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We're Black and Blue All Over:

Chicago Bears

Brad Biggs doesn't expect the Bears to pursue free-agent wide receiver Plaxico Burress once the lockout comes to a conclusion.

The Bears and their summer home, Olivet Nazarene University, remain flexible in their planning as training camp draws closer.

Detroit Lions

Rookie running back Mikel Leshoure has taken a unique approach in showing his pride in being a member of the Detroit Lions.

The newly minted "Silver Crush" defensive line would rather earn the moniker.

Green Bay Packers

Coach Mike McCarthy says the team has a plan ready to implement whenever the lockout ends. “We try to go through every possible scenario so that we have a plan in place because that’s what our players are accustomed to. They’re accustomed to having a detailed plan laid in front of them so that when they do come back to work we pick up right where we left off.”

Watching the Packers win the Super Bowl was bittersweet for former Green Bay defensive end Aaron Kampman.

Minnesota Vikings

Jason La Canfora says that just because the Vikings spent a high draft pick on quarterback Christian Ponder doesn't mean they shouldn't make a play for Donovan McNabb.

The Ramsey County Charter Commission has called a special meeting to vote on a proposed half-cent countywide sales tax increase to help support a new Vikings stadium in Arden Hills.

Kim of Brandon, Fla., noted Friday's late announcement of compensatory draft picks and wrote: "Please explain the concept behind compensatory picks. I fail to see the reasoning behind rewarding a team for losing a player to free agency, when if it wasn't cheap in the first place, it could have signed the player rather than letting him escape. Seems to me teams are being rewarded for being too tight to open the checkbook."

Kevin Seifert: To review, the Green Bay Packers received an additional fourth-round draft pick, and the Minnesota Vikings collected extra picks in the sixth and seventh rounds. According to its official release, the NFL awards compensatory picks to any team that loses "more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year." The number of picks "equals the net loss of compensatory free agents up to a maximum of four," and is determined by an unpublicized formula.

I agree with parts of your point, Kim. The compensatory program is a tool for at least reducing the urgency teams might otherwise feel to sign aging veterans to contracts they aren't comfortable with. The compensation might not be commensurate with the loss, but it certainly lessens the blow.

With that said, I'm not sure if the compensatory program rewards teams for being "cheap" as much as it incentivizes them to kick-start the process of replacing older players with younger ones that potentially create new excitement in the NFL. In both NFC North cases, I think the latter explanation fits.

Was the Packers' decision to part ways with defensive end/linebacker Aaron Kampman based on finances? No. It was just smart business. Kampman was returning from a serious knee injury, was 30 at the time and wasn't a good fit for their 3-4 defense.

The Vikings, meanwhile, made the right call not to pay backup tailback Chester Taylor the kind of contract he was seeking and ultimately got from the Chicago Bears. The Vikings went on to draft tailback Toby Gerhart; he wasn't a total replacement for Taylor, but the swap motivated the Vikings to use Adrian Peterson in more passing situations and also get Percy Harvin into the backfield a few times.

In an ideal world, I'm sure the NFL Players Association would like to see the compensatory program end. But on its current list of grievances, I can't imagine it ranking anywhere close to the top.

I'm a little late on the uptake here, but in case you haven't heard, the NFL awarded two NFC North teams compensatory draft picks Friday.

The Green Bay Packers received an additional fourth-round pick, No. 131 overall. The Minnesota Vikings received extra picks in the sixth and seventh rounds, Nos. 200 and 235 overall.

Neither the Chicago Bears nor the Detroit Lions qualified for compensatory picks, which are awarded based on a closely-guarded formula designed to compensate teams who lose more value in free agency than they gain the previous season. The Packers lost defensive end Aaron Kampman, while the Vikings lost guard Artis Hicks and tailback Chester Taylor.

My NFC West colleague Mike Sando has compiled a number of helpful tools for absorbing this information. The chart accompanying this post includes total draft picks per team. The Vikings and Packers own nine picks each in this draft. The Bears have six and the Lions have an NFL-low five.

