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 heโ€™ll play in Week 9. (Courtney Cronin)

Packers

Packers QB Malik Willis said he hasnโ€™t given much consideration to the possibility of him being traded.

โ€œNot really. Weโ€™ve still got a lot of games left in this season. Weโ€™ve got a game this week against a really good opponent. I feel like thatโ€™s who weโ€™ve got to focus on right now,โ€ Willis said, via ProFootballTalk

Willis is only focused on helping Green Bay win games. 

โ€œIโ€™m just enjoying the ride and taking it one game at a time, one week at a time, one day at a time. Thatโ€™s it,โ€ Willis said.

Vikings

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

โ€œItโ€™s the production that he brings and the mismatch that he can create against safeties and linebackers,โ€ Phillips said, via ESPN. โ€œHis 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 heโ€™s a complete tight end.โ€

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

โ€œYou do really have to stay patient with something like this,โ€ Hockenson said. โ€œIโ€™ve felt good for months now, but to actually go out there, thereโ€™s data that says nine months is the key. And so just having to wait till then, [which] has been something thatโ€™s been hard for me. I [felt] at seven that I was ready to go out there and start practicing. But thatโ€™s another thing that the [medical staff] here has done an incredible job, just being like, โ€˜Hey, you canโ€™t yet, you canโ€™t yet, itโ€™s not smart.โ€™ 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 whatโ€™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.โ€œ

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