NFC Notes: Bears, Packers, Aaron Rodgers, Vikings

Bears

  • ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes that league executives think Chargers WR Mike Williams would be a good fit with the Bears, assuming he makes it to free agency which is no sure thing. He’s not seen as a true No. 1 receiver, but execs said those are rare anyway: “Possession routes and jump balls, back shoulder/fades — anything to accentuate his size, length, catch radius and ball skills, teams should be looking for.”
  • Fowler adds the Bears are not expected to re-sign WR Allen Robinson, who is also a pending free agent. 
  • Eagles passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo is a name to watch for the Bears offensive coordinator job, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
  • One Colts assistant who could follow new HC Matt Eberflus to Chicago is LB coach Dave Borgonzi. (Rapoport)
  • Colts S coach Alan Williams could also follow Eberflus to the Bears but also has a chance to become the Colts’ new defensive coordinator. (Albert Breer)
  • Browns running game coordinator Ben Bloom worked with Eberflus and is another assistant who could join the new staff in Chicago. (Kevin Fishbain

Packers

  • CBS Sports analyst and former agent Joel Corry explains the potential options the Packers and QB Aaron Rodgers have this offseason, including an extension, trade or retirement. 
  • Green Bay can open up cap space with an extension by dropping Rodgers’ 2022 salary to the minimum and giving him a larger signing bonus. How large will depend on how close to market value Rodgers wants to be paid. Corry thinks a four-year extension with a $75 million signing bonus would be one option. That would clear $10 million in cap space in 2022. 
  • If Green Bay were to trade Rodgers, it might affect their ability to retain Adams. Corry notes a tag and trade involving the star receiver would be a possibility. 
  • Corry expects the Packers to ask for at least as much as some of the blockbuster non-quarterback trades recently in exchange for Rodgers, so two first-round picks plus a little extra. A trade would free up $19.8 million in cap space. 
  • Should Rodgers decide to retire, which would surprise Corry, Green Bay could take the same route as the Saints did with Drew Brees by lowering his base salary to the minimum, freeing up $26 million in space, then waiting to process his retirement until after June 1 to split up the remaining dead money hit, saving an additional $7.6 million. 
  • Albert Breer of SI.com explains that while the Packers could conceivably tag-and-trade WR Davante Adams this offseason, Green Bay’s salary cap issues would make it very difficult, especially if they also plan to trade Rodgers.
  • The Packers would need to be under the cap by at least $19 million, which is around the cost of the franchise tag in 2022. However, the Packers are projected to be about $45 million over the cap so they would need to clear a total of $64 million or so just to make this possible.
  • Many around the NFL feel like Rodgers and Adams will end up being a package deal, with one NFC executive telling ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler: “If there’s a chance Rodgers returns, I can’t see them letting Adams go. They’d have to find a way to keep him. It feels like a package deal with those two.”
  • Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio writes that he’s heard the relationship between Rodgers and GM Brian Gutekunst isn’t as repaired as the two have made it appear publicly.
  • As far as retirement, Florio’s opinion is that Rodgers won’t want to retire the same year that Tom Brady does, if the Buccaneers QB does end up walking away. 
  • The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein says Packers HC Matt LaFleur will likely promote passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy to offensive coordinator as Nathaniel Hackett departs as head coach of the Denver Broncos.

Vikings

  • NFL Media’s Cameron Wolfe reports the Vikings gave a four-year, $12 million deal to former Browns executive Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as their new general manager.
  • Adofo-Mensah has a reputation as an analytics guy, as he got his NFL start in that department after making the jump to the league as a former commodities trader with degrees from Princeton and Stanford. He described his approach to analytics: “It’s about asking why…trying to figure out what you’re doing. I consider analytics about being thoughtful and intentional and sometimes that takes quantitative research, sometimes it’s about talking to people.” (Courtney Cronin)

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