NFC North Notes: Bears, Stefon Diggs, Vikings

Bears

• The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain writes the Bears will likely give QB Mitchell Trubisky at least through the 2020 season to prove whether or not he can be Chicago’s franchise quarterback. 
• Fishbain adds it’s possible Bears G Kyle Long has played his last game for the team. Chicago has an $8 million team option they’re unlikely to exercise given Long’s struggles to stay healthy the past two seasons. 
• The top options to fill in at right guard for Long are Ted Larsen and Rashaad Coward. 
• Bears HC Matt Nagy says of the possibility that they could place DT Akiem Hicks on injured reserve: “Working through all that. I think that’s gonna be important here in the next couple days for us to decide what’s the best thing for that.” (Dan Wiederer)
• Trubisky, Larsen, WR Taylor Gabriel and DT Bilal Nichols all returned to practice Monday. (Brad Biggs)
• Nagy told reporters Long is not a candidate to return later from injured reserve, which will end his 2019 season. (Biggs)

Stefon Diggs

Winning cures a lot of ills in the NFL. After two straight wins, Vikings WR Stefon Diggs says that’s really all he wanted when his actions and comments two weeks ago led to a flood of trade rumors. It helps that in Sunday’s 38-20 win against the Eagles, Diggs caught three touchdown passes. 

“It’s been a process because you’ve got to understand that I’m human. People forget that you’re human and they want you to be a machine and play into the narrative as far as what they’ve built,” Diggs said via NFL Media’s Jim Trotter. “All I can do is control what I can control, and the people who know me personally and know me on that level _ they know that I’m not that guy (who puts himself before the team).” They know I work my ass off. I put a lot of time into my craft.”

Vikings

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes he’s been told three times in two weeks that Diggs is unavailable for trade. 
• Chris Tomasson reports that the Vikings want to re-sign WR Davion Davis to their active roster or practice squad if he clears waivers on Monday.
• Vikings TE David Morgan is not expected to return to practice this week despite being eligible to come off of the PUP list. (Tomasson)