NFC Notes: 49ers, Bears, Vikings

49ers

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said DE Ronald Blair suffered a setback with his knee injury and it has prolonged his recovery. 

“[Blair] had to redo some things with his knee, so some stuff that they messed up in it, and he is doing a lot better from that,” Shanahan said, via Eric Branch of the SF Chronicle. “But that’s why he’s going to be a couple of weeks longer than expected.”

Shanahan added that they will continue to monitor veteran CB Richard Sherman, who is considered week-to-week with his calf injury. 

“You let the injections do their course and you see how it is,” Shanahan said. “Whether it’s next week or the week after.”

Shanahan said that they do not plan on placing LB Kwon Alexander on the injured reserve. 

“I never like to say ‘minor high ankle sprain’ because high ankle sprains are always a big issue, but it wasn’t your typical one where they for sure go on IR,” Shanahan said. “So that’s why we haven’t put him on that yet and we’re hoping to keep him off.”

Bears

• NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero notes the Bears showed some interest in trading for Cowboys QB Andy Dalton while he was with the Bengals before going elsewhere on the quarterback market. 

Vikings

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins told reporters after Sunday’s game that unless he and the offense improve, he may not finish out the season as the team’s quarterback.

“The reality is, if the pace I’m on in terms of the interceptions, if that were to continue, I won’t finish the season. … There’s a little bit of, you got to improve. Whether it’s them telling me, ‘Hey we gotta improve,’ or them pulling me; we got to get better,” Cousins said, per Andrew Krammer. “That’s what the rest of the season will be about for me, is trying to protect the football as best I can. Because when you turn the ball over, it really hurts your chances to win. I know that. I just need to improve as we look ahead to the rest of the season.”