NFC Notes: Bears, Mark Murphy, Packers, Vikings, Justin Jefferson

Bears

• Courtney Cronin of ESPN points out that fifth-round OT Braxton Jones has already supplanted Teven Jenkins as the team’s left tackle during spring practices. 
• Doug Kyed of ProFootballFocus believes the Bears signing veteran free-agent WR Emmanuel Sanders would help solidify their receiving unit. 

Packers

Packers president Mark Murphy confirmed that the plan is still for him to remain in his position for three more years before stepping down in July, 2025. He’ll turn 70 then and the team policy is for board members to retire or re-sign at that age. 

“The organization’s executive committee has started to make plans for the process and timeline to find my successor,” Murphy wrote in his monthly Q&A, via Pro Football Talk. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the Packers president. I plan on making the last three years as successful as possible, with multiple Super Bowl championships!”

Vikings

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson is hoping to have a year similar to that of Rams WR Cooper Kupp now that Minnesota has hired former Vikings OC Kevin O’Connell as their head coach.

“Just seeing what Cooper Kupp did last year, that gives me so much hope, gives me so much excitement to see what I can do in the same position that he was,” Jefferson said on The Ringer’s NFL podcast. “Him being so close to reaching the record, him getting that triple crown, all those things that he accomplished are up in the air for me right now, so we just gotta buy into the system, learn the plays and we all have confidence that KO is going to distribute the ball to different people throughout the offense.”

“Pretty much where Cooper Kupp was at, that’s pretty much where I’m at,” Jefferson added. “But my ability to move in different positions is gonna be more. I’m able to go outside. You don’t really see Cooper Kupp lining up outside as many times as I would. Or me lining up in the backfield or lining up at different positions to get the ball. He’s creative. He’s able to create space and get the ball. Just his whole year last year was just unbelievable, him putting up so many numbers and pretty much getting 10-plus catches a game and being wide-open. He had a fantastic season. Nobody can take that away from him. And topping the season off with winning the Super Bowl, so he definitely had an unbelievable season. He’s definitely ranked his name up even higher than it was before. He killed it.”