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PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Green Bay Packers have received the maximum number of extra draft picks available to teams through the NFL's compensatory draft program, while the Minnesota Vikings have received two.

That's our local upshot of Monday's always-anticipated announcement of compensatory draft picks. The Packers got four extra picks and will now have 12 in next month's draft, while the Vikings will have a total of 10. Neither the Chicago Bears nor the Detroit Lions were expected to receive a compensatory pick.

The NFL doesn't reveal its exact formula for determining the extra picks, but in essence it's based on the difference in value between the free agents a team loses and the ones it signs the previous year. In 2011, the Packers bid farewell to free agents Daryn Colledge, Brandon Jackson and Cullen Jenkins, among others, and did not sign a significant free agent of their own.

The formula granted the Packers two fourth-round picks and two additional seventh-rounders. The Packers' total of 12 picks includes three in the fourth round and four in the seventh.

Meanwhile, the Vikings received two fourth-round picks, No. 33 and No. 39 in the round, after losing receiver Sidney Rice, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and defensive end Ray Edwards in 2011. They signed nose tackle Remi Ayodele, but he made little impact.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The NFL lockout robbed the Green Bay Packers of some traditional pomp and circumstance normally afforded to Super Bowl champions. They have yet to visit the White House. Their ring distribution was pushed back to an anticlimactic mid-June ceremony. Some key players didn't finalize new contracts until late July.

So as they reported to training camp this past weekend, the Packers were focused on recreating the special circumstances that led to their Super Bowl XLV victory in hopes of an encore trip this season. They bid farewell to several players whose jobs were phased out by the end of 2010, but at the public behest of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and others, they brought back a number of others whose secondary contributions seemed too valuable to lose.

"That was important," Rodgers said. "I don't think you get better by robbing from the whole. We were fortunate enough to bring back some of our guys and also bring some guys back who were injured. You start off with a great amount of chemistry between the guys. It's a close-knit locker room, and guys hang out with each other, enjoy spending time together and enjoy working together.

"So we have that going for us, which I know doesn't go on for every team, and that does a lot. When you can count on the guy next to you, when you spend time with him, when you spend time after practice watching film, that's important stuff when it comes down to crunch time and winning games."

Appropriately, I spoke with Rodgers only after he wrapped up a locker room card game. Having been apart for the entire offseason, Packers players clearly were relishing the renewal of friendships and bonds forged during their championship run. Coach Mike McCarthy said the Packers' "No. 1 issue" will be handling success, and players are channeling that request toward a second Super Bowl title -- and a proper celebration afterward.

"A-Rod was able to keep some of the guys that he wants so they can still be explosive," safety Nick Collins said. "We kept some of our main people on defense so we can keep doing what we're doing. Now it's just a matter of putting it all together again."

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Tight end Jermichael Finley is back (most of him): Felled last season by a Week 5 knee injury and later a postsurgical infection, the Packers tight end reported to training camp in superb shape after a long rehabilitation. He has without question trimmed his already-wiry frame and drew skepticism when he insisted he weighed in at 240 pounds.

The Packers' medical staff prescribed a gradual return to football activities, but it didn't take long for Finley to display his unique receiving skills during an individual drill. When two quarterbacks inadvertently threw him passes, Finley calmly caught one and tucked it under his arm, then caught the other.

Finley's return will prove as challenging as it is exciting and should be a focal point over the next few weeks. After his injury, the Packers refocused their offense around receiver Greg Jennings. Rodgers said it will be a "challenge" to fold in the pre- and post-injury schemes.

"You add another talented guy back to the mix like that," Rodgers said, "and it's tough to get the ball around to all of our skill guys. You've got to find a way to get everyone else involved, realizing that you might be bringing back the most talented guy to the offense.

"When [Finley] is out there, we're a different team. Defensive coordinators have a difficult job when they're trying to figure out how to cover him. It's going to be important for us to find ways to get him the ball but also to keep the other guys involved who played big roles for us last year."

2. The extents of leadership: Rodgers said in a number of interviews that he wanted the Packers to re-sign receiver James Jones and running back John Kuhn. Both returned with three-year contracts on Sunday.

But Rodgers insisted in the strongest terms possible that he never went to general manager Ted Thompson to plead either case. "That's 100 percent untrue," he said.

Asked how much he talked to Thompson or coach Mike McCarthy about the issue, Rodgers said: "Zero."

He added, "I don't get paid to do that. I get paid to play quarterback. I don't make those decisions. You look at Ted's track record. He's done an incredible job of bringing in talent. They've done an incredible job bringing in talent; they bring in the talent, I get paid to play quarterback. It's not my style to go up there and say anything to those guys."

At the same time, let's not be naive. When a Super Bowl MVP publicly calls for a reasonable personnel move, it shouldn't be surprising to see it happen.

3. Backfield rotation: I saw no evidence that the Packers plan for anything other than Ryan Grant to be their starting tailback when the season opens. There has been plenty of discussion about Grant's future after the postseason emergence of James Starks and the arrival of rookie Alex Green, but Grant worked with the first team throughout the first three days of practice and had some runs, McCarthy said, "that looked like Ryan Grant looks like in the regular season."

Starks also got some time with the first team, and that kind of rotation is fully expected to continue. The one question mark is on third downs following the free-agent departure of Brandon Jackson. Neither Grant nor Starks is known for his receiving ability. Could Green be that guy? Or is that why Rodgers wanted Kuhn back? I'm guessing it's the latter.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Under McCarthy, the Packers have a long history of shifting offensive linemen to fill vacant positions. But it was still interesting to see first-round draft pick Derek Sherrod line up at left guard with the first team for three consecutive practices.

Sherrod was drafted as a left tackle and said he had never played left guard before Saturday evening. He appeared to hold his own on a physical level, although there was no doubt that his head was swimming in the Packers' playbook.

"Once he gets it down mentally, he's going to be a damn good player," right guard Josh Sitton said. "I think he's got the confidence. He's got the talent level. I think he's going to be a good player."

