NFC North Notes: Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

• According to Howard Balzer, the Detroit Lions brought in three free agent running backs this week including Mack Brown, Demario Richard, and Justin Stockton.
• Lions placed LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin on injured reserve. (NFLTR)
• Lions promoted LB Eric Lee to their active roster. 
• Lions signed NT John Atkins to their practice squad.

Packers

Packers HC Joe Philbin explained the decision to fire associate HC Winston Moss on Wednesday.

“It’s never about one thing,” Philbin said, via ESPN.com. “Again, I think it’s important, as I said to the team, we’ve got to be professional, accountable, respectful and punctual. Those are the four things that we’ve got to do the next four weeks. And if we do all those things, we’ll be in good shape. It wasn’t about — again, you’re talking to a guy who’s never tweeted in his life, doesn’t even know what Twitter is — so again, it’s not about a tweet or anything like that. I just think the fit right now isn’t where it needs to be.”

• According to Howard Balzer, the Green Bay Packers brought in four free agents for workouts on Tuesday including LB Dadi Nicolas, S Tray Matthews, S Jason Thompson and DE Ja’Von Rolland-Jones.
• Packers placed CB Kevin King and RB Tre Carson on injured reserve. (NFLTR)
• Packers claimed DE Fadol Brown and DB Natrell Jamerson off of waivers. 

Vikings

Vikings veteran DT Tom Johnson says he’s “definitely going there to make a statement” in  Monday night’s game against the Seahawks after they released him midseason.

“I didn’t agree with it, but it was a business decision,” Johnson said, via the Pioneer Press. “They didn’t want to put one of their younger guys [on waivers], and D-line was the only position that didn’t have any injuries. It didn’t have anything to do with my talent and or my ability. Obviously, I’m the better player, but it was a strategic thing.”

Fellow Vikings DT Sheldon Richardson said the Seahawks made a “terrible” offer for him to return during the offseason. 

“The season was good,” Richardson said. “They just never really fully committed to me. … But it will be fun going against those guys. I don’t have any enemies on the team — in the locker room.”