NFC Notes: Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

Bears QB Justin Fields said he does not feel any pressure to be the organization’s franchise quarterback after getting selected No. 11 overall. 

“I don’t think there’s pressure at all on me because I expect myself to be a franchise quarterback. There’s really no added pressure. . . . I expect myself to be a franchise quarterback and, hopefully, a top-five quarterback,” Fields said, via ProFootballTalk. 

• Fields said he was diagnosed with epilepsy as a freshman in high school after having a seizure, but has never missed a practice or game: “It’s pretty simple for me to manage it.” (Joey Kaufman)
• Bears’ OT Teven Jenkins on what he brings to the team after being selected by them in the second round: “My edge to me is being able to punish anybody in the dirt. … I don’t care who you are, I’m going to attack you. Basically, I’m going to impose my will against another man until he gets worn out and tired. … I’m going to do that all game.” (Kevin Fishbain)

Packers

Packers’ GM Brian Gutekunst had another Rodgers on his mind, as he selected Clemson WR Amari Rodgers in the third round of the draft.

“I hope everybody on our team and within our building is excited about adding Amari,” Gutekunst said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “I think it was something we wanted to add — we’ve wanted to add for a few years — that guy that can play inside and do some returning. So yeah, I hope everybody’s pleased with it.”

• Gutekunst spoke about trading up for Rodgers in round three of the draft: “He fills so many holes for us, and that’s one of the reasons we traded up for him.” (Ryan Wood)
• Gutekunst adds that Rodgers is a punt returner, slot receiver, but is also a guy HC Matt LaFleur can get creative with, calling him “short, but not small” and “built for Green Bay.”  
• Packers president Mark Murphy said he is pleased with the Packers’ first-round pick of Georgia CB Eric Stokes: “Oh, and by the way, we drafted a pretty good player in the first round, in cornerback Eric Stokes from the University of Georgia. We had him rated very highly and I saw a lot of smiles on the faces of both scouts and coaches when the pick was announced. The way our game has evolved, you never have enough good cornerbacks.”
• Gutekunst noted that he entered the draft with a plan to go after offensive linemen and cornerbacks. (Ryan Wood)

Vikings

Vikings’ GM Rick Spielman was asked if he called starting QB Kirk Cousins when the team selected QB Kellen Mond in the third round of the draft.

“Kirk’s our starting quarterback,” Spielman said, via the Vikings Twitter account. “There’s no competition there. It’s just taking another player, it’s like, regardless of position, if we take a player in the third round or first round, I’m not calling the player and saying, ‘Hey, we may take this guy here.’ Our job is to try to get as many good players in here, and let them all come in and compete.”

Spielman said that the Vikings did “a lot of work” on Mond and claimed that he was one of the top players on Minnesota’s board: “You see him right in that area as where the top three quarterbacks went.”

• Vikings’ draft pick Camryn Bynum says he’ll move to safety after playing cornerback at California and is looking forward to showcasing his intelligence by making the switch. (Andrew Krammer)
• Vikings’ QB Kellen Mond on the opportunity to work with QB Kirk Cousins: “I’m a guy who loves to learn and I’m sure Kirk is going to have so many tips and tools from what he’s learned in the league.” (Chad Graff)
• Spielman said they tried to move up into the second round but thought the price was too steep. They also thought the value wouldn’t be there to trade out on day three. (Ben Goessling)