This link, meanwhile, takes you to a download of the round-by-round 2011 draft order.

Explaining the first practice report of Super Bowl XLV bye week:

Pittsburgh Steelers: Center Maurkice Pouncey (left ankle) has the most significant injury among the six players who sat out Wednesday's practice. Doug Legursky replaced him Wednesday and would start for him if necessary. AFC North colleague James Walker broke down the injury and Pouncey's chances of playing earlier Wednesday. Also sidelined were safety Will Allen (knee), cornerback Bryant McFadden (abdomen), safety Troy Polamalu (Achilles), receiver Emmanuel Sanders (foot) and tackle Jonathan Scott (ribs). Defensive end Aaron Smith, who is hoping to make it back from a triceps injury, participated on a limited basis.

Green Bay Packers: As we noted earlier this week, the Packers won't practice until Friday. But the NFL still required a practice report Wednesday for injury updating purposes. Had they practiced Wednesday, linebackers Erik Walden (ankle) and Frank Zombo (knee) would not have participated. Linebacker Desmond Bishop (ankle), tackle Chad Clifton (neck), linebacker A.J. Hawk (neck), receiver Greg Jennings (knee) and offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) would have been limited. Meanwhile, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said Wednesday he did not suffer a concussion in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, as has been speculated. He was not listed on the Packers' practice report.

Day One of the Green Bay Packers' minicamp was notable for the return of one cornerback and the promised return of another. Tramon Williams spent his first full day with the team after skipping most of the offseason program, while Al Harris vowed once again to be ready for the Sept. 12 season opener at Philadelphia.

Coach Mike McCarthy said Harris "is going to be definitely challenged" to be ready to practice when training camp begins July 31. That makes Harris a prime candidate to open camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

But at some point after that, Harris expects to get back on the field and demonstrate he will ready to play in Week 1. Harris tore his anterior cruciate ligament Nov. 22, 2009, and has had two surgeries to repair the damage.

Here's what Harris about playing against the Eagles, according to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "There's no doubt in my mind. There is no doubt in my mind. At all. That was my goal from Day One, and that's still my goal today."

I'll be interested to see how the Packers play this one. Williams is clearly the future of the position, as evidenced by the high $3.168 million tender they issued over the winter. Would Harris slide back into his starting job after missing part of training camp, or would the Packers limit him to nickel situations? We'll soon find out.

Speaking of the nickel, the Packers used an unusual personnel grouping in passing situations during Monday's practice. According to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, defensive end Cullen Jenkins worked several snaps as a left outside linebacker -- even dropping into coverage.

Left outside linebacker is where converted defensive end Aaron Kampman opened the 2009 season. Defensive end will remain Jenkins' primary position, but now is the time to experiment and test all options.

This Football Outsiders Insider piece offers a deep analysis on 2009 pass-rushing totals. Most interesting, at least from an NFC North perspective, was what Aaron Schatz referred to as his "No-Help All-Stars."

This list includes 10 players who led their teams in adjusted quarterback hurries by the greatest percentage over their teams' next-best rusher. In some cases, it's an example of exemplary achievement by the lead rusher. In other cases, it's a sign of substantial dropoff elsewhere.

Tied for No. 9 on the list was Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, whose 21 hurries -- defined by Football Outsiders as pressures that "either cause a hurried throw or prompt offensive holding penalties" -- led the team. Defensive end Cullen Jenkins ranked second with 14 hurries. Matthews' 150-percent increase over Jenkins' total was the ninth-highest discrepancy in the NFL.

I can't give away the store because there is a paywall involved, but for context consider that the Indianapolis Colts' Dwight Freeney led the NFL with 34 adjusted hurries last season. Matthews' total tied him for No. 17.

