NFC Notes: Sam Darnold Potential Destinations, Ben Johnson, Bears, Packers, Vikings

Packers HC Matt LaFleur spoke about how the defensive scheme of DC Jeff Hafley was able to bring the best out of DL Devonte Wyatt.

“I think he’s done a nice job. He’s been pretty productive,” LaFleur said, via Packers.com. “He’s always had the talent, and he’s finally putting it together, I’d say. That’s the expectation. You’ve got to continue to push and get better and better and better.”

“I definitely do love the system we’re in,” Wyatt noted. “I’m a lot more comfortable and I can move a lot faster. Just being aware of what’s going on in the system. … Definitely playing in this system for this first year, it gives me an advantage for next year and being in this system again.”

“Being more of a pro, being more consistent, taking care of your body a little bit more,” Wyatt said of his future goals. “I’m not saying because I’m getting older, but you’ve got to take your body seriously. So, you can be able to sustain and be in the game longer and fight through little knick-knack injuries. You saw what we did this year. Look at what we did this year. We were a top-five defense, and we finished. The guys we got here, the young guys, Quay Walker, me, some of them were banged up. … A lot of people were playing through sickness and soreness and injuries. I mean, it’s going to be wicked next year.”

Vikings

• Per Alec Lewis of The Athletic, Vikings QB Sam Darnold will likely be one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason, as most of the other quarterbacks on the market are veterans and journeymen. There is also the fact that the incoming quarterback class is seen as one of the weaker classes in recent years.
• Lewis points out several potential landing spots for Darnold, beginning with the Raiders. He points out that the Raiders have the most cap room of any team that will likely look to sign Darnold and new HC Pete Carroll has had success with veteran quarterbacks looking for a fresh start such as Geno Smith.
• One additional reason that Darnold could be attracted to the Raiders is the prospect of learning and spending time around minority owner Tom Brady.
• Another potential destination mentioned by Lewis is the Steelers, as team owner Art Rooney has noted that he prefers to have a quarterback sign a deal longer than one year. Lewis does add that the team may lack offensive talent which could see Darnold look elsewhere, as well as the fact that both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields could wind up re-signing with Pittsburgh.
• The Seahawks are another team mentioned by Lewis, yet they have a complicated cap situation and would have to clear space to sign Darnold. There is also new OC Klint Kubiak‘s familiarity with Darnold from their time together in San Francisco and some offensive talents on the team that could intrigue Darnold.
• A quarterback-needy team, the Giants, is also an option as GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll are desperate for answers at the position with their jobs most likely on the line. New York has over $40 million in cap space as things stand, yet Lewis points out that Darnold may want to join a more stable franchise if he has the option to do so.
• Finally, Lewis lists the Vikings potentially re-signing Darnold depending on how ready QB J.J. McCarthy is following a torn meniscus. Lewis also notes that the Vikings have plenty of needs on their roster and it may not make sense for them to spend a large chunk of their cap space on a new deal for Darnold.