With just a week to go until real, actual NFL football begins, here's one last preseason edition of "Around the NFC North."

Chicago Bears

• There's been some smoke around the Bears being a possible landing spot for Alvin Kamara if the Saints do decide to move on, but I really don't see it. Chicago already has two running backs they don't use enough in David Montgomery (though injured) and Tarik Cohen, and so I can't imagine they're looking to add another. But there are certainly crazier ideas. Matt Nagy likes to throw to his running backs, and Kamara has certainly been a versatile weapon for New Orleans. Still, the price would be high, and the Bears have already done enough mortgaging of their future over the last several years with nothing to show for it.

• The Bears have still not announced who their opening-day starter will be: Nick Foles or Mitch Trubisky. Chances are they already know who will be taking the snaps that day, but the fact that the battle is close enough so this sort of charade even has a chance at working really doesn't bode well for the team's quarterbacking potential in 2020.

• One player the Bears are going to need take care of sooner than later is wide receiver Allen Robinson. Robinson has been a solid contributor for the Bears in several years with the team, despite low-quality quarterback play. He's a free agent this offseason and will likely attract some good offers. The Bears really don't have anyone proven behind Robinson, so there has to be a sense of urgency there. Expect this to be an ongoing story throughout the season until something gets resolved.

Detroit Lions

• The Lions reached a six-year, $85 million extension agreement with franchise left tackle Taylor Decker. The deal features $37.5 million of guaranteed money. It's a solid deal for Detroit; reliable left tackles are an extremely valuable commodity, and they've got one locked up for a long time now.

• In the category of goofy news for the week: cardboard cutouts. Lions fans may not be able to attend games in person fo ra while, but now they're able to purchase cardboard cutouts and submit their likeness to be placed in the Ford Field lower bowl. The money raised from the cutouts will benefit local charities.

• Matthew Stafford told former teammate Nate Burleson in a recent conversation that he's "going for MVP" this year, which might raise a few eyeballs at first. However, Stafford had to have been a dark horse MVP candidate before going down with an injury last season. He was playing some of the finest ball of his career, and the Lions looked like they could have been on a collision course to be potential spoilers to other playoff hopefuls in the NFC. Obviously, their season fell apart last year when Stafford got hurt. But if he's able to pick up where he left things off in 2019... this team could surprise a few people.

Minnesota Vikings

• Kirk Cousins made a fool of himself yet again on a national scale for some questionable-at-best comments regarding COVID-19, testing and mask wearing. By now, most Packer fans have heard (and fully memed) the "if I die, I die" quote. By Wednesday evening, Cousins was walking back his statements about taking a "survival of the fittest" approach to the virus, but the damage was already done.

• After some question as to whether tackle Riley Reiff would be a part of the team movign forward into the 2020 season, the Vikings managed to get a deal done to restructure his contract. And not a minute too soon--the Vikings are already in for a massive challenge against the Packers' dominant pass rush in week one. Without Reiff, it's hard to imagine the team would have been capable of even slightly slowing down the Packers' rush.

• The Vikings made headlines earlier in the week when they traded for Jaguars pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue. The young pro bowler will be an intimdiating addition to a line that already includes an outstanding pass rusher in Danielle Hunter. However, it could end up being a one-year rental sort of situation for Minnesota. Time will tell whether the draft picks they gave up end up being worth it.