NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• According to TMZ, Bears DL Mario Edwards has been charged with assault in a domestic violence case by prosecutors in North Carolina. 
• A woman Edwards was dating alleges she was hospitalized after he got violent with her at the hotel the night before Chicago played at Carolina. However, a police report filed shows cops were called with a report of a woman hitting a man and scratching his forehead. 
• Edwards denies striking the woman and claims she was the aggressor. 

Lions

Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp said in an internal memo to team employees that the focus will be finding a proven head coach and general manager tandem to be the next leaders of the franchise. 

“This staffing change brings lots of work with it, (which) Rod and I and our advisors take very seriously,” Hamp said in her letter. “We are already deeply into researching top candidates for head coach and GM, and, as the recent internal memo stated, have already interviewed several in-house candidates for the GM job. This process will play out over the next six weeks or so, with the result being a well-vetted and proven head coach/GM team that can finally take the Lions where we all so earnestly wish to go — to the top!”

• Birkett notes this search is already much different than the last time the Lions hired a new general manager in 2016, with more interest being shown by candidates in the job. 
• Multiple top candidates either declined to interview with the Lions or were blocked by their teams. With NFL consultant and former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi leading the search, the Lions interviewed just three candidates. They’ve reached that number with internal interviews already and will start interviewing external candidates who are unaffiliated with teams soon. Accorsi is not a part of the search process this time, according to Birkett. 
• The Lions also plan to do a third wave of interviews after the season when over half the league becomes available. 
• The Lions announced FOX broadcaster and former Lion Chris Spielman will join the team as an advisor to Ford Hamp and team president Rod Wood in a full-time role. Former RB Barry Sanders will also be part of the advisory committee.
• Wood said Spielman will stay on after the search for a coach and GM to help instill a “Detroit Lions culture.” (Justin Rogers)
• Spielman said he’s not a candidate to be the next general manager: “I’m not qualified to be a general manager. I do know what works and what doesn’t work by being 30 years in this business and traveling around to 32 teams, year in and year out, and having a brother in the business.” (Kyle Meinke) 
• As for the future of Lions QB Matthew Stafford, Spielman didn’t provide much of an insight into which way Detroit could be leaning with his future this offseason: “Tough for me to comment on specifics. I just know this, he’s a talented guy and he’s a tough-ass and I’ve always respected Matthew and how he plays the game.” (Birkett)
• Stafford suffered a rib cartilage injury Sunday against the Packers. Detroit is not overly optimistic he can play but is leaving the door open given how often he toughs out injuries. (Jeremy Fowler)
• Lions first-round CB Jeff Okudah announced he underwent surgery to fix a core muscle issue he’s been dealing with for a while now. (Twitter)

Packers

• Packers RB Aaron Jones has hired agent Drew Rosenhaus as his new representation, per Rosenhaus on Twitter.
• Rosenhaus will also represent Jones’ brother, LB Alvin Jones.
• Packers signed DL Brian Price to their practice squad. (NFLTR)
• Packers activated RB Dexter Williams from the practice squad injured list.
• Packers released T Ryan Pope from their practice squad.
• Packers placed DL Delontae Scott on the practice squad injured list.

Vikings

• The Minnesota Vikings are bringing in K Taylor Bertolet for a tryout this week, according to Tom Pelissero.
• Vikings activated CB Mark Fields II from injured reserve. (NFLTR)
• Vikings signed S Curtis Riley to their practice squad.
• Vikings placed CB Kris Boyd on injured reserve.
• Vikings released K Tristan Vizcaino from their practice squad.