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Football Outsiders, a statistics-based analysis service, has been producing division-by-division Insider files on remaining team needs. You'll need a subscription to read the entire NFC North post , but below I've taken a few excerpts and written a few things about them.

Chicago Bears
Football Outsiders' issue: Receiver
Football Outsiders comment: "When we pointed to wide receiver as a major flaw for the current Bears early in the offseason, it was to the consternation of a lot of Bears fans who saw the offensive line as the larger issue. The problem is that Jay Cutler is a see-it, throw-it passer. He's still a solid quarterback, but he's never thrown receivers open on a consistent basis. That amplifies the Bears' receiving problems, and while scheming can create the occasional big play for Devin Hester, Eric Weems, or Earl Bennett, they can't defeat man coverage often enough to benefit Cutler."
Seifert comment: I'm not on board with describing Cutler as a "see-it, throw-it" passer. If anything, his arm strength and velocity give him too much confidence when it comes to throwing receivers open. (The phrase refers to putting the ball in a place that an otherwise covered receiver can catch it). I wouldn't argue that Bears' need for additional depth behind Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Bennett, but it's not because of any passing limitation on Cutler's part. There's just not much else behind them, especially as long as Hester works solely with special teams.

Detroit Lions
Football Outsiders' issue: Offensive line
Football Outsiders comment: "The strength of this line in recent seasons has been pass blocking, as Detroit's offense has finished in the top 10 in adjusted sack rate for the past three seasons, but that is likely to take a hit from this offseason's turnover."
Seifert comment: On the other hand, the Lions' new offensive line might be a better run-blocking group. That aspect has taken a back seat in recent years. I do think, however, that it's worth being concerned about putting your franchise quarterback behind a line with at least three first-time starters.

Green Bay Packers
Football Outsiders' issue: Offensive line
Football Outsiders comment: "[M]uch like the Lions, the Packers are putting their faith in their quarterback to evade the pass rush this season. Unlike the Lions, the Packers don't have a lot of personnel turnover in this unit, but, also unlike the Lions, they finished second-to-last in adjusted sack rate last season."
Seifert comment: There would be those who suggest that flipping the left and right sides of your line is football version of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. But every quarterback needs more help from their blind-side pass blockers. If you're going to have a strength and a weakness, it makes sense to shore up the left side first.

Minnesota Vikings
Football Outsiders' issue: Middle linebacker
Football Outsiders comment: "Erin Henderson and Chad Greenway can take care of things in Leslie Frazier's nickel fronts, but the base 4-3 is lacking a thumper after Jasper Brinkley's departure in free agency. (Of course, given Brinkley's broken-tackle rate, they probably were lacking one even if he had come back)."
Seifert comment: The Vikings clearly fell short in their attempts to find a long-term solution at this position during the offseason. They will give Henderson a chance to grow into it during organized team activities, but he was not their first choice. This position could well be atop their list of 2014 needs as well.

Reggie Bush's appearance Friday morning on the NFL Network reinforced what should be a fun 2013 trend in at least two sectors of the NFC North: Running backs catching passes. Lots of them.

How many? Well, we can say this: We have two connections to this chart of the most catches in a season by a running back in the NFL's post-merger era.

First, you might recall that Bush caught 88 passes for the New Orleans Saints in 2006, the start of a four-year stretch in which he made 260 receptions. Bush said Friday morning that the Detroit Lions' offense appears set to use him in a way similar to the Saints'.

"It's a lot like what we did in New Orleans," Bush said "It's a lot of spread ... passing. Obviously we can attack downfield, and with the running game. A lot of screens, draws. Just basically everything I did in New Orleans."

Meanwhile, Chicago Bears tailback Matt Forte will be playing in a scheme that got Charlie Garner 91 receptions for the Oakland Raiders in 2002. Bears coach Marc Trestman, of course, was the Raiders' offensive coordinator at the time.

Forte had at least 50 receptions in his first four seasons before dipping to 44 last season. He has proved to be an adept route runner in addition to excelling on screen plays and short passes into the flat.

"I would expect [to be used more in the new offense]," Forte told reporters last month. "Coach Trestman, I think he said he watched a lot of film on me and has seen me run different routes. So we'll get back to catching the ball out of the backfield like we did the prior years."

So we have two offenses that have supported 88-plus receptions by a running back in previous incarnations. Could Bush or Forte approach that number? Why not?

Related: Bush also appeared Friday morning on ESPN Radio. Here is a link.

