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Dozens of reporters descended Wednesday on the Chicago Bears' practice field for the first open organized team activity (OTA) of the 2012 offseason. Quarterback Jay Cutler was among those who spoke afterwards, and I thought I would run through a number of newsbits and offer some pithy but insightful comments to go with it.

Item: Receiver Johnny Knox, watching from the sidelines, revealed he lost 30 pounds during his recovery from spinal fusion surgery and remains 20 pounds below his playing weight.
Comment: Knox couldn't say whether he would play in 2012, but it's easy to see him sitting out the year. Everyone knows he suffered a serious injury, but given his gaunt appearance Wednesday, few us probably know the full extent. In February, don't forget, Knox said people wouldn't "be able to sleep" if they knew how close he was to never walking again.

Item: Cutler said the Bears' offensive situation is "a breath of fresh air" with longtime confidant Jeremy Bates serving as quarterbacks coach and Mike Tice now the offensive coordinator.
Comment: Cutler seemed to be referring to a healthy exchange of ideas between players and coaches on what will work in this offense and what won't. He has a decent track record in that regard, as we discussed last season, the Tice-Bates regime is clearly doing everything possible to meet Cutler's vision for the offense.

Item: The Bears' first-team offensive line included Chris Spencer at left guard, Lance Louis at right guard and a rotation of J'Marcus Webb and Chris Williams at left tackle. Presumed right tackle Gabe Carimi (knee) wasn't practicing.
Comment: There's noting scarier than a left tackle competition between a player who was moved away from the position two years ago (Williams) and one who probably shouldn't have been there in the first place (Webb). The reality is the Bears have only one position locked down: Roberto Garza at center.

Item: Cutler said that receiver Devin Hester "is having the best camp of all the receivers" and disagreed with suggestions that Hester's playing time should be limited.
Comment: I have to assume there is some kind of "get-Hester-confident" conspiracy going on at Halas Hall. Receiver Brandon Marshall has expressed similar sentiments. Unless, of course, the receiver light has suddenly turned on for Hester.

Our friends at Football Outsiders have reached the NFC North juncture of their annual post-draft needs series for ESPN.com. You'll need an Insider subscription to read the entire file but I can provide you a snippet of the needs that Outsiders' statistical analysis points to for each of our teams.

Chicago Bears
Need: Offensive line
Excerpt: Left tackle J'Marcus Webb "led the league with 15 offensive penalties in 2011."
Seifert comment: We've been through this before. Outsiders suggests the Bears seek a swing tackle via free agency, but indications are that the team envisions 2008 first-round pick Chris Williams in that role.

Detroit Lions
Need: Cornerback
Excerpt: Free-agent acquisition Jacob Lacey "ranked 81st in success rate against the pass last year and 88th in 2010."
Seifert comment: The Lions prioritize the havoc they can create with a dynamic defensive line over whatever shortcomings they might have in the secondary. Lacey will compete with Aaron Berry and perhaps rookie Dwight Bentley for a starting job.

Green Bay Packers
Need: Backup quarterback
Excerpt: "If any injury causes [Aaron] Rodgers to miss action, the Packers are looking at trotting out either super raw seventh-round rookie B.J. Coleman or undrafted and utterly untested third-year man Graham Harrell."
Seifert comment: In 2008, the Packers set a precedent of using an untested backup in Matt Flynn. There isn't league-wide certainty that Harrell is prepared to be a No. 2 in 2012, but the Packers are more likely to use him in that role than sign a veteran free agent.

Minnesota Vikings
Need: Middle linebacker
Excerpt: "There's no evidence suggesting that [Jasper] Brinkley can handle the full slate of middle linebacker duties."
Seifert comment: All indications are that Brinkley will get the first chance to replace E.J. Henderson. There isn't a notable alternative on the roster, but it's a position where a temporary starter could be signed during training camp. But the Vikings are committed to getting younger and Brinkley is 26.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

So I tuned in to "Dancing with the Stars" as promised Monday night. It won't rival "LOST" or even "Al TV" on my personal list of favorites. But one of the NFC North's most prominent players over the past decade is a cast member, and I'm well aware of the interest level from many Green Bay Packers fans in Driver's fate on the show.

As it turned out, Driver scored a combined 57 out of a possible 60 on his two dances of the evening, putting him in third place on the judges' scorecard. But that is only part of the final score, and we'll find out Tuesday night whether audience/viewer voting impacted the ranking and who exactly will advance to the finals of the show.

I took away a couple cool moments Monday night. On the day after Mother's Day, Driver tearfully praised his mother, Faye, for being "my soldier for a long time." Also, I laughed when the camera panned the audience after Driver absorbed some criticism from a judge. You could see Packers coach Mike McCarthy with the same quizzical facial expression he usually directs at officials during games. McCarthy sat right next to quarterback Aaron Rodgers and linebacker Clay Matthews. Very solid support.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel thinks the "handwriting is on the ballroom floor for" Driver's departure from the organization.
• The Packers signed five players who participated in their rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, notes the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Detroit Lions rookie receiver Ryan Broyles on what he picked up by watching rookie minicamp, via Rod Beard of the Detroit News: "It's a great offense. I've been catching on a little bit now and see how they do it -- a lot like Oklahoma. They like to get out there and run three receivers -- sometimes four -- and even empty the backfield, so I think it's going to be a good offense to be a part of."
• Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley's court date stemming from an April marijuana arrest was moved back to July 31, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler on the right thumb he fractured last season, via the Associated Press: "It's fine. I really didn't throw a lot in the offseason, rehabbed a little bit and came back and felt good."
• Cutler isn't going along with the Bears' rampant optimism about their offensive line, notes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times. Cutler: "You know, the offensive line is definitely going to be a concern and seeing where those guys are going to fit in and seeing what five we go with. If Gabe [Carimi] comes back, if J'Marcus [Webb] pans out. Where are we going to put Chris Williams? There are some question marks there. Until we really get that resolved and get our front five settled in, we've got some work to do on offense."
• Signs still point to the Bears moving Williams back to tackle, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com digs a little deeper into the friendship between Minnesota Vikings receivers Jarius Wright and Greg Childs.
• The Vikings' new stadium deal shields the public from their financial books, notes the Associated Press.

