Bears
Chicago added second-round OL Ozzy Trapilo to help bolster their protection of QB Caleb Williams. Bears HC Ben Johnson raved about Trapilo’s IQ and technique that have been on display through the first on-field work.
“He’s exactly what we thought he was going to be,” Johnson said, via Kevin Fishbain and Adam Jahns of The Athletic. “He’s super smart. We had a meeting (Thursday) night with them. Meeting this morning with them. And he’s able to apply those concepts to the field immediately, so he’s very advanced in that regard. Technique, fundamentals, he takes those seriously, something we talked about this morning as a team, transferring the little things that Coach Roushar, (assistant offensive line) coach (Kyle) DeVan are talking about in that meeting room and being able to apply them immediately. It’s really impressive for a young guy.”
Trapilo has been preparing to play anywhere on the offensive line and spoke about the work he puts in to make the changes seem minuscule.
“In a way, if you’re more used to playing right tackle at speed and you’re still consistent with left, you feel good at left, it’s almost easier when you’re learning new technique because you don’t get into that flow state,” Trapilo said. “You know your habits are all coming back, you’re hyper-focused on every movement because it’s not as natural. So in a way it feels smoother, it feels easier to adapt to this new coaching style, new techniques and all of the above.”
Packers
New Green Bay LB Isaiah Simmons said he asked each team what their plan was for him before deciding where to sign, and said the Packers wanted him at WILL and SAM linebacker.
“The NFL, a big part of it is about what situation you’re in and where you’re at,” he said via Ryan Wood. “Placement matters, and every system doesn’t fit everybody. I feel like this is the most comfortable in a system I’ve been since I’ve been in the league. Of course you want to be somewhere through your whole career, but I would rather be in a better system than be in one team the whole time.”
- Aaron Wilson reports the Packers are hiring former Browns Midwest area scout Dan Zegers.
- Packers RB MarShawn Lloyd said he’s been 100 percent for a little while now: “I’m doing good, really good. Can run as fast as I can, can jump as high as I want, can catch the ball.” (Matt Schneidman)
Vikings
Heading into the 2025 season, the Vikings plan to hand the reins over to first-round pick QB J.J. McCarthy. Minnesota HC Kevin O’Connell is thrilled with McCarthy’s physical status after a long rookie year rehabbing a knee injury.
“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, via Lindsey Young of the team’s website. “But he looks great. He’s feeling really good. Now we’ve gotta stack a lot of really good days of spring together.”
Although McCarthy hasn’t had a ton of on-field reps compared to other players in his draft class, O’Connell has been impressed by his memory and desire ot improve.
“I’ve been really surprised by some of the things that he does know. You’re like, ‘Man, we covered that in a 10-minute burst in Week 11 last year; how do you remember that?’ And then there’s some other things where you’re like, ‘Oh, I assumed he knew that.’ So it’s our job, baseline teaching and stacking days and layered learning, so that we’re constantly making him feel like he’s growing — but never comfortable. Never satisfied on any particular outcome, because we’re building toward something much greater than just a single play here or there.”
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