Around the NFC North: Hunter’s New Deal, Rodgers Extension Update, More

Let’s take one last look around the division to wrap up the month of June.

  • The biggest news in the division is coming out of Minnesota, which just tossed a ton of cold hard cash at defensive lineman Danielle Hunter. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reports the five-year extension will pay him $40 million in guarantees, includes a $15 million signing bonus, and could be worth up to $72 million. Hunter picked up seven sacks, made 45 tackles, and earned a career-best 82.6 grade from Pro Football Focus in his second season as a full-time starter.
  • Next up for the Vikings should be getting long-term deals done for linebacker Anthony Barr and wide receiver Stefon Diggs:
  • Everything is peachy in the land of cheese, according to Green Bay Packers President Mark Murphy. “We’ll see how things play out. But my hope was it would improve communication,” Murphy said of the changes to the team’s front office structure in an interview with Forbes. “And quite honestly, with a new General Manager, a first-time General Manager, putting him in a position where he can have success and really focus on the most important part of his job, which is the draft and acquiring players and determining the 90-man (roster) and the 53-man roster, I think it’s worked well so far.”
  • I suppose Murphy is onto something. After all, Tony Romo says the Packers are the team to beat. Still, there had to be some awkward moments with the power shift. There always is and I’ll hear nothing to the contrary.
  • Murphy also shared an update regarding a potential extension for Aaron Rodgers, telling WTMJ.com: “We hope to soon have a contract extension.” I pride myself in calling ’em how I see ’em, and I see Rodgers as one of the NFL’s two best quarterbacks – even though he has been lapped by Andrew Luck, Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garoppolo, Kirk Cousins, and Matt Ryan when it comes to new contracts over the last two years. Rodgers will get his paper, leaving Bears fans to hope the new contract is one that will hamstring the franchise from making significant upgrades in the future. I just wouldn’t hold my breath.
  • Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay said Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons is the league’s best receiver, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. That’s high praise coming from one of the NFL’s top defensive backs.
  • The Lions boast a pretty decent receiver tandem of their own:
  • https://twitter.com/Lions/status/1013034570529189888

  • Here’s a scary thought: Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports that Slay and Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes are among the top-tier corners working out with star cornerback Richard Sherman this offseason. Steel sharpens steel, and this collection of corners sharing tricks of the trade and training together would keep any quarterback up at night.
  • written by

    Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

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