NFC Notes: Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• Per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Bears HC Matt Nagy expects WR Allen Robinson, DT Akiem Hicks and K Eddy Pineiro all to be ready to return by Week 1. 
• Nagy stressed Chicago just signed K Cairo Santos as insurance for Pineiro while he recovers from his groin injury. (Jeff Dickerson)

Packers

According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Packers DT Kenny Clark‘s four-year, $70 million extension breaks out as follows:

• 2020: $25 million signing bonus, $1.69 million base salary. Cap hit of $6.69 million.
• 2021: $1 million base salary, $600,000 workout bonus and up to $500,000 in per-game active roster bonuses. Cap hit of $7.1 million.
• 2022: $8 million base salary, $700,000 workout bonus, $6.4 million roster bonus due third day of the league year and up to $550,000 in per-game active roster bonuses. Cap hit of $20.65 million.
• 2023: $13 million base salary, $700,000 workout bonus, $2 million roster bonus due third day of the league year and up to $550,000 in per-game active roster bonuses. Cap hit of $21.25 million.
• 2024: $15.5 million base salary, $700,000 workout bonus and up to $750,000 in per-game active roster bonuses. Cap hit of $22 million.

Demovksy points out that in 2022, when Clark’s cap hit is set to skyrocket, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is due to count almost $40 million against the cap. 

However, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Sentinel-Journal believes Clark’s deal is set to account for the drop in salary cap in 2021 and the expected boom in 2022 after new TV deals are agreed to instead. 

Vikings

• Per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, Vikings HC Mike Zimmer said LB Cameron Smith had successful open-heart surgery to correct the issue that landed him on the non-football injury list: “They were able to repair the heart and he’s in good shape.”
•  Vikings LB Ben Gedeon is seeing a specialist on Wednesday and is hoping for clearance from concussion issues that have kept him on the PUP list. (Andrew Krammer)
• Vikings UDFA LB Jordan Fehr and S Myles Dorn are seeing time with the first-team punt unit which could give them an edge for a final roster spot. (Arif Hasan)
• Vikings WR Alexander Hollins also has looked good as a gunner and has played well enough as a receiver it would be hard to leave him off the roster.