NFC Notes: Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

Lions HC Dan Campbell said second-round DT Levi Onwuzurike (back) is working with the teamโ€™s training staff and is hopeful his injury isnโ€™t a long-term issue.

โ€œLook, youโ€™re always going to have some type of concern, but I would say, man, heโ€™s young, heโ€™s hungry, he works,โ€ Campbell said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. โ€œI think weโ€™ve got good people around him to help him. I think that we know what weโ€™re looking at now cause weโ€™ve sent him to a couple of places and I think heโ€™ll be just fine. I think, like, you canโ€™t worry about it. I think heโ€™ll be OK, and thatโ€™s what we wanted clarity on. We think this will be fine and weโ€™re ready to put him back into practice next week and let him go.โ€

Campbell added that they plan on increasing Onwuzurikeโ€™s reps in practice next week. 

โ€œAnd everything seems to be good and so we just chose to, letโ€™s really think about rehab, strengthening, things of that nature this week and then letโ€™s get him fired up next week,โ€ Campbell said. โ€œSo youโ€™ll see him next week is the plan.โ€

Campbell mentioned that they sent him to an independent back specialist, but acknowledged that there is โ€œstill timeโ€ for the rookie to get prepared for the regular season. 

โ€œThereโ€™s still time,โ€ Campbell said. โ€œThereโ€™s still time to get in there and heโ€™ll continue to grow as the season goes. But we want him to develop, we want him to come along. Thatโ€™s the reason we drafted him, but also, I donโ€™t want this to be like weโ€™re in a hurry to do something that heโ€™s not ready for, either. Like, weโ€™ll take this as it comes cause heโ€™s willing to put in the work. Itโ€™s nothing like that. I mean, heโ€™s hungry. Heโ€™s mad at us that we sent him to somewhere else. He wants to practice, man. And you love that about him. But also, hey, letโ€™s take it as it comes and when heโ€™s ready, heโ€™s ready. If heโ€™s not, heโ€™s not. Thatโ€™s all right, too, right now.โ€

  • Campbell said TE T.J. Hockenson and DE Daโ€™Shawn Hand are dealing with โ€œminor injuresโ€ and were held out from Wednesdayโ€™s practice as a precautionary measure. (Eric Woodyard)
  • Regarding Hockenson, Cambell is confident heโ€™ll be fine: โ€œWe feel like heโ€™s gonna be fine, but yet want to make sure weโ€™re taking care him, too.โ€ 
  • Lionsโ€™ new CB Nickell Robey-Coleman said he passed on several teams like the Texans, Cardinals, Falcons, and Seahawks before signing with Detroit: โ€œI had about 6 or 7 teams calling in to check on me. When I came here, the people was the right people to go with so I took my talents here.โ€ (Eric Woodyard)

Packers

  • Packers HC Matt LaFleur had high praise of TE Josiah Deguaraโ€˜s performance in training camp: โ€œDeguara looks fantastic. It looks like he picked up right where he left off โ€ฆ heโ€™s such a savvy, smart football player.โ€ (Matt Schneidman)
  • Deguara recalled how he sustained a torn ACL after getting rolled up on in October of last year: โ€œYou get rolled up on a thousand times in this game โ€” and Iโ€™ve been rolled up on a thousand times in my career โ€” and itโ€™s just something that happened.โ€ (Ryan Wood)
  • Aaron Wilson reports the Packers worked out WR Dominique Martin.

Vikings

  • Vikings WRs coach Keenan McCardell said the competition for the teamโ€™s Nop. 3 receiver role is โ€œgoing wellโ€ between K.J. Osborn and Chad Beebe: โ€œItโ€™s going well. I think everybodyโ€™s up to it.โ€ (Chris Tomasson)
  • McCardell points out that new WR Dede Westbrook is still learning their system and working his way back from a torn ACL: โ€œHeโ€™s learning. New system for him. Guys are helping him.โ€ (Chris Tomasson)
  • McCardell added that he expects Westbrook to be a part of their offense: โ€œI know what to expect [from him]. โ€ฆ Whenever itโ€™s time for him to get on the field, I think heโ€™ll get on the field and show people that he can play. Heโ€™s going to be a guy that can help us.โ€ (Andrew Krammer)
  • Vikings HC Mike Zimmer said rookie QB Kellen Mond was a bit โ€œrustyโ€ after returning from the COVID-19 list: โ€œLittle slow with his reads, I thought. We had the 2-minute drill, and he was kind of, and I know it was just kind of a walk-through thing, but he needs to speed up the tempo a little bit.โ€ (Andrew Krammer)
  • Vikings G Dakota Dozier thinks his competition with Oli Udoh for the starting right guard role will bring out the best in both players: โ€œOli and I are getting after it. Every day we have an opportunity and we go out there and make the best of it. Competition is great. Makes you better.โ€ (Chris Tomasson)

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