NFC Notes: Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

Bears fifth-round OL Braxton Jones has worked closely with LG Cody Whitehair during the final week of minicamp and has put in the work to emerge as a competitor at left tackle.

“I think they’ve been harder on me, and I like it like that,” Jones said, via BearsWire.com. “Even going against a guy like Cody Whitehair, he’s hard on me. Every play, he’s like c’mon, you’ve got to get off the ball, you’ve got to do this, and so I think it’s great for me, and then getting on me a little bit more is something I need. The respect is there, but also I think the level of ‘let’s go’ is there as well. I know I’m a fifth-round draft pick and everything like that, but I was drafted for a reason, and I think I’m here for a reason, and that’s the biggest thing. It’s going to be a process for sure. It’s just taking it day-by-day and getting 1% better every day.”

Packers

Packers RB coach Ben Sirmans believes the team will put RB AJ Dillon in a position to produce more explosive runs this coming season.

“He’s got that type of ability. He can make you miss in the open field. You think about the plays like the Chicago run that he had,” Sirmans said, via Packers Wire. “He’s faster than what most people think. He’s got the ability to put a little juke on you, even for a guy his size. So really it’s just putting all those facets to his game and putting them together. I do think he’ll have more explosive runs this year.”

Vikings

• Doug Kyed of ProFootballFocus thinks free-agent LB Alexander Johnson would be a great fit for the Vikings’ system given he was highly productive under new DC Ed Donatell while with the Broncos.