NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Vikings

Bears

• Per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, Bears QB Justin Fields acknowledged part of reducing the number of sacks he takes in 2022 will be about him getting the ball out faster: “There’s stuff in the film last year where you could see that, of course, there were some instances where it was my fault that I got sacked. At the end of the day it just comes to limiting those mistakes and getting the ball out and not taking those sacks.”
• Fields was asked if he thought new GM Ryan Poles trusted and believed in him: “I mean, yeah. I think with any relationship, you can’t force it. I think as time goes along, our relationship will naturally grow and naturally get stronger. So that just goes with time and spending more time together.” (Cronin)
• He was also asked about last season with HC Matt Nagy: “Do I think I was always put in the best position to succeed? Um, I don’t know. But at the end of the day, that doesn’t matter. You just have to handle what you’ve got.” (Dan Wiederer)
• Fields did say the goal is for the offense to be designed around him with new OC Luke Gettsy: “I hope they will just tailor the plays to my skillset. Which we’re going to do. Just finding out what I do best, what we do best as an offense, what we do best as a team.” (Wiederer)

Lions

Lions HC Dan Campbell is hoping to get his team to another level during offseason programs that were previously lost due to the pandemic.

“We lost out on [the extra minicamp last year], and of course, COVID pushed everything back, so we lost a little bit of that,” Campbell said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “But this year, we’re already going to be ahead so certainly anytime you’ve at least kind of had your system in a little bit and now you can go back and watch your own cut-ups [it’s an advantage]. Last year, you’re pulling cut-ups [from] New Orleans and some things, so now we can watch ourselves and our own schemes and kind of just continue to grow and learn and move on. Go to level 201, if not more.”

• The Lions hosted Georgia LB Quay Walker for a top 30 visit. (Ian Rapoport)
• The Lions had a top 30 visit with Oklahoma State LB Devin Harper. (Aaron Wilson)

Vikings

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has heard the Vikings want to focus on defense in the draft as they pivot to a 3-4 system. He mentions LSU CB Derek Stingley and Georgia DT Jordan Davis as some possibilities.
• He also thinks the Vikings would love to trade back and accumulate more picks, as this draft class is generally seen as one with a lot of depth but not a lot of star power at the top. 
• Darren Wolfson reports that Minnesota DE Boye Mafe will visit the Vikings.
• Vikings TE Irv Smith Jr. is “right on schedule” in his recovery from a meniscus injury, per HC Kevin O’Connell, and the team isn’t going to rush him. (Chris Tomasson)
• Smith’s goal is to be ready for the start of training camp. He’s a limited participant in OTAs right now: “I wouldn’t put an exact ‘this percent’ or ‘this percent,’ because every day I’m getting stronger and faster.” (Andrew Krammer)
• O’Connell said DE Danielle Hunter is also moving around great at OTAs and is “going to be a major factor” for their defense in 2022. (Tomasson)
• Vikings S Camryn Bynum says he expects to be the starter in 2022. (Tomasson)