Bears

Bears defensive pass game coordinator/DBs coach Al Harris spent 2020 to 2024 with Dallas as a DBs coach and eventually assistant HC, but he was passed over for the DC job in 2024 in favor of Mike Zimmer. Harris has no hard feelings toward anyone involved and was quickly all on board with joining HC Ben Johnson’s staff in Chicago.

“First let me say I am rooting for C.P. (Christian Parker). I hope he does an excellent job, but for whatever reason, that is his opportunity. That was for him. So I have no ill will towards anybody In Dallas. They just did not see it in the cards. Realistically, you want to be where you are wanted. So, if I wasn’t wanted there, then hey, I know I am wanted here; and just see what God has in store for me,” Harris said, via Josina Anderson.

“I truly believe this to my core, that what is for me nobody can stop (God); no coach, nobody. So the fact that it didn’t happen there, that means I was meant to be here (Chicago) in this role. So, I constantly think of it that way; that just keeps you from getting down in the dumps because you may think you deserve this opportunity, but God may not want you to have that opportunity just yet….So, the conversations, they weren’t real conversations. I knew after that last year that Mike (Zimmer) wasn’t going to be back in Dallas. It was time for me to leave Dallas. God, put it in my heart, and you know once I talked to Ben (Johnson) I was all in on coming here to Chicago.”

Packers

Packers second-round CB Brandon Cisse said that going against WR Christian Watson in practice every day has made him a better player.

“I think it’s helped me tremendously to go against somebody that talented every day,” Cisse said, via ESPN. “It helps that his locker is right next to mine, being able to pick his brain and him being able to pick my brain on certain techniques that he may see. Every day just trying to make sure you go against somebody like that is going to make you a lot better. I’m going to be able to challenge him because he wants to be the best and I want to be the best. That’s kind of what I strive for is to try and learn from him and continue to grow and try to take on that matchup. He’s somebody I look up to in ways. He’s been great to me ever since I got here.”

Cisse didn’t say he expects to be an opening-day starter for the team and said his focus is learning from veteran players as much as he can.

“My job as a rookie is just to sit back and learn,” Cisse said. “I understand my role. I just try to be a professional about my business every day and just try to come in and be a pro, work out my daily habits, and just soak up as much information from everybody around me. Because those guys have been in the fire and I’m still a young guy who needs to learn every day. So I’m just trying to be a sponge.”

Packers DC Jonathan Gannon added that the team invested a high pick in Cisse and they expect him to perform early.

“Obviously we took him where we took him,” Gannon said. “He’s got the skill set that we’re looking for, and he’s doing a good job of when he makes a mistake — mistakes are going to happen, especially for young guys in a new scheme, this a new scheme for him as it is all our guys — mistakes are OK, just don’t make it the same mistake again.”

Vikings

When appearing on the Fitz & Whit Show, Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell said he’s telling their quarterbacks that he doesn’t care if they throw interceptions in training camp.

“There are so many things in society, not even just football nowadays, where we want to decide in a moment this guy can or can’t, this guy’s a success or failure. And it’s just not in alignment with the reality of the position or our game,” O’Connell said, via Josh Chambers. “Everything should be driven by process, and part of process is failure. Every year in training camp I give my yearly State of the Union on the first practice: ‘Just as a heads up, I’m not going to be commenting on you guys taking your stats every single day. So-and-so went 6-of-11 with two interceptions, and then we chart it for the whole training camp and decide who won or lost this position or quarterback battle.’”

O’Connell mentioned that he’s always challenging their quarterbacks and that it’s difficult to face DC Brian Flores‘ defense. 

“I challenge the quarterbacks all the time: we’re against Brian Flores every day. This is going to be a 10-out-of-10 stress for all of us. There are going to be good days and there are going to be bad days, but I want you to be aggressive with your decision-making,” O’Connell said. “How will we know on third-and-eight in Week 12 that you can try to fit a ball in there to Justin Jefferson on a backside in-cut? How will we know if you don’t try to do it now?”

O’Connell added that now is the time to take risks and evaluate the mechanics of each situation. 

“So when you do it now, and you take the proper footwork and try to throw it into a tight window and the ball gets tipped and intercepted, let’s go back and look at it first. I’ve got no problem with the decision. What was your footwork like? Were you in your base, balance, body position? Were you playing on the timing of the play? Did you make the protection call you needed?”