If Sherrod maintains his spot, the Packers will open the season with two first-round picks and one second-rounder among their five starters. And after adding his 6-foot-5, 321-pound frame to the group, the Packers now have what McCarthy called "our biggest line in my six years here."

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Since last summer, we've been hearing about the potential of defensive end Mike Neal, the Packers' second-round pick in the 2010 draft. His chiseled 294-pound frame certainly looks the part. But Neal didn't practice much during my time in Green Bay because he is still recovering from surgery this past fall to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his shoulder.

I'm not in any way questioning Neal's toughness or the level of his rehabilitation. But the departure of veteran Cullen Jenkins opened the door for Neal to take the right end job and own it. Nothing can happen until he heals and strings together a few weeks of uninterrupted practice. The Packers are hoping to accelerate his return by the end of this week. For now, the Packers are using C.J. Wilson in that spot.

OBSERVATION DECK

• Rookie Randall Cobb is working at all three receiving positions as both a kickoff and punt returner and even as the backup holder. His acceleration and aggressiveness in the open field were eye-opening, at least with the team in shorts and helmets. Although much could change, McCarthy said he is giving Cobb a longer look at punt returner than at kickoffs. He is hoping Green emerges to handle the latter.
• McCarthy has been complimentary of rookie tight ends D.J. Williams and Ryan Taylor. Both are athletic and have good hands. Because of Finley's return schedule and Andrew Quarless' hip flexor, Williams and Taylor both got good work with the first team. You have to wonder whether Williams, especially, will challenge Quarless' roster spot.
• The Packers have shifted to a new camp schedule that features one practice a day, usually with a 7 p.m. local start. The plus for players? No two-a-days. The downside? "There are a lot more meetings," linebacker Clay Matthews said. Rodgers said, "We're in meetings all day. It's a great opportunity for young guys to get into the playbook. But it is a longer day because you're in meetings, but it's positive for the young guys." McCarthy planned this schedule before the lockout, but in the end it will help new players catch up quicker.
• Matthews slimmed down with a focus on running this offseason and came to training camp determined to avoid the hamstring injuries he incurred in the Packers' previous two training camps. (Did he really need those camps? You decide.) I thought it was interesting that on the first play of team drills in full pads, Matthews stood up right tackle Bryan Bulaga and made the stop on a running play. One of the Packers' weaknesses last season was run defense on Matthews' side.
• Why was Jones' return so important? Here's how Jennings put it: "We're looked at and viewed as one of the better receiving corps in the NFL. You unplug any one of those guys, that outlook kind of goes down. I don't care which one you unplug, it goes down. If we had lost James, we definitely would have had a void to fill."
• McCarthy hasn't always kept three quarterbacks on his 53-man roster, but he likes what he's seen from No. 3 quarterback Graham Harrell. I like keeping the third quarterback, and frankly it's risky the way we've gone about it," McCarthy said. "If you asked me my druthers, if I could keep three quarterbacks, I would always keep three, and I would have a fourth on developmental. It's the most important position in football. ... When it was Brett [Favre] and Aaron you never blinked. But Matt [Flynn] has also now shown he is durable and a tough guy, so he's also given us that flexibility to go and carry the extra DB. But if you're asking me to assess it from a risk standpoint, I would definitely lean toward keeping a third."
• I saw one padded practice in my three days with the Packers. It lasted nearly two and a half hours. McCarthy called it "sluggish," but to me it was understandable. The biggest sign that players weren't quite in their element yet: not a single fight or raised temper that I could see.
• Safety Morgan Burnett (knee) has been cleared for full practice but is not yet working with the first team. To this point, at least, Charlie Peprah has maintained his starting spot. At right outside linebacker, however, the Packers rotated three players with the first team: Frank Zombo, Erik Walden and Brad Jones.

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

A look at the free-agent priorities for each NFC North team:

Chicago Bears

1. Assemble a starting offensive line: As we've noted many times, the Bears have held off any public discussion about their five linemen pending the results of free agency. Well, we're here. It's time for the dominoes to start falling. The first will be whether center Olin Kreutz re-signs. It's generally expected, but nothing is guaranteed. Then, the Bears need to decide whether to pursue any starting-caliber guards or tackles. You would think they'll seek at least one new starter. Will they raid the Atlanta Falcons' glut of linemen? Might they take a flier on Robert Gallery? We'll know soon enough.
2. Establish a strongside linebacker: The position has largely been held by Pisa Tinoisamoa and Nick Roach over the past two years, but both have expiring contracts. It makes sense to re-sign at least one given the lack of offseason work for a presumptive new starter, and Roach is the younger of the two. If the Bears have another player on the roster they've targeted for this job, it's not readily apparent. While they're at it, the Bears should seek depth at defensive tackle following the release of Tommie Harris. They did draft Stephen Paea, but the Bears might pursue Seattle Seahawks free agent Brandon Mebane, as well.
3. Sift through receivers: From a media perspective, at least, there has been more offseason talk than ever suggesting the Bears will/should/might pursue a free-agent receiver. This year's class is deep, from Sidney Rice to Santonio Holmes to Randy Moss, and a number of other veterans could be available via trade. Coach Lovie Smith has said he wouldn't mind a receiver bigger than his current trio of sub 6-footers, and Devin Hester has lobbied publicly to sign Santana Moss. I think the increased discussion is largely a product of lockout boredom, but it wouldn't hurt the Bears to add depth so that Hester can be used more efficiently.

Top five free agents: Center Olin Kreutz, safety Danieal Manning, punter Brad Maynard, linebacker Nick Roach, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.