What does this mean? It's a statistical way of demonstrating what we've discussed a number of times this offseason: The Packers' need to find a consistent pass rusher opposite Matthews in the position once occupied by Aaron Kampman. Some of us thought the Packers would draft a linebacker in the first round, but they understandably jumped on left tackle Bryan Bulaga at No. 23 overall. There were some indications the Packers would seek a veteran free agent at the position, but at this point they appear set to give second-year player Brad Jones a chance there. The shift of B.J. Raji to nose tackle could also produce some additional pressure.

What do you think? Are you satisfied with the current personnel?

Those of you who followed the story of former Detroit defensive line coach Joe Cullen should be sure to check out this post from my AFC South colleague Paul Kuharsky. Cullen is trying to resurrect his career in Jacksonville, where coach Jack Del Rio said: “Motivated guys are great, right? Players or coaches, that’s what you want… I know Joe’s very hungry for an opportunity, when he’s been in the league and the line’s he’s worked with he’s done a nice job with and I think he’s very thankful for a second shot."

Former Green Bay defensive end Aaron Kampman, who know plays for Cullen and the Jaguars, said: “All I know is that there isn’t a single one of us that’s perfect, I know I’m not. This profession obviously puts you in a fishbowl and the great thing is that I know he’s addressed it with the group and is moving forward. Each and every one of us needs to be about redemption.”

Let's clean out our notebook with the 2010 NFL draft in the books:

Many of us considered offensive tackle and outside linebacker as Green Bay's top two needs in this draft. The Packers drafted Iowa's Bryan Bulaga to address the former, but they came up empty on the latter and don't have an obvious answer at the position shared last year by Aaron Kampman and Brad Jones.

That's a particular blow for a team that generally sits out veteran free agency. But general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy both hinted a linebacker move of some kind could be on the horizon.

"We didn't draft any linebackers this year," Thompson said, "but still we're going to be trying to add some stuff to that position, sure."

According to ESPN's Stats & Information, NFL teams drafted 36 linebackers over the past three days, more than any other position.

The Packers drafted a running back in the sixth round who missed the entire 2009 season after undergoing shoulder surgery. McCarthy wouldn't commit to whether Buffalo's James Starks will be cleared for all of spring drills.

"We're very comfortable with his particular medical situation," McCarthy said, "but until he gets here and gets to work, we'll have a complete idea of where he is."

Starks, 6-foot-2 and 218 pounds, has the kind of size to make a difference

We discussed the inconsistency that dropped USC defensive end Everson Griffen from possible first-round status to Minnesota's fourth-round pick. Speaking to local reporters, Griffen said he is "not a big guy to make excuses" but revealed he played half of last season with a turf toe.

"It was a bad turf toe," he said. "Two months ago, it finally started feeling better. You just got to want to play at that level and that's what I want to do. ... Coming off this injury affected me for about half of the year, but I'm feeling 100 percent. I'm ready to go. No new injuries."

Vikings director of college scouting Scott Studwell referred to Griffen as "a college student that enjoyed the college life a little bit," a nice way of saying his game might have been affected by his social life. To his credit, Griffen didn't dispute that notion.

"What college kid doesn't enjoy college?" he said. "College only happens one time, and you learn from your mistakes. I wouldn't take anything back from my college experience. You learn from your mistakes, and that's how you become an adult. That's what I did. I learned from my mistakes."

Detroit plans to work fourth-round pick Jason Fox on both the left and right side, offensive line coach George Yarno told local reporters. Fox is still working his way back from a torn patella tendon.

"He'll rotate both tackles: Left and right and see where it goes from there," Yarno said. "I think with his injury and everything, it will take some time before he's ready to go. We're looking at him as kind of the third tackle right now [behind starters Jeff Backus and Gosder Cherilus] and see where the competition will go from there."

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew was at it again Saturday, upgrading the throw-in draft pick he got in the Tony Scheffler-Ernie Sims trade earlier this month.

