NFC Rumors: Kirk Cousins, Caleb Williams, Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

• The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy reports the Lions had formal Combine interviews with LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr., South Carolina WR Xavier Legette and North Carolina WR Devontez Walker. 
• He adds Illinois DT Johnny Newton also had a formal Combine interview with Detroit. 
• Utah S Sione Vaki had a former Combine interview with the Lions. He also played some running back in college and did drills on offense during the Combine. (Tom Downey)
• BYU OT Kingsley Suamataia said he had a formal Combine interview with the Lions. (Devin Jackson)
• Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry had a formal Combine interview with the Lions. (Mike Payton)
• Toledo QB Quinyon Mitchell had a formal Combine interview with the Lions. (Aaron Wilson)
• Wake Forest S Malik Mustapha said he met with the Lions at the Combine. (Mike Payton)
• Lions LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin‘s two-year extension includes a $2.5 million signing bonus and base salaries of $1.245 million and $2.745 million. His 2024 base salary and a $500,000 roster bonus are guaranteed along with $1 million of his 2025 base salary. (Over The Cap)
• Reeves-Maybin also has up to $255,000 annually in per-game roster bonuses plus up to $500,000 in salary escalators. 

Packers

• The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman doesn’t expect the Packers to have a particularly splashy free agency. However, he notes they do have some flexibility, and if they do want to go after a big name, there are a couple of intriguing possibilities. 
• Green Bay is completely rebuilding at safety this offseason, and Giants S Xavier McKinney might be the top option after not getting franchised. Schneidman points out Packers defensive pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley was the lead recruiter for McKinney in college. 
• A more affordable option who also has ties to the coaching staff might be Rams S Jordan Fuller, per Schneidman.
• Schneidman is skeptical the Packers will dedicate big money to Giants RB Saquon Barkley if they keep veteran RB Aaron Jones on the roster, but he notes Green Bay did have some trade deadline interest in big-name running backs last season. 
• Packers GM Brian Gutekunst referenced going to Texas Tech to do homework on QB Jordan Love and Seahawks LB Jordyn Brooks, who was taken the pick after Love, so Schneidman connects some dots to note there could be interest in Brooks to reinforce Green Bay’s hole at linebacker. 
• Schneidman says Gutekunst also likes rolling the dice on former top draft picks as reclamation projects, so Panthers CB C.J. Henderson is a player to monitor as a potential Packers signing. 
• NBC’s Matthew Berry, citing sources at the NFL Combine, reports the Packers are unlikely to re-sign RB AJ Dillon. Instead, Green Bay will likely move forward with Jones and select a Day 3 prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. 
• Berry also reports the Packers will likely release OT David Bakhtiari.

Vikings

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes he believes the Vikings want to keep QB Kirk Cousins, but just like when the two sides tried to negotiate an extension last year, Minnesota’s unwillingness to guarantee multiple years is why nothing has gotten done yet. 
• Breer adds, however, that there aren’t irreconcilable differences between the two and the door remains open for Cousins to be back if things play out a certain way. He mentions no firm price tag has been set by either side yet. 
• Per Breer, Cousins is looking like he could have a strong market with teams like the Falcons, Patriots and Broncos possibly interested. Cousins is viewed as easily the best veteran quarterback available.
• Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell talked about Cousins and what could be next for the two sides: “I know Kirk is going to go through a full process. He’s a process guy. And hopefully we continue to be a strong part in that process and we figure out a way to keep him a Minnesota Viking.” (Vikings social media)
• Alec Lewis of The Athletic went through what’s being said when it comes to the Vikings’ offseason plans. Lewis begins with Cousins and mentions his future remains uncertain. Lewis brings up Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Washington as potential suitors for Cousins if he leaves Minnesota, but none have expressed outward interest.
• Lewis says the Vikings do want Cousins back, but it has to be “on their terms” at the right price point.
• When it comes to quarterbacks in the draft, Lewis talks about Minnesota’s early interest in LSU QB Jayden Daniels. Lewis noted the Vikings “were one of the earliest teams” to express interest in Daniels, but they would have to be willing to move up to get him.
• Lewis adds the decision to move on from RB Alexander Mattison shows the team’s ideology about the value of the RB position. Lewis believes the Vikings will feature RB Ty Chandler in 2024, but he mentions they will also likely look to add a running back in free agency or the draft.
• With Minnesota needing anywhere from six to eight new starters on defense, Lewis expects them to “allocate most of their nine draft picks” to the defense. Lewis believes the defense will also see most of the spending outside of the QB position and extensions.
• Lewis expects the Vikings to lose OLB Danielle Hunter since another team could pay him more than $20 million per season. He adds OLB D.J. Wonnum could also have a stronger market than the Vikings can compete with, too. 
• Lewis mentions the Vikings will likely explore different options and allow K Greg Joseph to leave in free agency. 
• He also mentioned a team source thought aloud about the possibility of having $100 million in cap space in 2025 even budgeting for some extensions, so the team is already thinking ahead in some ways past this season. 
• Northern Iowa DT Khristian Boyd will have a 30 visit with the Vikings in the second week of April. (Darren Wolfson)