NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• ESPN’s Field Yates notes the Bears are hiring Henry Burris as their quality control coach. Burris spent the 2020 season on the Bears’ staff.
• Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer believes that the Bears should do everything in their power to get their top-three choices at quarterback. He lists Texans’ QB Deshaun Watson, Lions’ QB Matthew Stafford, and the 2021 NFL Draft as potential options for the franchise.

Lions

New Lions’ HC Dan Campbell has been filling out his staff with OC Anthony Lynn, former Eagles’ assistant coach Duce Staley, and DC Aaron Glenn, who could receive looks at head coach around the league as soon as next season.

Campbell spoke about where and how he will go about looking at filling out the rest of his staff.

“You’re making a ton of phone calls about guys, in reference to guys, trying to do your due diligence,” Campbell said, via Albert Breer of SI. “I’ve said all along, I said it on my interview, I don’t want to hire guys just because they’re my friends. Now, if I happen to find a guy who I know is a dang good coach, and he’s a friend, I’ll do it. But I’m not kidding when I say we’re looking everywhere. I’m using Chris Spielman as a resource, and we are looking everywhere. I’m looking in Canadian football, I’m looking in college football, we’re still looking in the league, I know of a high school coach right now that I’m thinking of, how do I get him on this staff. You know why? Because he’s a dang good coach. He just needs to grow and learn, that’s all. So that’s what I’m in the process of. All the great coaches, and all the great people I have a ton of respect for in this business, have all said the same thing, it’s the same message, there’s a lot of things that come out, but here’s the one constant that they all say: Do not rush your staff, do not rush hiring your staff, do not do it because this is the most important decision I’ll make. And we’re not.”

• Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer thinks that there will be a good market for departing Lions’ QB Matthew Stafford, but also reminds us that not many teams were willing to make the move on Buccaneers’ QB Tom Brady during free agency last season.
• Glazer notes that the Patriots, Colts, and 49ers would all be a good fit for Stafford.
• ESPN’s Michael Rothstein writes the main goal for the Lions in a trade will be augmenting their draft pick cache to fuel their rebuild, as they only have five picks in 2021 right now. 
• As for their plans at quarterback beyond Stafford, Rothstein notes Chargers QB Tyrod Taylor and current Lions QB Chase Daniel are solid bridge options should they draft someone. Taylor has strong ties to Lynn, the new offensive coordinator. 
• The Lions could also pursue a veteran reclamation project like Jameis Winston, who Campbell knows from his time with the Saints, Jacoby Brissett, Mitchell Trubisky or even potentially Sam Darnold. 
• As initially reported by Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press mentions new Lions executive John Dorsey helped BYU QB Zach Wilson with his decision to turn pro. 
• Giants assistant DB coach Anthony Blevins interviewed for the Lions ST coordinator vacancy. (Jordan Raanan)
• The Lions are expected to hire Eagles ST coordinator Dave Fipp, however. (Birkett)

Packers

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer doesn’t think that the Packers will trade QB Aaron Rodgers, despite any potential frustration.
• Breer adds that Rodgers is surrounded by offensive talent including WR Davante Adams, TE Robert Tonyan, RB Aaron Jones, RB Jamaal Williams, RB AJ Dillon, and LT David Bakhtiari.
• ESPN’s Rob Demovsky thinks Rodgers might be looking for more than a year-to-year commitment to him on the part of the Packers, which Green Bay could accomplish by restructuring or guaranteeing more of his deal. 
• Rodgers isn’t on the trade block right now, but if he wants out, Demovsky said league executives think other teams would be willing to part with a first-round pick and a Day 2 pick for him. 
• However, Demovsky doesn’t think 2019 first-round QB Jordan Love is ready to play based on what observers saw from practices in training camp. Love was also the No. 3 quarterback all season behind Tim Boyle. 
• Demovsky brings up the possibility of Green Bay trading Love to show their commitment to Rodgers the same way the Patriots traded Jimmy Garoppolo to affirm their commitment to Tom Brady. 
• Packers LB Krys Barnes had surgery to repair his fractured thumb on Monday and is expected to need a month to recover. (Olivia Reiner)

Vikings

• The Athletic’s Chad Graff says the Vikings haven’t contacted LB Anthony Barr to discuss how they plan to handle his contract this offseason. Barr missed most of 2020 with a torn pec and is set to count $15.5 million against the cap in 2021. 
• Graff explains Minnesota’s options with Barr include cutting him, saving $7.7 million but creating $7.8 million in dead cap, restructuring his deal to free up space but guarantee him more money, or leaving his deal as is. Barr has $7.1 million of his salary vest into guarantees on the third day of the league year, so that serves as a deadline for the Vikings on a decision. 
• Graff thinks the Vikings will need to ask Barr to take a pay cut but considering he took less money to re-sign with Minnesota in 2019, that might be a hard ask. 
• The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reports that Vikings’ DB coach Daronte Jones is expected to be hired as the defensive coordinator at LSU.
• Giants assistant DB coach Anthony Blevins interviewed for the Vikings ST coordinator vacancy. (Jordan Raanan)
• Vikings assistant ST coach Ryan Ficken is also a candidate to take the primary role at the position. (Ben Goessling)