NFC Notes: J.J. McCarthy, Aidan Hutchinson, Bears, Lions, Vikings

Bears

Bears LB Ruben Hyppolite spoke about the thoughts that he was drafted too high by Chicago, given that he was seen as a seventh-round pick or even an undrafted free agent by some teams.

“Misery loves company,” Hyppolite said, via Courtney Cronin. “It’s a lot of people who didn’t know what I had to go through to get this opportunity. Just look at my story: not going to the Combine, not going to the Senior Bowl, Shrine Bowl. I had the Hula Bowl, which I give a lot of credit to Nick Logan for trusting in me to play in that game. But just that and then I called the NFS twice to see if I had a Combine invite. They said no, so just going through that. And then going through training the whole Combine season, just chopping wood, carrying water and going through it every day. Then having my one opportunity at Pro Day, doing that, and then I went on like 15 visits. Took like 30 flights in two weeks, just back and forth across the country, you know, doing my meetings and stuff like that.

“All of that is just a culmination of me getting my opportunity now. I definitely don’t take it for granted. I’m very grateful for everybody upstairs for believing in me and my ability. Now it’s time for me to put it together and just– I just love my story for anyone who’s out there who thinks that they need things like the Combine, things like a Senior Bowl invite– who think that they need those things to get drafted. You don’t. You just gotta put your best foot forward. You gotta run fast [laughs]. And you’ve just gotta be your best self every day, and I feel like I’m showing that. I’ve got a lot of messages, a lot of love, a lot of hate too, but that’s what comes with it, so I’m all for it.”

Lions

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes the Lions’ history of being aggressive with extensions suggests they could move quickly on an extension for DE Aidan Hutchinson this summer. He adds that deal should be in the range of $40-plus million a year. 
• Breer mentions the Lions double-checked things after Hutchinson’s broken leg last year marked the second major bone break of his career but didn’t find any predispositions for concern. 

Vikings

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy is entering the season as Minnesota’s presumptive starter after missing his entire rookie season. Minnesota HC Kevin O’Connell called McCarthy an “energy igniter” of their team and he’s entering 2025 with a strong state of mind. 

“You know, not just for J.J., but you guys know this — he’s an energy igniter of the whole building. And I think he’s come back with a purpose and a mindset,” O’Connell, via Lindsey Young of the team’s site. “I know this is kind of your guys’ first time seeing him, but he’s been here and spent some time here during Phase 2 [of OTAs], just when we’re pitching and catching. You hear his voice, you hear his interaction with teammates, and they just carry such a long way.”

O’Connell added that McCarthy is a team captain and is setting the tone in their offseason program. 

“He and I have had a lot of conversations about his role,” O’Connell said. “He’s not only a captain, but he means so much to this organization, and the guys in that locker room that know, ‘If this guy, one of the best in the world at what he does, is pushing himself in May and June, I sure as heck better be doing the same thing.'”

O’Connell said McCarthy doesn’t seem to have any limitations after recovering from his torn meniscus.

“You guys have heard me say it throughout the offseason, but there’s been a lot of lonely hours where it’s him and the training staff and the strength staff, and just the work he’s put in to get his body where he’s at, his arm feeling the way it is, and then of course, coming off the injury, his lower body feeling as good as it does to move the way he’s doing,” O’Connell said. “But he looks great. He’s feeling really good. Now we’ve gotta stack a lot of really good days of spring together.”