Cleaning out my notebook after the 2012 NFL draft:

It can be difficult to gauge the value of coaching the annual Senior Bowl, but it's worth noting that two of the Minnesota Vikings' draft choices played under their coaching staff for the North team at this year's affair. That included Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith, whom the Vikings traded up to draft at No. 29 overall, and NC Sate linebacker Audie Cole, a seventh-round pick.

In the case of Smith, the Vikings were so convinced of his value after the Senior Bowl that they didn't speak again through the entire draft process. They didn't interview him at the annual scouting combine and didn't invite him to their facility for a pre-draft visit.

"When we got into our meetings and we put our board together and seeing how it was going to develop and knowing that we do need some help on the back end to improve our secondary," general manager Rick Spielman said, "that was the one huge advantage of being able to coach the Senior Bowl because we got to know those players inside and out and know what they are about. How they are in a meeting room. How they are out on the field. Our coaches know what it’s like to coach that player so that was a huge advantage for us and we know exactly what we are getting in Harrison Smith."

We've noted that the Green Bay Packers drafted six defensive players to open the draft. Another trend we noted: The Vikings drafted three pairs of players from the same school.

But we probably didn't spend enough time in the latter stages of the draft pointing out that the Detroit Lions finished the draft by selecting six consecutive defensive players -- including three cornerbacks -- while also drafting three players from Oklahoma.

We should probably chalk up the Sooner connection -- receiver Ryan Broyles, defensive end Ronnell Lewis and linebacker Travis Lewis -- as coincidence. But I wouldn't say the same thing about the defensive trend, considering how poorly the Lions' defense played over the second half of the 2011 season.

The impact of that decision is "yet to be seen," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. He added: "Drafting them doesn't do anything other than drafting them. They have to play well in preseason and training camp and they have to prove their draft status. So, yeah, it adds more guys to the roster and creates competition and things like that. ..."

With that said, I would think the Lions' cornerbacks should consider themselves on notice. Third-rounder Dwight Bentley is a smallish but feisty corner who had an excellent Senior Bowl against elevated competition. And fifth-rounder Chris Greenwood might have played at Division III Albion, but he is 6-foot-1 and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds. Players with those kind of measurables eventually get their opportunity.

The Chicago Bears' decision not to draft a lineman would appear an endorsement of their returning starters. So it's worth noting that coach Lovie Smith refused to say where offensive lineman Chris Williams will play in 2012, calling into question the short- and long-term future of the Bears' No. 1 draft choice in 2008.

First, here's what Smith said when asked if Williams would resume his role as left guard when training camp begins: "I can't tell you that right now. We have options with him. We'll see how it all shakes out. Chris, of course, can do both [guard and tackle]. Right now, we're two weeks into our offseason program. Let us get into it a little more and we'll be able to define some roles a little better."

That's hardly an endorsement for a player who has started at right tackle, left tackle and left guard in his disappointing career. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune makes some excellent points in suggesting Williams' most likely 2012 destination is a swing backup.

Williams was drafted as a left tackle, but the Bears chose J'Marcus Webb to play there last season and don't appear interested in looking back. Gabe Carimi, the 2011 first-round pick, figures to return at right tackle, making it easy to move Lance Louis back to one of the other guard spots. Louis, Chris Spencer and newcomer Chilo Rachal would be top candidates to start at the other two guard spots.

Everything is subject to change. But clearly there remain some parts in motion along the Bears' offensive line.

I'm sure the Packers have kicked around the idea of signing a veteran backup quarterback, and it could still happen. But after drafting Tennessee-Chattanooga's B.J. Coleman in the seventh round Saturday, the Packers don't appear eager to add anyone else. In other words, former No. 3 Graham Harrell is going to get every opportunity to win that job.

"I don't think you just say, 'I need a veteran backup,'" Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "We have the MVP in Aaron Rodgers as our No. 1, and now we feel that we have three really good candidates to compete for two spots. ... The roster will shake that out."

Those candidates are Harrell, Coleman and Nick Hill, a former Arena Football League player who signed in January.

Some people cringed when the Coleman spoke reverentially about his pre-draft work with and respect for Brett Favre. Coleman seemed oblivious to the hard feelings surrounding Favre's departure in 2008 and his return with the Vikings in 2009 and 2010.

Maybe Coleman was a bit naïve, but I thought his giddiness was instructive as much as anything and perhaps illustrative of the big-picture way most of the football world view the relationship between the Packers and Favre.

In the big picture, the Packers-Favre separation was a small portion of a two-decade marriage that is destined to be reconciled. We are hypersensitive to that blip because we lived through it on this blog, but not everyone was as affected. If we aren't already, we'll all be closer to Coleman's perspective than we probably ever thought possible.

