Bears

• According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears are hiring longtime NFL RB coach Eric Studesville to the same role on their staff, replacing former RB coach Eric Bieniemy. Studesville was with the Dolphins last. 

Packers 

• Packers GM Brian Gutekunst on free agency: “I feel really good. A lot will be dependent on the decisions we make with the roster. I believe we have the flexibility to do what we need to do.” (Hodkiewicz)
• Gutekunst on the team’s current roster: “Losing five games in a row, I don’t know that we’ve made a decision on anybody yet.” (Wood)
• Gutekunst says he expects G Aaron Banks and CB Nate Hobbs back for next season. (Schneidman)
• Gutekunst on Rashan Gary: “I thought he started out really, really strong. Obviously, he had a lot of production early. I think he ended up with 60-some pressures and 7.5 sacks. That’s pretty good production in the NFL.” (Wood)
• On the versatility of the offensive line: “I don’t really care where guys think they’re better at. When they’re in there, they need to perform.” (Wood)
• Gutekunst says he has been in touch with the representatives for TE Tucker Kraft: “The impact he has on our football team not only as a player and as a leader is important to us.”
• On QB Malik Willis: “We’d love to have Malik back but being realistic he’ll probably have more opportunities to play more than he would here.”
• Gutekunst on RB Josh Jacobs: “He’s an important part of our football team and has a lot of good years left.” (Hodkiewicz)
• CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reports the Packers are hiring Penn State WRs coach Noah Pauley in the same role. 
• Aaron Wilson of KPRC reports the Packers have parted ways with WRs coach Ryan Mahaffey. 
• NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the Eagles are hiring former Mahaffey as run game coordinator/TEs coach. 

Vikings

Alec Lewis of The Athletic takes a look at 12 candidates for the Vikings’ general manager job after speaking to multiple league sources:

• Lewis notes that Vikings executive VP of football operations Rob Brzezinski is respected by many of Minnesota’s coaches. However, he is unsure if ownership thinks Brzezinski is better suited to continue managing their salary cap in his executive role. 
• Regarding Broncos GM George Paton, Lewis points out that he worked in Minnesota from 2007 to 2020. However, he is unsure how far Denver owner Greg Penner and HC Sean Payton would go to prevent Paton from leaving. 
• As for Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds, Lewis praised his scouting ability but is unsure if Dodds can “lead a building with strong personalities and annual playoff expectations.”
• With Rams assistant GM John McKay, Lewis writes he would be a younger option, and HC Kevin O’Connell‘s “stamp of approval” would be what matters most in the end. 
• For Patriots VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden, Lewis writes that O’Connell maintains a close relationship with New England HC Mike Vrabel, which could build his candidacy in Minnesota. 
• Lewis points out that Bears senior director of player personnel Jeff King played alongside Vikings QBs coach Josh McCown.
• Lewis mentions that Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl built a lot of his success as an executive with the Eagles under GM Howie Roseman. 
• Broncos assistant GM Reed Burckhardt is Paton’s “right-hand man” and is familiar with Minnesota’s structure. 
• Lewis writes Bengals assistant general manager Trey Brown worked as an area scout for the Patriots during its heyday from 2010 to 2012. 
• Lewis calls Seahawks VP of player personnel Trent Kirchner one of the “top lieutenants” under GM John Schneider. 
• Seahawks VP of player acquisition Matt Berry is another candidate with a strong scouting background after being Seattle’s director of college scouting.
• Lewis thinks Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew can bring a shift to their front office mentality with a “no-nonsense, old-school approach.”
• NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the Vikings are hiring NFL salary cap executive Matt Thomas as a football administration consultant through the draft in April.
• Pelissero adds that Thomas’s presence is meant to free up Brzezinski, who has been running football operations on an interim basis after they fired GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.