NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes that while HC Matt Nagy appears to have secured his job for the time being, GM Ryan Pace could be on shakier footing, especially if the Bears lose to the Saints in the wildcard round. 
• Biggs notes it’s highly unlikely Bears LB Roquan Smith plays this week after appearing to dislocate his elbow in Week 17. 

Lions

• Fansided’s Matt Lombardo says league insiders believe Lions DE Romeo Okwara will have a strong market in the second tier of edge rushers, estimating his market anywhere from $8 to $14 million a year should he hit free agency. 

Packers

• The Packers are hosting WR Chris Blair, DB Innis Gaines and LB Ray Wilborn for visits this week. (Aaron Wilson)

Vikings

Coming into the year, Vikings HC Mike Zimmer would respond to questions about the personnel Minnesota lost on defense by expressing confidence in his and his staff’s abilities, bragging he’d never coached a bad defense. At the end of the 2020 season, Zimmer was forced to confront his failures on that side of the ball and acknowledged the loss of so many veterans to free agency and injuries was too much to just gloss over. 

“I probably miscalculated some things going into the season when we lost all the guys that we lost the year before,” Zimmer said via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “We had a complete overhaul on defense, and sometimes that happens when you get to Year 7.”