NFC Notes: Bears, Buccaneers, Vikings

Bears

• The Chicago Bears announced that WR Allen Robinson has cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol and is set to play in Sunday’s Week 8 game. 
• Bears promoted WR/KR Dwayne Harris to their active roster. (NFLTR)

Buccaneers

Buccaneers’ HC Bruce Arians is thinking of ways to get WR Antonio Brown involved in the team’s gameplan. This could include Brown seeing time returning both punts and kicks.

“He’s a great punt returner and kick returner,” Arians said, via Pro Football Talk. “It’s just going to be one of those things where we can get him out there with a live ball and not a jugs machine – get him back to catch them. He’ll give us good depth in that area. I think when you look at him play, his play speed is that fast [and] his play size is that size. He just makes big-man catches. He has unbelievable hands, great body control, he can separate extremely quickly on anybody that’s trying to cover him and he’s a great run after the catch guy because he can catch really well and you don’t have to think about it. He’ll take short ones and take them deep. He’s got great work habits and I think when you watch him play, he plays bigger than he is [and] he plays faster than he is.”

• Buccaneers waived OL John Molchon.
• Buccaneers activated TE Antony Auclair from injured reserve. (NFLTR)

Vikings

Regarding the possibility of him getting traded before the upcoming deadline, Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph said he is hopeful to play his entire NFL career with the Vikings. 

“I joked around a couple times this week that I feel like I’ve been on the trade block for the last three years and I’m still here in Minnesota,” Rudolph said, via ProFootballTalk. “I love it here. I hope to finish my career here. But as you know when you’re around this business long enough, it is a business and people have to make decisions. I can’t control that. All that I can control is going out to practice and doing everything I can to prepare myself to play well against the Green Bay Packers.”

• Andrew Krammer of the Minnesota Star Tribune writes that the Vikings could be looking to restructure the contract of LB Anthony Barr if they plan on keeping him beyond this season.
• The Vikings could save $6 million by trading S Anthony Harris, and Krammer thinks they could receive solid compensation by dealing him, as well as veteran T Riley Reiff at the deadline.
• Krammer also doesn’t see the team taking a chance on free agent CB Eli Apple who was recently released by the Carolina Panthers.
• Vikings activated CB Cameron Dantzler from the COVID-19 List. (NFLTR)
• Vikings activated LB Troy Dye from injured reserve.
• Vikings activated CB Chris Jones from the exempt list.
• Vikings promoted C Brett Jones, DB Luther Kirk and DT Hercules Mata’afa to their active roster.