Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson had surgery on his knee last week, and his finger on Monday. The news comes from Lions general manager Martin Mayhew. Johnson needed to get a "minor scope" on his right knee, and his finger was reportedly pointing "perpendicular to his body" the whole season. The recovery time should not be long; he'll be fine for all offseason activities, which are still months away.
NFL roundup: Calvin Johnson has surgery, Mike Zimmer hired by Vikings and more
Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson had to have two surgeries over the past two weeks, Mike Zimmer was named the new Minnesota Vikings head coach and more you might have missed from Wednesday.
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Here’s what else you might have missed on Wednesday in the NFL:
The Minnesota Vikings filled their head coaching vacancy on Wednesday, making Mike Zimmer the ninth head coach in team history. Zimmer was the defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals for the past six seasons. One of Zimmer's biggest tasks will be fixing the team's lethargic offense, which should be a challenge given his defensive background.
Minnesota isn't wasting any time searching for a suitable offensive coordinator. The team has received permission from the Cleveland Browns to interview Norv Turner for the vacant position. Turner isn't sure whether or not he'll have a job with the Browns next season, since Rob Chudzinski was fired at the conclusion of the regular season. The new head coach may want to bring in his own coordinator, which is probably why they are allowing the Vikings the interview.
Steve Shoup from SB Nation’s Hog’s Haven was at some Shrine Game practices Wednesday. Shoup observed Jerry Glanville’s East team on Wednesday and spoke on at least one player from each position. Jimmy Garoppolo of Eastern Illinois impressed for quarterbacks, and offensive lineman James Stone was particularly impress on the day as well. Syracuse defensive lineman Jason Bromley also earned high marks on the day.
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com also had some impressions and observations from Day 3 of practices. Arizona cornerback Shaquille Richardson and USC’s Devon Kennard are two notables who made an impression on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Mississippi running back LaDarius Perkins continues to receive criticism regarding his size.
The Cincinnati Bengals promoted long-time assistant and current linebacker coach Paul Guenther to defensive coordinator on Wednesday. The move came after the team lost Zimmer to the Vikings. Guenther has been well-respected within the organization for some time. He has been with the Bengals for nine seasons and has served as the linebackers coach for two years.
The Carolina Panthers may not be able to keep defensive end Greg Hardy this offseason. Hardy is set to hit the open market and given that he had a monster year this past season, be could command more than the Panthers can give him. Carolina has little cap space at the moment, meaning they'd need to restructure some deals or get Hardy to take a significant hometown discount to remain in Carolina.
The New York Giants continued to make changes to the offensive coaching staff on Wednesday. The team hired Ben McAdoo as a new offensive coordinator on Tuesday, and now it has fired running backs coach Jerald Ingram and tight ends coach Mike Pope. The moves are significant; both coaches have been with the Giants for a long time and were there for both Super Bowl trophies in recent years. Ingram has been with the team since 2004, and Pope has been with the organization for over 20 years, meaning he has actually been present for four Super Bowls.
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