NFC North Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

  • Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer points out the Bears could save $5.05 million by cutting TE Trey Burton.  
  • Breer also lists OLB Leonard Floyd as a potential cap casualty, given that they could pick up $13.2 million of cap space by moving on.

Lions

  • Justin Rogers of the Detroit News lists defensive tackle as the Lions’ top need, with Mike Daniels and A’Shawn Robinson unlikely to be back, Damon Harrison contemplating retirement and Da’Shawn Hand coming off an injury-marred 2019. 
  • Rogers expects the Lions to address the departure of starting G Graham Glasgow with a free-agent bargain and a draft pick. 
  • If the Lions can’t work out an agreement with CB Darius Slay on an extension, Rogers says the team will put him back on the trading block. 
  • It appears Slay will be seeking to become the highest-paid corner in the NFL, per Slay himself. (Twitter)
  • Rogers also says the Lions could look to address defensive end, wide receiver and offensive tackle this offseason. 
  • Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mentions the Lions as a team that could be interested in Titans RB Dion Lewis if/when he’s released. 

Packers

Packers WR Allen Lazard came out of nowhere to finish as Green Bay’s second-leading receiver in 2019. The former undrafted free agent out of Iowa State spent most of his rookie season on the Jaguars practice squad before joining Green Bay. After taking on a larger role in the offense in Week 6, Lazard finished the season with 35 catches, 477 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-5 Lazard is focused on adding more nuance to his game in 2020. 

“There haven’t been too many people since I’ve been in the league that I’ve legitimately seen get better at football, over the course of when he got here at the end of last season up to this point,” Packers WR Davante Adams said via Wes Hodkiewicz of the team website. “His growth in route-running, the questions that he asks me about releases and different things that weren’t even necessarily a part of his game to start, I think he’s starting to open that up.”

  • The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman expects another team to outbid the Packers for OT Bryan Bulaga in free agency. 
  • Former Browns GM John Dorsey, assistant GM Eliot Wolf and executive Alonzo Highsmith are not candidates to re-join the Packers’ front office, per Schneidman.
  • Schneidman expects the Packers to bring back 37-year-old CB Tramon Williams to play nickel. 
  • Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer points out the Packers could save $8 million by cutting TE Jimmy Graham.
  • Packers FB Danny Vitale underwent a right knee scope for an injury that cost him the regular-season finale and playoffs. (Olivia Reiner
  • The Packers announced they have moved football technology analyst Connor Lewis to offensive QC coach. 

Vikings

  • Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer says it’s hard to see the Vikings bringing back DE Everson Griffen given their cap situation and the potential $13.8 million in cap savings.
  • Same with CB Xavier Rhodes, who is due $10.5 million in 2020, $8.1 million of which could be saved against the cap if he’s cut. 
  • Arizona State will hire Vikings assistant DL coach Robert Rodriguez as their DL coach. (Adam Rittenberg)

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1 COMMENT

  1. I don’t know where Albert is getting his numbers, but a pre-June 1 cut for Trey Burton only saves ~$1M with $7.5M in dead money. There’s an out in 2021, where those numbers switch, and is likely when the Bears can cut Burton.

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