To review: As part of a three-way deal, the Lions sent Sims to Philadelphia and got Scheffler from Denver. The Broncos also gave the Lions their seventh-round draft pick, No. 220 overall. Saturday, the Lions sent that pick to Philadelphia in exchange for the Eagles' sixth-round pick in 2010. At this rate, it will be a first-rounder by the time next April rolls around.

We briefly touched on the possibility of Chicago pursuing Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca, who was released Saturday by the New York Jets. Asked about the possibility by Chicago reporters, Bears general manager Jerry Angelo wouldn't rule it out.

"I don't know who would not consider Alan Faneca, if you had a need at the offensive line," Angelo said. "Again, we'll look into some things, like we did before the draft."

Something to keep an eye on, for sure.

The Chicago scout that handled the report on Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour referenced New England quarterback Tom Brady during an interview with Chicago reporters. Scout Jeff Shiver said: "A long time ago, I missed a quarterback in the sixth round. I think he's still with the Patriots."

I think that was Shiver's way of suggesting the Bears did more than take a sixth-round flyer on a local kid who grew up with a Walter Payton jersey on his wall. They believe he can develop into a legitimate NFL quarterback.

We made it! It's here! Christmas in April!

Yes, before this day is through, the top 32 college players should be off the 2010 draft board. The first round starts Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET. With any luck, it will conclude before the clock strikes midnight.

I'll give you a preview of my draft plans a bit later before I hit the road (hint No. 1), but for now let's catch a final word from the local media in each of our four cities:

• If the left tackles he covets are off the board, Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson could draft Texas Christian linebacker Jerry Hughes, reports Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has a similar hunch: "Hughes appeals to the instincts of Thompson, the Packers' general manager whose history skews strongly toward first-round prospects with clean backgrounds and a love of football. Also, Hughes plays the critical playmaking position in the Packers' 3-4 scheme, and their shaky pass defense needs an outside rusher to replace departed Aaron Kampman."
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "The good news for the Packers is that this year's draft has good depth at several of the positions where they have their most glaring needs -- specifically offensive tackle, a pass-rushing outside linebacker and the secondary."
• Detroit should draft Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, writes Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press.
• Former NFL cornerback Deion Sanders, a mentor to Adam "Pacman" Jones, wants the Lions to sign Jones. John Niyo of the Detroit News has more.
• Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com believes the Lions could take Cal running back Jahvid Best with the No. 34 overall pick.
• Chicago general manager Jerry Angelo on the safety position: "We need help." Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com has more.
• The McCaskey ownership swap is "symbolic but not insignificant," writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune.
• Angelo confirmed he will restructure the Bears' front office after the draft, writes Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• The possibility of Minnesota drafting a cornerback in the first round is "remote" after the signing of cornerback Lito Sheppard, writes Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.
• Rick Alonzo of the St. Paul Pioneer Press takes a look at a handful of players the Vikings might draft at No. 30.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com believes there is no way the Vikings draft Florida quarterback Tim Tebow at No. 30 overall.

I had an interesting conversation Thursday with a friend who posed this question: What does Green Bay do with the No. 23 overall draft position if the top four offensive tackles are already off the board?

(Yes, I know. I lead a really fascinating life.)

Seriously, I think it's an interesting and relevant debate with the draft three weeks away. We've discussed the Packers' clear need for a depth infusion at both tackle positions, where starters Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher will be 34 and 33 years old, respectively, when the season begins. But take a look at Mel Kiper's offensive tackle rankings as they stood Thursday:

1. Oklahoma State's Russell Okung
2. Oklahoma's Trent Williams
3. Iowa's Bryan Bulaga
4. Rutgers' Anthony Davis
5. Indiana's Rodger Saffold

It's not out of the question that Okung, Williams, Bulaga and Davis all will be taken before No. 23. But there seems to be a consensus among media analysts, at least, that the drop-off after Davis is significant. Scouts Inc. ranks Safford as a mid-second round pick. The same goes for Maryland offensive tackle Bruce Campbell, whose draft value varies wildly depending on who you listen to.

