NFC Notes: Bears, Rams, Vikings

Bears

There’s room in the Bears’ receiving corps for someone to step up, as Chicago has added a lot of competition but not a lot of assured production this offseason. One of the guys they’re taking a flier on is former 49ers second-round WR Dante Pettis, who washed out in San Francisco and played with Bears WR coach Tyke Tolbert while they were together with the Giants the past couple of years. 

“I think he’s motivated to play, motivated to make plays,” Tolbert said via the Athletic’s Adam Jahns. “I don’t see him as a guy who is kind of bouncing around and just kind of happy to be in the league. I don’t think that’s him. He wants to go in there and compete and make plays.”

“I know his skill set,” Tolbert added. “It’s just a matter for everybody else to see what I saw. It’s a guy who can play inside and outside. A smart guy who can come in and learn the offense really quickly and bring some veteran presence. He has some vet savviness to him when he’s running his routes. Every time he had the opportunity to make a play with us with the Giants, he did.”

Rams

Rams’ recently signed WR Allen Robinson thinks that HC Sean McVay‘s system will utilize “all the elements of my game.”

“Coach McVay and the offense that he’s put together and offense that these guys run, it’s been a top offense in the league for a reason,” Robinson said, via RamsWire. “I truly believe that it’ll bring the best out of me, and I’ll be able to display all the elements of my game.”

Robinson explains that McVay’s offense enables him to “be myself” and play without restrictions. 

“He allows players to play. He corrects us and things like that, but it’s his ability to allow players to play,” Robinson said. “Each and every day we go out there and as we’re practicing and things like that, we’re able to make corrections and make adjustments based on things that guys are doing right or doing wrong. It’s his coaching style that truly allows players to play freely and then we just correct off of that. So whenever I step onto the field, I’m able to be myself. And if I do mess up something or am wrong here, he’ll correct me and we’ll just keep it pushing. Every time I step on the field, I feel like I can be and play at my best self.”

Regarding OLB Von Miller signing with the Bills this offseason, Rams OLB Justin Hollins responded that he doesn’t think the team needs to sign any new players at the position. 

“I don’t think we need to go find anybody new, nothing like that. It would be kind of crazy if I said we did anyway. I think we’ll be just fine. We were fine before,” said Hollins, via Greg Beacham.

Vikings

Vikings second-year QB Kellen Mond is making an early impression on HC Kevin O’Connell as he competes for the backup job behind incumbent starting QB Kirk Cousins.

“Kellen’s having a good spring so far, working incredibly hard, digesting the system,” O’Connell said via PFT. “He made a couple of checks yesterday at the line of scrimmage that he wasn’t prepared play-by-play for; he just instinctively did it. Those are the little things you look for.”