Bears
Bears WR Rome Odunze is ready for whatever HC Ben Johnson throws at him next season, even if that means throwing passes to QB Caleb Williams.
“Whatever he needs me to do in the offense, I’m going to get it done. If that’s warming my arm up, have Caleb go run routes in the offseason, I might have to do that, just to practice,” Odunze said, via PFT.
Packers
Packers DC Jeff Hafley recalled when DE Brenton Cox Jr. came into his own and started making a name for himself as someone who deserved to be on the field.
“All of a sudden, it’s like ‘Whoa, they had a tough time blocking him today,’ and the conversation becomes this guy has earned the right to play,” Hafley said, via the team’s website. “That’s our job, right? To play the guys who are improving and show us they’re getting better and bought in and help us win games.”
Cox explained what propelled him to the next and said that he’ll continue to refine his game this offseason.
“Mostly just me growing within the game, knowing the game speed and everything,” Cox said after the season. “What it takes to really beat a great offensive tackle. I’m going to work on that in the offseason, just keep it going and hopefully don’t get too high, don’t get too low.”
Cox added that he hopes to make a bigger impact and work into the team’s pass-rush rotation next season.
“I definitely will be working this offseason to improve my play in the defense,” Cox said. “Getting more into that attacking style that Coach Hafley likes and just improving my all-around game. Get stronger, faster, and more in tune with my pass rush, so I can help the team more and make those plays that we need.”
Vikings
Vikings WR Justin Jefferson thought this would be the year the team made it to the Super Bowl, yet looking forward the team will have to make a key decision on their quarterback situation if they want to make it back to the playoffs.
“There are key things that we need to do, things we need to look into, and key moves that we need to make this offseason…I don’t think it’s really drastic moves,” Jefferson said, via Pro Football Talk. “I just feel like it’s just one, two pieces here and there that we need to overcome. I feel like just dominating the way we dominated on the offensive side of the ball — we just need to do it more consistently.”
- Vikings QB Kevin O’Connell praised QB Sam Darnold in his Coach of the Year conference: “Our goal is to win a championship and Sam Darnold is going to be a huge part of it when we do it.” (Dave Birkett)
The post NFC Notes: Justin Jefferson, Rome Odunze, Bears, Packers, Vikings appeared first on NFLTradeRumors.co.