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Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Minnesota Vikings in 2012.

Dream scenario (9-7): Quarterback Christian Ponder makes a big leap in his second season, spurred in part by confidence in his new offensive line. Ponder makes good use of his two pass-catching tight ends, Kyle Rudolph and John Carlson, and either Jerome Simpson or Greg Childs provides a legitimate downfield threat. Tailback Adrian Peterson (knee) is back to full strength early in the season, if not in Week 1. The Vikings get a big return on overhauling the middle of their defense and aren't hindered by starting one rookie safety (Harrison Smith) and perhaps two (with Robert Blanton). In a tough division, they're thrilled to finish with a winning record.

Nightmare scenario (3-13): The Vikings show no improvement from 2011, giving them a three-year record of 12-36. Ponder's inconsistency raises questions about his future with the franchise. Peterson returns but isn't a dominant runner any longer. The defense implodes because of its inexperience and lack of playmakers in the back end. It's clear the franchise has another year or more to go before matching the rest of the division.

I witnessed a portion of Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson's highly motivated rehabilitation from major knee surgery earlier this month at the team's practice facility. ESPN's Josina Anderson visited Peterson in Houston last week, and the message is the same: Peterson intends to play in the Vikings' Week 1 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a little more than nine months after surgery.

The team's medical staff has made no such declaration, and it's fair to look back at how former Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper's determination to return from his own knee injury in 2006 helped derail his career. That's exactly what I did in this week's Blogger Blitz.

ESPN's Josina Anderson spent some time recently with Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson in Houston, where Peterson is conducting part of his rehabilitation from knee surgery. This clip offers some higher-quality footage of his work than I was able to provide via Twitter a few weeks ago.

Asked how likely it is that he will be on the field for the Vikings' Week 1 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Peterson said: "Ultimately I'm going to be smart and do what's best for me. I know my body. I know if once that Week 1 comes, regular season, if I'm going to be able to go out and perform the way I know I need to. And I know I'm going to be able to do that."

Earlier: Peterson's career arc isn't lining up with the timing of the Vikings' latest rebuilding project.

» NFC pressure points: West | North | South | East
» AFC pressure points: West | North | South | East

Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Minnesota Vikings and why.

As the Vikings' interim coach in 2010, Leslie Frazier won three games and lost three games. Promoted to the permanent job shortly thereafter, Frazier was part of a 3-13 disaster in 2011 that prompted an organizational shift in power to general manager Rick Spielman and a significant overhaul of the roster.

So in sum, Frazier has a 6-16 record, is entering the second year of a three-year contract and will be asked to compete with a roster that is at least a year from legitimate contention. The team plays in arguably the NFL's toughest division, and he'll have a second-year quarterback in Christian Ponder, three new starters on the offensive line, a rookie place-kicker and first-time starters down the middle of his defense -- at nose tackle, middle linebacker and possibly both safety positions.

Oh, and Frazier's best player -- tailback Adrian Peterson -- is recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in December. Peterson insists he will be ready for the opening of the season, but the Vikings' medical staff has refused to confirm that timetable.

Frazier is a good person and a good coach, but that's a challenging series of obstacles for someone hoping to make it to a third season. At 6-16, the honeymoon period of his tenure is over. If nothing else, he'll be undermanned as he attempts to steer the team toward more victories.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Lost in a busy Wednesday of Minnesota Vikings stadium news and Adrian Peterson's impromptu workout was the first public statement from Green Bay Packers defensive end Anthony Hargrove since a declaration he signed about the New Orleans Saints' bounty program was leaked. Here's the full statement:

"I'm disappointed that 'the Declaration' was leaked. The intent of 'the Declaration' was to let the NFL know exactly what happened in March of 2010. Call me naive, but I did not expect them to publicize the fact that I had sent them 'the Declaration.' But since they did, and because they grossly mischaracterized my words, it obviously became a hot item and subsequently was leaked by someone. I do not know who leaked it, but I would have preferred for it to remain private between the NFL and me."

The key words in the statement, as far as I'm concerned, are "grossly mischaracterized." As we have noted, Hargrove revealed in the original declaration only that he was instructed by Saints assistant coaches to deny the existence of a bounty program. The NFL's announcement on Hargrove claimed the declaration "established not only the existence of the program at the Saints, but also that he knew about and participated in it."

