NFC Notes: Vikes, Packers, Saints, Redskins

Pending free agent Captain Munnerlyn would prefer to return to the Vikings, but he’s also prepared to move on if the right offer comes along, as he explained to SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier this week. “I’ve got to put myself in the position to try to get that Super Bowl trophy,” Munnerlyn said. “I’m an older guy. I’m going on year nine, so I definitely want to win. So I’m definitely going to look at the roster, the coaches, to see where I can take my talent and plug it in and try to help those guys get to the playoffs and make that Super Bowl run.” PFR recently ranked Munnerlyn, who plays exclusively in the slot, as the 12th-best cornerback on the free agent market.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • Although the Packers want to re-sign offensive lineman J.C. Tretter, the club won’t “break the bank” in order to bring him back, according to Ryan Wood of PackersNews.com. Corey Linsley is expected to serve as Green Bay’s starting center in 2017, meaning Tretter would be stuck in a reserve role, though he could potentially start if T.J. Lang is not retained. Tretter played on nearly half the Packers’ snaps in 2016, grading as the No. 9 center in the league, per Pro Football Focus. Lucas Patrick, who spent the 2016 campaign on Green Bay’s practice squad, is a candidate to take over on the interior of the offensive line if both Tretter and Lang depart, writes Michael Cohen of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
  • Saints defensive tackle Nick Fairley is expected to test the free agent market, and he could get a better sense of his value at the scouting combine next week, as Nick Underhill of the Advocate details. Technically, agents aren’t allowed to talk numbers with rival executives until the legal tampering period begins on March 7, two days before the official opening of free agency. That rule isn’t usually observed, however, meaning Fairley — who could be looking for $10MM annually — and his representatives will get the chance to assess his market.
  • Free agent defensive lineman Calais Campbell could make sense as a target for the Redskins, opines John Keim of ESPN.com. Washington ranked 27th in adjusted line yards allowed in 2016, so Campbell — who excels at run defense — would make for a logical acquisition as the club seeks to remake its defense under new coordinator Greg Manusky. However, general manager Scot McCloughan has displayed an aversion to pursuing free agents over the age of 30, and I wrote that the Redskins should aim to get younger along their defensive line when assessing the team’s top offseason needs.
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