NFC Notes: Justin Jefferson, Vikings, Packers Free Agents, Lions

Lions

• ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Notre Dame is hiring former Lions Director of Scouting Advancement Mike Martin as the school’s new general manager.

Packers

• Rob Demovsky of ESPN says that Packers GM Brian Gutekunst must re-sign K Brandon McManus, who made 50 of his 51 field goal and extra-point attempts through 11 games.
• “If we were able to get Brandon back, I think certainly that would make me feel very, very, very good about that [specialist] group,” Gutekunst said, via Demovsky.
• Demovksy mentions that the following players could re-sign but would likely be considered luxuries for the team: C Josh Myers, DT T.J. Slaton, and linebackers Eric Wilson and Isaiah McDuffie.
• There are three players that Demovsky says could be re-signed at a veteran minimum for 2025, including defensive backs Corey Ballentine and Robert Rochell, as well as TE Tyler Davis.
• As for CB Jaire Alexander, Gutekunst did not commit to him to return to the team next season: “I know it’s been really, really frustrating for not only him as a player but us as a club. When you have a player who’s done what he’s done for us in the past, and then not being able to get him out on the field consistently, that’s tough. You know it’s tough on the player, tough on the organization.”
• The Packers would pick up nearly $6.8 million in salary cap space for 2025 if they release Alexander or more than $17 million if they designate him as a post-June 1 cut.
• Demovsky points out that CB Eric Stokes could be looking to sign with another team along with OT Andre Dillard, who only signed a one-year deal with Green Bay last offseason.
• Another long-time Packer whose future with the team remains unclear is RB AJ Dillon, as the team may opt to invest more in third-round pick RB Marshawn Lloyd, who only played ten snaps as a rookie.
• Per Matt Zenitz, the Packers are hiring Patriots assistant Jamael Lett as a DB quality control coach.

Vikings

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson achieved a personal goal to play in all 17 games after missing seven the previous year. He was pleased to prove he can stay healthy for a full season. 

“That was definitely something that I wanted to do coming off of last year,” Jefferson said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “One, was being healthy throughout the whole entire year. And two, was just bouncing back from that previous year. … ‘What could have been’ was always going through my mind after [2023], but I wanted to come back and have another great season and win games.”

Minnesota could be transitioning at quarterback, once again, with J.J. McCarthy returning from his season-ending injury. Vikings WRs coach Keenan McCardell thinks the easiest way to help a young quarterback get acclimated is for his receivers to consistently be open. 

“Once a quarterback has been with him in practice for a while, it’ll be easy for him to say, ‘Oh, OK. I can see how much separation he needs, or doesn’t need, to get for me to consider him open.’ It makes for an easier throw,” McCardell said.

Jefferson expressed frustration after their Week 18 loss to the Lions, where he recorded just three receptions for 54 yards. Vikings OC Wes Phillips mentioned how Detroit’s defenders often grabbed Jefferson, which is something he needs to work through when officiating doesn’t go in his favor. 

“Around the league, guys who play a lot of man [coverage] like that, they teach them to grab,” Phillips said. “The good ones are pretty crafty about it, and then when they do get the call, all of them throw their hands up and say, ‘What? No way.’ I think it’s just kind of human nature, too. The refs don’t want to be throwing flags every play. And so you’re not going to get all those calls, and you just have to be mature enough to work through and keep playing football. I don’t think he lets it get to him too much. Justin is an ultimate competitor. There is going to be frustration from a guy, like his caliber of player, if he’s not getting the football and affecting the game in a way he knows he can. I think that’s totally natural and expected from our end.”