I think that leap -- taking an admission of denying existence to mean a confirmation of participation -- is what Hargrove is referring to by "grossly mischaracterized." Hargrove, along with the three other suspended players, are appealing the discipline.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel offers an unofficial Packers depth chart for the 2012 season, including a suggestion that Alex Green will be the No. 2 tailback behind James Starks.
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette doesn't think the Packers will keep receiver Donald Driver in 2012.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com has coverage on the resolution to make 12-12-12 "Aaron Rodgers Day" in the state of Wisconsin.
• The Chicago Bears had signed four of their draft choices by the end of Wednesday, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears backup quarterback Josh McCown recently worked out with and threw to rookie receiver Alshon Jeffery in South Carolina, notes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune on the 2012 Bears: "If the Bears stay away from catastrophic injuries, and the coaches push the right buttons, I think they are going to make Bears fans happy."
• Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times profiles Bears rookie Shea McClellin.
• The Detroit Lions agreed to terms with seventh-round draft pick Travis Lewis, according to Tim Twentyman of the Lions' website.
• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press profiles rookie quarterback Kellen Moore.
• In this video, Star Tribune columnist Sid Hartman takes credit for the recent success of the Minnesota Vikings' stadium bill. Next stop: The St. Paul Saints.
• It was important for Peterson to get past the third month of his injury rehabilitation without a setback, according to Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.
• Peterson on the NFL's punishment of the New Orleans Saints, their coaches and players for the bounty program, via Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com: "I bet it don't happen again. Hey, I feel for those guys, [Jonathan] Vilma and Will Smith and those guys that got punished and I don't wish them [bad] at all. To be honest, that was my first thought. I thought, well, I'm sure guys will think twice about doing this again. It was unfortunate, but, hey, it happened. It is what it is."

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- I joined a number of reporters Wednesday afternoon at the Minnesota Vikings' practice facility, where tailback Adrian Petersonwas scheduled to discuss the rehabilitation of his surgically-repaired left knee. On cue, Peterson popped his head through the door. With athletic trainer Eric Sugarman at his side, Peterson motioned for us to join him at the far end of the practice field.

For the next 15 minutes, Peterson demonstrated the extent of his progress by running two sets of sideline-to-sideline sprints. He performed a series of box jumps, moved laterally to catch a rolling soccer ball and ran tight circles around a wide hula hoop.

The scene was impressive for a player 19 weeks removed from tearing two ligaments in his knee. As he caught his breath afterwards, Peterson reiterated his intent to be ready for the Vikings' Week 1 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, by far the early side of the typical range for injuries as significant as his.

"People can say what they want to say," he said. "I've got my goals."

I felt conflicted watching Peterson work out and listening to his optimism. Part of me admired his intense desire to return ahead of schedule. The other part kept flashing back to the end of "Fargo."

And for what?

If it wasn't clear before, it should be obvious now. The Vikings have launched a full-scale roster rebuild that should better position them for the long-term but will almost certainly sacrifice the short-term to do it. The latest evidence was this week's decision to jettison still-reliable place-kicker Ryan Longwell for rookie Blair Walsh, perhaps the most extreme example of the team's systematic effort to make its roster younger.

A cynic might say the Vikings know they won't compete for an NFC North title in 2012, making this season as good of a time as any to break in a new place-kicker. Here's what general manager Rick Spielman said Wednesday:

"I think our emphasis has always been trying to get our team better, get it younger, and that's the direction we kind of went. It just fits in with everything else we’re kind of honed in on this offseason."

It's hard to argue with that approach after a 9-23 record over the past two seasons. But as we first discussed last fall, it threatens to nullify the prime of one of the NFL's best players.

Peterson is 27 and has taken the pounding of five professional seasons. By the standards of NFL running backs, at least, the clock on his career is already ticking. It's more than reasonable to wonder what type of performer he will be when the Vikings see the fruit of their rebuilding project.

I asked Peterson what he thought of the Vikings' offseason approach, and he focused mostly on praising Spielman's draft. Peterson also admitted that "the biggest part of my motivation" to return in Week 1 is because "I know how much I mean to this organization." He added: "I want to be out there helping my team and organization accomplish the ultimate goal."

Even with Peterson in the starting lineup, the Vikings figure to have new starters at 11 positions in 2012 in addition to an unproven second-year quarterback in Christian Ponder. In all likelihood, it will be a year measured by progress, not playoff contention.

I'm not going to suggest the Vikings should hold Peterson out of the lineup once he's medically cleared. But in the big picture, there seems to be every reason to take it as slow as possible. If Peterson can avoid some wear and tear during a rebuilding season, wouldn't that help the Vikings in the long-term?

That's a cold and calculated analysis that isn't likely to apply in this case. Neither the Vikings nor Peterson should time his rehabilitation progress based on the projected competitiveness of the team. NFL teams are expected to compete with all available resources at all times. It's not for Peterson to "save" himself for future seasons. The timing is what it is.

The best thing Peterson can do in the short-term is help this team squeeze out a few more victories than it appears capable of while imposing his fanatical work ethic on others. He seems to understand that as well. During rehabilitation a few weeks ago, Peterson noticed some teammates running sprints. Sugarman gave him permission to join them. He wiped out the field.