Detroit Lions

1. Sign a starting cornerback: The Lions' top cornerbacks under contract are Alphonso Smith and Nate Vasher. Chris Houston, who started 15 games last season, is a free agent, so it's possible the Lions will bring Houston back. Or they could seek an outside upgrade, be it Nnamdi Asomugha or Ike Taylor or Johnathan Joseph. Lions Fever would spike if they can land Asomugha, but they would have to use most of their salary-cap space to do it. For several reasons, the odds are against it.
2. Sort out the linebacker position: DeAndre Levy is the only linebacker assured a 2011 starting job, but even Levy can't be totally sure if he will play outside or in the middle. That answer will come only after the Lions sift through the available free agents. They could pursue one with a background in the middle, perhaps Stephen Tulloch. Or they could seek an outside linebacker to replace the released Julian Peterson. One of their outside positions is likely to be decided by a training camp competition among incumbents.
3. Evaluate right tackles: Early indications have been that Gosder Cherilus has made progress from microfracture surgery on his knee. If there is any question, however, the Lions might want to bolster their depth. Corey Hilliard did a decent job as Cherilus' replacement late last season. But keeping quarterback Matthew Stafford healthy is at a premium this season. Do the Lions want to face the possibility of opening the year with a backup plan at right tackle?

Top five free agents: Linebacker Bobby Carpenter, cornerback Chris Houston, linebacker Landon Johnson, quarterback Drew Stanton, safety John Wendling.

Green Bay Packers

1. Stay the course: It's been well-documented that general manager Ted Thompson hasn't participated much in free agency over the past few years, and it's hard to imagine his changing tack dramatically this summer. Thompson's most important decisions will be deciding which of his pending free agents to re-sign and which ones he should allow to depart.
2. Re-sign place-kicker Mason Crosby: Thompson gave Crosby a second-round tender in February in the event Crosby wound up as a restricted free agent. That move suggested Crosby is in the Packers' future plans and makes re-signing him one of the first orders of business now that he is an unrestricted free agent. Crosby has had some difficulties over the years, but kicking in Green Bay is difficult given the weather and he has made some important adjustments. Concerns about his kickoffs should be minimized by the NFL's decision to move them up 5 yards.
3. Think twice: The Packers appear set to let defensive end Cullen Jenkins depart. They can do so knowing they have a number of intriguing young players to compete for that job, from Mike Neal to C.J. Wilson to Jarius Wynn. But another player the Packers might lose, Daryn Colledge, doesn't have an obvious replacement. Would the Packers shift T.J. Lang from backup tackle to guard? Would first-round draft pick Derek Sherrod, their projected left tackle of the future, get a crash course on step down? It's something to think about and, given the lack of an offseason, might spur further discussion about re-signing Colledge.

Top five free agents: Guard Daryn Colledge, place-kicker Mason Crosby, defensive end Cullen Jenkins, receiver James Jones, running backs John Kuhn/Brandon Jackson.

Minnesota Vikings

1. Address receivers: Are the Vikings about to bid farewell to receiver Sidney Rice, a 24-year-old who is one year removed from an 83-catch Pro Bowl season? There is nothing they can do to stop it at this point, and Rice seems intent on at least testing his value on the open market. The Vikings spent most of last season searching for a suitable replacement when Rice was injured, and that job will intensify this summer. They have added an additional pass-catching threat in rookie tight end Kyle Rudolph. But if they lose Rice, the Vikings must either sign or trade for an established veteran to join Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian (if he makes the team).
2. Find a kicker: The Vikings made no known effort before the lockout to re-sign veteran Ryan Longwell, who has converted 43 of 46 kicks over the past two seasons. It's possible they'll make their move now. But they did not draft a kicker, and if Longwell signs elsewhere, the Vikings will have to scour the always-murky free-agent market. I'm guessing they already have a plan on this issue, but we haven't smoked it out yet.
3. Establish QB depth: We all know that rookie Christian Ponder eventually will assume the starting job. But are the Vikings comfortable with Joe Webb and Rhett Bomar as their only alternatives if Ponder needs some development time? I'm not sure about that. I also wonder if making Webb the No. 2 quarterback would limit his opportunities to contribute in other ways, perhaps as a receiver or a kick returner. For that reason, it would make sense for the Vikings to seek a quarterback with more experience to pair with Ponder.

Top five free agents: Defensive end Ray Edwards, linebacker Ben Leber, place-kicker Ryan Longwell, receiver Sidney Rice, nose tackle Pat Williams.

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

Readiness factor: Players felt confident enough to avoid any known group workouts during the lockout. Several players suggested they wouldn't go public with any grand plans even if they had them, but all indications are that most Packers worked out on their own this offseason. Coach Mike McCarthy supported that decision, saying conditioning and avoiding mishaps should be players' highest offseason priorities. It makes sense. The Packers are entering their sixth season in McCarthy's offense and their third in Dom Capers' defense.

Biggest challenge: The Packers are in pretty good shape. Their biggest challenge is the same whether or not they had a full offseason: Putting their Super Bowl victory in the proverbial rearview mirror and dedicating themselves to the kind of long-term success they appear built for. Players and coaches had every right to enjoy a celebratory offseason. Now it's time to flip the switch.

A true backfield rotation? When Ryan Grant has been healthy, McCarthy has strongly preferred a one-back system as opposed to rotating multiple runners into the game. Grant's season-ending ankle injury has healed, but is McCarthy planning to break the mold this summer? The Packers have a number of viable options to use either alongside or in place of Grant if and when they want, including 2010 postseason star James Starks. This Packers backfield arrangement will be one of the more closely watched areas of their training camp, especially by fantasy football players.

Key players without contracts for 2011: Guard Daryn Colledge, place-kicker Mason Crosby, running back Brandon Jackson, running back John Kuhn, defensive end Cullen Jenkins, receiver James Jones.

We've mentioned but not obsessed over the possibility of a training camp competition for the Green Bay Packers' starting tailback job. Our general assumption is that veteran Ryan Grant would resume his role as the team's primary runner, with the likely tweak of a true(er) rotation with a deep list of backups headed by James Starks.

