NFC Notes: Rome Odunze, Jordan Love, Bears, Packers

Bears

Mike Sando of The Athletic cites an anonymous NFL executive who thinks the Bears made the right choice at No. 8 to select WR Rome Odunze given the current market at receiver. 

“Chicago already (has) tackles, so to take a lineman in the top 10 who is going to start out at guard versus a receiver who is clean as a whistle, a proven playmaker at a position that has gone up into the $32 million range, I would have gone with Odunze as well,” one executive said.

Another executive believes it may have been more beneficial to draft an offensive lineman instead of adding weapons around Caleb Williams, given players like Keenan Allen expect accurate timing on passes. 

“If you hold the football in college, you’re not all of a sudden learning how to get rid of it on time in the pros,” an executive said. “They are surrounding this quarterback with weapons, thinking that he can go through progressions and distribute the football on time, and that is not his game. You traded for a veteran receiver (Keenan Allen) who is used to catching passes from Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert. He is going to be frustrated if his young quarterback does not operate on time.”

One more executive feels they should’ve traded down from No. 8 for an edge rusher to play opposite Montez Sweat. 

“I would have traded back,” another exec said. “The idea of taking the third-best receiver, unless he was rated as their top receiver, I don’t like that when I could trade back and get the best defensive player to fill a hole at three-technique or a hole opposite Montez Sweat. They could have a harder time than you think outscoring people unless Caleb starts out really strong.”

Jordan Love

Raiders WR Davante Adams doesn’t regret asking for a trade from Green Bay but said that he is proud of how QB Jordan Love has performed recently.

“In hindsight, like we talked about, the kid is a f-cking baller, man. I’m so happy for him,” Adams said, via PFT. “I haven’t had the chance to truly sit down and talk with him, but I want to tell him at some point ‘I definitely don’t regret changing, but I’m super proud of what you’ve done. If there was a way I could pull you over here and drag you with me that would have been cool too.’ Because, obviously, we saw what he did at the end of the year. I don’t regret what I did, but, at the same time, it’s definitely you look back on it like ‘damn that boy kind of balling right now.’”

Packers

Packers seventh-round CB Kalen King called being a late selection a “blessing and a curse,” given he’s grateful to be drafted but eager to prove he’s worth more than where he went. 

“Today was honestly, I feel like this whole experience definitely was one of the toughest things I’ve mentally had to endure in my life, but I felt like today was a blessing and curse,” King said, via PackersWire. “Even though I didn’t get drafted where I wanted to, I felt like God made the right choice for me. Every decision and everything happens for a reason. I feel like I’m in a place where I’m supposed to be and I’m happy I got my named called.”