"Those guys got an understanding of 'Hey, he's really pushing hard to get back out to a level better than he played at before' and it was even more motivation for those guys," Peterson said. "It was like, 'Hey he's out here four months and he's beating us.' Maybe we need to do something different."

Knowing Adrian Peterson, he'll do everything he can to will the Vikings to more success than expected in 2012. It's reasonable to question whether it will be enough, and to wonder how long it will take the rest of this roster to catch up. Will Adrian Peterson be this generation's Barry Sanders? Is he a Hall of Fame player whose career window doesn't match up with his team's window for winning? That's what it feels like at the moment.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Let's take a break from our (relatively) serious coverage of the Minnesota Vikings' stadium bill to note some highly significant intersections of the NFC North and reality television.

First, Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver made it through another week on "Dancing with the Stars" and is headed to the semifinals of the competition. I guess that means we'll need to ramp up our "DWTS" coverage. Via Twitter, Driver said: "I want to bring the Mirror Ball to Titletown." The question now is if Titletown is ready for the Mirror Ball.

Meanwhile, EW.com reports that Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is part of a new celebrity dating show on Fox called "The Choice." New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is also a cast member.

Whether this appearance fits into Suh's offseason image repair plan remains to be seen.

With that, let's continue around the NFC North:

• The Packers expect to have all of their draft choices signed this week, according to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers cornerback Charles Woodson was in Washington, D.C., for the annual White House correspondent's dinner, but he told ESPN 540 in Milwaukee that he has no interest in politics as a post-playing career.
• Free agent running back Ryan Grant canceled a visit to the Detroit Lions because of "economic issues," according to his agent via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Detroit Free Press has a look at the cover of "Madden NFL 13" with Lions receiver Calvin Johnson front and center.
• Andy Hoag of Mlive.com has the latest on former Lions receiver Charles Rogers' legal woes.
• Lions receivers coach Shawn Jefferson has some strong feelings on the issue of post-career depression among NFL players, as Chris McCosky of the Detroit News found out.
• The Chicago Bears agreed to terms with two more draft picks, tight end Evan Rodriguez and cornerback Greg McCoy, notes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune thinks the Bears should bring back Tommie Harris as a reserve defensive tackle.
• The Vikings' head athletic trainer isn't ready to say that tailback Adrian Peterson will be ready to play in Week 1, notes Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune.
• The Vikings hosted free agent linebacker Rocky McIntosh on a visit, according to Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.

Never has the NFC North's transition been more visible than on the final day of the 2011 regular season. On a snowy day at Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions combined for 103 passing attempts and 1,000 passing yards.

By the time the Packers secured a 45-41 victory, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford had exceeded 5,000 yards passing for the season and Packers backup Matt Flynn had convinced the league he was a starting-caliber quarterback. Where once we could have expected the teams to grind out a classic Black and Blue game, they instead combined for a total of 37 carries. No running back made it to the modest total of 50 yards.

We've spent some time this offseason noting what we could politely call a tilt toward the passing game in both Detroit and Green Bay. We've discussed the Chicago Bears' seeming ambivalence about signing tailback Matt Forte to a long-term extension, and we've pointed out the Minnesota Vikings' uncertainty as tailback Adrian Peterson rehabilitates his shredded knee.

If you looked at this division through a traditional lens, you could consider running back a significant draft need for at least half of the division, if not all of it. But the NFC North's frenzied quarterback acquisitions over the past few years have brought us to a precipice. Are we ready to jump off, once and for all, into the world of Air and Space? Or will our teams step away from that ledge and rebalance their personnel, if not their scheme, to double back on the running game?

As the NFL continues its push toward passing supremacy, it's hard to imagine any NFC North team making anything other than subtle changes. Why take the ball out of the hands Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler or Stafford? And why not give Christian Ponder every chance to take the next step in his development?

This offseason, we've heard the Vikings speak often about seeking more playmakers for Ponder. We've watched the Bears sign Michael Bush as insurance against Forte's possible absence, but otherwise the Bears have worked to fortify their passing game with the acquisition of receiver Brandon Marshall and private meetings with many of the draft's top receivers, from Michael Floyd to Stephen Hill to Alshon Jeffery.

The Lions are the case study here, followed closely by the Packers. Injuries to Jahvid Best, Mikel Leshoure, Kevin Smith and the brain tumor of Jerome Harrison left them little choice but to rely on Stafford's arm last season. They finished 2011 with the second-fewest rushing attempts in the NFL, managed 71 rushing first downs (No. 29 in the league), according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Stafford told reporters this week that "everybody on our team would like to be a little more balanced than we were last year." It's reasonable to think they will be if Best and/or Leshoure are available full-time. But a serious commitment to improve would almost certainly require a draft investment. Best (concussion) has not been cleared for football work, Leshoure (Achilles) is coming back from a serious injury for a running back, and Smith has had difficulty staying healthy throughout his career.

