NFC North Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• The Chicago Bears officially TE Dion Sims (concussion) for Sunday’s game against the Vikings and list DT Bilal Nichols (knee) and WR Javon Wims (knee) as questionable.

Lions

• Lions WR Marvin Jones is getting a second opinion on his injured knee. (NFLTR)
• The Detroit Lions officially ruled out WR Marvin Jones (knee), TE Michael Roberts (shoulder), and DT A’Shawn Robinson (ankle) for Week 11’s game against the Panthers and list DE Ezekiel Ansah (shoulder) and DT Damon Harrison (shoulder) as questionable.

Packers

Packers HC Mike McCarthy was asked if he’s concerned about his job status on Friday.

“I’m focused on what’s in front of us,” McCarthy said, via ESPN.com. “Every individual on the inside, particularly the football team, we have a 2018 commitment, and that’s all I’ve ever focused on.”

McCarthy said he understands the external expectations for the team.

“That’s the job,” McCarthy said. “That’s the way this business has gone. I’m not going to get into comparables but at the end of the day, that’s part of the job responsibility of the head coach. We set a standard here the past 12 years and it’s our responsibility to play to that standard. That’s the way we approach it, but that’s a blanket, general evaluation. There’s obviously more that goes into that. But at the end of the day, there’s so much that goes into each and every game throughout a seven-day period — obviously we’re on a 10-day stretch here — and that’s really where the energy has to focus.”

• Albert Breer mentioned in an interview with “Toucher & Rich” on Friday (via NBC Boston) that Patriots OC Josh McDaniels is a name worth watching in regards to the Packers’ head-coaching job should they fire McCarthy: “Two years ago, Josh McDaniels was in the (San Francisco 49ers’) coaching search until the very end. And one of the things the Niners were looking at was pairing different people together. When Josh McDaniels was in the running for that Niners job … the guy who at the time had emerged as the front-runner for the general manager job … and who had blown the Niners away was a Packers personnel man named Brian Gutekunst, who now is the (Packers’) general manager. So, they’ve done their homework on each other.”
• Breer added that the Packers likely wouldn’t be concerned about what happened with the Colts this past offseason, as they aren’t afraid to “look outside the box” in their coaching search.
• Ian Rapoport reports that Mike McCarthy’s job status is “up in the air” at this point and confirms that there has been tension between him and QB Aaron Rodgers at times.

Vikings

• The Minnesota Vikings officially ruled out TE David Morgan (knee) and S Andrew Sendejo (groin) and list LB Anthony Barr (hamstring), G Tom Compton (knee), and G Mike Remmers (back) as questionable.