Analysis of the 2012 draft literally will continue for years, but I long ago accepted our psychological need for instant answers. It has become a tradition around here to review the immediate reaction of the country's foremost media draft analyst, which I consider to be a starting point for further discussion. So here are Mel Kiper Jr.'s 2012 draft grades , which require an Insider subscription to view fully but can be summarized forthwith:

Chicago Bears
Grade: C+
Kiper snippet: "I'm really surprised they had six picks and didn't get a single offensive lineman."
Seifert comment: The Bears weren't joking before the draft when they said they were satisfied with the makeup of their offensive line, one that will include the return of Gabe Carimi and Chris Williams. Saturday, coach Lovie Smith said: "We as a coaching staff are going to try and put the players in a better position, adding Chris and Gabe to the mix. There's a period of time, as you might have forgotten, during the season, when we played pretty good ball on the offensive line." Kiper thinks that first-round defensive end Shea McClellin might have been overvalued at No. 19 and isn't a big fan of second-round receiver Alshon Jeffery, but I think the Bears improved both positions with those additions.

Detroit Lions
Grade: B
Kipper snippet: "The board broke pretty well for Detroit."
Seifert comment: Yes, few media analysts thought tackle Riley Reiff would be available at No. 23 overall. (Clearly they hadn't measured his arm length.) And it's true the Lions managed to snag three intriguing cornerbacks after making the surprise choice of receiver Ryan Broyles in the second round. But to me what stands out about the Lions' draft is that they are in position to address future needs rather than desperately flail at their current issues. Reiff might not be a starter until 2013 or 2014, and Broyles' knee rehabilitation means he might not have immediate impact, either. It's called roster maintenance, and the Lions haven't been in that position in a while.

Green Bay Packers
Grade: B
Kiper snippet: "The Packers simply had to add to the pass rush."
Seifert comment: There will be plenty of talk moving forward about first-round linebacker Nick Perry and some about fifth-round linebacker Terrell Manning, whom Kiper loves as a situational pass-rusher. But you wonder if they'll both be eclipsed by second-round defensive lineman Jerel Worthy, a first-round talent who should be highly motivated by his draft fall. He's got the ability and capacity to become a dominant force on the line, whether it's as a 3-4 end or as a tackle in the nickel. Worthy could turn this into a proverbial "A" draft.

Minnesota Vikings
Grade: B
Kiper snippet: "I don't think we'll look back and see a lot of star power here, but they got what they needed."
Seifert comment: General manager Rick Spielman did a good job convincing everyone he was considering several bad decisions, and thus has been widely praised for making what seemed to be the obvious ones. That's the case for both of his first round picks, left tackle Matt Kalil and safety Harrison Smith. And after passing on LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, Spielman at least added some speed to the position by drafting Central Florida cornerback Josh Robinson. At the end of the weekend, Spielman used 10 draft picks and pushed two more into 2013. Quantity runs a close second to quality in the draft.

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

The 2012 NFL draft is in the books. Our silly little arguments on left tackles and injured receivers seem so long ago. Oh, the memories….

In a few years, we'll be able to evaluate this draft with a measure of accuracy. For now, let's just consider some immediate highlights and lowlights.

BEST MOVE

The Green Bay Packers fielded arguably the best offense in franchise history last season. Their defense, on the other hand, allowed more passing yards (4,796) than any NFL team that has ever played. So let's award the "Best Move" title to the Packers' decision to deeply supplement their defensive personnel in this draft.

The Packers selected six consecutive defensive players to open this affair, the result of unprecedented maneuvering by general manager Ted Thompson -- who traded up as many times in this draft (three) as he had in his six previous drafts combined. Speaking to reporters in Green Bay, Thompson joked that he is "ashamed" and it was "pathetic" to have given up three of his 11 picks in those trade-ups, but to me that spoke to how seriously the Packers took their defensive slide last season.

Thompson insisted that there was "no intent to do it that way," but that would make for one heck of a coincidence, wouldn't it? Regardless of why it happened, the Packers came away with a pair of pass-rushers/disruptors in linebacker Nick Perry (No. 28 overall) and defensive lineman Jerel Worthy (No. 51) and two defensive backs -- cornerback Casey Hayward (No. 62) and safety Jerron McMillian (No. 133) -- who will have opportunities to compete for immediate playing time.

Worthy, Hayward and linebacker Terrell Manning (No. 163) were the three players Thompson traded up for, giving you an idea of how strongly he must have felt about them. Will this group stabilize the Packers' defense in 2012? It's impossible to predict individual performances, but generally speaking I'll go with this theory: The more the merrier.

MOST SURPRISING MOVE

The Detroit Lions had already used their first-round pick on a future need, Iowa tackle Riley Reiff, when they grabbed Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles in the second round. Not only did the Lions already have a deep set of pass catchers, but Broyles is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered last November.

So yes, it was initially surprising to see a match between the Lions and Broyles, even though it was easy to understand how the Lions made the decision. As we discussed at the time, the Lions follow their board in as tightly wrapped-up of a vacuum as any team in the NFL. Although they had significant need at cornerback and safety, they had Broyles rated higher and that was that.

Hopefully, those of you who were angry and didn't buy that explanation were assuaged by the latter stages of the Lions' draft. They chose three cornerbacks -- Louisiana-Lafayette's Dwight Bentley at No. 85, Albion's Chris Greenwood at No. 148 and New Mexico State's Jonte Green at No. 196 -- over their next five selections and finished with six consecutive defensive picks overall.

