NFC Notes: Kirk Cousins, Jordan Love, Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

Bears OC Luke Getsy said the team doesn’t want to take away QB Justin Fields‘ legs moving forward.

“Most of that is a natural thing once you’re in the moment, but decision-making, we’re working on every single day,” Getsy said, via Bears Wire. “Timing and rhythm we’re working on every single day. And lastly, the situation that you’re in. Putting that all together, you’re just increasing the football IQ so you know better when to take those opportunities and when not to, because there are plenty of times on film that he shouldn’t do it, and even though it worked out for us, in the long run, there’s a better decision. There’s a better way.”

Getsy added that the team won’t dissuade Fields to run if his instincts tell him to do so.

“There’s times I can coach and say, ‘You should do this,’ but then his instincts tell him to do something and we have to trust that, too,” Getsy said. “I by no means will make that guy robotic. I don’t believe in doing that with any player. But there’s a way to refine it all and improve our decision-making and trusting our timing and rhythm and we’ll take it from there.”

• ESPN’s Courtney Cronin says that although there’s mutual interest between the Bears and CB Jaylon Johnson on an extension, Johnson has just one interception in three seasons so far, which might affect how much Chicago is willing to spend. 
• Bears HC Matt Eberflus says WR Chase Claypool is “dealing with a few things.” (Brad Biggs)
• Claypool has been sidelined for a few weeks and has been working with the trainers.

Packers

The way things ended between the Packers and QB Aaron Rodgers is still in the news, but at this point the team is looking ahead to the future with QB Jordan Love. He has big shoes to fill replacing Rodgers and it doesn’t help inspire confidence that the last time he started a game in 2021 against the Chiefs he had a poor outing. Gutekunst said that wasn’t necessarily Love’s fault and they liked the way he responded. There’s no getting around that Love is entering the 2023 season as largely an unknown, however. 

“We didn’t have a great plan for him there,” Gutekunst said via the Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. “I thought the way he responded to that, the way he handled himself in the midst of that chaos in a tough time … I think it gave us confidence that he could stay poised in those moments.”

“Until you get into that fire and you go through a bunch of different games and you see a bunch of different looks and you fail and then have a bunch of those scars and overcome them, you’re never really gonna know,” Gutekunst added. “But I think we all took a lot of confidence just with how he grew the last year and a half.”

• Packers HC Matt LaFleur said they want to keep just three quarterbacks on their offseason roster in order to get Love more reps: “I just think it’s really, really difficult to get four guys the amount of reps that you need to do,” per Ryan Wood. 

Vikings

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins isn’t expecting to meet with the team regarding a contract extension until he becomes a free agent in March.

“I think we’ll probably talk about the contract next March,” Cousins said, via ESPN. “Until then, [we’ll] just focus on this season and the job to do right now.”

Cousins wants to finish his career in Minnesota, but added that he wants to earn the opportunity to do so.

“In this league, there should never be entitlement,” Cousins said. “You’ve always got to go play, and teams can do whatever they want to do. That’s their prerogative. You just go to work. You do the best you can. I’m encouraged and excited because I do feel like I’ve got a lot of good football ahead of me.”

Cousins added that he hopes the team can bring RB Dalvin Cook back, but added he’ll support him wherever he goes.

“I’m excited to see where he goes,” Cousins said. “I’ll always be pulling for him and I’m kind of optimistically hoping maybe we get him back. Who knows. Maybe there is an outside chance. We’ll see.“