NFC North Notes: Rodgers, Darrisaw, Lions

Aaron Rodgers surfaced in an NFL news cycle or two this offseason, but the reigning MVP reported to Packers training camp on time. The 37-year-old quarterback did air some grievances about his situation, and he shed more light on his complicated offseason recently. As late as the weekend before camp, Rodgers evidently was quite close to retiring. A report early during his offseason quest to leave Green Bay indicated retirement was on the table. The 17th-year veteran confirmed as such.

“I mean, I felt going into the weekend before camp that I was 50/50,” Rodgers said on retirement during an appearance on the Dan LeBatard and Friends podcast (via CBS Sports). “I don’t care if people don’t believe that. That’s true. There were some things that got me to 50/50 for sure, and you know I spent a couple of days in silence and meditation and contemplation and really felt like that I should come back. There’s a lot of opportunities for growth and exciting things in Green Bay and that felt like the right thing to do.”

While Rodgers and Packers management are still not on great terms, with the sides set to huddle up after the season to determine the QB’s future, he will play a 14th season as the team’s starting QB. Here is the latest from the NFC North:

• The Vikings continue to wait on first-round pick Christian Darrisaw. The rookie left tackle is on the mend from his second core muscle surgery this year, and Mike Zimmer indicated the team was surprised this operation became necessary. “They tell me one thing and it ends up being something else,” Zimmer said, via the St. Paul Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson (on Twitter). “It was taken care of in January. We didn’t expect this.” The eighth-year Minnesota HC did say he expected Darrisaw to be ready by Week 1, but the Virginia Tech product has not practiced fully during camp and may take time to move into the starting lineup. Veteran backup/spot starter Rashod Hill has worked as the Vikings’ top left tackle in Darrisaw’s absence.
• A car accident changed the Lions‘ depth chart recently. Last week, Detroit waived cornerback Alex Brown. More details emerged on why soon after. Brown was hit with four charges for his role in the accident, according to the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers, who tweets the 24-year-old defender was allegedly intoxicated while driving on the wrong side of a highway around 2am Aug. 15. This crash left two injured, including Lions teammate Charlie Taumoepeau, per Rogers (via Twitter). A 23-year-old tight end, Taumoepeau suffered a neck injury that required hospitalization. The Lions cut Brown immediately; Taumoepeau reverted to Detroit’s injured reserve after being waived with an injury designation.
• Third-year player Kabion Ento has completed a successful conversion from wide receiver to cornerback with the Packers, per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Although the 6-foot-1, 187-pound defender has yet to play in a regular-season game, the Packers have been patient with the ex-Colorado wideout. They stashed Ento on their practice squad in 2019, kept him on IR in 2020 — after a foot fracture sidelined him — and retained him via reserve/futures deal. Ento only caught 20 career passes with the Buffaloes and is now vying to land one of the Packers’ backup cornerback jobs.