NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Bears RB Tarik Cohen may begin practicing soon, as he’s eligible to come off the PUP list starting this week. He’s working his way back from a torn ACL suffered last season.
• According to the Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain, Bears DL Mario Edwards Jr. was fined $9,522 for an unnecessary roughness penalty last Sunday. 
• Bears HC Matt Nagy said RB Damien Williams will remain on the COVID list for now. (Adam Jahns)

Lions

Lions QB Jared Goff is under the microscope in Detroit, as HC Dan Campbell said his quarterback “needs to step up” and wants him to take his game to the next level.

“I still don’t feel like we can accurately judge him, one way or another,” Campbell said, via The Athletic. “I don’t feel that way yet. Now, I will say this… “I feel like he needs to step up more than he has,” the Lions coach finally continued. “I think he needs to help us. Just like everybody else. He’s gonna need to put a little bit of weight on his shoulders now. It’s time to step up, make some throws and do some things. But he needs help. He needs help.”

Goff said he’s up to Campbell’s challenge, and admits that he needs to cut down on mistakes that hurt his team’s chances.

“I think I can always do more,” Goff said. “You’re never in a position where you feel like you’re complacent. We’re nowhere near that, but I think I’ve got some experiences to rely on that I can relay to these guys and do my best to be the best leader I can be, continue to try to find the open guy and get ‘em the ball, and take care of the football and do my job every day.”

Campbell didn’t put the blame solely on Goff, as he believes that everybody on the team needs to step up, and that Goff needs more help around him.

“It has nothing to do with Jared,” Campbell said, then backtracked. “That’s not true, but what I’m saying is: I don’t put this all on Jared Goff. This is a collective (issue), offensively, for everything. From ‘how can we help, schematically’ to ‘are we (missing assignments) at the improper time?’ Are guys getting open? Is he making the throw he should, is he making the right read? This is a collective effort that we’re digging ourselves into a ditch with.”

• Campbell added the team is going to make adjustments to personnel usage: “I think we’re going to shake things up a little bit.” (Kyle Meinke)

Packers

• Per the Athletic’s Mike Sando, some NFL executives think the Packers should go after Dolphins CB Xavien Howard before the trade deadline: “Xavien is a guy I’d trade for if I’m Green Bay. Traditionally, you are not getting a guy of that caliber to come to Green Bay in free agency, right? You need to acquire guys via the draft or trade. Especially in the future, if Rodgers is not there.”
• Packers HC Matt LaFleur said second-round C Josh Myers’ knee injury does not appear to be season-ending and blamed himself for a bad play call that put Myers in the position to get injured. (Rob Demovsky)
• Myers will miss multiple weeks with a knee injury. (Bill Huber) 
• Packers QB Aaron Rodgers may have hinted at the return of LT David Bakhtiari: “Dave’s coming back this week to practice, hopefully.” (Ryan Wood)
• LaFleur confirmed Bakhtiari should return to practice this week but it’s too soon to know if he’ll play in Week 7: “I would anticipate David being out there for practice but time will tell if we put him in a position to suit up for us.” (Wes Hodkiewicz)
• LaFleur added CB Kevin King is “day to day” with a shoulder injury and won’t need to go on injured reserve. (Ryan Wood)
• LaFleur mentioned the team will be cautious with OLB Preston Smith‘s oblique injury. (Tom Silverstein) 
• LaFleur is hopeful CB Jaire Alexander will avoid surgery on his shoulder injury. It’s too early to say for certain but he’s “progressing nicely,” per LaFleur. (Huber) 

Vikings

• Vikings first-round OT Christian Darrisaw said he is fully healthy from the groin injury that’s been holding him back: “100 percent healed. The worst days are behind me and I feel great.” (Chad Graff)
• Vikings HC Mike Zimmer said CB Patrick Peterson‘s injury is to his hamstring: “Patrick’s played really well. We’ll miss him for sure, but Dantzler’s done decent, and so has Breeland.” (Ben Goessling)
• Zimmer added DT Michael Pierce is close to returning: “We should get Mike Pierce back here pretty quick.” (Will Ragatz)