Grant appears to be of the same mindset, but he said all the right things during a recent interview with WSSP-1250. Here is how Grant described the situation, as transcribed by sportsradiointerviews.com:

On keeping his starting role

Ryan Grant: "I would think so. I don't know. From what I've heard, that's the conversation that was told to me. ... I was told that by [former running backs coach Edgar Bennett], initially. Jerry [Fontenot, the new position coach] didn't tell me that anything changed. Jerry told me that, as of right now, I'm still the leader of the backfield and the expectations won't change. ... I do believe there will be competition, which is fine. I'm all for that."

On whether he wants to start

RG: "Of course. Why would you not want to? Who doesn't want that? But I do want to win, more importantly. And I do feel like what I bring to the table and what I do on the field is very direct to me. ... I'm looking forward to whatever happens regarding all that and I'm just going to take care of what I can."

On if he was asked to be a backup

RG: "If it was in the best interest of the team, I'm all for it."

Everything is contingent on Grant returning in full health from an ankle injury that cost him 15 regular-season games and all of the postseason in 2010. But it would be easy for coach Mike McCarthy to keep Grant in a nominal starting role. What will be more interesting, however, is the extent to which McCarthy spreads carries between Grant, Starks, and rookies Randall Cobb and Alex Green. McCarthy might also have to factor in veterans John Kuhn and Brandon Jackson, who are pending free agents but could re-sign.

Grant was the Packers' unquestioned starter during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. McCarthy handed him the ball 312 times in 2008 and 282 in 2009. No other running back got more than 45 carries in either of those seasons. You would think those numbers will move closer together in 2011. How much closer? That will be the interesting part.

The latest round of NFL labor discussions, held smack dab in the middle of steamy NFC North territory, produced a number of rumors and a series of speculative reports about how free agency might be administered in what will be a short window between a collective bargaining agreement and the start of training camp.

My NFC South colleague Pat Yasinskas has discussed the idea of giving NFL teams a right of first refusal on some unrestricted free agents. I'm not sure if that one will fly with the NFL Players Association, but here is one proposal I've heard bandied about that makes some sense: Creating an exclusive, post-lockout period for teams to negotiate with their free agents before the full market opens.

It's true that teams had ample opportunity to negotiate and strike deals with those players in February. But in some cases those talks were weighed down by uncertainty surrounding the framework and timing of the next CBA.

Some decisions made sense no matter what the terms, and that's why the Green Bay Packers re-signed linebacker A.J. Hawk and safety Charlie Peprah. The Minnesota Vikings, meanwhile, re-signed defensive end Brian Robison. Regardless, I wonder if some teams would take a more aggressive approach with other players if they had the full slate of rules and the exact calendar in front of them.

Would it make sense for, say, the Chicago Bears to be more aggressive in re-signing center Olin Kreutz after they lost an entire offseason that might otherwise have been used to identify and develop his successor?

Similar changes of stance are conceivable throughout the NFC North. Might the Vikings be more compelled to bring back linebacker Ben Leber, whose experience in their system could be more valuable given the lack of development time for potential replacements? Do the Packers have a bigger need for running back Brandon Jackson, who could expertly fill the third-down role that the Packers might have targeted rookie Alex Green for?

At the very least, a 48- or 72-hour window would give teams a chance to make their own free agents a newly competitive offer if their roster outlook indeed has changed since February. I'm guessing the NFLPA wouldn't offer strong opposition; players could simply refuse their team's offer and wait for the full market to open.

The other option would be simply to open up full free agency on the first business day after a new CBA is reached. That kind of mad scramble would be fun for media types and agents, but to me it would make some sense for everyone to take a deep breath and ease into the process.

I inadvertently left this week's "Have at It" topic a little vague, but I like where you guys and gals took it. In addressing which NFC North tailback combination would finish the 2011 season with the most combined yards, most of you included receiving production -- a smart move considering the expected disparity in this division's offensive schemes.

Along with you, I'm still getting used to our new conversation software. But my sense is that many of you sized up the situation and decided that the Minnesota Vikings' combination of Adrian Peterson and Toby Gerhart would lead the pack in 2011 from a statistical point.

Peterson put up 1,639 rushing/receiving yards on his own last season, and with an upcoming quarterback transition, it's safe to assume the Vikings will ride him more than ever in 2011. Peterson's total last year, in fact, wasn't much less on a per-game average than the Chicago Bears' tandem of Matt Forte and Chester Taylor (1,952 yards).

"Assuming that [offensive coordinator Bill] Musgrave will build his offense around Peterson, this is a no-brainer," wrote Nabicus. While Peterson and Gerhart will face defenses stacked against the run, wrote dragonkeeper0209, "they have no other choice but to run the ball."

Wocomule52 noted that the Vikings have "perhaps the best running back in the league" who will be "the focal point of their offense" but wondered if Forte/Taylor might finish with more total yards given their roles in Mike Martz's passing offense as well as the Bears' quarterback advantage.

"The Bears have two great pass-catching running backs," wrote wocomule52, and workdaddy1877 added: "I think Lovie [Smith] understands in order for the Bears to be successful Forte needs to touch the ball quite a bit. If Taylor can improve just slightly then I can see the Bears finishing first in total yards. If Forte receives between 300-315 touches (he was at 288 last year) then it will be really close."

Most of all, noted drew_d2, "there is no easy answer." But I thought drew_d2 offered an interesting argument for the Detroit Lions' duo of Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure -- in essence, the Lions will have the top No. 2 back in the division: "Best isn't the best #1 option, but Leshoure is a very good #2 option and might even be better than Best."

Colin3451 thinks Best and Leshoure "could easily turn out to be the best RB tandem" in the division but has a hard time envisioning them as the most productive: "The Vikings will [be], but they'll also have the lowest YPC average. The Bears will have the same problem in YPC. Detroit won't run the ball enough to have the most yards...."

Finally, the Green Bay Packers have a few questions yet to answer about their presumed grouping of Ryan Grant and James Starks. Will Grant be back to his 1,200-yard form? Will it also include free agents Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn? How will rookies Alex Green and Randall Cobb fit in? And how much will coach/playcaller Mike McCarthy actually utilize his running backs?