The Packers could go with Campbell at No. 23. Or, if they like both him and Saffold, they could probably trade down and get one of them in the second round.

Packers general manager Ted Thompson has a well-earned reputation for the trade-down model. But what if he doesn't move? Where do the Packers go at No. 23 under this scenario?

I don't disagree with what Green Bay linebacker Nick Barnett tweeted Friday morning:

Here is what is going to happen in the draft i think.. We will draft one or two things... Olb or o lineman... It depends which is avalible.

Yes, the Packers could also use an outside linebacker to replace the departed Aaron Kampman. Here are Kiper's top five outside linebackers:

1. Texas' Sergio Kindle
2. Missouri's Sean Weatherspoon
3. TCU's Jerry Hughes
4. South Carolina's Eric Norwood
5. Penn State's Sean Lee

Kindle would be quite a coup for the Packers at No. 23, especially considering his apparent aptitude for a 3-4 defense. Will he be available? It would only be a guess, but typically, anyone with elite pass rushing potential usually goes in the top half of the first round. I wouldn't want to speculate on which linebacker the Packers might like after Kindle, but the list above at least gives you an idea of the players who might be available.

Feel free to weigh in below.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Chicago was one of 28 NFL teams to vote in favor of Tuesday's overtime rules change, but before the vote, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune presented some compelling Bears-related evidence for maintaining the status quo.

Biggs noted the Bears are 11-3 in the past 10 seasons in overtime, including 8-1 under coach Lovie Smith. They are 4-1 in games ending with a field goal on the first possession of overtime over the past 10 years, and place-kicker Robbie Gould is the third-most accurate kicker in NFL history.

Tuesday was a more pressured environment than I've seen at an owners meeting in quite some time. There were some important and powerful people who really, really wanted this measure to pass.

I'll be spending some time with NFC coaches here Wednesday morning on the final day of the meetings. I'll be back with you mid-morning. For now, let's take a quick spin around the division:

• Detroit general manager Martin Mayhew wants to meet with free-agent cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, writes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com. It appears Mayhew's interest in Jones is serious.
• The Lions' interest in Jones and defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove is somewhere between "strong interest" and "due diligence," writes Nicholas J. Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press.
• Mayhew is confident the Lions will get an offer to trade down from the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, according to John Niyo of the Detroit News.
• Running back Ahman Green wants to return to Green Bay this season, writes Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio has gotten new defensive end Aaron Kampman on board with playing on the right side, according to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• NFL owners voted on the overtime change while coaches who opposed the measure were out playing golf, notes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Several Minnesota players wish the new rule had been in place for their NFC Championship Game in January, writes Rick Alonzo of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said Tuesday night that he backed the decision to change the rule even though he voted against it, writes Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.

» NFC Needs Revisited: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)

Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: Biggest needs revisited.

Chicago Bears

Last month: The Bears started five different safety combinations last season and have a pressing need for a ball-hawking free safety. Al Afalava could fit as a strong safety, but the Bears don't seem to trust any of their incumbent safeties in deep coverage. The Tampa 2 scheme doesn't always put safeties in position to make big plays, but the Bears' free safety has too often been a liability. Chicago could also use depth at defensive end after the death of Gaines Adams and the expected departure of Adewale Ogunleye.

Now: The Bears have addressed some of the needs we first identified last month via the free-agent market, signing defensive end Julius Peppers to replace Ogunleye and Chester Taylor to provide premium depth in the backfield. But both safety positions remain noticeably untouched. There have been some suggestions that the Bears pursue St. Louis safety O.J. Atogwe, a restricted free agent who would require no compensation to pry from the Rams. Barring a run at him, safety ranks with offensive line as the Bears' top needs with the draft looming in five weeks.

