NFC Notes: Packers, Rams, Saints

Packers

During the offseason, the Packers traded for former second-round QB DeShone Kizer to compete with Brett Hundley this summer for the backup job.

Kizer’s one year with the Browns had plenty of ups and downs, but he says he views this season as an opportunity to learn from one of the best in Aaron Rodgers.

“This is an opportunity now to see it from a player’s perspective, a guy who’s been in here and experienced success within this league, and do whatever I can to find the intricacies within the game that I can develop myself,” Kizer said, via Packers.com. “… Discipline is everything. I mean, every time the guy takes a rep, every time he takes his drop, it’s the exact same way. If you go back and watch my film, you can see that I was adjusting things throughout the year. Obviously that comes with time.”

Rams

• Tom Pelissero reports that the Rams do not expect to have DT Aaron Donald back with the team until there’s a resolution in place regarding his contract status.
• Pelissero says that Donald is simply too important to the Rams and their defense to get something done and risk the possibility of him holding out into the regular season.
• Of course, Pelissero adds that Donald is expected to be the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL history when all is said and done.

Saints

Both Saints HC Sean Payton and QBs coach Joe Lombardi spoke highly of QB Taysom Hill on Thursday.

“He looks good,” Payton said of Hill, via the Advocate. “We like where he is at. He is grinding and working hard. You guys saw [him make] a play today. When he does get outside the pocket, he can run, real fast. That presents a new challenge for the defense.”

“Every great quarterback has to have a way of making a play when the play call isn’t perfect,” Lombardi said. “Someone’s not open right away, or the pressure gets to you, and you have certain guys like Tom Brady or Drew, they do it by finding these creative throws or getting the ball out so quick and having that sixth sense of where to go with the ball. Other guys get away from the rush, and they get outside the pocket, and they create. You see Aaron Rodgers and those kind of guys make plays that way. Just the ability to avoid the rush. The guy runs a sub-4.5 40, and he’s strong — he might be the strongest guy on the team.”