NFC Notes: Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers, Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

The Chicago Bears and HC Matt Eberflus are hoping that QB Justin Fields can take another step forward in his third season now that he has more weapons around him.

“Justin took a step in the right direction,” Eberflus said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN. “He made some dynamic plays that the whole league was talking about. “Just like our whole football team, it’s a young team, and he needs to take that next step as the rest of us do. We’re solidifying the offensive line and we’re getting the skill sets around that we need to move the ball down the field and score points and we’re excited about where we’re going.”

Eberflus thinks that the addition of WR D.J. Moore could be a factor that propels Fields in the right direction.

“His relationship with Justin is going to be huge,” Eberflus said. “They’re starting to build that already. And it’s going to be exciting to see.”

Bears GM Ryan Poles joked that when he texted Fields about the trade for Moore he was quite happy when he finally woke up.

“He woke up and he was pumped up,” Poles said, via Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. “He got to connect with DJ, and he’s fired up. I think having (Fields) in the building and seeing the progress that he made his first year and getting familiar with our system. Obviously, there’s ‘special’ in the athletic traits. We’ve seen in college his ability to use his arm, too, so I believe when all that comes together we can have something special.”

Poles went on to speak about the way the offense is shaping up ahead of next season and what weapons Fields will have at his disposal.

“The one thing I really like is, we have three different types of receivers,” Poles said. “We’ve got a guy (in Chase Claypool) who’s a big body guy that can play inside-outside. We have (Darnell) Mooney who can separate and run vertically and make plays. Then DJ is just a strong physical guy who can separate and make plays after the catch, too. I like how everything’s set up. And then you throw Cole (Kmet) in the mix, too. (Fields) has weapons. We have to continue to work up front and get better there, too.”

• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports that the Bears had made an offer to RB David Montgomery before he decided to sign with the Lions.

Packers

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes his sense is the Packers and Jets are in a good place on trade compensation for QB Aaron Rodgers but neither side is in a rush yet. 
• He calls a trade a “relative certainty” at some point before the draft, with the start of the offseason program on April 17 a softer deadline. Breer mentions that matters because he’d expect Rodgers to be a bigger part of that with the Jets than he has been in Green Bay in recent years. However, it’s not a hard and fast deadline like the draft would be. 
• Breer adds at this point the two sides are still working out what else the Jets would send the Packers in addition to a 2023 second-round pick and what sort of conditions and protections would be involved. 

Vikings

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell said their offseason plans are still “in motion” and praised the front office for clearing cap space. 

“Everything still seems to me to be a plan that is in 4motion,” O’Connell said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “There’s a lot of things that are still ongoing. Kwesi and Rob [general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski] have done a great job getting us under the salary cap, still giving us a clear-cut goal of what we want to get accomplished this offseason, but at the same time, understanding we can only control what we can and we want to push forward knowing we’ve got a chance to build on our football team.”

Vikings’ new DE Marcus Davenport said he’s still unsure of how he’ll fit into Minnesota’s system. 

“Honestly, I don’t know how I’m going to fit yet,” said Davenport. 

O’Connell said they intend on adding cornerbacks through the 2023 NFL Draft or free agency. 

“We know we need to add via through the draft or potentially through some other veterans,” O’Connell said. “We need to add some more numbers in that room.”

• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports that the Vikings made an offer to RB David Montgomery before he decided to sign with the Lions.
• Maryland CB Deonte Banks met with the Vikings at his pro day. (Tony Pauline)
• Appalachian State OLB Nick Hampton met with the Vikings at his pro day. (Tony Pauline)
• Minnesota S Jordan Howden will attend the local pro day for the Vikings. (Ryan Fowler)