NFC Notes: T.J. Hockenson, Malik Willis, Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• Bears HC Matt Eberflus stated they gave DE Montez Sweat a rest day on Friday because of his shin injury but remained optimistic he’ll play in Week 9. (Courtney Cronin)

Packers

Packers QB Malik Willis said he hasn’t given much consideration to the possibility of him being traded.

“Not really. We’ve still got a lot of games left in this season. We’ve got a game this week against a really good opponent. I feel like that’s who we’ve got to focus on right now,” Willis said, via ProFootballTalk. 

Willis is only focused on helping Green Bay win games. 

“I’m just enjoying the ride and taking it one game at a time, one week at a time, one day at a time. That’s it,” Willis said.

Vikings

Vikings OC Wes Phillips is excited about TE T.J. Hockenson‘s return to the lineup and the matchups he can exploit from his position.

“It’s the production that he brings and the mismatch that he can create against safeties and linebackers,” Phillips said, via ESPN. “His ability to win versus match or man coverage, all those things are pretty unique for a tight end that also gives you value in the run game like he does. I think he’s a complete tight end.”

Hockenson said the medical staff has been great and he’s been wanting to go out and practice long before he was even cleared.

“You do really have to stay patient with something like this,” Hockenson said. “I’ve felt good for months now, but to actually go out there, there’s data that says nine months is the key. And so just having to wait till then, [which] has been something that’s been hard for me. I [felt] at seven that I was ready to go out there and start practicing. But that’s another thing that the [medical staff] here has done an incredible job, just being like, ‘Hey, you can’t yet, you can’t yet, it’s not smart.’ They do everything in the best interest of you as a person and not necessarily what you want to do or what you are asking to do. They do what’s best for you from science, from a standpoint of being better in years to come rather than in the past. And so it has just been incredible.“