NFC Notes: Jordan Addison, Rome Odunze, Bears, Lions, Vikings

Bears

Bears ST coordinator Richard Hightower said rookie WR Rome Odunze may be the team’s punt returner.

“Rome is an every-down player. Rome’s a first-down player, a second-down player, a third-down player and a fourth-down player,” Hightower said, via PFT. “He had three returns on the books and one of those three returns was a house call.”

Hightower is keeping his cards close to his chest.

“I would never discuss that in the open,” he said. “He’s in contention, just like everybody else. Best man will win, cream rises to the top.”

Lions

Lions HC Dan Campbell said sacks aren’t a huge deal so long as the team is creating pressure.

“We watched a couple of clips this morning in front of the team,” Campbell said, via PFT. “Quarterback is wanting to step up. He can’t step up, the throw is high. He’s flipping to his right, and he can’t get his hips around. Throw a pick. These things that end up in negative plays as incomplete, as turnovers, whatever, I’ll take those all day long.”

Vikings

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell has been impressed by WR Jordan Addison going into the second year of his career and thinks he’s shown “real growth” this offseason. 

“Jordan Addison had as good of an offseason program as really you can ask for,” O’Connell said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “[He is] a guy that had a ton of success in Year 1. And really, from a standpoint of getting a little stronger, getting a little bit more comfortable playing through contact and still playing with that great burst and transition that he has, you saw some real growth there [this spring].”

Addison mentioned he didn’t feel totally confident in his releases as a rookie and needed to be more decisive when approaching the line of scrimmage. 

“(I’ve) taken my game to the next level in one year,” Addison said. “Last year I wasn’t as confident in my releases. I wasn’t being decisive. I didn’t have a plan when I was coming up to the line. I was just freelancing trying to make something work.”