NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Vikings

Bears

Bears HC Matt Eberflus said there isn’t any reason to ring the alarm bells with CB Jaylon Johnson working with the second-unit.

“He’s just getting back into action right now,” Eberflus said, via NBC Sports. “So we’re just seeing where he is with his conditioning and those types of things. But 1s and 2s, we’re moving all guys around. We have a bunch of guys with the 1s, with the 2s, we have some 3s in there. But nothing to read into that at this time.”

This is Eberflus’ first chance to get a look at Johnson on the field, as he missed the voluntary minicamp last week.

“I like what I see,” Eberflus said. “I mean, he’s moving around really good. His change of direction is nice. He’s got really good hands. As you know, he’s got good size. So now just really looking at his coverage ability, and it’s in a good spot. And it’s in a really good spot. So we’re just working with him and again trying to assess his skills, and we’ll coach him as we go.”

Johnson understands that what he’s done with the previous regime no longer matters and that he needs to re-prove himself on the field to the new coaching staff.

“I mean, that’s my mindset moving forward,” Johnson said. “It’s a complete reset. Everything I’ve done in the past with the other coaches, with the other staff, I mean, it really doesn’t mean anything too much. I mean, the film is not going to lie to you. But at the end of the day, they want me to show them what I can do in person moving forward.”

Lions

Lions LT Taylor Decker is going to take it easy for the time being due to a foot injury, one he doesn’t want nagging him when the new season begins in a few months.

“I’ve said it before with other issues I’ve had, when you’re not out there, it’s nauseating,” Decker said, via Benjamin Raven of MLive.com. “Of course, I want to be out there. It’s just kind of a be smart, maintenance thing. I’m talking with the training staff and the coaches right now. So hopefully, come time for camp, it’s ‘No issues, hit the ground running, you’re good to go.’ And that’s the game plan, and that’s what it’s trending towards. If there was a game, 100 percent I would play. Basically, the opinion I got was it’s something that’s going to get better. It’s just kind of a pain in the ass that will take a little time. Just being smart about it right now. As I said, when it comes time to the bullets are flying, and we’ve got to really play, it’s not even a thought.”

Vikings

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah explained why the team opted to stay the course with QB Kirk Cousins this offseason. Adofo-Mensah believes that the team can put enough talent around Cousins to reach their ultimate goal.

“Kirk’s a really good quarterback,” Adofo-Mensah said, via PFT. “Things are binary. Either you’re a champion or you’re not. Either you’re the GOAT or you’re not. I don’t think that’s really how you successfully build teams. When you study historically what wins the NFL, special quarterback play does matter, but there are other ways to win.”

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell believes that Cousins is a great quarterback, which validated Adofo-Mensah’s decision to roll with the current signal-caller, at least for another season.

“What we try to do is first and foremost get Kirk in the fold. I had a presentation with him. ‘Hey, you’re our partner in this. We’re trying to build this thing to have you be the best version of yourself, Kevin, and I.’ Once we do that, then we can maybe go back and reassess where we are, but we think the best version of him and surrounding him with other things give us a really good chance. Ultimately, I can’t sit here and tell you I know for certain what that’s gonna be, but we think that it gives us a great chance to be there at the end with a chance to do it. Obviously extending him gives us more time, right? A lot of that is just these things don’t take off in one day, in one month. These are that take a little — they’ve had exposure together before. I think the last time Kevin coached him [in Washington] I think it was all under the same situation where it was a one-year deal and Kevin was like, ‘Look, I want to pour into this guy. I think he’s one of the best quarterback guys I’ve ever been around, so I want to pour into this guy, see what the best he can be and we’ll see what happens in the end.’ We thought that was the best path going forward.”