NFC North Notes: Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

Bears GM Ryan Pace said they identified who the “corner-needy” teams were before using the transition tag on CB Kyle Fuller a few weeks ago and were prepared for whatever happened.

“And Green Bay was one of those ones we thought could be a possibility,” Pace said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. “So you aren’t surprised when the offer sheet comes in. It’s just, ‘OK, now what does this contract look like?’ ”

According to Pace, they felt the Packers’ offer sheet to Fuller was a “very fair” contract.

“Once we were able to dig down and see the contract and see the language, then understand that, ‘Hey, that’s a very fair contract for Kyle,’ then [came] the excitement of, ‘Hey, let’s match this,’” Pace said. “Now we’ve got him here with us long term, and he earned that. And we’re happy for him.”

Packers

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst explained what happened with their decision to sign Bears CB Kyle Fuller to an offer sheet a few weeks ago.

“We got through a certain period of free agency and we didn’t feel there was a risk of tying those resources up for the time we’d have to tie them up, we thought it made sense to maybe go into that,” Gutekunst said, via PackersNews.com. “I think Russ did a really good job of structuring it in a way that may make it difficult for them, with the understanding we knew it was a low-percentage chance. … We knew the whole time, especially being within the division, that there was probably a small chance that we’d actually acquire the player.”

When asked why they decided to go with a more friendly offer, Gutekunst said he thinks their offer was pretty strong.

“I don’t know how friendly a four-year, $56 million contract is to anyone,” Gutekunst said. “I know from our aspect of it, it was something we had to think through thoroughly. You add a piece like that to your team, it has ramifications. I don’t really know how to answer that question as far as (being) friendly (to the Bears).”

Vikings

• According to Chris Tomasson, the Vikings are working on trying to re-sign veteran CB Terence Newman, but money remains an issue for the two parties.
• We have Newman featured in our Top 50 Available 2018 NFL Free Agents list.
• The Vikings re-signing CB Marcus Sherels to a one-year deal on Wednesday. (NFLTR)