NFC Notes: Giants, Packers, Vikings

Giants

• James Kratch of NJ.com doesn’t expect the Giants to G Justin Pugh to an extension and instead believes the team will have to sign him to a new deal during free agency or use their franchise tag on him next year. As for the kind of salary Pugh could get next year, Kratch suggests the $9.5 million the Lions are paying to T.J. Lang with guarantees coming in between $25-$31 million.
• Kratch considers C Weston Richburg to be a more likely candidate to reach an extension before free agency than Push and could see him targeting a similar contract to Falcons C Alex Mack, who got a five-year $45 million deal with $28.5 million.
• Several months ago, Giants RB Shane Vereen agreed to a pay cut after he suffered multiple triceps tears last year. A strong 2017 season could give Vereen another shot at a market-value contract and Kratch tosses out Patriots RB James White‘s three-year deal worth up to $12 million as a possible comp for Vereen.
• Kratch mentions LB Devon Kennard as an interesting player to watch this year, given that a strong season could set him up for a solid pay day next March with Bears LB Danny Trevathan‘s four-year, $24.5 million deal with $12 million guaranteed being a comparable deal.

Packers

Packers president Mark Murphy told Rob Demovsky Wednesday that director of player development Rob Davis has left the organization.

“We’re in the search,” Murphy said. “We hated to lose Rob, but [it is] a special opportunity for him.”

Vikings

Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph spoke highly of QB Teddy Bridgewater and his return from a devasting knee injury that he suffered nearly a year ago.

“He’s unbelievable,” Rudolph said from his youth camp, via Tim Yotter of Viking Update.  With the way that he works each and every day, I don’t think people realize what it’s like when the end is not near,” Rudolph said Monday. “I’ve been through a lot of surgeries. Every surgery I’ve had has been three to six months rehab and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“When you have an injury as devastating and severe as his, you know there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but you know it’s way down the road. The way that he continues to work each and every day – and he doesn’t care that it’s going to take waking up and doing the same thing over and over and over again to get him back to where he was – I think you see that with him right now.”