How much do the Lions value that balance? We should find out over draft weekend. Again, most of us would look at their roster and toss question marks all over their backfield. But in 2012, how important is it to have an established and traditional No. 1 running back?

"We want to score as many points as we can," coach Jim Schwartz said at the NFL scouting combine. "Whether you do it running or passing, it doesn't matter. I think you want to try to get the ball in playmakers' hands."

In the end, the Lions might be best-served by pursuing a more modest goal: Being in position to capitalize against imbalanced defenses. Dictating a game on the ground might well be an NFC North artifact.

"If teams take the approach of playing the pass first," Schwartz said, "we should be in the position of having running backs who can make them pay for that."

Yes, there is a more than reasonable argument to be made that you don't need an elite running back when you have elite quarterbacks and receivers. A competent running back who doesn't miss the obvious yards might well suffice.

I don't know if the Lions, or the Packers for that matter, will invest a high draft pick in a running back. None of us do. But is it necessary? Probably not, at least not in our new Air and Space division. Soon we'll know how far off the cliff we've fallen.

My trip to the NFL owners meetings last month included a chance encounter with an NFL executive. We discussed the state of what has become a highly competitive and interesting division from a league perspective, given the Green Bay Packers' recent success, the Detroit Lions' explosive offense and the Chicago Bears' flurry of offseason improvements.

And then we got to the Minnesota Vikings.

"Big year for Leslie Frazier," the executive said. "Big year."

That perspective caught me by surprise, given that Frazier has spent exactly one full season as the Vikings' permanent head coach. But Frazier is also entering what reportedly is the final fully guaranteed year of his contract, and the long-term approach the Vikings have taken toward building their roster provides a substantial challenge to a coach with limited job security.

That's a nice way of saying Frazier probably needs to do a lot better in 2012 than the 3-13 record he produced last year, but with a roster that won't be constructed to support a quick turnaround. It's an unfortunate collection of circumstances that Frazier is only partially to blame for, but when viewed in the big picture, you can understand why the executive sees 2012 as a pressure point for his career.

(My friend Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com made a similar point last week.)

When the Vikings promoted Rick Spielman to general manager in January, Frazier said the move "should help me tremendously." Generally speaking, working for a good general manager is a healthy situation for any coach.

But since that point, the Vikings have dismantled their offensive line by releasing both starting guards and making plans to shift left tackle Charlie Johnson inside. They've given young quarterback Christian Ponder one more established playmaker, tight end John Carlson, but otherwise left their offensive skill positions untouched in free agency. They've bid farewell to their nose tackle and middle linebacker, tapping longtime backups as the likely successor in each role, and left untouched two safety positions that ended 2011 in shambles.

Spielman has made no secret of his intention: To get younger, to find blue-chip players in the draft and to supplement with complementary players in free agency. That's a sound philosophy for building long-term success, but it sure doesn't work in favor of a coach whose career record is now 6-16.

Take a look at the chart. A little more than half of the NFL's coaches (18 of 32) have reached a third full season in their jobs. Only four of them made it without the benefit of at least one non-losing season in their first two. And the only two who didn't demonstrate progress were the Washington Redskins' Mike Shanahan and the Seattle Seahawks' Pete Carroll, both of whom carried enough celebrity status -- and not to mention huge financial investments -- to be all but assured of a third season from the moment they arrived.

But consider the Vikings' placement in the NFC North, which put three teams among the top 10 in ESPN.com's most recent Power Rankings. Remember that they will be starting Ponder, who is in the midst of his first NFL offseason. Ponder will play behind a rebuilt offensive line, with a set of receivers who will either be underwhelming or inexperienced or both.

In a best-case scenario, tailback Adrian Peterson (knee) will resume football activities shortly before the season begins. And in a division that includes star quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Jay Cutler, it's worth noting the Vikings' historically poor pass defense hasn't been enhanced this offseason with a single defensive back who could be considered a starter. (Perhaps that sentence will need editing after the draft.)

Does that seem like a collection of circumstances favorable to a coach demonstrating significant progress in 2012? Not particularly, no.

To be clear, I don't think the Vikings are in an inappropriate spot as a franchise. This has been coming since the moment they failed to reach the Super Bowl in 2009. It's just poor timing for Frazier.

