NFC Notes: Packers, Redskins, Vikings

Packers

Green Bay OC Nathaniel Hackett says the new system won’t be a “start-over” for QB Aaron Rodgers.  

“A lot of the same concepts kind of cross over,” Hackett said via PackersNews.com.  “I think just kind of the emphasis on some of the things that we want to do will be different.  When you take a guy like Aaron Rodgers who’s a very good football player, he’s kind of one of those guys that you can kind of pretty much do a lot of everything.”

Redskins

Redskins RB Derrius Guice says despite infections that set his rehab back two months, he’s recovering well from a torn ACL suffered in the 2018 preseason.  

“We’re right there,” Guice said via NBC Washington’s Peter Hailey. “We don’t even talk about timelines, we just take it week to week. I’m still strong as an ox. We’re getting it back.”

Guice said in a post on the team website that he had to restart his rehab in December following extra surgeries due to infections following his first ACL surgery.  He wasn’t able to work out and had to catch up to his original timeline once he was cleared. 

“I had to play catch-up, so I had to work a lot harder and spend a lot more hours here, getting rehab in the weight room, catching up on my running and stuff,” Guice said. “It was tough, when I already started over in August, and then I had to start over again in December. It was kind of like, what’s going on?” 

Guice says he can now sprint full speed in a straight line, and has tweeted videos that support that.  Guice is not doing lateral movements at full speed yet and is focusing on building up his legs, hoping to be ready for the start of training camp in five months. 

• With $24 million tied up in the contracts for QBs Alex Smith and Colt McCoy, JP Finlay writes that the Redskins aren’t expected to pursue Broncos QB Case Keenum. 
• Instead, Finlay expects Washington to be one of the teams pursuing New Orleans QB Teddy Bridgewater, who had a cap hit of only $3 million last season. 

Vikings

Blake Baratz, the agent for Vikings WR Adam Thielen was asked about a potential contract extension for his client.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that everyone will come around and do the right thing…everyone understands the situation…it’s really in their court…he’s earned a significant pay raise,” Baratz said, per Courtney Cronin. “We’re all hopeful that it’ll get done.”