NFC North Notes: Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

New Bears S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was asked by the Chicago Tribune if he had better offers that the one-year, $3.5 million contract he signed with Chicago on Thursday. 

“Oh, yes. Yes,” Clinton-Dix said. “I was getting calls from other teams who wanted to sign me, and the money was more. But like I said, you see so many guys get to the end of their careers, their successful careers, and now they’re trying to chase a ring. I have the opportunity to do that in my prime. If you ask me, Chicago was an Eddie Jackson (playoff appearance) away from winning a Super Bowl last year. So if there was any way I could come on to this team and contribute and make plays and get my name back out there, I’m excited about that.”

• Texas A&M RB Trayveon Williams visited the Bears.  (Aaron Wilson)

Packers

New Bears S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was asked by the Chicago Tribune why he felt things didn’t work out with the Packers. 

“I don’t know. I did everything right and I did what I was asked to do. I think they were just looking for change. My time was up,” Clinton-Dix said. “I watched so many guys come in and do all the right things and things just didn’t work out in Green Bay. So that’s what I had on my shoulders going into Year 5 there. I had to treat every game like it was an interview. And I did just that and things worked out well for both sides.”

• When asked about the possibility of LB Clay Matthews returning to the Packers, GM Brian Gutekunst said: “I think Clay is a great player, and he can play for any team in this league. … He’ll help somebody if not us.” (Ryan Wood)
• Gutekunst said the team would not ignore the next few waves of free agency if they found a bargain.  (Tom Silverstein)

Vikings

Vikings LB Anthony Barr called his brief experience with free agency, where he agreed to terms with the Jets and later backed out to re-sign with Minnesota, “one of the worst days of my life.”

As soon as Barr gave his agent the green light to accept the Jets’ offer, he said he immediately regretted it, per Pro Football Talk.  He said he was trying to convince himself of something that didn’t feel right.  

“I was crying, laughing, sweating,” Barr said.

Barr called the process “terrible” and said he found himself involved in “a lot of drama” as he tried to make a decision.  

“It was a crazy day,” Barr said. “I just followed my heart. I did what I wanted to do at the end of the day.”

• Wisconsin LB Ryan Connelly will visit the Vikings in early April.  (Darren Wolfson)
• New Mexico State LB Terrill Hanks will visit the Vikings in early April.  (Chris Tomasson)
• The Vikings will host Minnesota OL Donnell Greene for a visit.  (Wolfson)