NFC Notes: Donovan Jackson, Jordan Love, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

Veteran Lions LB Alex Anzalone is heading into the final year of his contract and has expressed that he wants to get a new deal done with Detroit. New DC Kelvin Sheppard said that no one is worried about Anzalone being ready for the season.

“Me and Alex are all good,” Sheppard said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I have zero concern. That player is a leader here and he’s been a leader here, he’s been an intricate piece in building the culture that’s here and I’m going to pay the respect that he’s earned and that he’s due, and whatever his private situations are, I’ll let Alex address those when he’s face-to-face with you all.”

Packers

Packers QB coach and former player Sean Mannion feels that he can bring the best out of starting QB Jordan Love.

“I think it’s ownership of our progressions and timing and reading with our feet,” Mannion said of the position, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “And then just the fundamentals of the position. For me, it really starts with footwork. That’s something that all quarterbacks need to focus on, but I know really when I first was exposed to it was with Matt in L.A. in 2017. It was kind of a foundational moment in my playing career. I got so much better from understanding how the footwork helps your accuracy; it helps your decision making; it helps the timing of the play. That’s really the starting point with any quarterback, but Jordan in particular. We really just always want to have that point of emphasis at the forefront of our mind.”

“It’s the same staff,” Mannion added. “It’s the same system. Now I’m stepping into a role that Tom had, so I want to make it familiar with Jordan, but I kind of sprinkle in some things from my own experience to maybe just change things up here and there, try to stimulate a couple things with his development. But we want it to be familiar with Jordan and really just getting feedback from Matt, [offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich], everybody in the QB room on how we can best support Jordan. Because, ultimately, that’s what is most important.”

Vikings

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell explained why the team didn’t trade back and opted to select rookie OL Donovan Jackson in the first round.

“I think Kwesi was doing a great job. And Rob (Brzezinski) and our folks in there, kind of, we kind of knew we’d be right in the mix there of potentially a team either wanting to come up and maybe select a quarterback, maybe another position,” O’Connell explained, via Vikings Wire. “But we (the Vikings) also have identified some players in a cluster there at certain spots, that if one of those guys were there, it was going to take a certain amount of capital via the trade to even be thinking about moving, and we fielded some calls. We had some conversations and some good dialogue. And ultimately decided to pull the card and draft Donovan Jackson.”