NFC Notes: Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

New Lions’ HC Dan Campbell says that selling his new regime to fans in Detroit is going to be tough for himself and his staff.

“You’re right, it is a hard sell,” Campbell told Chris Burke of The Athletic. “But all I know is, man, I think we do ourselves a disservice and we do the fan base a disservice if we say we’re going all in, right now. Because you know what happens? You’re going to stink in Year 2, Year 3. You’re not going to sustain. We want to build a consistent winner so that every year we are in a position to win the NFC North. There’s one way to do that: You have to build this from the ground up, and it’s gotta come from the draft.”

Campbell explained that he wants to win right now as well but is still asking the fanbase for a little trust and patience headed into the 2021 season.

“Of course I want to win now,” Campbell said. “Who doesn’t want to win now? And we’ll do whatever we can to win now, but not to sacrifice what we can become long-term. I look at things two years out — I don’t look at them right now. I want to know where we can be two years from now, even possibly three years from now. I know that’s crazy in this business, but if you want to have long-term success, something you can sustain, something where we can create a winner here in the North for a long period of time, you have to build it properly. You have to have building blocks. You have to have a core.”

• Josina Anderson reports that the Detroit Lions have interest in re-signing impending free-agent LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, and wonders if the team will end up reaching a deal with him before he hits the market.
• Nebraska OL Brenden Jaimes made 40 consecutive starts and met in person with every team at the Senior Bowl, yet he is still scheduled to meet virtually with the Lions. (Justin Melo)

Packers

• Nebraska OL Brenden Jaimes made 40 consecutive starts and met in person with every team at the Senior Bowl, yet he is still scheduled to meet virtually with the Packers. (Justin Melo)
• The Packers had a virtual predraft meeting with UCLA RB/WR Demetric Felton. (Justin Melo)   

Vikings

• Arif Hasan of The Athletic names some offensive linemen the Vikings could target in free agency after moving on from T Riley Reiff, including G Kevin Zeitler, G Brian Winters, C David Andrews, and C Austin Blythe.
• Chad Graff thinks the team could bring in Zeitler as their starter at right guard, and at left guard, target someone like Chargers’ G Forrest Lamp. He also adds that the team could bring back G Nick Easton as their starter on the left side.
• Jason Fitzgerald predicts that if Vikings’ LB Anthony Barr does indeed hit the open market this offseason, he will likely only command about half of his current salary which is $12.9 million. (Chris Tomasson)
• Vikings’ GM Rick Spielman said that more contract restructures could becoming this offseason: “We’ll look at some restructures, and we don’t want to lose too many guys, but you’ve got to be careful. I don’t know where the potential salary cap is going to be next year.’’ (Tomasson)