Jesse.nile had a smart thought in the Packers' favor: "Starks tore it up towards the end of last season and in the postseason. With the addition of Grant this season I see them tearing off huge runs when teams line up in nickel and dime defenses to deal with all the passing threats the Packers have."

My take? I think we hit on a really interesting theme for the 2011 season, whenever it arrives. Who knows? Maybe we'll have to add a "Stomp and Grind" feature to pair with "Air and Space."

As for the matter at hand, I'm presuming the Vikings are going to start rookie quarterback Christian Ponder. Musgrave has some experience in this situation. Three years ago, Musgrave was the Atlanta Falcons' quarterbacks coach. The Falcons started rookie Matt Ryan in Week 1, and in 16 regular season games, they gave tailback Michael Turner a whopping 376 carries. Backup Jerious Norwood had another 95, and together they combined for 2,567 rushing/receiving yards.

I'm not saying Peterson and Gerhart will approach that title, but my guess is Musgrave will do everything he can along those lines. Forte/Taylor are serious candidates for this mystical title, but I'm thinking Martz will balance out his offense more than Musgrave will be able to.

To be continued on a blog near you on the other side of this lockout ...

This week's edition of ESPN.com's offseason Power Rankings was one of my favorites, and not just because I wrote it. As opposed to ranking the best of this moment, our goal was to look ahead and project some of the people we might include in future Power Rankings.

If we're right, this week's list represents the core members of the next wave of NFL head-coaching candidates. We didn't include college coaches, and we made the executive decision to eliminate anyone who has already been a head coach, allowing us to focus on up-and-coming assistants throughout the league.

Given how much projection was involved in this exercise, I felt most comfortable with the people I know most about. (So did the other bloggers, and 24 assistants ended up appearing on at least one ballot.) To that end, I voted for four NFC North coaches in the order below:

3. Green Bay Packers safeties coach Darren Perry
6. Packers receivers coach Edgar Bennett
7. Chicago Bears special-teams coach Dave Toub
10. Packers assistant head coach/inside linebackers Winston Moss

Moss (No. 6) and Perry (No. 10) made the top 10. My thoughts below:

• Perry has two important attributes going for him. First, he is a good coach and deserves credit not only for guiding the transition of Pro Bowl free safety Nick Collins into a new scheme but also patching together the strong safety spot last season between multiple starters. Second, and this is just as important to his future, he is a long-time disciple of defensive coordinator Dom Capers, having played and coached in his 3-4 scheme. Given the success of the Packers' defense last season, and the fact that both Super Bowl teams played that scheme last season, Perry has the schematic pedigree NFL teams will be looking for. Many people around the league believe it is a matter of when, not if, Perry makes the next step to defensive coordinator.
• Bennett presided over the rise of tailback Ryan Grant from obscurity in 2007 and has drawn particular praise for drills designed to limit fumbles. Grant deserves some credit as well, but the fact remains he lost five fumbles in three years under Bennett as the Packers' primary tailback. Last season, no one among the trio of Brandon Jackson, John Kuhn and James Starks lost a fumble on a running play. The Packers' decision to shift Bennett to receivers coach suggests he is being groomed for a bigger job -- either in Green Bay or elsewhere.
• I didn't really expect anyone else to vote for Toub, and I can't say for sure that an NFL owner would seriously consider hiring a special-teams coach from outside the organization for his own head-coaching job. But Toub has quite simply fielded the most competent and explosive special-teams group in the NFL since joining the Bears in 2004. (One obscure stat among many: The Bears have more blocked kicks during Toub's tenure than any other NFL team.) Toub also has the global mindset necessary to be a head coach, and in 2009, Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid said: "On your staff, the coach that's best prepared to be a head coach is your special-teams coach. They have to deal with everybody on the roster, plus [the media]. That's a tough thing to do. Dave Toub would be a great head coach down the road." Like current Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, Toub might need to move to an offensive or defensive role for a time period to balance his résumé.
• Moss drew interest from both the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders two years ago for their respective head-coaching jobs. He is a strong leader, someone that players enjoy working for and deserves credit for transitioning A.J. Hawk into an inside linebacker and Desmond Bishop into a full-time starter. Moss has experience in a 3-4 and a 4-3 scheme, and there was talk of the Raiders hiring him as their defensive coordinator this winter. My thought in ranking him No. 10 is that NFL teams would pursue Perry before Moss because of Perry's connection with Capers, but that's just an educated guess.
• Remember, this was a ranking of up-and-coming assistants, not a list of the 10 best assistant coaches in the NFL. If it had been, my list would have looked dramatically different. Many of the NFC North's best assistants are former head coaches who might not get another chance at the top job. That list includes Capers, Chicago Bears assistants Rod Marinelli, Mike Martz and Mike Tice, and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.
• And finally, we put together a little video that you might have missed in the original post. Extra credit for anyone who identifies the photograph in the background of my segment.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Minnesota state legislature has adjourned without addressing the Minnesota Vikings' stadium issue with so much as a single public hearing. So the question now: Will the issue be placed on the agenda for a presumed special session this summer?

Here's what Rep. Morrie Lanning, one of the stadium bill authors, told Mike Kaszuba of the Star Tribune: "It is of course possible if, there is a special session, for this issue to be before us."

The special session will be dominated by a contentious battle to balance the state budget, however. And Lanning noted that several obstacles still must be overcome, including roads and naming rights. He told Dave Orrick of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that public hearings later this summer are possible as well.

One way or the other, it looks like it will take at least another month to find out whether this bill will be passed or if the Vikings will go into the 2011 season as pending franchise free agents.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Green Bay Packers running back Brandon Jackson, a pending free agent, feels like it is "wasting my life" to pay attention to the details of the lockout. Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has more.
• Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle wonders what would have happened if the Buffalo Bills had drafted linebacker Clay Matthews instead of defensive end Aaron Maybin in the 2009 draft. Matthews is the featured speaker at the Rochester Press-Radio Club's 62nd annual day of champions dinner.
• The Detroit Lions confirmed they have "made some adjustments to our business operation" because of the lockout but would not confirm reports that they have instituted mandatory two-week furloughs for employees, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions offensive lineman Jason Fox is healthy for the first time in two years, writes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
• Chicago Bears running back Garrett Wolfe, a pending free agent, was arrested over the weekend because of a fight that started over an unpaid nightclub bill of $1,572, according to Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune looks at how the Bears have been impacted by the lockout.

