NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster should have numerous options in free agency this week, including re-signing with Pittsburgh. The Bears are also reportedly interested. 

Lions

• Lions WR Josh Reynolds‘ two-year deal with the team has a max value of $12 million with a base value of $6 million. That includes a $1.5 million signing bonus and base salaries of $1.2 million and $1.8 million. The total guaranteed is $2.7 million, including his signing bonus and 2022 base salary.
• Reynolds also has a $1 million roster bonus due the third day of the 2023 league year and up to $400,000 in per-game active roster bonuses. There is an annual $50,000 workout bonus. 
• To max out the value of the deal, Reynolds has $2 million in incentives for catches, yards, and touchdowns in each year of the deal, as well as a $2 million escalator for 2023 based on team achievements, making the playoffs, and his stats. (Aaron Wilson)
• Jordan Schultz reports that the Lions are “really hoping” to sign a wide receiver to pair with WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, a league source says. 
• Schultz also reports that the Lions are taking interest in wide receivers Christian Kirk, Braxton Berrios, DJ Chark, and Russell Gage.

Packers

• According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the Packers’ top priority now that Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams are in the fold is re-signing LB De’Vondre Campbell. Silverstein says they’re willing to do as much as possible to keep Campbell. 
• USA Today’s Zach Kruse highlights former Raiders LB Cory Littleton as an option for Green Bay if they can’t bring back Campbell. Packers DC Joe Barry was Littleton’s position coach for three seasons with the Rams and Green Bay was interested in Littleton as a free agent in 2020 before he signed in Las Vegas. 

Vikings

• PFN’s Aaron Wilson reports the Vikings have shown interest in trading for Texans QB Deshaun Watson, despite being expected to have QB Kirk Cousins as their starter for next season.
• ESPN’s Dan Graziano hasn’t gotten the sense that the Vikings have made a big push to extend Cousins yet, though they still could do that at some point to try and lower his cap number. 
• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler had people at the Combine tell him the Vikings were torn on how to proceed, as committing more money to Cousins isn’t necessarily advisable, keeping him on his current cap hit means making big cuts to the roster elsewhere, and trading him leaves them without a quarterback.