NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

• The Bears promoted assistant LBs coach and pass rushing analyst Bill Shuey to their outside linebacker coach role. (Brad Biggs)

Lions

Peter King of NBC Sports expects there to be more than five teams willing to offer at least a first-round pick in exchange for Lions QB Matthew Stafford. He specifically named the Colts, Washington, and Patriots as teams that could be interested. 

“I believe that there will be probably more than five teams that will offer at least a first-round pick for Stafford. Everybody is kinda handing him preliminarily now to Indianapolis, which is very, very logical and Indianapolis knows how to make a deal. Chris Ballard, to me, is one of the 1-2-3 best young GMs in football. But it’s probably gonna take more than the 21st pick in the draft to get Stafford and that’s what Indianapolis has right now. It’s the same thing with Washington. I think it’ll take more than one high draft choice to get him. Now, it’s another thing if you look at other teams that are picking higher in the draft. Let’s say, Dallas, even though I don’t think it’ll be them but the teams that are picking higher — New England at 15 — when push comes to shove, will that be enough? A pick between 10 and 15? My gut says yes, but again we don’t know how much competition there’s going to be for Matthew Stafford,” said King, via NBC Sports’ JP Finlay. 

• According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Lions could struggle to get the most value in a potential trade for QB Matthew Stafford, as they owe him a $10 million roster bonus on March 21st.
• A league source tells Florio that teams constantly call other teams about a wide variety of players, even those who aren’t under contract. However, with just 10 or so teams reportedly contacting the Lions about Stafford, Florio says it’s possible that teams will slow play the situation in an effort to get Detroit to move on a lesser deal than they may otherwise be able to get.
• Even so, Florio adds that it would likely only take two teams serious about a trade for Stafford to increase the price to the Lions’ liking. 

Packers

• The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman writes that it seems to be a foregone conclusion that Packers RB Aaron Jones will test free agency. He adds it also appears that C Corey Linsley, CB Kevin King, G Lane Taylor, DT Damon Harrison, and RB Jamaal Williams are headed elsewhere. 
• In fact, Schneidman mentions only TE Marcedes Lewis and RB Tyler Ervin as pending unrestricted free agents he thinks Green Bay will prioritize bringing back.