While we were grinding away on other topics Friday night, the Super Bowl champions quietly added two fascinating prospects who are equipped to add new dimensions to their already explosive offense. I'm guessing few teams around the NFL would enjoy reading that sentence about the Green Bay Packers, but it's true.

Kentucky's Randall Cobb is officially listed as a receiver, but in reality he was an all-purpose running back-receiver-returner in the fast-paced SEC who could play all over the field for the Packers. And running back Alex Green's experience in Hawaii's run-and-shoot offense all but guarantees he will be a reliable and bruising receiver out of the backfield. Packers running back Brandon Jackson caught 43 passes last season, but his return as a pending free agent is questionable at best.

Cobb was one of 25 players the NFL hosted at the draft at New York City's Radio City Music Hall, and in case you haven't heard of him, here's one statistic that should make you sit up straight: He set an SEC record last season with 2,396 all-purpose yards. Given that conference's long history of dynamic playmakers, it was quite an accomplishment.

Among others, it bettered the totals racked up by former Florida scatback Percy Harvin, who was used in a similar manner and is now with the Minnesota Vikings. Cobb is about 15 pounds lighter than Harvin, and I'm guessing his slighter stature had something to do with his availability at the No. 64 overall pick. But Packers coach Mike McCarthy is one of the more creative offensive minds in the game, and I have no doubt he'll find plenty of ways to use Cobb in a Harvin-like fashion.

Speaking to Wisconsin reporters, Cobb embraced the comparison.

"He's able to do a lot of different things on the field and he's a very active football player and really understands the game and has a lot of great talent," Cobb said. "And I believe I can really fit in that mode, too."

As Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com points out, that list could include punt and kickoff returns and even the Wildcat, a formation the Packers have never really embraced under McCarthy.

Said receivers coach Edgar Bennett: "I'm going to defer that to Coach Mike, but certainly this kid (having) had some background as a quarterback, it just opens up additional opportunities," Bennett said. "We're talking about a guy that's versatile. We're not game-planning right now, but I'm pretty sure we'll take full advantage of what this kid is capable of doing."

Green, on the other hand, might not get as much immediate playing time as long as incumbents Ryan Grant and James Starks are rotating in the backfield. But neither are built like the 6-foot, 230-pound Green, and I'm guessing the Packers will find a way to use his receiving skills at some point during the season. He averaged 13.4 yards on 27 receptions last season, and I would be curious to see how he would fare in the fourth quarter of games when his legs are fresh and defenders are growing tired.

Like the Detroit Lions, the Packers have remained true to their draft board and refused to deviate to find a potential starting right outside linebacker. Perhaps they could find a candidate Saturday among their six picks in the final four rounds. Regardless, the Packers' haul to this point has been intriguing to say the least.

About this time last year, we compiled a list of four NFC North players who had the opportunity to alleviate some pressure to acquire upgrades at their positions -- provided they demonstrated notable offseason development. In reviewing that post, I feel better about the positions we identified than the specific players we picked out. But such is life.

This year's pending lockout presents a curveball for offseason development. If a lockout begins in early March and continues through the summer, coaches and front office executives won't have their typical opportunity to improve and observe younger players. Free agency could also be truncated and risky. Ultimately, teams might be left to rely on observations and projections based on last season's performance.

In that vein, let's pick one player per team whose 2010 emergence seemingly eliminated a 2011 offseason need.

Chicago Bears

Player: Offensive lineman J'Marcus Webb

2010 notables: The Bears made Webb a seventh-round pick last spring and, desperate for alternatives after a rough start, elevated him to the starting lineup in Week 5. Webb's ascendance coincided with the stabilization of the Bears' line, and he remained the starter for the rest of the season. How well he played as an individual is up for debate. According to ESPN's penalty database, Webb was called for 11 penalties in his 12 starts, including seven for holding.
Position status: If nothing else, Webb enters the offseason as one of the Bears' top two tackles along with Frank Omiyale. Offensive line might be the single-most needy position group on the Bears' roster, and the team could legitimately address any of its five positions in the first round of the 2011 draft. Based on how the draft plays out, the Bears could keep Webb at right tackle. Or, given his 6-foot-8 frame, they could consider moving him to left tackle and returning Omiyale to the right side. The future of 2008 first-round pick Chris Williams, who was moved from left tackle to left guard midway through last season, could also affect where Webb plays.
2011 projection: Yes, there are many moving parts here. But Webb has a couple of things going for him. One, he is a 22-year-old player who has navigated his way through 12 NFL starts and still has plenty of room to improve. Long-range planners are always infatuated by a young player with experience. Second, Webb is a favorite of Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice, who personally scouted him before the draft -- and came away from Webb's workout with a chipped tooth. There is a long way to go here, and it would be wrong to assume Webb is a lock to start in 2011. But the Bears can't address all five positions in one offseason, and Webb's presence might help make their decisions easier this spring.

Detroit Lions

Player: Cornerback Alphonso Smith
2010 notables: Acquired in a preseason trade with the Denver Broncos, Smith made a productive if uneven debut by intercepting five passes in 12 games. A shoulder injury ended his season in December, and many fans' lasting impression might have been his embarrassing Thanksgiving Day performance against the New England Patriots. But playmaking cornerbacks are difficult to find, and Smith gives the Lions a viable option at a position of significant need.
Position status: Veterans Chris Houston and Nate Vasher are pending free agents, but the Lions have said they want Houston to return. Veteran Eric King has been informed of his release, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Tye Hill, Prince Miller and Paul Pratt are all pending free agents, although the Lions have exclusive rights on Miller and Pratt. Last season's Week 1 nickelback, Aaron Berry, spent most of the season on injured reserve.
2011 projection: In 2010, the Lions brought back only one member of their 2009 secondary: Safety Louis Delmas. Smith's performance in 2009 should at least lessen the overhaul necessary this offseason. Like Webb, he shouldn't be a lock to start in 2011. But the Lions also shouldn't be starting from scratch, either. Smith gives the Lions a legitimate option in the event they focus their resources elsewhere.