RISKIEST MOVE

The riskiest move in this draft was one that actually didn't happen. The Chicago Bears did nothing to address their personnel along the offensive line, first in free agency and now the draft.

It's true that a pair of 2011 starters who suffered season-ending injuries, tackle Gabe Carimi and guard Chris Williams, will return in 2012. And the promotion of Mike Tice to offensive coordinator should provide linemen with more help and less one-on-one responsibility than they had in the previous two seasons.

But the bottom line is the Bears have been forced to undergo multiple rounds of midseason patchwork in each of the past two seasons to lessen the punishment on quarterback Jay Cutler. When coach Lovie Smith said last month that he was confident in his current lineup, many of us wondered if he was just covering the Bears' draft plans.

He wasn't, which means the Bears are setting themselves up for another choppy season of personnel changes if their confidence proves unfounded.

FILE IT AWAY

We noted before the draft that the NFC North stood on the precipice of transition from the Black and Blue to the Air and Space division. You could make an argument that all four NFC North teams had a need at running back, especially the Packers and Lions. But as the NFL continues to move toward the passing game, it was reasonable to wonder whether anyone would act on those needs.

They did not. In fact, not a single running back was drafted in this division through the first six rounds. The Packers declined to take one in spite of a thin backfield led by injury-prone James Starks. The Lions, meanwhile, didn't deem it necessary despite the questionable health histories of Jahvid Best, Mikel Leshoure and Kevin Smith.

Message sent, huh?

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Chicago Bears made the NFC North's biggest offseason move by acquiring receiver Brandon Marshall. They filled two disruptive holes in their depth by signing quarterback Jason Campbell and running back Michael Bush, and they even paid a $1.5 million signing bonus to Eric Weems to serve as a secondary kick returner.

If there is one gap in their performance, however, it's the apparent decision to stand pat at offensive line. We all know about the Bears' pass protection issues in recent years, but as Rivers McCown points out in this EPSN Insider piece , they didn't grade out well in run-blocking, either. According to McCown, the Bears had the third-highest percentage of runs stuffed at the line scrimmage last season and ranked No. 20 overall in converting short-yardage runs.

So it was more than fair to question Bears coach Lovie Smith about his plans for the offensive line, especially left tackle J'Marcus Webb, in 2012. Smith noted that 2011 first-round pick Gabe Carimi will return, probably at right tackle, and 2008 first-round pick Chris Williams is likely to be his left guard again.

It's always possible that the Bears could draft an offensive lineman or two next month, but Smith suggested the Bears have addressed their blocking schemes more than they have their personnel.

Asked why the Bears didn't sign a veteran lineman, Smith said: "That would be saying we don't feel comfortable with [our current players], and that's not the case."

Smith said he feels "comfortable" with Webb at left tackle but didn't rule out the possibility that Carimi could eventually play there. Webb absorbed 15 accepted penalties in 2011, the third-highest total for any player in the NFL, and our friends at Pro Football Focus attributed 12 sacks to him -- the second-highest total among NFL tackles.

"You can look at the situations sometimes dictating that," Smith said. "Every tackle in the league can look bad at times. There are some things you have to do to help him out a little bit more at times, which we plan to do. You can make a case and throw out stats on what he did, but I think it's hard for all tackles in the league to block Julius Peppers from time to time.

"We feel like we have a good plan at the left tackle. … We have all of our options open right now, but if we end up playing J'Marcus Webb at left tackle next year, we'll be comfortable with that."

Smith, of course, is referring to an important shift the Bears are working on as they transition from Mike Martz's offense to the one run by new offensive coordinator Mike Tice. If all goes as planned, Tice will provide Bears linemen with better numbers and more chances for double-teams while limiting the one-on-one opportunities defenders get.

You never like to hear a team making plans to protect its left tackle, let alone any offensive lineman. But as we've discussed many times, there are only a handful of left tackles in the NFL who can account for their assignments without regular help. Unless something dramatic happens in the draft, that's what the Bears appear headed for. Giving Webb and his teammates more help will have to do, at least for now.

I tried to address the timeliest of your mailbag submissions during the week, and most of the others will be moot once the NFL opens its free agent market in a few days. But there are a few other topics of interest so let's hit them while we have a moment. We'll stay clear of free agency given the fluid nature of player movement, but if you're looking for a fix, I suggest Matt Williamson's ranking of the top 50 available free agents .

Remember, we interact at various degrees of intensity through the mailbag, Twitter and Facebook.

On with it…

Greg of Nashville objects to coverage of the New Orleans Saints' bounty program, which has now ensnared both the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers: Are we really to believe that this is news? You people who are supposed to be top notch journalist and you're reporting on something that has being going on ever since football began. Really, grow up.

Kevin Seifert: I, for one, have never claimed to be a top-notch journalist, but that's beside the point.

To me, it's been clear since the 2009 NFC Championship Game that the Saints were determined to get after quarterback Brett Favre, whether inside or outside the rules. That happens in many NFL games, but I truly question whether or not NFL teams and coaches have organized financial rewards for injuring opponents "ever since football began." It shifts the conversation from heat-of-the-moment violence to something that was premeditated.

That seems an obvious big deal, but don't take it from me. Journalist Joe Posnanski, one of the most eloquent sports writers of our generation, put it much better in a blog post this week. Posnanski noted that the Saints' bounty program was a form of gambling, that it was a rule-breaking attempt to alter games and approaches a crime.

