NFC Notes: Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, Justin Fields, Bears, Lions, Vikings

Melifonwu also noted that he worked hard as a blitzer and pass rusher after incorporating it into his game.

“I blitzed one time in college. I had a sack on my one blitz in college,” Melifonwu added. “I think it was just my size and athletic ability and then I learned to use my hands this season. Meeting with (defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) AG he would explain the blitzes to me like, ‘We are showing down here, they got to slide this way, you are going to come free.’ He would explain blitzes to me so I would really trust it. Then it was just timing it up and working on my disguise.”

Vikings

• Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who grew up rooting for the Vikings, spent some time around some key figures with the team during Super Bowl week and gleaned some insights for what will be a big offseason. He interviewed both QB Kirk Cousins and WR K.J. Osborn and says based on what he heard on and off the record, the Vikings aren’t going about things the right way if they want to keep Cousins from leaving in free agency. 
• Florio notes it seems like the Vikings want to assess what other teams are willing to pay Cousins before seriously crafting an offer to his camp. He adds it’s also possible they don’t want him back but don’t want it to look like they sent him packing. 
• He adds this has opened the door for another team to potentially woo Cousins and make him feel more wanted. Florio points out Cousins’ wife is from the Atlanta area and her parents live there. The Falcons have a huge need at quarterback, a lot of cap space and will run a similar offense to Minnesota. 
• In a separate radio interview with 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, Florio said the Falcons and the Steelers are two teams Cousins’ camp is keeping an eye on as potential alternatives to the Vikings. He added: “I was talking to some people last week who seem to be intrigued by the possibility of the Steelers making a play for Kirk Cousins. And those people were very close to if not within the Kirk Cousins camp.”
• Florio did another radio interview with KFAN’s Paul Allen and discussed contract talks with WR Justin Jefferson. Florio told Allen that ownership policy about guarantees not going past the first year of the contract for non-quarterbacks has prevented the two sides from reaching an agreement. 
• Said Florio: “They are playing with fire here on multiple fronts between Justin Jefferson, whose patience is eventually going to run out…The Vikings are one of the few teams that will not fully guarantee beyond the first year of the contract for anyone other than Kirk Cousins. If you’re not going to make that same exception for Justin Jefferson, you are going to have a problem with Justin Jefferson eventually.”