Based on your feedback, at least, I didn't have all of my rocks in the box, or something like that, in writing the Green Bay Packers' portion of Friday's "Eight in the Box" series.

The assignment was to name a player whose health/recovery is vital to his team's success in 2013. For the Packers, I named offensive lineman Derek Sherrod and also mentioned tight end Andrew Quarless.

Phil of Platteville, Wis., begged to differ: "In response to your 'Eight in the Box' about players returning from injury: what about Desmond Bishop for the Packers? He was a big part of the defense in 2010 and '11 but missed all last year. It's still not clear whether he'll be able to return to the same level of play, but he has as good a chance as Sherrod and Quarless.

So did Bill of Lakeland, Minn.: "The one KEY player returning from injury to Green Bay is Nick Perry."

I can see both of those nominations, especially Bishop. His original omission probably reflects my own uncertainty about his future. The Packers' decision to give backup Brad Jones a contract that pays him $4 million this season continues to raise questions in my mind, even after the release of D.J. Smith.

I'm not sure how confident the Packers are in Bishop's return from a torn leg muscle. There is no doubt, however, that he would help their run defense and physicality if he can return to previous form.

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at key players for each NFC North team who are coming back from injuries:

Chicago Bears: Place-kicker Robbie Gould needed offseason surgery after rupturing a semitendinosus tendon in Week 15 and still hadn't been cleared to kick 13 weeks later. All indications are that Gould will be ready for training camp and should once again be the Bears' place-kicker in 2013. Since he entered the NFL in 2005, Gould has the seventh-best percentage of conversions (85.6) among place-kickers with at least 100 attempts, an especially notable standing considering the typically tough kicking conditions at Soldier Field. With all the other changes in the organization this offseason, the Bears need the reliability that Gould provides.

Detroit Lions: Safety Louis Delmas managed to play only 41.97 percent of the Lions' defensive snaps last season because of a knee injury that required surgery in training camp. Delmas' knees have been a bothersome issue for most of his career, and there has never been any doubt about the difference in the Lions' defense when he is in or out of the lineup. The team took a cautious approach to re-signing him in free agency, offering a modest deal that would pay him six-figure incentives for every game he plays if he manages to exceed his playing time from last season. The Lions signed free agent Glover Quin as well, but they need Delmas on the field.

Green Bay Packers: Two players who missed the 2012 season because of 2011 injuries could be in position to help the Packers in 2013. Offensive lineman Derek Sherrod had a second surgery this winter to finish repairing a leg he fractured in multiple places, and the Packers have hopes that he can compete for their open right tackle job. Tight end Andrew Quarless, meanwhile, is trying to get back on the field after blowing out his knee in December 2011. When healthy, Quarless might be the Packers' most balanced tight end in terms of receiving and blocking. Jermichael Finley is the team's top tight end, but Quarless could provide important versatility at the position.

Minnesota Vikings: Receiver Jerome Simpson's disappointing season in 2012 -- he caught 26 passes and no touchdowns in 12 games -- has been attributed in part to a mysterious back injury that decreased the explosiveness in his legs. The Vikings are hoping Simpson can regain the running and leaping abilities that helped him catch 50 passes for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011. Although the Vikings signed Greg Jennings, they still need a veteran receiver who can get downfield -- especially while rookie Cordarrelle Patterson is given time to develop. Simpson is the team's best option there.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Good mid-Friday morning and let's get straight to our morning tour:

• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune answers several questions about Chicago Bears guard Kyle Long in his weekly mailbag.
• The Bears promoted Mark Sadowski to the position of senior national scout, notes Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Former Bears quarterback Jim Miller has taken a communications position with the team, according to Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News.
• The mother of Titus Young's son has filed a restraining order against the former Detroit Lions receiver, according to the Associated Press.
• Hall of Fame defensive lineman Mean Joe Greene on the Detroit Lions' Ndamukong Suh, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: "He is a powerful man. Unfortunately for him is that he's letting some of this notoriety and publicity get in his head a little bit. By that I mean it changes the way he approaches the game, cause if he changes that he's not Ndamukong anymore. And you need an edge to play in the pit. Anybody that talks about what you shouldn't do hasn't been in there. I think you have to play the game the way he does, but not go over the edge. A couple times he went over the edge, and he shouldn't be afraid of that."
• The Lions' defense is gearing up to take on four quarterbacks who threw for at least 4,000 yards last season, notes Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette is outraged that someone would question the job security of Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy.
• Rob Demovsky of the Press-Gazette talks to former Packers running back Paul Hornung about "Titletown Five," a horse that will run in this weekend's Preakness in Baltimore.
• Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has proposed a cigarette tax to cover shortfalls in public revenues to build the Minnesota Vikings' new stadium. Jim Ragsdale of the Star Tribune explains.
• The roof of the Vikings' new stadium is "self-cleaning," Vikings executive Lester Bagley told Bob Sansevere of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Is former Detroit Lions receiver Titus Young suffering from a mental illness or is he just a bad person? The mere existence of that question is the topic of Tim Keown's thoughtful column on ESPN.com.