Detroit Lions

Last month: Depth is an issue at most positions, but none moreso than in the Lions' interior offensive and defensive lines. They are in position to draft an elite defensive tackle with their No. 2 overall pick, be it Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy or Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh. They also will be scouring the nation for candidates to play both guard positions alongside center Dominic Raiola. A receiver to steal some coverage from Calvin Johnson should be a priority after the middling performance of free-agent acquisition Bryant Johnson last season. There could also be a need at tight end, where starter Brandon Pettigrew is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and his two backups -- Casey Fitzsimmons and Will Heller -- are eligible for unrestricted free agency.

Now: The Lions have addressed the interior of their defensive line, acquiring defensive tackle Corey Williams from Cleveland and hosting defensive tackle/end Anthony Hargrove, a restricted free agent, on a visit. Veteran guard Chester Pitts is scheduled for a visit, but the left guard position might ultimately be filled through the draft. It's also not out of the question that the Lions target Oklahoma State left tackle Russell Okung with the No. 2 overall pick. The Lions have addressed their No. 2 receiver position with free agent Nate Burleson and re-signed Heller, two other areas of need we discussed.

Green Bay Packers

Last month: Both of the Packers' starting offensive tackles, Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher, are pending unrestricted free agents. At 34 and 33, respectively, neither player has a long career ahead of him. The Packers might have addressed one of the positions by drafting T.J. Lang last year, but they could use additional depth and options considering both positions must soon be turned over. Injuries last season revealed a need for depth in the defensive backfield, especially at cornerback, and the Packers also need to determine whether they will replace outside linebacker Aaron Kampman.

Now: Clifton and Tauscher have both re-signed, but finding a left tackle of the future remains one of the Packers' top priorities as the draft approaches. Clifton signed a three-year deal, but it's not clear how long he will play. As per their philosophy, the Packers haven't addressed any needs by signing free agents from other teams. They'll target their remaining need positions in the draft. In addition to left tackle, that positional list should also include outside linebacker and cornerback.

Minnesota Vikings

Last month: Whether or not quarterback Brett Favre returns in 2010, the Vikings must establish a succession plan at the position. They've drafted three quarterbacks in the past four years, but among that list -- Tarvaris Jackson, Tyler Thigpen and John David Booty -- none are signed for 2010. There's no reason to believe the Vikings consider Sage Rosenfels a long-term solution, so drafting a quarterback would seem to be among their highest priorities. Another area of need is at cornerback, where starter Cedric Griffin is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and nickelback Benny Sapp is a pending unrestricted free agent.

Now: The Vikings re-signed Sapp to give them an alternative if Griffin isn't ready to start the season, but cornerback could still be a high priority in the draft. The loss of Taylor makes depth at running back an issue, but that is one position where it makes sense to go young. As draft boards begin to shape up, it will be interesting to see if the Vikings get an opportunity to fill their need for a long-term quarterback answer. Will there be anyone of that description available with the No. 30 overall pick? That debate remains unsettled.

As we head into the second full week of free agency, it's probably a good time to revise our look at each NFC North team's unsigned players. We haven't had a restricted free agent (RFA) receive an offer sheet yet, so we'll limit this post to unrestricted free agents (UFAs) -- who have total freedom to sign with another team.

Chicago Bears
UFAs as of March 5: Linebacker Darrell McClover, defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, running back Adrian Peterson, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.
Comment: None have re-signed. The Bears are trying to bring back Tinoisamoa.

Detroit Lions
UFAs as of March 5: Linebacker Vinny Ciurciu, offensive lineman Damion Cook, quarterback Daunte Culpepper, tight end Casey Fitzsimmons, linebacker Larry Foote, tight end Will Heller, cornerback Anthony Henry, cornerback Will James, offensive lineman Jon Jansen, safety Marquand Manuel, quarterback Patrick Ramsey.
Comment: Ciurciu, Heller and Jansen have re-signed. Foote seems likely to return to Pittsburgh.

