NFC Notes: Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported Bears HC Matt Nagy addressed the report that he was about to be fired with the team on Tuesday but did so in a way that left many players unconvinced about his future. 
• Sources tell Biggs Nagy didn’t address the report head-on which left some players angry. He also said he did have a meeting with ownership that he called “productive” after telling reporters earlier in the day he wasn’t scheduled to meet with ownership this week. 
• Nagy also canceled all the meetings for the rest of Tuesday afternoon and evening, which is an unusual move given they play the Lions on Thursday in a short week. 
• The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain writes that as things stand right now, there is a sense from league sources outside the team building that Bears GM Ryan Pace could return even if Nagy is fired. Fishbain explains ownership values stability and does admire Pace even if the results over his seven seasons have been grim. 
• Per the Athletic’s Dan Pompei, Bears chairperson George McCaskey addressed the players and coaches to say there was no truth to the report that Nagy would be fired after Thanksgiving. 

Packers

• Packers HC Matt LaFleur said RB Aaron Jones (knee) will practice on a limited basis on Wednesday: “We’ll take it a day at a time and hopefully he has the ability to get back.” (Wes Hodkiewicz)
• Packers QB Aaron Rodgers said on Wednesday that he’s dealing with a fractured toe. (Matt Schneidman)
• Rodgers said he suffered his toe injury during ramp-up workouts at home and didn’t think it was serious until bring examined on Saturday.
• Rodgers mentioned that surgery has not been ruled out and it could possibly occur during the bye week. In the end, the quarterback called it a “pain management issue.”  (Tom Silverstein)
• Rodgers said he wouldn’t consider surgery unless it was considered “absolutely necessary.” (Tom Silverstein)

Vikings

• Vikings QB Kirk Cousins said he is still being protective with his passes despite HC Mike Zimmer recently saying he wants his passing to be more aggressive: “I don’t want to throw picks even if the coach has given me the green light. … I’m still playing the way I’ve always played.” (Chad Graff)
• Vikings co-DC Andre Patterson expects DL Sheldon Richardson to move around on their defensive line in Week 12 with DT with Dalvin Tomlinson out and DE Everson Griffen‘s current situation. (Chris Tomasson)
• Patterson said their defensive line must be able to manage through their current lack of depth: “I expect them to go out there to play and perform and put us in position to win Sunday. … The San Francisco 49ers are not going to feel sorry for us.” (Tomasson)
• Regarding C Garrett Bradbury being benched in favor of C Mason Cole, Zimmer responded that they still have “a lot of confidence” in Bradbury, but Cole is playing well: “He’s a doing a good job. We have a lot of confidence in him. We’ve just been doing well with Mason (Cole).” (Tomasson)
• The Vikings protected practice squad DT T.Y. McGill, DE Kenny Willekes and S Myles Dorn ahead of Week 12. (Tomasson)