If a baseball pitcher threw at the head of an opponent, and was later ruled to have been offered money for knocking the batter out of the game, would we hear the same "part-of-the-game" pushback? Posnanski doubts it, and I agree. Fans would be outraged. If anything, Posnanski argued, football has made us numb to anything that rises above its typical level of violence.

Posnanski:" "Is our love of pro football -- the spectacle, the violence, the thrills and sheer ferocity of it all -- so insatiable that nothing will ever shock or disgust us again?"

Sadly, it appears that way.

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Jimmy of Philadelphia provides a clarification to our introduction of the "Madden 13" cover contest: Your article about Peyton Hillis beating out Aaron Rodgers for the Madden cover and experiencing the subsequent Madden curse is not completely factual. Aaron Rodgers didn't make the final voting stage, and was beaten out by Michael Vick, who was the other finalist alongside Hillis.

Kevin Seifert: Ah yes. I think that final fell in the category of a championship game forever shadowed by a historic earlier-round game. Think "The Catch" in the 1981 NFC Championship Game. It gave the San Francisco 49ers a victory and sent them off to Super Bowl XVI. Do you remember who the 49ers beat for the title? I had to look it up. (It was the Cincinnati Bengals.)

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Matt of Michigan notes the New York Giants' successful renegotiation of quarterback Eli Manning's contract and writes: Why aren't we hearing more from teams like the Lions and Rams who have cap troubles now because of their high draft history restructuring deals with their top players. Eli just did it for NY so he can make more money later on when the next big TV contract comes in and the team has a higher cap figure to play with. Do you think the Lions will try to work something out with Ndamukong Suh and Matthew Stafford?

Kevin Seifert: It's a possibility, but keep in mind a few factors.

The Lions renegotiated the contracts of Stafford, receiver Calvin Johnson and defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch last August to relieve their 2011 crunch. The changes weren't dramatic, but they did push some cap commitments into this year and beyond.

There are plenty of cap tricks to lower a given year's number, but eventually they come due. You're not eliminating a problem by renegotiating. You're pushing it forward.

To that end, the Lions are trying to stabilize their long-term prospects first by extending Johnson's contract, a method of spreading out his cap commitment naturally. If necessary, Stafford and Suh could re-arrange their deals to provide short-term relief. But the most successful long-term cap strategy is to absorb the biggest hits you're able to manage each year to maintain maximum flexibility.

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WiBear434 of Kentucky wants to know if the Chicago Bears will give Chris Williams a chance to compete at left tackle, the position he was originally drafted to play in 2008.

Kevin Seifert: I guess stranger things have happened, but I doubt it. The big goal last season was to find a position for Williams and leave him there. He was a decent left guard in 2011, and while the natural tendency is to get greedy and hope he can hold down a more difficult position, it's now been almost two years since he played left tackle. That ship might have sailed.

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Earl of Hawaii wants to know why there is no mention yet of any plans to try Everson Griffen at LB (middle or outside). One of the most talented & athletically gifted guys on the team needs to be starting on an older team that just went 3 and 13.

Kevin Seifert: As we've found in the case of backup quarterback Joe Webb, it's more difficult to change positions in the NFL than most fans think or hope. It's possible the Vikings could find some snaps for Griffen at outside linebacker on passing downs, but if they want to get him on the field, they might want to consider developing a more flexible rotation at defensive end.

Starters Jared Allen and Brian Robison played more snaps in 2011 than any defensive end duo in the NFL. Allen led all defensive ends by playing on 95 percent of the Vikings' snaps, while Robison ranked 11th at 84 percent. Griffen played 25 percent of their plays.

There would be nothing wrong with mixing in Griffen to a greater extent, keeping both Allen and Robison fresh over a 16-game season.

By nature, the Chicago Bears' decision to fire general manager Jerry Angelo leaves them a substantively different organization Tuesday evening. The general manager establishes a long-term football vision for every franchise, and the Bears' will change based on whom they hire to replace Angelo.

With that said, Bears officials took great pains during a news conference to insist that the nature and structure of the franchise will remain intact. Team president Ted Phillips said that the new general manager will have the same role and authority that Angelo did, including supervision of the head coach, and new chairman George McCaskey denied being the catalyst for Angelo's ouster.

Earlier Tuesday, we wondered if this episode signaled a new era of Bears ownership after more than a decade of hands-off rule. But unless McCaskey was telling a bald-face lie Tuesday, this was not the case of a trigger-happy new sheriff.

"I said when I became chairman that I didn't feel any particular need to place a personal stamp on the Bears," McCaskey said. "[M]y job was to work with and support the CEO and that's what happened in this case. Ted consulted with me. I supported his decision."

In the end, the Bears weren't looking to effect a culture change after missing the playoffs for the fourth time in the past five years. Instead, Phillips said, they are just looking for a way to get better players.

"We want to close that talent gap with our division rivals," Phillips said, "and that's why that decision was made."

Phillips wouldn't go into a point-by-point assessment of Angelo's shortcomings, but he did say that the Bears need better success at the top of the draft. Only two of Angelo's first-round draft picks remain part of the organization, and both -- tackle Gabe Carimi and guard Chris Williams -- finished the season on injured reserve.

Angelo deserves credit for some of his mid-draft selections, including receivers Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox. But in the past six drafts, the Bears have selected only three players who have made the Pro Bowl: Running back Matt Forte, returner Devin Hester and Knox, who was originally an alternate and made it as a returner in 2009.