An excerpt:

The professional athlete suffering from mental illness has a much more difficult route to acceptance. From Jimmy Piersall to Metta World Peace to Royce White, the athlete isn't sick -- he's considered irresponsible. He is seen as being privileged to such an extreme degree -- paid to play a game translates to chosen by God in some circles -- that he can't possibly have feelings of depression or grandiosity or mania. If he does the things Young is accused of doing, it's because he's either entitled or -- America's favorite code word alert -- a thug.

You can read the entire column here.

In the still of a Thursday in May, Nick Fairley's suggestion that he is part of the NFL's best defensive tackle duo qualifies as a worthy football discussion. I waded in on Twitter this morning, noting that Fairley's inconsistency in his first two seasons required some projection to claim such a title, and I barely escaped the ensuing whirlpool.

My thought: Fairley had a dominant five-game stretch for the Detroit Lions late last season, one that showed us what kind of player he could be, especially when paired with Ndamukong Suh. But the rest of Fairley's career has been much less notable. He had four sacks and 23 tackles in that dominating stretch. In the other 18 games he has played, Fairley has a total of 2.5 sacks and 26 tackles. Meanwhile, foot and shoulder injuries have caused him to miss nine games.

To me, it's hard to stake claims even to a mythical title based on what you could do rather than what you have done. Of course, many of you asked the natural follow-up question: If Suh and Fairley aren't the best defensive tackle pair, then who is?

I reached out to Matt Williamson, who scouts the NFL for ESPN.com and is in a far better position to answer that question than me. We had to eliminate 3-4 teams, significantly diminishing the pool, and then we went through each division looking for possible competitors.

We noted the Cincinnati Bengals' duo of Geno Atkins and Domata Peko, along with the New England Patriots' new grouping of Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly. The Buffalo Bills' pair of Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams would merit conversation if they were used more regularly in a 4-3.

In the end, however, Williamson said: "None of the second guys are as good as Fairley. So I agree with him. I think he's right."

To be clear, I think the Lions could very well have the best pair of defensive tackles in the league when this season is over. And I accept Williamson's assessment that no team has two interior defenders who are each as dynamic as Fairley and Suh are. In a dearth of alternatives, that grants our mythical title to the Lions.

But I don't know. Fairley sure is getting a lot of respect for a player whose body of work is decidedly mixed. Perhaps he is on the cusp of rendering that status moot. We'll see.

I tried. I really tried to be outraged at Richard Sherman's creative inclusion of Lance Easley in his celebrity softball game schedule this summer. Alas, I cannot. Nathan Poole is a big reason why.

(Hat tip to @KCousineau09 for pairing the two stories Thursday morning on Twitter.)

Taking a step back: Sherman is the Seattle Seahawks' outspoken All-Pro cornerback. Easley is the NFL replacement official who first signaled for a touchdown in the Seahawks' "Fail Mary" victory over the Green Bay Packers last season. And Poole is the former NFL receiver whose touchdown catch for the Arizona Cardinals on the final play of the 2003 regular season flipped the NFC North standings, giving the Packers the division title and knocking the Minnesota Vikings out of the playoffs.

As you might recall, the Green Bay city government brought Poole to Lambeau Field for the following week's playoff game at Lambeau Field. Poole watched the first half from the 50-yard line, the second half from a suite and received a key to the city.

I thought "Nathan Poole Day" in Green Bay was funny and inspired 10 years ago, and that's pretty much how I feel about Sherman passively rubbing the "Fail Mary" in the Packers' faces. And yes, I realize the two events aren't exactly an apples-to-apples comparison: Poole caught a legal touchdown pass, while the "Fail Mary" was at best a disputed touchdown.

