NFC Notes: Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

Bears WR Allen Robinson appeared on the “Cut To It” podcast with former NFL Steve Smith and explained how former HC Matt Nagy never gave him his exit interview after the 2020 season.

“It wasn’t that I didn’t talk to him, we didn’t talk,” Robinson told Smith. “I’m gonna say, ‘We didn’t talk,’ because from the time the season ended, on the plane after the Saints game, the following 24 to 48 hours, there’s some sort of exit meetings. For us, because of COVID, that was supposed to schedule with the head coach and management, or whoever they were coordinating that, via Zoom. Talked to the receivers coach, talked to equipment, everybody else. A few days go by, no Zoom link. A week goes by, no Zoom link. I was a pending free agent at that point. I didn’t know which direction they were wanting to go, either way, or not, So for me, I’m waiting for that exit meeting so we can talk about this thing. Like, what do you all see, or think, in the foreseeable future, just to give me an idea? So for me, it’s supposed to be a Zoom link sent out to me, cool. Alright, I’m waiting for that Zoom link so we can chop it up and see what’s up. Even from a football side, how do we improve next year? A week go by, no Zoom link. Two weeks, no Zoom. Now January, we’re into February, nope.”

• Ian Rapoport reports that the Bears are hiring Eagles executive Ian Cunningham as their new assistant GM.

Packers

Packers LT David Bakhtiari explained what happened with his injured knee this past season in an interview with Aaron Nagler of CheeseheadTV.com. Bakhtiari says he suffered damage beyond just the ACL tear last year.

“Everyone knows I tore my ACL. What people don’t know is that it wasn’t an isolated tear. Any time there’s an ACL there can always be other complications. I had a little bit of my meniscus, which wasn’t a big deal. And I got a little bit of cartilage. There was a lot going on,” Bakhtiari said.

Bakhtiari explained that the knee inflammation that occurred from the two knee surgeries he underwent created a fluid issue in his knee that he couldn’t get over.

While he was able to return for the team’s season finale against the Lions, it became clear that his knee still wasn’t right and it was best for him to shut things down.

“I just need to turn off the car and let it sit,” Bakhtiari said. “The only answer I got, you had two surgeries in a calendar year and things are so inflamed and so angry that every time you start pushing the fluid it just ignites the whole area.

“Structurally I’m good. I know its fine, that’s why no one ever saw me with a knee brace. There’s no mental hurdle I’m trying to get over. It’s just ‘Can the fucking thing work?’

“People don’t understand the fluid thing. Talk to any nurse or doctor. I had one nurse tell me ‘That’s the most fluid I’ve ever pulled out of someone’s knee.’ and I’m like ‘Thank you?’”

Bakhtiari made it clear that he has no structural issues with his knee. 

“No. The hurdle you want to get over is having a full recovery from an ACL. I know my ACL is good. My meniscus is good, they cut out like 10-15 percent of it. It’s just my knee needing rest. Structurally it’s good. Just need to take this time off,” Bakhtiari said. 

Vikings

New Viking GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is already involved in helping the team search for their next head coach.

“We know what we want to find,” Adofo-Mensah said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN. “We want leadership, we want somebody who is going to value the collective over the individual, we want somebody who has a vision, who can communicate, who has a solid football foundation, who understands how football is interconnected and what that means. That’s been our focus in these last few days honing in on what we want. In terms of specific names, we’re going to meet after this and talk about that further.”

Adofo-Mensah also let it be known that he would be willing to collaborate with the Vikings’ next head coach on personnel decisions.

“I always say that with a coach, a coach that I would work with, I would work for,” Adofo-Mensah said. “It’s somebody that I would want to partner with. I wouldn’t care about that distinction because they understand about personnel and about living in today and living in tomorrow that would make us a great partnership. I guess I know what the specifics of my contract say, but I don’t think it really matters to speak in this forum.”

• Albert Breer mentions that Giants DC Patrick Graham and new Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have a close relationship and was even recommended by Adofo-Mensah as a head coaching candidate.