NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Vikings

Bears

It’s viewed as sub-optimal in some circles to pair a defensive-minded head coach with a young quarterback. It can be harder to keep continuity on offense if a team gets a good offensive coordinator because they’re usually regarded as top HC candidates elsewhere, while a defensive head coach is supposedly less equipped to support a quarterback’s development. Still, real life doesn’t always play out that way, as evidenced by the success the Chargers had last year with HC Brandon Staley and QB Justin Herbert. New Bears HC Matt Eberflus thinks his defensive background could actually be a unique advantage for QB Justin Fields. 

“You can tell a lot by corners, nickel corners, by safeties, linebackers’ alignments, defensive lineman’s. They all tell a story, so if he knows the story beforehand, before the ball’s snapped, then he’s going to make faster decisions post-snap,” Eberflus said via the Athletic’s Adam Jahns, adding, “And I’m excited about the relationship in getting to know him as a person, and how he operates just on a day-to-day basis.”

Fields’ development going forward is the single most important factor to the team’s success, but Eberflus is confident Fields has the right intangibles to eventually maximize his potential. 

“Well, Justin’s got high character,” Eberflus said. “He loves football, and he wants to work hard and he does work hard. And he’s been a great worker since I’ve been here. He’s been working his tail off. So in terms of the hustle and the effort, he’s going to fit right into that. The intensity for the quarterback is more about mental intensity and mental focus, making sure he’s operating the offense and, you know, obviously taking care of the ball, making good decisions, good timing. And then situations, I mean, shoot, that’s all quarterback play. We’re going to work him through those situations.”

Lions

Lions HC Dan Campbell said that they are looking for DL Levi Onwuzurike to make a “leap forward” with his development next season. 

“You don’t make any greater jumps than you do from (year) one to two,” Campbell said, via LionsWire. “That is the greatest jump that most guys make. It doesn’t mean you don’t continue to grow. So we’re expecting him to take a leap forward, you know?”

Campbell is confident that Onwuzurike is “of the right mindset” this offseason and will have a “better year” in 2022. 

“I know he’s of the right mindset. Even just talking to him when he left. First of all, he wasn’t going to leave. He was going to stick around here for a while, which he did. He’s been working. Went back home for a little bit and he’s come back up. He’s put his money where his mouth is. I know that from a training standpoint. He’s got enough pride and he knows what he needs to do. Everybody learns at a different rate in this league, man. It takes a while. Some guys get it right now and some guys it just, to go and develop and figure things out a little bit. So I expect him to have a better year.”

Vikings

• Vikings DT Jaylen Twyman, who was shot four times and forced to miss his rookie season, is expected to begin offseason drills on Monday according to his agent Drew Rosenhaus. (Chris Tomasson)