NFC Notes: 49ers, Bears, Packers

49ers

• 49ers DL Arik Armstead is week-to-week with a hamstring, TE Cole Hikutini is out this week with a groin injury and G Joshua Garnett is considered day-to-day with a knee injury. (Cam Inman)
• Mike Garafolo reports that Garnett got an anti-inflammatory shot in his knee after colliding with a teammate the other day. The good news, however, is that the MRI results were clean and they’re hopeful he’ll back in the coming days.
• Cam Inman adds that Mike Person has been splitting reps with Garnett at right guard and Jonathan Cooper is likely to make a “strong run” at that spot now that he’s off the PUP list.

Bears

Bears GM Ryan Pace was asked Monday about the situation involving first-round LB Roquan Smith, who is the only draft pick still unsigned.

“That’s obviously a big topic right now,” Pace told WMVP-AM 1000, via the Chicago Tribune. “And for us, these are important and critical reps that are going on right now. But to get into the nitty gritty details isn’t something we feel we should do publicly. That’s behind the scenes. We have a lot of respect for him obviously and a lot of respect for his agents. And it’s a matter of just working through that.”

“We’re all working through that,” Pace added. “This is a little bit new for all of us.”

Packers

• Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said there’s no update on regarding contract talks with QB Aaron Rodgers, but he added that the lines of communication remain open: “Russ [Ball] and Dave Dunn are working on it; everybody still feels the same. I wouldn’t put any timelines on it [but] as long as everybody’s working towards the same goal, we feel positive about it.” (Rob Demovsky)
• Ian Rapoport reports that the Packers fear LB Jake Ryan has a serious knee injury.
• As for S Kentrell Brice, Rapoport says that X-Rays were negative for a break, but they won’t know his timetable until the swelling goes down. Regarding his injury, Brice tells PackersReport that he’s fortunate that his ankle injury “wasn’t as serious as it could have been.”
• Gutekunst was asked Tuesday when he expects rookie OL Cole Madison to be in training camp, but he said there’s no timeline of his return while he deals with a personal matter. “We’re more concerned about Cole.” (Ryan Wood)