NFC Notes: Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

Lions OC Darrell Bevell said RBs Kerryon Johnson and D’Andre Swift relinquishing carries to Adrian Peterson is not a knock against either of the younger backs. 

“It’s not anything that those guys are or aren’t doing,” Bevell said, via Michael Rothstein of ESPN. “We’re just trying to, again, accentuate their positives and put them in positions to be successful. You saw Swift. His plays were a little bit down. We want to keep those up and get him more involved. The one play he catches, he has a nice catch-and-run, looks fast, looks explosive. It’s just continuing to manage those guys and putting them in the best situations.”

As for the 35-year old Peterson, Bevell says he’s in “great shape” and still playing at a high level. 

“I’ve told you, this guy is a freak of nature now. I don’t know where that wall is or where he’s going to hit it. The guy is always asking for more,” Bevell said. “He is in great shape. He takes care of his body. He does all those little things to set himself up for that success.”

Bevell added that the Lions will continue spelling Peterson with Johnson and Swift. 

“I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but he wants [the ball], we want him to have it and we’ll just keep continuing to go there and spell him with Kerryon, spell him with Swift and kind of go from there.”

• Lions OC Darrell Bevell said that Halapoulivaati Vaitai will continue starting at right guard, while Tyrell Crosby will stay at right tackle “for the time being.” (Dave Birkett)

Packers

• Packers’ HC Matt LaFleur mentioned how rookie RB A.J. Dillon is being affected by the Packers’ depth at running back: “We’ve got to put him in the game, and I realize we have a really good situation with our running back room. We have three guys we have a lot of confidence in. It’s a good problem to have.” (Wood)
• Packers’ WR Davante Adams is desperate to make his return, but says he won’t come back until his hamstring is one hundred percent healed. (Wood)

Vikings

• The Vikings announced that they had no positive tests on Thursday and opened their facility for practice as a result. 
• Vikings’ OC Gary Kubiak told reporters that they need to get “more touches for Dalvin (Cook) somehow, someway.” (Chad Graff)