Green Bay Packers

Player: Running back James Starks
2010 notables: Starks' story has been well-told. After spending the first half of the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, he rushed for 73 yards in his NFL debut and amassed 315 yards in four playoff games. In part because he never fumbled, Starks earned the trust of coach Mike McCarthy, and proved to be a reliable and instinctive runner.
Position status: The Packers are expected to get former starter Ryan Grant back from an ankle injury. Grant is scheduled to earn about $5.25 million in 2011, the final year of his most recent contract extension. Backups Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn are pending free agents. Starks leapfrogged fellow rookie Dimitri Nance, who is signed through 2013.
2011 projection: In an era where many teams split carries among their tailbacks, Grant was the Packers' primary runner from 2007 to 2009. That was the plan for 2010 as well, before his injury. But if nothing else, Starks gives the Packers a second option and important insurance should Grant be felled by another injury. Does Starks deserve to compete with Grant for a starting job next season? That's a question the Packers' coaching staff will have to answer whenever training camp convenes. But the Packers learned the hard way last season that a two-man backfield is a requirement, not a luxury.

Minnesota Vikings

Player: Safety Husain Abdullah
2010 notables: Known mostly for special teams play and fasting during training camp, Abdullah unseated Tyrell Johnson and was a surprise starter at strong safety. He missed one game because of a concussion and tied for the team lead with three interceptions. You never know how players will be viewed by a new coaching staff, but Abdullah seemed to show enough promise to merit another chance to start in 2011.
Position status: The Vikings have long been due for changes at safety, where Johnson and Madieu Williams have performed poorly over the past three seasons. Williams could be released this offseason, opening at least one starting spot. Jamarca Sanford struggled to stay healthy last season but might be best suited as a special teams player.
2011 projection: Would the Vikings replace both starting safeties this offseason? Or would they give Abdullah another chance while focusing on Williams' free safety spot? The latter scenario seems more likely. At this time last season, few would have expected Abdullah to be in this spot. But if last season were any indication, he had leapfrogged every other safety on the Vikings' roster. Read into that ranking what you will.

Officially, Thursday is the first day NFL teams can place a franchise tag on players whose contracts are expiring and would otherwise be eligible for unrestricted free agency.

But in one of many twists we can expect in the structure of the 2011 offseason, the NFL Players Association has declared the franchise tag to be irrelevant until a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is reached.

The existing CBA will expire March 3, and the reality is no players will be changing teams this offseason -- whether they are franchised or not -- until the league reaches a labor resolution.

It is possible, however, that players who are franchised now could be grandfathered into the next CBA. So it's at least worth discussing who might be candidates here in the NFC North. The exact salary levels, as well as the number of years required for unrestricted free agency, are yet to be determined. Below we've included players with at least four years of experience.

Team: Chicago Bears
Prominent players with expiring contracts: Defensive tackle Anthony Adams, tight end Desmond Clark, cornerback Corey Graham, quarterback Caleb Hanie, center Olin Kreutz, safety Danieal Manning, punter Brad Maynard, linebacker Nick Roach and linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.
Comment: Kreutz probably doesn't need to be protected with a tag. Hanie could garner interest around the league but would you guarantee him franchise money to stay?

Team: Detroit Lions
Prominent players with expiring contracts: Safety C.C. Brown, cornerback Chris Houston, defensive end Turk McBride and quarterback Drew Stanton.
Comment: Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com reports the Lions won't use the tag.

Team: Green Bay Packers
Prominent players with expiring contracts: Safety Jarrett Bush, left guard Daryn Colledge, running back Brandon Jackson, receiver James Jones, defensive end Cullen Jenkins and running back John Kuhn.
Comment: Jenkins is a possibility, although the Packers have a young player in Mike Neal who might be ready to take over his spot next season. Colledge's status is uncertain.

Team: Minnesota Vikings
Prominent players with expiring contracts: Defensive end Ray Edwards, linebacker Chad Greenway, linebacker Ben Leber, receiver Sidney Rice, defensive end Brian Robison and nose tackle Pat Williams.
Comment: Greenway and Rice are young players the Vikings would hate to part ways with. They have seemed cooler on Edwards' status.

From the start, I've been two steps behind the James Starks Express.

This fall, I never understood the rampant optimism that he could emerge from two years of inactivity to contribute to the Green Bay Packers' playoff run. Starks was a rookie running back whose last football game had been the January 2009 International Bowl, after all. And he's suddenly going to jump into the NFL arena without any preseason contact or even full-pads training camp drills?

When the Packers added him to their active roster in Week 11, it seemed part of a plan to give him practice repetitions that he wouldn't get on injured reserve.

And now that Starks has rushed for more yards (263) than any other running back this postseason, I'm still trying to understand what we're seeing. Have we witnessed the sudden and near-miraculous emergence of the Packers' next 1,000-yard rusher? Is his production simply a function of opportunity? Is Starks a big-time runner or just someone with a big body and fresh legs?

As we discussed earlier this month, football people have been enamored with Starks' skills for some time. Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said: "There is no doubt that he is the most-talented runner on that team and has fresh legs. He shows vision, power and explosion." Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears' former director of college scouting has admitted he wanted to draft Starks before the Packers got to him.

The reality, of course, is that Starks has averaged 2.98 yards per carry in the two games after he exploded for 123 yards in the Packers' Jan. 9 wild-card playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. He scored a key second-quarter touchdown in this past Sunday's NFC Championship Game, but in total he has 140 yards on 47 carries since Philadelphia.