The best time to make these kinds of difficult decisions is in the first year of a coach's tenure. You take the resulting lumps when your job is most secure, and then presumably demonstrate steady progress thereafter. The Vikings lost 13 of 16 games last season in a misguided attempt to push an aging roster toward one final playoff berth. It was a lost year in every way, and only now do they face the proverbial bottoming-out. I don't want to say Leslie Frazier is set up to fail, but the deck seems stacked against him.

This is supposed to be quiet time in the NFL, when teams hunker down to prepare for the draft while its cast their gaze (temporarily) toward the Final Four, the looming NBA playoffs and the start of the baseball season. So naturally we spent the past few days buried in excitement (or lack thereof) over the league's new Nike uniforms, reports of a low Wonderlic score for a top draft prospect and then the revelation of audio that took the New Orleans Saints' bounty story to a new level.

So it goes. Your thoughts are always welcome via the mailbag, Twitter and Facebook. I read everything and respond when I can. Including right now….

VikingQuest channels his inner Johnny Drama and has this to say about reports of LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne's score of a 4 (out of 50) on the Wonderlic: Wow, did you miss the boat. Again. Claiborne's Wonderlic score being leaked should ABSOLUTELY outrage you. It has NOTHING to do with the 32 teams or his draft status. It has to do with his public perception, and this will make him appear "stupid," which I have heard he is not. Public perception is a HUGE part of these kids' lives. Has nothing to do with the draft. Lots of people will now think less of him and MANY of those people won't follow where he's drafted. It's embarrassing to him, I'm sure. And it's NONE of our business what his Wonderlic score was. Especially when Roger Goodell already made it clear that this info was not to be leaked.

Kevin Seifert: For those who didn't see our post on the topic, I wasn't outraged by a leak of information that is widely disseminated within the league -- but would be if Claiborne's draft status dropped as a result. The Wonderlic is one of countless tools the league uses to evaluate prospects, but most football people will point to the tape of Claiborne's college career and declare him the best cover corner available this year. Nothing about that changed this week, I hope.

Team officials have known the results of the Wonderlic for months. What would be truly outrageous is if anyone passed on him to avoid ridicule from a populace who now knows his scores. I can only assume that was the intent of the person or people who leaked the information in the first place.

But with that said, I don't think we need to fall over ourselves trying to protect Claiborne. I understand that the NFL pledges privacy to those who take the test, out of sensitivity to the very reaction his score has caused. Independent media members, however, aren't bound by the league's rules. If some reporters decided not to use the information, so be it. But Claiborne is a man and is headed toward to the top of his chosen profession. He doesn't need the media to protect him.

His score was the lowest by a draft prospect in at least 12 years, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. It's a fact of his pre-draft evaluation. The test ostensibly measures intelligence, but like any standardized affair, it's not unheard of for practice and preparation to elevate scores.

Regardless, if the test is important enough for the NFL to administer, the results are newsworthy whether or not the league releases them. Then it's important to note the appropriate context, namely that Wonderlic scores alone have never correlated with NFL success. Sometimes it's important to understand the level of a player's intelligence and/or test-taking ability. But in the case of Claiborne, the rest of his evaluation is so off the charts that the Wonderlic shouldn't affect his draft status. At least, it better not.

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Brent of Madison, Wis., has a different take on the issue: They say that Wonderlic tests are private but I think they should be public. If it's a state school I think that they should be tested and the results published. If not, why even have the illusion that they are going to class or trying and just make college football minor leagues for the pros?

Kevin Seifert: Schools and athletic programs are held to some statistical standards when it comes to the success of players in the classroom. But the Wonderlic wouldn't be a fair tool for that.

I wouldn't expect schools to raise intelligence levels. If you want to judge players and schools, perhaps better tools would be graduation rates and grade-point averages. Those statistics generally make their way into the public eye.

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Bruce of Plymouth, N.H., notes my mention of two seven-figure donations from NFC North players to their respective colleges and reminds me of a third: Don't forget Charles Woodson's $2 million dollar donation (2009) to a children's hospital in Michigan.

Kevin Seifert: Yes, of course. The Green Bay Packers' cornerback made his donation to help build the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital near his University of Michigan. The other players, of course, were Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska) and Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson.

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Corey of Knoxville, Tenn., writes: In a player's contract, can a team work in a clause about substance abuse? For example, if the Lions were to draft Janoris Jenkins, could they insert a clause that if he gets caught breaking the substance abuse policy, then he is no longer eligible for any escalators or something along those lines?

Kevin Seifert: Not specifically, no. The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed on the substance-abuse policy for disciplining players and protecting teams from drug abuse. Jenkins and every other player would be classified confidentially in the program. Positive tests would lead to increasingly tough penalties, including fines and suspensions. With that said, a team can have generic playing-time escalators and other devices that obviously wouldn't be reached if a player is suspended as part of a positive test.

