NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• The Bears announced that OL Coach Juan Castillo will not travel with the team to the Carolina Panthers after being in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

Lions

Lions’ return specialist Jamal Agnew said assistant coach Leon Washington, who is tied for the NFL’s most career kick returns for a touchdown with eight, is pushing him to beat his record. 

“He definitely pushes me,” Agnew said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “We talk back and forth a little bit. I keep telling him I’m going to catch him. I’m going to catch him, but it’s just going to take time. I’ve got to make the smart play, make the great decisions, and it’ll come.”

Agnew called the number of fair catches he’s had this season “really frustrating” and is trying to be patient with his opportunities. 

“It’s actually really frustrating,” Agnew said. “(Washington) always preaches to me just be patient, those opportunities are going to come, and it’s been helping me a lot. Obviously, in the past I’ve tried to force some stuff, but thankfully for Lee — I call him Lee — he helps me stay a little even keel, stay a little patient.”

• Per Justin Rogers of the Detroit News, Lions RB Adrian Peterson is dealing with a non-COVID-19 related illness. 

Packers

• ESPN’s Bill Barnwell outlines a potential trade between the Packers and Texans. Houston would send WR Kenny Stills to Green Bay in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick. 
• Stills is in the final year of his contract but would add some depth for a Packers receiving corps that’s been made even shallower with injuries. Houston meanwhile would recoup a pick. 

Vikings

• The Athletic’s Chad Graff says Vikings DE Danielle Hunter had shoulder pain during training camp and further tests revealed he had a herniated disc in his neck. 
• The injury doesn’t have a clear cut treatment, with options varying on the exact location of the injury. Sometimes rest and rehab are all that’s needed and other times surgery becomes a necessity. 
• Graff adds Hunter hasn’t yet decided on a final course of action but appears to be hoping it improves over time. Meanwhile, the Vikings realized it would be more severe in late August which Graff mentions prompted their trade for DE Yannick Ngakoue. 
• Vikings OC Gary Kubiak said both OL Oli Udoh and second-round rookie Ezra Cleveland are getting work at both tackle and guard. He expects Cleveland to play “before this thing is said and done.” (Ben Goessling)
• For now, though, Kubiak said the plan is to stick with Dru Samia as the starting right guard: “We’ve got to continue to grow Dru, and we’ve got to work to some of the mistakes, but we’re also hanging onto some of the positive things he’s doing. We believe in our group, and we’ll just keep working.”