Phillips will conduct the search for a new general manager, making clear to all candidates that coach Lovie Smith will remain in his job. Smith is not a candidate to be elevated, Phillips said, and Angelo assistant Tim Ruskell will operate the personnel department in the interim.

Who knows where this search will take the Bears. Phillips said he is still accumulating a list of candidates and is willing to spend a month or longer on the process. But if you were hoping the Bears would clean house or make a dramatic show of change after their disappointing finish, well, they've fallen short of your expectation. Their basic structure and many of the components remain in place. Only the identity of the general manager will change.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Health, Chicago Bears: The Bears led a charmed life on the way to their 2010 NFC North title, losing only a handful of starts because of injury all season. But their four-game dive in 2011 has coincided with injuries to quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte. Receiver Johnny Knox has been lost for the season, and receiver/kick returner Devin Hester clearly has been limited by an ankle injury. Two members of their Week 1 offensive line, left guard Chris Williams and right tackle Gabe Carimi, are also on injured reserve. I've always considered it silly to say that injuries come in bunches, but that has been the case this season for the Bears and provides a ready-made excuse for why they are likely to miss the playoffs in 2011.

2. Offensive line, Green Bay Packers: It's very possible that the Packers will have replacement starters at three of their five positions Sunday night against the Bears. Left tackle Marshall Newhouse will make his 10th start at left tackle after taking over for veteran Chad Clifton, who has been working through hamstring and back injuries. Left guard T.J. Lang could move to right tackle, replacing Bryan Bulaga (knee) and Derek Sherrod (broken leg). And that would mean Evan Dietrich-Smith would return to the starting lineup in Lang's spot. Dietrich-Smith made two starts earlier this season in place of right guard Josh Sitton (knee). That's hardly the kind of continuity you want heading into the playoffs, but the Packers have dealt with such issues before.

3. Sleep totals in Detroit: Lions coach Jim Schwartz admitted it Monday. "I'm just tired as hell," he said during a news conference less than 24 hours after his team pulled off a wild comeback victory in Oakland. In the interim, the Lions made the long flight back east and immediately began preparations for the biggest week in recent team history. Playing a day early because of the Christmas weekend, the Lions are hoping to clinch their first playoff berth since 1999 with a win Saturday over the San Diego Chargers. There won't be much time to sit by the fire or sip eggnog this week. Serious business is at hand.

RISING

1. Cliff Avril, Detroit Lions defensive end: I know we've been touting Avril regularly here on the blog, but something caught my eye late in Sunday's game that merits a mention. Moments after Calvin Johnson's go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, television cameras showed Avril pointing demonstratively at defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and then at defensive tackle Corey Williams. Poking both in the chest, Avril appeared to be saying something along the lines of: You make a play. As it turned out, Avril made one himself a few minutes later, sacking quarterback Carson Palmer and forcing the Raiders to use their final timeout. Suh went on to block the Raiders' attempt at a winning field goal. Avril now has 11 sacks this season, but it was also nice to see him recognize the moment and, as a leader, challenge his teammates in a positive way.

2. Questions about Jermichael Finley, Packers tight end: When the season began, there were those who thought Finley was the best young tight end in the NFL. The New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski (15 touchdown receptions) has captured that title, and Finley has regressed a bit in the past month with more drops than the Packers would like to see. He entered Sunday's game at Kansas City with five drops in 66 targets, according to ESPN Stats & Information, and probably had three more against the Chiefs, depending on how strict of a grader you are. Finley blamed no one but himself for the drops, and we should note that his 41-yard catch to set up the Packers' first touchdown required a high degree of skill and concentration. But through 15 weeks of the season, I'm not sure we can say Finley has broken through to the degree most thought he would. He'll need 10 catches over the next two weeks to match the career high of 55 he set in 2009 -- in 13 games.

3. Jim Kleinsasser, Minnesota Vikings tight end: Multiple reports suggest Kleinsasser is prepared to retire at the end of his 13th season, marking the end of a career that is to be admired in many ways, even if it rarely was reflected in the box score. Few recall that Kleinsasser was emerging as a reliable receiving threat in the early 2000s before he tore his ACL in Week 1 of the 2004 season. Since then, he has handled one of the NFL's most inglorious jobs with aplomb, serving as a blocking tight end/quasi-third tackle and earning the respect of three different coaching staffs along the way. His approach has been a model for anyone who wants to maximize an NFL career. For 13 years, Kleinsasser has hit people hard and kept his mouth shut.

The Chicago Bears carried rookie right tackle Gabe Carimi on their active roster for as long as they could. But with his prospects for a late-season return growing bleaker by the day, and after the loss of another starter forced some roster re-shuffling, the Bears placed Carimi on injured reserve Friday.

Carimi hasn't played, and has participated in only one practice, since dislocating his knee in Week 2. It's been mostly a lost season for a highly-touted rookie whom the Bears were trying to transition to a new position, but there is every reason to believe he will be ready to re-join the starting lineup in 2012. It would have been nice to keep Carimi active for the sake of eventual practice repetitions, whether or not he played in games, but the Bears can't afford that luxury.

Left guard Chris Williams (wrist) was placed on injured reserve earlier this week, and general manager Jerry Angelo told the team's web site that "it became tough for us to hold a roster spot [for Carimi] given our numbers on the offensive line with Chris going down last week."