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Mike of Eau Claire, Wis., notes that the Packers acknowledged last year that receivers creating a "reverse bounty" for dropped passes last season and writes: Not exactly a bounty as it was not done by the Packers or coaches, but not too far removed. I see a distinction but I wonder if this might be too close to the line now being drawn.

Kevin Seifert: Yes, as ESPNMilwaukee.com's Jason Wilde reported last season, Packers receivers organized a system where a $100 Best Buy card was contributed for every dropped pass. That's a little different than a bounty system, and certainly much less harmful. But if the players eventually disbursed the cards to each other, it would technically count as what Goodell referred last month as "non-contract bonus payments."

These payments, even if they're a fraction of a player's base salary, circumvent the salary cap and could open the door to larger stakes in the future. Moving forward, Goodell has required each team to certify that no players receive non-contract bonus payments. Regardless, given the heightened tension of this issue, Packers players should find a non-financial way to hold each other accountable moving forward.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

While most of the NFL world was focused on one of the dirtiest stories in league history Thursday, the University of Oklahoma announced a $1 million pledge from Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson. It's the second seven-figure college donation by an NFC North player in recent years. Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has pledged more than $2 million to the University of Nebraska.

Peterson's pledge came about eight months after he signed a record-breaking contract extension that included $36 million guaranteed. According to a school press release, the funds will go toward construction of a privately financed housing facility and also create a football scholarship endowment.

Peterson is rehabilitating from a major knee injury and recently resumed running. He has set a goal to return to the field in time for the first game of the 2012 season.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The White Earth Nation has offered a deal to provide $400 million for a new Vikings stadium in exchange for legislative permission to build a metro casino, according to the Star Tribune. The state is currently planning its $398 million contribution to come from electronic pull-tab revenue.
• The Vikings are facing a grievance of unknown cause from defensive tackle Kevin Williams, according to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• A new Milwaukee Brewers advertisement featuring Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will debut every three weeks, according to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Chicago Bears signed cornerback Jonathan Wilhite on Thursday a few hours after inking cornerback Kelvin Hayden. Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com has more.
• The Bears are likely to add a safety at some point before training camp, notes Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.
• Former Detroit Lions receiver Charles Rogers turned himself in to authorities Thursday after two warrants were issued seeking his arrest. Andy Hoag of Mlive.com explains.
• The Lions lost linebacker Bobby Carpenter to the New England Patriots, notes the Associated Press.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

On Tuesday, we downplayed the individual impact of three incidents Detroit Lions players have had with marijuana in the past three months. They are mostly misdemeanors and aren't likely to have lasting consequences from a legal perspective. If anything, they seem more significant when bunched together as a reflection of the organization.

Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press takes a different tack, writing the Lions should release defensive tackle Nick Fairley and running back Mikel Leshoure. They don't need "another ticking time bomb," Sharp writes. He adds: "Just because marijuana usage is perceived as more casual than other drugs doesn't mean the punitive measures should be equally nonchalant."

The timing of these incidents, which also include offensive lineman Johnny Culbreath, suggests the Lions will have to create a more effective internal deterrent. But parting ways with these players would be an awfully harsh, and probably unrealistic, punishment. I think Sharp was trying to snap people out of downplaying the significance of NFL players using marijuana, and the message was heard.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News: "The arrests have put a cloud over what has been a mostly optimistic and promising offseason for the Lions."
• Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher wants to finish his career with the team, according to Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• The Bears were happy to see the "GSH" on their jerseys be restored to its original size in the Nike uniform change, chairman George McCaskey told the Sun-Times.
• Bears general manager Phil Emery, coach Lovie Smith and receivers coach Darryl Drake were all at Notre Dame's pro day on Tuesday to see receiver Michael Floyd. Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune has more.
• An exact date for a meeting between the Green Bay Packers and safety Nick Collins has not been set, according to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. It is expected sometime next week.
• Packers tight end Jermichael Finley likes the gloves he can wear as part of the new Nike uniform, reveals Doug Farrar of Yahoo! Sports.
• Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com wonders if the Minnesota Vikings have put coach Leslie Frazier in a spot to fail, and risk being fired, in 2012. Their offseason hasn't exactly given them a personnel jump that would allow them to improve dramatically off a 3-13 performance.
• The Vikings haven't been their usual selves off the field lately, writes Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune.
• Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has started running during his knee rehabilitation, notes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• The Vikings are hosting all of their 30 draft-eligible visits this week, notes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin briefly put a scare into the team's fan base Monday night by tweeting -- one day after April Fool's -- that he needed shoulder surgery. Harvin quickly followed up by saying he should be healed in time for spring practices, and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Harvin needs only an arthroscopic cleanup and will have a quick recovery time.