Those figures drove Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders to note that Starks has not improved the statistical efficiency of the Packers' running game. In fact, according to ESPN Stats & Information, most of Starks' best runs have come out of the Packers' three-back "wishbone" set that gives him an extra backfield blocker and seems to catch defenses in poor personnel matchups.

I don't disagree with anything that Barnwell wrote (you need an Insider subscription to read all of it), but I do think we can count at least three ways that the James Starks Express has at least indirectly enhanced the Packers' offense during the postseason.

First, he has earned a level of trust from coach and playcaller Mike McCarthy that the Packers' other runners -- Brandon Jackson, John Kuhn and Dimitri Nance -- did not during the regular season.

McCarthy refused to name a No. 1 back following Ryan Grant's season-ending foot injury, in part because he wanted to use Jackson on third downs and other passing situations. But as a result, the Packers had only one game all season in which a single running back got 20 carries. That came in Week 15 against the New England Patriots, when Jackson carried 22 times while quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sidelined by a concussion.

But McCarthy has given Starks at least 22 carries in all three playoff games, leading to an uptick to overall running plays. In the playoffs, the Packers are averaging 27.67 carries per game by running backs. In the regular season, that figure was 22.3. You might not consider five extra carries a big difference, but it amounts to a substantial 20 percent hike.

Moreover, McCarthy's trust in Starks has significantly balanced his play-calling, which longtime observers know has occasionally been an issue for this offense. In the regular season, the Packers threw 541 passes and ran 421 times. (ESPN Stats & Information estimates that, based on what appeared to be scrambles by Rodgers, McCarthy called for a pass play 63.5 percent of the time.)

In the playoffs, the Packers have run 95 times and thrown 93 passes. The value of balance is self-explanatory.

"[Starks] has been a big part of our success," Rodgers said. "I think he's ran the ball well. Maybe the biggest thing is that Mike trusts him with 20-plus carries. And we haven't always got the great production. The Philly game, he had over 100 yards. The last couple of games his average has been, I think below 4.0. But the fact that we're trying to run the ball has set up the play-action game, which has been effective the last couple of weeks."

Which brings us to our second point. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Rodgers has completed 19 of 28 play-action passes in the playoffs for 236 yards and two touchdowns. His passer rating on those throws is 117.6.

I was amazed at how good the Packers' play-action game was during the regular season, given the state of their running game. But a defense as disciplined as the Pittsburgh Steelers' is going to need more than an idle threat of the run in order to respect those fakes. Starks has given the Packers at least that much.

Finally, moving Starks to the top of the depth chart has allowed the Packers to use their other two runners in the roles they are probably best suited for. Kuhn can be their short-yardage back, while Jackson can focus on third downs and a package of running plays that he is particularly good at. Jackson, you might not realize, ran more draw plays (40) than any other NFL running back during the regular season and has run four more in the playoffs. On those 44 runs, according to ESPN Stats & Information, Jackson picked up 10 first downs and averaged 6.6 yards per attempt.

It's too late to stop momentum on the James Starks Express. For whatever flaws there are in the excitement surrounding his emergence, I think we can agree it has nevertheless been a net positive for the Packers.

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Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 9
Preseason Power Ranking: 3

Biggest surprise: The Packers were knocked out of the playoffs last season when an injury-depleted secondary gave up five touchdown passes to Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner. From a personnel standpoint, they did little in the offseason to bolster their personnel, instead counting on a number of players -- Al Harris, Brandon Underwood and Will Blackmon, among others -- to return from injuries. None of them contributed in a meaningful way in 2010, but the Packers are still in much better shape at the start of the postseason. Why? Tramon Williams developed into a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback (he's an alternate), and rookie Sam Shields emerged out of nowhere to give the Packers a reliable nickelback -- just as the Packers planned.

Biggest disappointment: Tight end Jermichael Finley was lost in Week 5 to a season-ending knee injury, joining tailback Ryan Grant as the two most damaging injuries the Packers suffered this season. The Packers spent the offseason re-centering their entire offense around Finley, and he was on his way to a breakout season with 21 receptions for 301 yards in the first four games. (By my math, that put him on pace for 84 receptions and 1,204 yards.) All indications are that Finley will make a full recovery by next season, but the Packers were forced to make fundamental changes to their offense after his injury.

Biggest need: Grant's injury revealed the Packers to have dangerously thin depth at the position. In essence, they have spent the season without a featured back. Brandon Jackson proved to be a better receiver (8.0 yards per reception) than runner (3.7 yards per rush). John Kuhn is a fan favorite but in reality a specialist, and the Packers have seen only glimpses of promise from rookie James Starks. Even if Grant makes a full recovery, restocking this position is a significant priority.

Team MVP: Defensive coordinator Dom Capers rolled with wholesale injury replacements all season but still managed to hold opponents to the second-fewest total points (240) in the NFL. The Packers had five different starters on the defensive line, 10 different starting linebackers and saw their strong safety position split by rookie Morgan Burnett and veteran Charlie Peprah. Capers' time as a head-coaching candidate might have passed, but what he did this season merits acknowledgment from around the NFL.

A "slump?": Quarterback Aaron Rodgers started the Pro Bowl in 2009 but qualified only as an alternate in 2010. He missed one game because of a concussion and threw four more interceptions than he did last season. Despite what he has referred to as some "inconsistency" in 2010, Rodgers still had one of the best seasons in the NFL. His 8.3 yards-per-attempt average ranked No. 2 in the league, his 101.2 rating ranked No. 3, his 65.7 completion percentage tied for No. 5, and his 28 touchdown passes tied for No. 6. We should all be so inconsistent.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- We hate to bring the James Starks cult this bit of bad news: Starks is inactive for the Green Bay Packers' game against the New York Giants, the second consecutive game the rookie running back will miss.

As with last Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots, the Packers will use Brandon Jackson, John Kuhn and Dimitri Nance as their primary runners.

One other bit of pregame news for the Packers: Robert Francois will start at outside linebacker for the injured Frank Zombo. Erik Walden started at that spot against the Patriots.