NFC Notes: Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, T.J. Hockenson, Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

Chicago added first-round WR Rome Odunze to pair with first-round QB Caleb Williams as offensive staples for the future. Bears HC Matt Eberflus outlined Odzune’s mental preparation which bodes well for success. 

“He likes to actually go on the field and recite the play and put himself in the position and the motion and the route as part of his conditioning,” Eberflus said, via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “I think that’s a really good way for him, and I think that was really mature on his part to be able to actually discern and understand how he learns best. I think he knows himself really well. Very mature for his age. He’s a wonderful teammate and he’s going to be exciting to watch.”

• Bears GM Ryan Poles on the DE depth on the roster: “We feel really comfortable with the guys that we have on our roster now. … We will always have our eyes on the list of players we can potentially bring in.” (Kevin Fishbain)
• Poles also updated the status of third-round OT Kiran Amegadjie: “He’s progressing. Everything is positive. But I don’t have a specific timetable right now.” (Fishbain)
• Regarding Williams, Poles explained his expectations for his rookie season as the No. 1 pick: “For him to maximize his ability…and leaning on the talent around him as well…it’s gotta be comforting to know you don’t have to do everything on your own.”  (Courtney Cronin)

Packers

Packers CB Carrington Valentine has made headlines around offseason workouts because of the changes he’s made in his first full offseason. Green Bay HC Matt LaFleur raved about Valentine’s improvement and described what he’s liked so far. 

“I think it’s been outstanding,” LaFleur said, via Zach Kruse of the Packers Wire. “That’s a guy that stands out, quite frankly, in my mind, in terms of, we challenged him to put on some weight after the regular season. He came back, and he definitely looks bigger, and is bigger. He’s stronger. He loves football, loves to compete. I’m excited for him. I think he has a really bright future.”

“Physically, he’s night and day. In terms of all the little fundamentals, obviously there’s some different things we’re asking these guys to do from a defensive perspective and I think he’s approached it the right way. The one thing you can count on with him, is when he goes out there to compete, he’s going to give it his all.”

Vikings

Vikings T.J. Hockenson tore his ACL at the end of last season, which he updated a few months ago by saying they were approaching his rehab on a week-to-week basis. Hockenson gave a much more positive update recently when appearing on a podcast.

“It’s been great, yeah. We’re running now, doing a lot of change-of-direction stuff,” Hockenson said, via the Bussin With the Boys podcast. “At the point I’m at now, I feel really comfortable about being able to come back and be the player I was and even be better. That’s huge for me.”