The Vikings are already dealing with the surgery rehabilitation of tailback Adrian Peterson, who tore two ligaments in his knee in December. Barring a surprise move in the draft or later in the trade market, Harvin projects as the Vikings' No. 1 receiver in 2012.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press points out that Harvin pushed through a number of nagging injuries last season, but none were related to a shoulder injury.
• The Vikings' stadium bill was approved by a state legislative committee Monday night but has a long way to go toward final approval, according to the Star Tribune.
• The Vikings signed free-agent receiver Bryan Walters, who caught three passes last season for the San Diego Chargers. Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com has more.
• New Orleans Saints defensive line coach Bill Johnson on new Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove, via Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "I'm going to tell you something. If you don't like Anthony Hargrove, you have to check out of the human race. If you don't like this guy, you don't like anybody."
• Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "If Nick Collins received word about his future in football on Monday, no one from his camp was saying."
• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has details about the scheduled arraignment of Detroit Lions running back Mikel Leshoure.
• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News: "For a young man who was born in a prison and spent most of his young life trying to outrun the former lifestyle of his parents, the Lions' Mikel Leshoure has hit another bump in the road."
• Leshoure did not show up Monday for his arraignment, according to Julie Mack of Mlive.com, but is expected to do so Wednesday or face arrest.
• Chicago Bears chairman George McCaskey feels better about the NFL's new kickoff rules, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Chicago Bears

One of the Giants' playoff heroes, wide receiver Devin Thomas, signed with the Bears.

Coach Lovie Smith feels Brandon Marshall's "big, physical presence" was a perfect fit for the Bears, writes the Chicago Tribune's Dan Pompei.

Smith is optimistic that Matt Forte’s contract status will be resolved soon. “My glass is always half-full,” Smith said Wednesday morning, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Sean Jensen. “Everything you’ve ever heard from us, Matt Forte is our running back."

Detroit Lions

Kyle Vanden Bosch and Stephen Tulloch said the Titans did not have a bounty program when they were with the team, reports the Detroit News' Chris McCosky.

The Lions are in favor of extending the trade deadline by two weeks, but the proposal was tabled until May at the NFL owners meetings.

Wideout Titus Young might be used as a punt or kick returner this season, writes McCosky.

Green Bay Packers

Packers safety Nick Collins will meet with coach Mike McCarthy, GM Ted Thompson, the team doctor and his two agents sometime next week to determine whether it's safe for him to resume his NFL career following the serious neck injury he suffered last season, writes the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tom Silverstein.

The Packers still have plans for veterans Chad Clifton and Donald Driver, according to Silverstein.

If faced with a similar situation in the future, McCarthy would sit Aaron Rodgers again in a meaningless Week 17 game, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Minnesota Vikings

Emails released by the city of Minneapolis reveal the "behind-the-scenes frustrations and horse trading that preceded a March 1 agreement between the Vikings, the city and the state" to land the new stadium, according to a report by Star Tribune writers Eric Roper and Mike Kassuba.

The Vikings expect star running back Adrian Peterson to begin running soon on his surgically repaired left knee, reports the Star Tribune's Dan Wiederer.

Coach Leslie Frazier would still like to add a speedy receiver, writes Weiderer.

Given how fluid this time of year is, I once again mined the mailbag for questions and topics that didn't figure to be impacted by breaking news over the weekend. You can get in touch with me via the mailbag, Twitter or our nearly full Facebook page.

Onward….

Mark of San Diego writes: I've seen several columnists comment on the high amount of drops Brandon Marshall has had in his career, but they all mention in almost the same breath how many targets he gets. Is there a chart someplace (like maybe a future blog post) that shows drops as a percent of targets?

Kevin Seifert: That's a good and fair question, Mark. Statistics are always more valuable when viewed in context, and it stands to reason that the more passes a player is thrown, the more likely he'll have a higher number of drops.

The raw number, according to ESPN Stats & Information, is that Marshall has dropped 26 passes since 2008, the third-highest total in the NFL over that stretch. I don't have his total targets over that stretch, but I can give you a glimpse into his drop percentage over the past two seasons and how that fits into the league rankings.

In 2010, Marshall had a drop percentage of 8.5, which ranked 60th in the NFL that season. That means 59 receivers caught a higher percentage of the catchable passes thrown their way.

In 2011, Marshall's drop percentage was 6.9, ranking him No. 52 in the league.

In this case, the percentage confirms what the raw numbers suggest. Marshall's drops weren't only a function of his high involvement in the Miami Dolphins offense. He missed more catchable passes than dozens of other NFL receivers.

To be clear, that shouldn't take away from Marshall's accomplishments as one of the league's most productive receivers over that period. The percentages merely give us a broader view of his performance.

