NFC Notes: Justin Fields, Kirk Cousins, Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

With the potential of taking a quarterback at number one overall in the draft this year, the Bears could be going through a large culture change regarding their signal caller in 2024. QB Justin Fields has been the focal point of the offensive improvement over the last few years which has turned him into a big part of the locker room.

“We know the business that we’re in,” Bears CB Jaylon Johnson said, via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “So I feel like it wouldn’t be mature of us as a locker room not to rally together in spite of having Justin leave.”

“I know what it would do to keep him here. I know how we would feel with him here. We’ll all have our opinions, our emotions, but as far as the locker room staying together, I think we have the right guys in the locker room to keep everything together, to keep us together.”

• The Chicago Bears were scheduled to host DE D.J. Wonnum for a visit on Friday before he signed with Carolina. (Jeremy Fowler)

Packers

The Green Bay Packers officially hired the following assistants to their coaching staff:

1. Strength and conditioning coordinator Aaron Hill
2. Passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley
3. Linebackers coach and running game coordinator Anthony Campanile
4. Defensive assistant Sean Duggan
5. Offensive line assistant Eddie Gordon
6. Strenght and conditioning assistant Marcus Jones
7. Offensive assistant Sean Mannion
8. Defensive line assistant Vince Oghobaase
9. Defensive quality control coach Anthony Perkins
10. Stength and conditioning minority fellowship Ben Schumacher
11. Coaching assistant Myles White
12. Wide receivers coach Ryan Mahaffey 
13. Defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich

Vikings

• According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Minnesota made new Falcons QB Kirk Cousins an offer for multiple years that included guaranteed money in the second year. 
• Russini adds Atlanta “exceeded how far Minnesota was willing to go” with future security and the Vikings will shift toward the future.
• Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah isn’t committing to taking a QB in the draft despite the departure of Cousins: “We have the flexibility to go either way.” (Kevin Seifert)
• Minnesota HC Kevin O’Connell talked about the “complete alignment” the organization had when it came to Cousins that led to his decision to leave: “The right thing moving forward for our team is where we are today.” (Seifert)
• O’Connell continued: “As much as I would have maybe liked to have Kirk here, the right thing moving forward for our team is where we are today.” (Seifert)