NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

• Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune thinks that Bears’ GM Ryan Pace should have to answer for some of the questionable decisions that have led the team to be unable to get to the next round of the playoffs. 
• Biggs spoke to several sources around the league, who believe the team needs an elite-level quarterback and possibly an elite coach to get to the upper echelon in the NFL.
• Biggs knows that the team must make a decision on QB Mitchell Trubisky in 2021, and he wonders if HC Matt Nagy would take a different offensive approach with a fresh face at quarterback.
• There are also questions about whether WR Allen Robinson will be able to sign a deal with the Bears quickly this offseason and all signs point to the franchise tag being put to use in this scenario, according to Biggs.
• Biggs is also concerned that the team will lose DE Roy Robertson-Harris, who will likely get a large contract from another team in free agency.
• If any player re-signs quickly with the Bears, according to Biggs, it could be K Cairo Santos.

Lions

• Albert Breer of SI mentions George Paton of the Vikings as an interesting candidate in Detroit for their vacant GM position due to his personal relationship with the Spielman family. Breer adds that Paton may be in consideration for the job in Denver as well.
• Breer believes that Terry Fontenot of the Saints impressed in his interview with Detroit, and could be under strong consideration in Atlanta for their vacant position. 
• One important thing Breer says to watch for is Colts’ assistant GM Ed Dodds being linked to Detroit, as 49ers’ DC Robert Saleh is very high on Dodds’s and his name came up in Saleh’s interview with the Lions. 
• ESPN’s Field Yates mentions Lions DE Romeo Okwara as someone poised to do well in free agency, as the league is always looking for pass rushers and Okwara just had a breakout season. 
• We have him included in our Top 100 – 2021 Free Agents list.

Packers

• Per Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Packers HC Matt LaFleur said they’re still figuring out what kind of role new OT Jared Veldheer, signed off the Colts practice squad after coming out of retirement again, will have: “I think we just have to wait and see how much recall he has from last year.”