NFC Notes: Chase Claypool, Roquan Smith, Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports Green Bay seemed to have the top offer on the table for WR Chase Claypool until the Bears came in with a better offer and acquired him from the Steelers.
• According to PFF’s Doug Kyed, the Bears were one of the teams who reached out to the Patriots about trading for WR Kendrick Bourne. 
• The Athletic’s Adam Jahns and Kevin Fishbain explain the Bears’ thinking in trading LB Roquan Smith to the Ravens for second and fifth-round picks. They point back to the acrimonious contract negotiations this summer that resulted in Smith requesting a trade and blasting the team. 
• Jahns and Fishbain write it’s unlikely the Bears would have been willing to meet Smith’s asking price this coming offseason, as while he’s a good player he’s looking to be the highest-paid inside linebacker. If they had used the franchise tag, it would have almost assuredly meant a lengthy holdout, as Smith wouldn’t be liable for fines as long as he didn’t sign the tag. 
• Smith was owed $5.408 million for the rest of the season. As part of the trade agreement between Chicago and Baltimore, the Bears are paying Smith $4.833 million while the Ravens are paying him $575,000 for the rest of the season. (Adam Schefter)

Packers

• CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports Green Bay seemed to have the top offer on the table for WR Chase Claypool until the Bears came in with a better offer and acquired him from the Steelers.
• Packers HC Matt LaFleur hasn’t considered making a change on the coaching staff with DC Joe Barry: “Oh, no. Absolutely not.” (Matt Schneidman)
• Packers first-round WR Christian Watson suffered a concussion during Sunday night’s game but LaFleur said Watson “seemed to be in relatively good state of mind.” (Wes Hodkiewicz)
• LaFleur doesn’t expect LB De’Vondre Campbell‘s knee injury to be long-term but doesn’t know if he’ll suit up next week: “I don’t think it’s long term but whether or not he’ll be available for this week is kind of up in the air.” (Hodkiewicz)
• LaFleur said S Darnell Savage needs to improve his tackling: “As a safety, you gotta clean it up.” (Schneidman)

Vikings

Vikings CB Patrick Peterson made it clear that he still resents the way things ended for him with the Cardinals after GM Steve Keim decided to move on from the former first-round pick.

“I’m still waiting on [general manager] Steve Keim to call me,” Peterson said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. “Still haven’t talked to him. I still got it. All I heard the last two years is that ‘He’s washed up, he’s done.’ I know we’ve still got a second half of the season to go, but I’m just getting started. Like, I’m in my zone right now. I’m in a groove. I’ve been here before, I know how to keep it. And I want to continue being challenged, and continue helping this team win ballgames. Because I promise you this, if I get challenged, I will show up on the stat sheet. And that’s why I’ve been missing out on Pro Bowls and All-Pros. I’m here. Twelve years in and I’m still standing strong.”

• ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the 2024 conditional fourth-round pick the Lions are sending the Vikings as part of the TE T.J. Hockenson trade will become a 2024 fifth-round round pick if the Vikings win a playoff game.
• Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell said TE Irv Smith and DL Dalvin Tomlinson look like “week-to-week” injuries after yesterday’s game. Smith was later placed on IR, though. (Ben Goessling)