Bears

Bears GM Ryan Poles explained why the team didn’t make a splash in free-agency along the defensive line and said that they have to be cognizant of not only the present, but the future as well.

“I’ve mentioned this over the years, constantly just looking at short term, long term, what’s going to help this football team now?” Poles said, via Bears Wire. “But also, being conscious of what’s going to happen down the road. We want to sustain success. We’ve talked about that a lot. In order to do that, we have to be very casual with moves that we make. When we were looking through different situations, we took that into account and we felt like sticking with our plan going into free agency that’s what was best for us to do.”

Lions

Lions LB Damone Clark referred back to his time at LSU when DC Kelvin Sheppard was on the staff as a defensive assistant and said that he would always provide pointers to the linebacker group even though it wasn’t his assignment.

“He was a guy that would give us coaching points,” Clark said of his and Sheppard’s time together at LSU back in 2020, via the team’s website. “He wasn’t the linebacker coach, but he still went outside of his job helping the linebackers in whatever way he could.”

A big reason why Clark chose Detroit is the opportunity to continue to grow under Sheppard.

“You see guys that Shep has coached and developed. Like, who wouldn’t want that to be them?” Clark said. “Just to get that opportunity to get that coaching and you going out on Sundays and you’re out there flying around and making plays. That’s honestly what it’s all about. Coaches, they’re going to do their part and we have to do our part.”

Clark is willing to do the dirty work and said that if his role to contribute is on special teams he is happy to do so.

“Anything for me to help my team get the victory,” Clark said of what role he might have in Detroit. “Obviously, everyone wants to play on defense, but that comes with your role. My role last year, it decreased on the defensive side, but it increased on the special teams side, and that’s OK. You have to make the most of every opportunity and you got to put that on the forefront of your mind.”

Vikings

• Oregon G Emmanuel Pregnon met with the Vikings at his pro day. (Tony Pauline)
• Ole Miss DT Zxavian Harris met with the Vikings at his pro day. They’ll also have a private workout with OL Jayden Williams. (Tony Pauline)
• South Carolina DB Jalon Kilgore met privately with the Vikings before his pro day. (Tony Pauline)
• South Carolina RB Rahsul Faison also met privately with the Vikings. (Tony Pauline)