Green Bay Packers
UFAs as of March 5: Offensive lineman Chad Clifton, running back Ahman Green, linebacker Aaron Kampman, offensive lineman Mark Tauscher.
Comment: Clifton and Tauscher have re-signed. Kampman signed with Jacksonville.

Minnesota Vikings
UFAs as of March 5: Offensive lineman Artis Hicks, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, cornerback Benny Sapp, running back Chester Taylor.
Comment: Kennedy and Sapp re-signed. Taylor signed with Chicago. Hicks signed with Washington.

We have emerged from the first weekend of NFL free agency with what I would imagine to be a 50-50 split in the NFC North. Chicago and Detroit fans appear happy with their teams' multiple acquisitions, while those affiliated with Green Bay and Minnesota are awaiting a first move.

I'm working on a post for later Monday on the irony of the Bears and Lions feeling compelled to pursue pass-rushers in this (formerly) Black and Blue division. Detroit has at least one deal pending for a cornerback. And we're also going to monitor the opening of the Williams Wall trial, which will start as scheduled Monday after working through a motion that threatened to delay it.

It's all coming on an NFC North blog near you. For now, let's catch up on the reaction to free agency in each market:

• Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com: "Friday's bonanza was born as much of desperation as football savvy."
• Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times: "It's unfortunate that Ted Phillips, Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith weren't in full butt-saving mode three years ago, when the Bears began their headfirst slide into mediocrity. If they had felt the urgency they're feeling now, who knows where this franchise would be?"
• Defensive end Julius Peppers will have to adjust to playing in the Chicago media market, writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune.
• The Bears should pursue Rams safety O.J. Atogwe, suggests the Tribune's Dan Pompei.
• To complete the Kyle Vanden Bosch deal, Detroit needs to draft Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh next month. John Niyo of the Detroit News explains why.
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News: "Before the Lions lose the patience and squander the star ability of [Calvin] Johnson, they have to find someone to help him. That's why they paid an eyebrow-raising $25 million over five years ($11 million guaranteed) for [Nate] Burleson."
• Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press: "The Lions have tried to make a big splash in free agency before, only to discover that there was no water in the pool. But this feels different. The signings of Kyle Vanden Bosch and Nate Burleson and the trade for Corey Williams make sense, not just in a vacuum but in the context of what the Lions are trying to do. Finally, there is a plan."
• New Jacksonville defensive end Aaron Kampman will play on the right side for the Jaguars, notes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "Unless the Packers get linebacker Clay Matthews some help rushing the quarterback, they will be vulnerable to the kind of pass-happy attack that took them out of the playoffs in a 51-45 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in January."
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "Relax. If Brett Favre decides not to return in 2010, most of these mediocre free-agent quarterbacks still will be available. Plus, there isn't a college player in the upcoming draft that could step in and play the position immediately. So unless you want to get involved in the Donovan McNabb sweepstakes, what's the rush?"
• Minnesota is scheduled to host kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd on a free-agent visit Monday, according to Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com.

Wow. Figures are beginning to emerge for Aaron Kampman's new contract in Jacksonville. It appears they mirror the numbers Detroit gave to free agent defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch. Kampman got four years, $26 million with $11 million in guarantees, according to Michael C. Wright of the Florida Times-Union.

Kampman and Vanden Bosch are both 30-something multiple Pro Bowlers with impeccable character and proven edge pass rushing skills. One major difference: Kampman is less than four months removed from tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. [*Note: The original version of the post mis-stated the time period.]

Conventional wisdom would suggest a team tread carefully around any player recovering from that injury. It wouldn't be beyond the realm of possibility to wait before committing a eight-figure contract. But pass rushing is at such a premium that Kampman apparently extracted a contract fitting a fully healthy player.

To me, this is final confirmation a torn ACL no longer has to be a career-slowing injury. At those numbers, the Jaguars are expecting instant participation from Kampman -- not to mention production. I doubt they would have been so quick to sign him if their doctors felt he might not be ready to start the season.