Indeed, the Bears have promoted two members of their practice squad to the active roster in recent days: Ricky Henry and Levi Horn. Veteran Frank Omiyale is the other backup now that Edwin Williams has replaced Chris Williams at left guard.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

CHICAGO -- Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was not the only NFC North player revealed Sunday to have a significant injury. Chicago Bears left guard Chris Williams suffered a dislocated wrist that required immediate surgery and will cost him the rest of the season, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.

Williams appeared to have been making a successful transition from left tackle, but the injury represents another in a series of season-impacting injuries he's suffered since the Bears made him their top draft pick in 2008. If he doesn't play again this season, Williams will have missed 26 of a possible 64 starts because of back, groin and wrist injuries.

Edwin Williams replaced Chris Williams on Sunday afternoon. He seems to be the first option to play left guard moving forward.

We'll spend Monday morning wrapping up Sunday's action before shifting gears to Monday night's game at Lambeau Field. First, let's take our morning tour around the division:

• Michael Wilbon of ESPNChicago.com: "When the Chicago Bears are really good, which is to say a serious contender, there's a specific formula that works for this franchise. Punishing defense plus electrifying special teams and a dash of offense equals a potentially special season. The Bears are on the verge of that now, right at the edge of something promising."
• The Bears were "Baaaad Men" on Sunday, writes Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears cornerback Charles Tillman played a great game against Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, according to Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune: "In a matchup with playoff implications, the team trying desperately to project a bad-boy image was just plain bad, while the real postseason contender stood up. The Lions came hoping to intimidate, but instead everybody left raving about the Bears' intimidating defense that created six turnovers. The Lions picked the fight. The Bears finished it."
• The Lions' six turnovers Sunday came after they led the NFL in turnover margin for their first eight games of the season, notes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press on Stafford's game: "The Lions can say it was the wind. They can believe it. But as a fan, you have to hope they are lying. Stafford needs to play well even when it is windy. After all, the Lions finish the season in Green Bay, and if they make the playoffs, they might have to play in Green Bay, Chicago or San Francisco, three of the windiest locales in the NFL. Finger injuries go away. In the NFC North, the wind will be around for a while."
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News: "For the first time all season, the Lions regressed and retreated, not only shaken badly by the Bears, but shaken badly by the moment."
• John Niyo of the News: "The Lions play hard. They play on the edge. And sometimes they cross the line, as they probably did again a time or two Sunday. "
• The Bears might be a more formidable divisional opponent for the Green Bay Packers than the Lions, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette suggests it's time for the Packers to give rookie linebacker Vic So'oto a chance to rush the passer. Here's what Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers said: "The best thing I can say there is he's still very young at the position, still very green learning the techniques, all those things. You don't want to experiment on the field. You guys hear me say this all the time, and I tell the team, if we're going to call something on Sunday I want to see it work on the practice field. I don't want to just throw it out there and see if it works."
• The Packers think left tackle Marshall Newhouse is more prepared to block Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen than he was in the teams' first meeting. Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com has more.
• The return of Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield should provide a boost, notes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune looks into why the Vikings seem so committed to cornerback Chris Cook.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press profiles rookie Vikings safety Mistral Raymond. An excerpt: "As Raymond prepares to become a bigger part of the Vikings' plans, with the team taking a hard look at its rookie safety as early as Monday night at Green Bay, the sixth-round draft choice is relishing the opportunity, but not just for him. Football is not his most important job."

We're Black and Blue (and well-rested, this morning) All Over:

The Detroit Lions have a clear formula for winning games: Exploiting defenses with an explosive passing game and utilizing their dynamic defensive line to create playmaking opporutunities on defense. But as Chris McCosky of the Detroit News writes, part of the Lions' two-game losing streak can be attributed to losing sight of what gives them their best chance to win.

Coach Jim Schwartz compared the situation to being a basketball team that's most comfortable in a half-court setting but is allowing opponents to run the floor. Or, in tennis terms, the Lions allowing an opponent with a bad backhand to hit forehands all day.

"We are letting them do what they do best," Schwartz said.

Dictating your style to opponents is the ultimate test of a good team. The Lions have a clear style and need to fight harder to keep opponents from taking it away.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Lions had a decent running game last Sunday in the absence of starter Jahvid Best, notes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• The NFL sometimes appears to be a reality television disaster, writes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook is "unlikely" to serve additional jail time following his arrest for felony strangulation, according to Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com. But Cook is suspended without pay for now by the Vikings.
• The Vikings have the largest gap between the carries of their starting running back and No. 2 running back in the NFL, notes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.
• Joe Soucheray of the St. Paul Pioneer Press thinks the Vikings will end up building their new stadium in downtown Minneapolis.
• Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examines the Green Bay Packers' grading system.
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette wonders if the Packers' defensive issues will matter in their push toward another Super Bowl.
• Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Tribune looks at the present and future of Chicago Bears left guard Chris Williams.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com offers his latest edition of streaking and slumping Bears players.
• The Bears' offensive line has made progress, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.

DETROIT -- I've never heard Ford Field louder than it was Monday night. But was it loud enough to induce nine false starts on its own? I don't think so, and neither should the Chicago Bears.

Yes, the Bears jumped offside nine times on offense or special teams in Monday night's 24-13 loss to the Detroit Lions. But the Bears play annually at the Metrodome and have already played at the Superdome this season. This was not their first rodeo. Quite frankly, they should be better at handling crowd noise.

