NFC Notes: Jared Goff, Aaron Jones, Bears, Lions, Vikings

Bears

Bears TE Cole Kmet had high praise of veteran TE Gerald Everett and hopes to provide a solid “1-2 punch” with him. 

“[Everett] is really familiar with the offense and with Shane, going back to L.A.,” Kmet said, via Larry Mayer of the team’s site. “He’s a good pass-catching tight end, very athletic, good at yards per catch. We’re looking forward to getting to work with him and play with him. That should be a good 1-2 punch at tight end.”

Kmet called Everett a “relentless” type of player who brings physicality to their offense. 

“He’s a relentless player in that regard,” Kmet said. “He’s tough to bring down, and that brings a lot of juice to an offense when guys do that. That’s something that I try to predicate my game on as well is being tough to bring down and being physical with the ball in my hands, and he does that well. He’s also a very explosive athlete.”

As for RB D’Andre Swift joining their offense, Kmet thinks they added an explosive player who is familiar with their outside zone scheme. 

“He can really do everything,” Kmet said. “He’s able to be an explosive back in the pass game and in the run game as well and is familiar with that outside zone scheme. That should bode really well for us. He should be a good plug-and-play back who frees everyone up. When you’ve got a running back that can come out of the backfield and run choice routes and option routes and all those things, that can be really beneficial to an offense.”

• Texas Tech S Dadrion Tayler-Demerson is taking an official visit with the Bears. (Tom Pelissero)
• Kansas DE Austin Booker took an official visit with the Bears. (Ryan Brandell)
• Aaron Wilson reports the Bears hosted Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott for a pre-draft visit. 

Lions

• Lions QB Jared Goff on contract talks and if he expects to get a deal done: “There’s been discussions, but I’ll leave it at that… I love it here and would love to be here a long time.” (Colton Pouncy)
• Detroit OT Taylor Decker said he’s had preliminary discussions about a new contract but nothing substantial yet: “There’s just a lot of variables in play, but it’s not something I think will be an issue.” (Pouncy)
• Decker also mentioned he had foot and ankle surgery this offseason, and he started his workouts again on February 15th. (Eric Woodyard)

Vikings

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell believes that 29-year-old RB Aaron Jones can change the running back room in Minnesota due to his toughness and personality. 

“[We’re] pretty darn excited to have Aaron [as] part of our team,” O’Connell said during a press conference. “We’ve felt, from the opposite sideline, his impact on games. I just know what he’s been a part of as an offensive weapon in the run game and also the pass game is something that has always drawn me to him. Then you’ll learn more about him, you meet him, the toughness, the intangibles. He’s got that building-changer-type quality to him. So, I’m really excited to see him and Ty [Chandler] and the rest of our running backs go to work this offseason and really start building up what we’re gonna be as an offense.”

• O’Connell is hopeful to have Justin Jefferson at practice after the receiver missed the first day of voluntary workouts as he demands a new contract: “I’ve had a lot of great dialogue with Justin. My hope is we can get him around the team. [We] want him here as much as we can have him. But also understand there’s a lot of factors involved.” (SKOR North)