NFC Notes: Bears, Saints, Vikings

Bears

• The Chicago Sun-Times’ Adam Jahns says the Bears’ interest in RB Le’Veon Bell might have only been “due diligence” as there were questions about how he’d fit with the team culture.  

Saints

• According to ESPN’s Mike Triplett, the Saints initial offer to RB Mark Ingram was four years for $17 million and only $5 million guaranteed. 
• Ingram wanted more from the Saints than the three-year, $15 million deal he signed with the Ravens.  But after New Orleans signed RB Latavius Murray, he moved on to Baltimore.  
• Wisconsin DT Olive Sagapolu says he has a visit set with the Saints. (Jason Galloway)
• The Saints will not tender restricted free agent WR Tommylee Lewis or exclusive rights free agent DB Rickey Jefferson.  (Josh Katzenstein)
• Saints G Andrus Peat‘s fifth-year option salary of $9.625 million became fully guaranteed on Wednesday.  (Katzenstein)

Vikings

• Per Ben Goessling, LB Anthony Barr will receive a $13 million signing bonus and count $5.6 million against the cap in 2019.  
• Barr’s $2.9 million base salary in 2019 is fully guaranteed, while is $10 million base salary in 2020 is guaranteed only for injury and will become fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2020 league year. (Goessling)
• Barr has a $12.3 million base salary in 2021, $7.1 million of which isn’t guaranteed until the third day of the 2021 league year.  
• Barr has $100,000 workout bonuses each year of the deal, and from 2021-2023 he has per-game roster bonuses of up to $500,000.  From 2020-2023, Barr has base salary escalators based on sacks of up to $3 million each year.  (Goessling)
• The Vikings will visit with Wisconsin LB Andrew Van Ginkel.  (Jake Kocorowoski)