Bears

Bears first-round WR Rome Odunze expressed his desire to emulate Rams WR Puka Nacua‘s rookie season after playing together at Washington.

“Setting ambitious goals and aiming for greatness is crucial for every player,” Odunze stated in a YouTube video posted by the team. “It’s particularly special in my case because I witnessed Puka Nacua’s success firsthand and I’m definitely chasing that. He had around 1,500 yards in his rookie season, right? Absolutely chasing that.”

Odunze is aiming to surpass former NFL WR Brandon Marshall‘s franchise record of 1,508 receiving yards in a season and also intends to exceed Bears’ 1963 Super Bowl champion Johnny Morris‘ record of 5,509 career receiving yards.

“I believe Brandon Marshall holds the single-season record here, correct?” Odunze mentioned. “Of course, I’m pursuing those records because, as I mentioned at Washington, I hope to leave a positive impact on the Bears organization. If I can etch my name on some of those records, I see that as one way of achieving that goal.”

Lions

Lions LB Alex Anzalone talked about the modifications in the playbook for the upcoming season following numerous defensive personnel changes in Detroit.

“I know there have been some changes in the playbook. In the secondary, we have the flexibility to try out new strategies like relying on them to cover their assignments, which obviously impacts the linebackers,” Anzalone shared on the team’s website. “We can play with more aggression without needing to drop back into zones, and we can match up more, leading to more plays in the passing game. As a linebacker, this is beneficial.”

Vikings

Minnesota used high draft picks to select S Lewis Cine and CB Andrew Booth Jr., but they have not lived up to their draft status. Andrew Kramer of The Star Tribune mentioned that after a few years in the league, the two players are still struggling.

“There’s a sentiment behind the scenes that the light bulb hasn’t turned on for [Cine and Booth] yet,” Kramer stated. “What does that mean when you’re not present in the room as they study these things? So, yes, the light bulb hasn’t clicked for them, not even last year.”