But at some point we all move on from heartbreak, anger and outrage. In the big picture, Sherman is just publicizing an event that will raise money for the Helping a Hero program, which provides homes for wounded military personnel and their families. If Lance Easley's inclusion can draw more attention and raise more money, then why not?

Maybe it's a habit. Despite the NFL's near-elimination of drama in signing draft choices, I still field daily questions about the status of negotiations. So it seems to be a good time to re-set things here in the NFC North now that the Minnesota Vikings have joined the signing party. Below are the six draft choices -- out of 35 who were selected -- that are unsigned as of mid-morning Thursday:

Chicago Bears

• First-round offensive lineman Kyle Long

Green Bay Packers

• First-round defensive end Datone Jones
• Second-round running back Eddie Lacy

Minnesota Vikings

• First-round defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd
• First-round cornerback Xavier Rhodes
• First-round receiver Cordarrelle Patterson

The Detroit Lions have signed their draft class. And if you're worried about the six players listed above, remember that more than two months remain until training camp. Until then, unsigned players can participate in any and all offseason work. Carry on.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Minnesota Vikings finally are following up on their first instinct on Joe Webb. Four years after drafting him with plans to attempt a conversion to receiver, the Vikings have confirmed that Webb is now a receiver moving forward.

Coach Leslie Frazier and Webb himself discussed the decision with Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune, one that apparently was solidified after the team in March signed free agent Matt Cassel to be its No. 2 quarterback. Cassel's arrival left Webb at best as the Vikings' No. 3 quarterback, a waste of his undeniable athletic skills. (You can refresh yourself with this post that carries links to his jumping exploits.)

Webb has dabbled elsewhere since the 2010 draft, working as a wildcat quarterback at times while also catching one pass and returning a kickoff in 2011, but the Vikings could never make up their mind on whether they wanted him as a quarterback with "slash capabilities" or playing another position entirely.

He will be a huge target at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, but everyone should recognize how difficult a position change is at this point in a player's career. Although Webb spent some time at receiver at Alabama-Birmingham, the level of nuance required at the NFL level is incomparable. Using Webb at a position other than quarterback makes sense based on how the Vikings' roster is constituted now. But this type of conversion would have made better sense for a rookie spending a year on the practice squad than a fourth-year player who has already bombed out of one position.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Vikings have continued signing their draft choices and now have only their three first-round picks remaining, writes Ben Goessling of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Replacement official Lance Easley, who signaled touchdown on the infamous Fail Mary play between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks last season, will officiate Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman's celebrity softball charity game. More from seattlepi.com.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette explains why Packers place-kicker Mason Crosby still has a job.
• Packers president Mark Murphy continues to reiterate his response on the topic of Brett Favre: That the franchise wants Favre back in the family. More from foxsportswisconsin.com via ESPN.com.
• The Detroit Lions lost out on free-agent returner Josh Cribbs, who signed with the Oakland Raiders. More from Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• The Lions claimed defensive back DeQuan Menzie on waivers, according to Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
• Chicago Bears receiver Earl Bennett discussed the team's new offense on ESPN 1000 via ESPNChicago.com. Bennett: "This offense, actually, it moves everybody around. So you're not just stuck in one spot. I won't be just primarily a slot guy. I'll be all over the place, and that's what I love about this offense: You never know where you're gonna be. You just have to know what's going on and understand the whole play. I think it's gonna be great for me."
• Defensive tackle Henry Melton isn't worried about his status as the Bears' franchise player, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears general manager Phil Emery spoke to SiriusXM NFL radio about offensive lineman Gabe Carimi, who is not participating in voluntary organized team activities. Emery, via Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times: "This is a voluntary situation and every player has to make his own decisions. Gabe has made a decision that he wants to stay in Arizona and train, and we respect that. And he'll be welcomed with open arms when he comes back."

Jeff of Chicago noted the earlier post on the Jay Cutler's pocket timing and asked: "Could you post the time and ranking of the other QBs in the NFCN? I'm most curious where Aaron Rodgers falls, since he gets a lot of criticism for the same thing Cutler does here."

Ask and you shall receive. (Sometimes. When I'm in the mood.)

The chart, courtesy of the data mine of ESPN Stats & Information, shows the average amount of time each NFC North quarterback spent in the pocket (TIP) before the pass during the 2012 season. NFL rankings are based on quarterbacks with at least two starts, and I also threw in the sack rate per drop-back to give you the best apples-to-apples comparison that I could between TIP and sacks.

