NFC North Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune says a trade for Jaguars QB Nick Foles makes sense given his familiarity with the offense, but he isn’t completely sure Jacksonville will make Foles available. 
• Biggs doesn’t anticipate the Bears wading into the bidding war for either Patriots G Joe Thuney or Redskins G Brandon Scherff.
• Biggs thinks the Bears could move on from veteran WR Taylor Gabriel and TE Ben Braunecker to trim their roster in the coming weeks. 
• The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain puts the percentage of the Bears signing QB Teddy Bridgewater in free agency pretty low. 

Lions

• NFL Media’s Gil Brandt writes that Lions ownership made it clear the team needs to make the playoffs to save HC Matt Patricia‘s job in 2020.
• Brandt adds given Patricia’s background as a defensive coach, the coach needs to get better results out of that side of the ball than he has his first two seasons. 

Packers

The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman lists a number of potential free agents the Packers could have interest in to fill positions of need, including:

• Rams LB Cory Littleton
• Jets WR Robby Anderson
• Steelers DT Javon Hargrave
• Browns LB Joe Schobert
• Chargers TE Hunter Henry
• Falcons TE Austin Hooper
• Buccaneers WR Breshad Perriman
• Eagles OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai
• Colts TE Eric Ebron
• Bills DT Jordan Phillips
• Lions DT A’Shawn Robinson
• Rams DT Michael Brockers
• Bears LB Nick Kwiatkoski
• Cowboys WR Randall Cobb
• Seahawks DL Quinton Jefferson

Vikings

• ESPN’s Courtney Cronin mentions Vikings DT Linval Joseph could be released, as his $11.15 million cap hit is high for a nose tackle. 
• Cronin writes the Vikings are likely to move on from CB Xavier Rhodes, while CB Mackensie Alexander could seek a fresh start in free agency. That leaves pending free-agent CB Trae Waynes as the most likely of Minnesota’s top three corners to return. 
• While the Vikings could put the franchise tag on S Anthony Harris for $12.735 million, Cronin points out they already have major cap resources invested in S Harrison Smith and might need the space elsewhere. 
• Alexander has been cleared to run and do lateral work following knee surgery and will be 100 percent for OTA’s with whichever team signs him. (Darren Wolfson)
• Vikings DE Everson Griffen declined his player option to void his contract, but a return is not out of the question, as he said at the end of the season he wanted to be “a Viking for life.” (Ben Goessling)