโ€™s good for the team and good for the competition. He played well against us when we played the Raiders. From what Iโ€™ve seen, he was throwing a good ball (Tuesday).โ€ (Chris Tomasson)

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