NFC Notes: Giants, Packers, Vikings

Giants

For the first three years of his career, Giants DB Julian Love has been typecast as a versatile depth piece. He came out of Notre Dame as a cornerback and has shuttled back and forth between nickel corner and safety while with New York. But the team never seemed to view him as a potential starter and kept him buried on the depth chart, until now. Love enters 2022 penciled in as one of the starting safeties. 

“I don’t know if it’s what these past few years have done to my mindset about how I approach things, but I still feel like — despite what it seems right now — I have that chip on my shoulder,” Love said via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “I feel like my back is always against the wall. That’s just been instilled in me. I’ve really had to fight for what I’ve gotten.” 

“You never know in this league, so I’m trying to keep it where I earn what I get,” Love added. “You’ve seen that nothing was handed to me these past few years. I’m not going to lie and say that it hasn’t been tough, but I pride myself on being resilient, having a good heart and staying positive as much as I can.”

Packers

Packers DL coach Jerry Montgomery said in April that he would love to add someone who can disrupt the pocket from the interior of the defensive line.

“You’d love to add a high-level third-down pass rusher,” Montgomery said, via Packers Wire. “A little bit more twitchy of a guy that can add to the rush from the inside standpoint.”

Montgomery may have gotten his wish in rookie DL Devonte Wyatt.

“Loved his college film,” Montgomery said. “I love what he brings to the table.”

Wyatt has the quick-twitch Montgomery was looking for as well as a high motor, which falls under the intangible aspect that the team looks for on defense.

“From an athletic standpoint and twitch standpoint, he stands out. Big, athletic and plays with a high motor,” Montgomery said. “Even though we teach effort, he’s a guy you don’t have to say much to. I’m excited about that.”

Montgomery envisions Wyatt as someone that can rush the passer and play the run on first and second down.

“He can be really good on first and second down,” Montgomery said. “And he’s an inside guy that has some unique traits as a pass-rusher. Some things you can’t teach, he just naturally has. He’s got twitch…and he’s got a high motor. Just a natural high motor. Really, really good defensive line traits.”

Vikings

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell thinks that TE Irv Smith is going to be ready to go his season as he comes back from injury.

“I think for Irv, this whole spring is a great example of a player figuring out where he is coming off of his injury,” O’Connell said, via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “But also understanding that he can really get a lot out of every day knowing he’s preparing himself for when he’s 100 percent and ready to go. I know there were a lot of folks excited about him last fall before that injury. He’s going to be a major part of what we do.”

• The Vikings sent assistant director of pro scouting Chris Blanco and national scout Chisom Opara as representatives to the NFL’s front office and coaching diversity accelerator program. (Jonathan Jones)
• Former Bears scout David Williams is expected to join the Vikings’ staff as the team’s new national scout. (Neil Stratton)