(It's important to note that TIP doesn't factor in the time a quarterback spends outside of the pocket before a pass. But my sense is that most sacks occur on plays when quarterbacks stay in the pocket.)

To be sure, holding the ball too long is one of multiple reasons a sack can occur. Pass protection, coverage and play calls all play in to it as well. But it's worth noting the difference between, say, Matthew Stafford's average time and sack rate with that of Cutler and Rodgers.

Rodgers' numbers probably require a separate conversation that we'll only start today. I was asked in Tuesday's SportsNation chat if there is anything Rodgers could do better. My response: The Packers would love to reduce his sack total, which is at least a partial reflection of his responsibility.

Rodgers has been accused over the years of holding the ball too long, leading to additional sacks. The counterargument, which I accept for the most part, is that holding the ball for longer than an optimal time can also lead to more big plays. Would you trade a few additional sacks if you knew the approach would also lead to more touchdowns? Probably.

So I'm not ready to make any grand judgments on Rogers' TIP and his sack total. The numbers are open to interpretation. But to answer Jeff's original question: Yes, based on the way ESPN Stats & Information times it, Rodgers holds the ball in the pocket longer than any other NFC North quarterback.

ESPN analyst Herm Edwards raised an important and relevant point in this discussion about how the Chicago Bears hope to elevate quarterback Jay Cutler this season.

"Sometimes he hangs on to the big play too much," Edwards said. "[He] wants to make the extraordinary play rather than moving the chains. …. You don't always have to hit the home run in the passing game."

Let's add some context to Edwards' analysis. Cutler averaged the second-highest total of air yards per attempt in the NFL last season according to ESPN Stats & Information. His average pass traveled 10.03 yards past the line of scrimmage. As a result, Cutler spent an average of 2.74 seconds in the pocket per pass, longer than 23 other quarterbacks who made at least two starts. The connection of those two statistics stands to reason: It takes longer for a deeper throw opportunity to develop.

By comparison, consider that the New England Patriots' Tom Brady (2.46) and the Denver Broncos' Peyton Manning (2.49) -- two quarterbacks who routinely avoid sacks via quick releases -- ranked No. 2 and No. 5, respectively, in that category last season.

Obviously, pocket timing is somewhat subjective in terms of the raw numbers. But as long as the same procedures are used for each quarterback, the rankings tell us everything we need to know.

These figures help explain one of the big changes coach Marc Trestman has already communicated during offseason workouts. As Cutler said last month: "We don't want to hold the ball. We don't want to sit in the pocket for long periods of time. Obviously there are going to be plays where we're going to have to sit in there and deliver it. But for the most part, we want it gone."

If the approach works, Cutler will reduce his time in the pocket, and probably his average air yards per attempt as well. Those two statistics seem to me a reasonable measure of the Bears' progress this season.

One of the persistent themes of Tuesday's SportsNation chat was a Chicago Sun-Times report suggesting that free-agent linebacker Brian Urlacher was leaning toward signing with the Minnesota Vikings.

My sense at the time: The Vikings are in no rush to sign Urlacher at this point in the offseason. (Coach Leslie Frazier indicated as much during an interview Wednesday morning on NFL Network.) Here are the relevant exchanges from our chat:

Håvard (Norway)

Hi. What do you think about the rumours of Urlacher leaning towards Minnesota? Do you believe he has enough left in the tank to be a good one-year solution for Minnesota? What is in your opinion the best alternative for middle linebacker? Thanks for a interesting and entertaining blog, also for us Scandinavians!!

Kevin Seifert (2:10 PM)

Hey, do I know you? Anyway, my take is there shouldn't be a rush for the Vikings to sign Urlacher. If they didn't do it right after the draft, the guess is they want to see how their young players and/or Erin Henderson look at the position before signing a veteran.

Tom (Brooklyn)

Does the more time that passes without Urlacher signing with anyone make it more likely that he retires? After what the Bears did in the draft, the doors seems closed on a return to Chicago.

Kevin Seifert (2:23 PM)

Seems to be the best scenario for him is a team, possibly the Vikings, to decide it doesn't like its current options and wants a veteran presence. That could happen over the summer or just before training camp.

Beau (London . . (CANADA!))

If the Vikings do bring in Urlacher, do you really see any downside? They don't have a solid Mike at the moment and if they want to transition someone into the spot (Audie Cole, Henderson or [Michael] Mauti) wouldn't that be the perfect player to ease them into it for the season after?

