NFC North Notes: Bears, Lions, Vikings

Bears

• According to the Athletic’s Joe Person, the Bears were never really in play to trade for Panthers QB Cam Newton because of concerns about his health. 
• NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo says the Colts and Jaguars were circling around a potential deal for QB Nick Foles involving a fifth-round pick before Jacksonville sent him to Chicago for their compensatory fourth-round pick. 
• Field Yates reports that the Bears restructured the contract of G Cody Whitehair to give them some cap flexibility for their Foles trade. 
• Bears DE Robert Quinn‘s five-year, $70 million deal includes a $3 million signing bonus, with base salaries of $3 million, $11.5 million, $12.8 million, $13.9 million and $12.9 million. (Aaron Wilson)
• Quinn’s 2020 and 2021 base salaries are fully guaranteed. He also has a $12.5 million fully guaranteed roster bonus due March 23 and annual workout bonuses in 2021-2024. 

Lions

• Lions LB Jamie Collins‘ three-year, $30 million deal includes $18 million guaranteed, $7 million of which is a signing bonus. (Aaron Wilson)
• Collins has base salaries of salaries $4 million guaranteed (2020), $8.8 million with $7 million guaranteed (2021) and $9.8 million (2022). He also has $200,000 workout bonuses in 2021 and 2022. 
• Lions QB Chase Daniel‘s three-year, $13.05 million deal includes a $2.25 million signing bonus, base salaries of $1.25 million guaranteed, $4.3 million, $1.5 million which is guaranteed, and $5 million. (Wilson)
• Daniel has up to $250,000 maximum in per-game active roster bonuses and can void the final year if he repays $1 million and tells the team between the sixth and 14th day following the 2021 Super Bowl.
• Lions OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai‘s five-year, $45 million deal includes a $7 million signing bonus and base salaries of $4 million (2020), $9 million (2021), $6.5 million (2022), $8.9 million (2023) and $8.9 million (2024. The first two years are guaranteed. (Wilson)
• Vaitai also has a $500,000 playing-time incentive in 2024, a $1.5 million playing-time base escalator in 2023 and up to $3 million in a playing-time base escalator in 2024. 

Vikings

• Per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, Vikings DE Everson Griffen still has not ruled out a return to Minnesota per a source close to the player: “The Vikings still would love to have him back. I think it’s really just figuring out a price that works for everyone and (Griffen looking to see) kind of what else potentially might be out there. He obviously loves Minnesota.”
• Griffen could still be waiting on some other younger defensive ends to set the market and could land in the $8-$10 million a year range. (Tomasson)
• Ben Goessling reports that the Vikings talked with G Josh Kline about restructuring his deal to stay, but they were unable to come to an agreement and he was released. 
• Goessling adds that there’s still a chance Kline could be back with the Vikings.