NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune says that while the Bears did make a run at LT Trent Williams, it does not appear as though a deal will materialize between the two sides.
• Stacey Dales reports that the Bears were “extremely aggressive” in their pursuit of Seahawks’ QB Russell Wilson but Seattle was simply unwilling to trade him.
• According to Jason La Canfora, the Bears offered three first-round picks and a third rounder in exchange for Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and additional players, while Seattle was offered a “swath of players to choose from” including Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks.
• However, the Canfora notes that the Bears’ picks weren’t “high enough” and left the Seahawks without a quarterback. 
• Canfora adds that Chicago lacks young talent on rookie contracts, and their approach to Seattle “lacked creativity.” The Bears likely needed to acquire a higher pick or involve a third team in order to send the Seahawks a quarterback. 
• Adam Caplan could see the Bears trading for Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew after Jacksonville has reportedly taken calls about the quarterback’s availability. 
• Peter Schrager reports that the Lions are still working the phones and are not done adding players during free agency.
• Bears G Germain Ifedi‘s one-year, $4.25 million extension includes a $2.25 million signing bonus, a base salary of $2 million, and a $750,000 Pro Bowl incentive (Aaron Wilson)
• Lions’ LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin‘s one-year, $2.377 million contract is fully guaranteed, including a $137,500 signing bonus and a guaranteed $2.24 million base salary. (Aaron Wilson)
• Lions’ new TE Josh Hill‘s one-year, $1.212 million includes a $137,500 signing bonus and $850,000 of his $1.075 million base salary is guaranteed. (Aaron Wilson)
• Lions DE Romeo Okwara called his three-year, $39 million extension a “simple decision” and that he wanted to continue playing alongside his brother, Julian Okwara. 

Packers

• Packers OLB Preston Smith‘s restructured contract includes a reduced cap figure of $8.75 million, a $6.5 million signing bonus, and lowered his base salary to $1 million from $6.85 million. (Rob Demovsky)
• Smith’s cap figure in 2022 Cap increases to $19.75 million, but Green Bay could save $12.25 million in cap by cutting him after the 2021 season. 
• Packers RB Aaron Jones‘ four-year, $48 million deal includes $20 million over the first two years of his deal. He’s also owed $7 million by the third day of the 2023 league year. (Tom Pelissero)
• Pelissero notes that Jones is owed $16 million in 2023 and $12 million in 2024. 
• Tom Silverstein notes that the Packers reduced OT Billy Turner‘s cap number by $3.56 million, which puts Green Bay right under the cap threshold. 
• Silverstein adds that the Packers’ turned Turner’s $4.425 million base salary for 2021 into a signing bonus and added two voidable years to his contract.

Vikings

• According to Mike Florio, the Vikings have had discussions about restructuring WR Adam Thielen‘s contract in order to create more cap space. Florio writes that the Vikings could create over $8 million in cap space by converting $10.025 million of Thielen’s $11.1 million salary into a signing bonus and adding a voidable year to his deal.
• Courtney Cronin mentions that the Vikings expect to have DT Michael Pierce back next season to pair him with DT Dalvin Tomlinson. Pierce had previously opted out of the 2021 season shortly after signing with Minnesota.
• The Athletic’s Chad Graff says Pierce was initially worried that Tomlinson was signed to replace him since both are traditionally nose tackles. However, the Vikings coaching staff reassured him that they signed Tomlinson to be a three-technique and not a nose. 
• Graff adds the Vikings were desperate for a three-technique and envision both Tomlinson and Pierce being difficult for other teams to run against. They also think they can unlock more pass-rushing potential than either have shown in their careers to this point. 
• He also mentioned that while the Vikings pursued some of the top free-agent edge rushers, they were handicapped by not wanting to give any of them more money than the $14.4 million per year DE Danielle Hunter currently makes in order to not upset him more. 
• Graff mentions that Vikings OL Oli Udoh converted to guard for part of last season and could make the switch permanently to compete to start at left guard: “Whatever they need me to play, I’m willing to play.”
• Vikings’ recently signed LB Nick Vigil‘s one-year, $1.75 million deal includes a $450,000 signing bonus, $600,000 of his $1 million base salary is guaranteed, can earn up to $250,000 in per-game roster bonuses and another $500,000 in playing-time incentives.  (Aaron Wilson)