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Matt of Appleton, Wis., is curious about the long-term salary cap implications of Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson's new contract.

Kevin Seifert: Johnson signed what is technically an eight-year, $132 million deal. Deals that long often get restructured before the end, but usually teams at least leave the first three years intact before going back at it.

To that end, former agent Joel Corry provided a three-year cap breakdown for the National Football Post. The deal will count $11.5 million against the cap in 2012, $12.2 million in 2013 and $12.2 million in 2014, according to Corry.

It's never ideal to have a player count more than $10 million against the cap, especially in the case of the Lions, who have three players -- Johnson, quarterback Matthew Stafford and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh -- who will always have high cap numbers because they were top draft picks under the previous NFL system for rookie contracts.

But remember, Johnson was going to count $22 million this season against the cap, and if he received the franchise tag, $26.4 million in 2013 and $31 million in 2014. Considered that way, his new cap charges seem quite reasonable.

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Eric of Fariview Heights, Ill., isn't satisfied with our explanation for why the Minnesota Vikings didn't participate more actively in the opening days of free agency. Carl Nicks is 26 and probably if not absolutely is the best guard in the league. A five year deal helps Ponder and Peterson, neither of which are getting protected. Talks with an aged, twice injured TE is more important than a top WR signing? Explain! So we want Percy Harvin, John Carlson, and Kyle Rudolph clogging up the middle? Where is our deep threat? How can you write an article defending not going after Nicks, a top receiver, OR one of the top cornerbacks? I mean seeing how we've been HORRIBLE in the secondary... It's a joke. Let's hear the true talk on this inactivity please!?

Kevin Seifert: That's fair. First I'll give you a rundown of what I would guess the Vikings were thinking, and then I'll offer my own comments.

Six years ago, the Vikings signed Steve Hutchinson to the biggest contract for a guard in NFL history. Historically, however, NFL teams don't like to devote cap space to the guard position. There are too many instances of success when inserting younger, cheaper players into those jobs while spending your money on left tackle and center. Hutchinson, the Vikings thought then and now, was a once-in-a-generation player.

Rather than devoting $47.5 million to Nicks over the next five years, the Vikings figure they can move Charlie Johnson to left guard. Johnson signed a three-year, $10 million contract last summer. He might not perform to Nicks' level, but is the difference between Nicks and Johnson worth, say, twice or three times the salary cap space? The Vikings didn't think so.

The same goes for cornerback. The Vikings will get the promising Chris Cook back on the field in 2012, which is an automatic upgrade from what they finished with. I can only assume that they didn't think any of the cornerbacks available on the market, most notably Brandon Carr and Cortland Finnegan, were worth the $10 million annual salaries they eventually received.

As for Carlson, none of us can pretend to understand whether he is a risk for injury moving forward. Beyond that, the Vikings saw him as a polished 27-year-old pass-catcher who could make their offensive more dynamic. Does he solve all of their problems, including the deep threat issue? No. But that doesn't mean he can't help.

General manager Rick Spielman said last week that the team wasn't "one player away" from contending for the Super Bowl. That's one of the reasons the Vikings weren't more aggressive. A fair counterargument, of course, is this: What if they are? What if quarterback Christian Ponder develops quickly, and tailback Adrian Peterson returns to form and the offensive line improves with the presumed drafting of Matt Kalil?

In that case, the Vikings would be vulnerable in their otherwise unaddressed secondary, and a chance to have a better-than-expected season could be quashed. I'm fine with the Vikings sitting out the crazy receiver market. I do question if they're going to be able to field a competitive defensive secondary, but we'll withhold final judgment until the full players acquisition period is complete.

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Grayson of Roseville, Calif., writes: Why wouldn't the Packers have made a play for Mario Williams? I know they don't often do anything in free agency but Williams seems too good to pass up, like Reggie White and Charles Woodson were. It makes so much sense!

Kevin Seifert: It makes sense from the standpoint of the Packers needing a pass rusher (or two) and Williams is the best pass rusher on the market. Williams has more experience as a 4-3 end rather than a 3-4 outside linebacker, but perhaps the idea of playing opposite Clay Matthews -- and the presumably favorable matchups that would go with it -- might have been enough to lure him to the Packers.

But as we noted during the week, the Packers aren't really in position to start handing out $100 million contracts to free agents -- at least, not if they plan to re-sign a trio of players who are in line for extensions. Matthews, receiver Greg Jennings and quarterback Aaron Rodgers could have their deals addressed in the next calendar year. I'm guessing the Packers prioritized them over any free agent.

With that said, it doesn't mean the Packers couldn't afford to investigate other free agent pass rushers. I wouldn't be opposed to them pursuing Kamerion Wimbley, whom the Oakland Raiders released Friday.