Kevin Seifert (2:31 PM)

What if they don't think Urlacher can play anymore? That would be a downside. The Bears were clearly ambivalent at best about the possibility.

Wednesday morning, Frazier said: "At this point we want to look at the guys on our roster, give them a chance to compete for the middle linebacker position then we'll see where it takes us."

That seems a perfectly logical approach, assuming Urlacher doesn't have a mystery suitor ready to snatch him up at any moment.

The Vikings plan to take a spring look at outside linebacker Erin Henderson in the middle. That is exactly what OTAs are for. If they like what they see from Henderson, they'll move forward with him in training camp. If not, chances are Urlacher will still be available late next month or even in July. As we've discussed, Urlacher's most likely landing spot (if any) is with a team that decides after OTAs that it doesn't like its internal options at his position.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

It appears that a tough market for former Green Bay Packers defensive back Charles Woodson is loosening a bit. According to ESPN's Josina Anderson, Woodson will visit the Denver Broncos on Wednesday and has an offer from the Oakland Raiders, the team he began his career with in 1998.

Late Raiders owner Al Davis allowed Woodson depart as a free agent in 2005, but the team's football decisions are now made by general manager Reggie McKenzie, a longtime Packers executive. And anyone who saw the Broncos' season-ending loss to the Baltimore Ravens knows why they are at least looking at a future Hall of Fame defensive back.

Woodson has previously met with the San Francisco 49ers, who went on to sign veteran cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and draft safety Eric Reid in the first round.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports from Tuesday night's MACC Fund event headlined by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
• Packers receiver Randall Cobb believes his breakout 2012 season was just the beginning, writes Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel.
• Special-teams ace Jarrett Bush is now one of the longest-tenured Packers players, notes ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Packers running back Alex Green is ready to compete in a crowded backfield, writes Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Chicago Bears offensive lineman Gabe Carimi skipped his second consecutive organized team activity (OTA) on Tuesday, notes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Parting ways with Carimi is complicated by the fact that his base salary of about $1 million is guaranteed, notes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears running back Matt Forte is studying a big playbook that is made for his skills, according to Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Former Detroit Lions receiver Titus Young pleaded not guilty to eight charges, including three felonies, in a California courtroom. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Police learned through surveillance cameras that Young allegedly stole from a convenience store earlier this month, according to Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News.
• With six days remaining in the Minnesota state legislature's 2013 session, the issue of funding the Minnesota Vikings' new stadium has not been resolved. A sports-memorabilia tax, thought to be a backup solution, has been rejected because of the impact it would have on the Target Corp., according to the Star Tribune.
• Joe Sourchery of the St. Paul Pioneer Press is having some trouble with the Vikings' stadium design.
• The Vikings have signed three of their draft picks, notes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.

You came at me from all sides Tuesday with questions on the Minnesota Vikings' stadium design. I had a few answers but jotted down most of your thoughts for further pursuit. Let's use this post as a jumping-off point for what I consider the most relevant and pressing issues.

• Pivot doors: The design calls for five glass pivot doors on the west side of the stadium, and many of you want to know how they will work. Here's what I can tell you: Each of the five doors is 95 feet tall on a stadium that is 205-270 feet tall at various points. There will also be louvers on the east side of the stadium to help air circulation, but from what I understand, the west side of the stadium isn't really a window in the way we discussed before the unveiling. The area above the doors is transparent but fixed. Regardless, fresh air can still enter the building. The team has wind tests scheduled to help establish a protocol for leaving the doors open.
• Shadows: The Vikings bill the stadium as having the largest transparent roof in the world, so many of you are asking about shadows that would presumably be cast down to the playing field from the support structure. In a news conference Monday night, stadium designer Bryan Trubey of HKS said there should be "no shadow line from hard structure" and that the stadium will be "a completely open and totally illuminated building." According to Trubey, the roof structure is relatively light, allowing for smaller and less frequent structural pieces to support it. From the team's release: The stadium will have the "lightest and most efficient roof structure in the nation for a major new stadium, which will include a single large steel super truss providing primary support for the main long span roof."
• Noise: How will the clear ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) roof perform acoustically? Will it amplify crowd noise? Absorb it? And how will it impact the public address system, a big complaint of fans in the Metrodome? According to Trubey, the roof surface is "a moderate kind of acoustic material" and is "not very reflective." It's possible we won't know the crowd noise answer until the stadium opens.