NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams

Bears

• ESPN’s Jesse Rogers notes that between age and cost, it might be time for the Bears to move on from DT Akiem Hicks, who is in the final year of his contract. 
• The Athletic’s Adam Jahns notes Titans director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort was scheduled to interview with the Bears on Wednesday but they instead moved to hire Ryan Poles as their next general manager. 
• Jahns adds the Bears have given Poles the lead role with finishing up their search, as former Colts GM Bill Polian who has been consulting with the search wasn’t at Halas Hall during second interviews with finalists. 
• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports the Bears called off their interview on Tuesday with Saints DC Dennis Allen in order to focus on Poles’ deal. 
• According to PFN’s Aaron Wilson, former Lions and Colts HC Jim Caldwell made a “strong impression” on the Bears during the interview process.

Lions

• ESPN’s Eric Woodyard lists Lions OLB Charles Harris as their most important pending free agent after Harris turned in a career year in 2021. 

Packers

Regarding his future with the team, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers mentioned that the organization must address WR Davante Adams‘ contract and hinted that Adams wants to avoid the franchise tag. 

“I’d like to be respectful of the organization,” Rodgers said, via the Pat McAfee Show.“One decision that will be upcoming will be obviously Davante and his future with the team. There still is this thing called a franchise tag, which I don’t think ’17’ wants the franchise.”

Rodgers said that a decision on his future could come by the NFL’s franchise deadline on March 8. 

“I think that should be enough time to make a decision by then. I don’t want to put myself on a specific date, but I do want to be sensitive to Davante and many other guys who have decisions to make on their own futures. To drag it out past free agency would be disrespectful to the organization and to those guys, and that 100 percent will not happen.”

Rodgers, who has a year left on his contract, mentioned that he would not consider sitting out a year and eventually return.

“I don’t have any desire to do that; that makes no sense,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers added that he’s in a “really good place” with GM Brian Gutekunst and has “good conversations” with him.

“I feel like I’m at the place relationally with the Packers — in a really good place, especially with Brian and the way our friendship and trust has grown — where it would be a simple conversation and whatever comes out of the conversation is moving forward,” Rodgers said. “There’s not going to be a weird standoff, war of silence or anything. Brian and I have had good conversations throughout the year, and when it comes time to make a decision, we’ll have a conversation and that’ll be that. It won’t be a long, drawn-out process. “