NFC North Notes: Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• According to the Athletic’s Adam Jahns, while a healthy season from DT Akiem Hicks would help, the Bears will need to improve their pass rush this offseason, as 2020 is the final year of LB Leonard Floyd‘s deal. 
• Jahns writes the Bears will be limited by their limited draft and cap flexibility, but could look at either signing a low-cost, younger pass rusher on a prove-it deal or using one of their second-round picks to replace Floyd in 2021. 

Lions

• Dave Birkett confirms that the Lions did add a voidable year to QB Matthew Stafford‘s contract as part of his restructured last month for cap purposes.
• According to Birkett, Detroit added a club insurance policy to DE Trey Flowers contract.
• Birkett mentions that WR Danny Amendola, who will be a free agent in March, seems like a “prime candidate” with the Lions.

Packers

• CBS Sports analyst and former agent Joel Corry named Packers LBs Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith as the best defensive acquisition of 2019. 
• FULL practice on Thursday: S Adrian Amos (chest), LB Blake Martinez (hand), T Bryan Bulaga (not injury related), WR Ryan Grant (not injury related, personal), G Billy Turner (ankle)
• LIMITED practice on Thursday: DT Kenny Clark (back), WR Allen Lazard (ankle), TE Marcedes Lewis (not injury related), LB Preston Smith (ankle), RB Dan Vitale (knee), CB Tramon Williams (not injury related), WR Geronimo Allison (illness), TE Jimmy Graham (not injury related)

Vikings

• According to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the injury that landed Vikings CB Mike Hughes on injured reserve was a broken vertebra. 
• Vikings HC Mike Zimmer expects Hughes to be ready for OTA’s in the spring: “He should be good to go. I mean, it will heal.”
• Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes is considered a likely cap casualty this offseason. (Chris Tomasson)
• Goessling reports that Vikings assistant GM George Paton does not have an interview set up with the Browns for their GM job at this moment. According to Goessling, Paton isn’t in the mix right now, but it’s possible they could speak later on in the process.