"We were working against a loud crowd on the road and all of that," coach Lovie Smith said. "But we can't use that as an excuse. [We’ve] got to be able to sit in there. Kind of simple as that. Pre-snap penalties kill you. First and-15, first-and-20, it's had to overcome those. Again, it's the discipline part of the position, some of it."

Bears left tackle J'Marcus Webb jumped three times, according to the official gamebook. Tight end Kellen Davis jumped twice. Left guard Chris Williams, right tackle Frank Omiyale, tailback Matt Forte and safety Chris Conte were also flagged.

The Lions' defensive line had something to do with it, of course. Veteran defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch induced one from Webb simply by darting around the line of scrimmage in the third quarter. And it wasn't like the Lions were bringing additional players close to the line of scrimmage. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Lions brought four or less pass rushers on 90.5 percent of quarterback Jay Cutler's dropbacks.

Cutler said the Bears moved from a regular count to a silent count early in the game.

"The pressure they were putting on our offensive line with our defensive line, I think that started to accumulate a little bit," Cutler said. "Guys started wanting to get out of there a little bit quicker. The crowd noise, you know, there's a lot of things that happened. But at the end of the day, it can't happen. We practice that. We bring speakers out on our field, so this isn't anything new to us. We've played in loud situations before."

Agreed.

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- More than any other NFC North team, the Chicago Bears reported to training camp amid a chaotic firestorm of roster upheaval and personnel decisions.

They unexpectedly parted ways with locker room Buddha Olin Kreutz, made quick work of tight end Greg Olsen's trade request and ended years of debate by finally signing a big receiver in Roy Williams. They failed to find much veteran reinforcement for their offensive line but did snag a younger punter (Adam Podlesh) and curiously added a third veteran running back in Marion Barber.

By the time I arrived at Olivet Nazarene University this week, most of the initial shock of that news cycle had subsided. But the Bears were still encountering obstacles to finding their usual training camp routine. The forced cancelation of their annual practice at Soldier Field renewed concerns about the condition of their game-day playing surface. A lightning storm cut short a full-pads practice after 90 minutes; a second look at the NFL's new collective bargaining agreement required a number of last-minute adjustments to daily schedules; and a power outage Wednesday night forced the Bears to move practice to a local high school.

The NFL lockout and the subsequent late-July, free-agent frenzy guided most teams into an unsettled training camp. It's fair to put the Bears at the top of that list, a fact coach Lovie Smith has attempted to cultivate as a teaching moment.

"We're going to ask our players to do a lot," Smith said. "We're going to London [for a Week 7 game]. Going into the preseason, we had the Hall of Fame game [canceled]. So we're going to ask them to get out of their routine a little bit. As a professional, you have to be able to handle adversity. ... A veteran crew should be able to handle situations like that."

Will the tumult make the Bears stronger or does it foreshadow a fall for last season's NFC North champions? We'll know soon enough.

THREE BIG ISSUES

1. Coaching pressure: Three years ago, the Bears hired one of the NFL's top defensive line gurus in Rod Marinelli, now their defensive coordinator. Last year, they added a similarly respected offensive line coach in Mike Tice. Both are being asked to develop cohesive groups from a bag of untested ingredients.

Tice has identified five offensive linemen he hopes to start this season, and it's worth noting that only one of them -- left guard Chris Williams -- finished the 2010 season in that role. Tice will need to teach guard Roberto Garza how to play center, where he is in line to replace Kreutz. He'll have to hope that J'Marcus Webb, who had his moments as a right tackle in 2010, can adjust to the more difficult left tackle spot. And he'll have to do it with a mission of cleaning up last season's 56-sack season.

For what it's worth, Tice said, "We're light-years ahead of where we were at last year. Last year we were moving guys around trying to figure out who should be at what position. This year we're getting great work, we have the same five guys in there and we're getting better every day."

Marinelli, meanwhile, has an anchor in defensive end Julius Peppers and a veteran defensive end in Israel Idonije. But he'll be asked to develop a number of young defensive tackles into playmakers, including Henry Melton and rookie Stephen Paea. We'll employ the usual refrain: It's a tough task, but if anyone is up to it, it's Marinelli.

2. Backfield rotation: An intriguing drama is playing out in the Bears backfield, where starter Matt Forte is angling for a new contract, backup Chester Taylor is trying to rebound from a statistically horrendous season and Barber is angrily running over defenders in hopes of extending his NFL career.

Forte considered holding out from camp and has expressed concern about playing in preseason games, but he reported to training camp in phenomenal shape. He has never missed a game in three seasons, and so it's hard to know whether the Bears really need two veteran runners behind him.

Conventional wisdom suggests the Bears would be better off keeping all three, considering their offense ran much better last season after offensive coordinator Mike Martz rebalanced the offense to favor the running game. But do Taylor, 31, and Barber, 28, have much left in the tank? I'm not drawing any conclusions based on someone running hard during a training camp practice.

3. Leadership void: I usually think that locker room leadership is overvalued because players come and go so frequently in the modern age of football. Leadership can, and must, be a year-to-year proposition.

But Kreutz's unexpected exit left a lingering issue with the Bears. On most successful teams, the quarterback fills the leadership role in the locker room. But in the absence of long-term answers at that position, Kreutz assumed it by default.

The Bears still don't have a quarterback who has proven he can handle that job. You can debate whether Jay Cutler was treated fairly following his knee injury in the NFC Championship Game. And you can point out leaders don't have to be "rah-rah" types like Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints. But even if you define a leader as someone other players can look to and emulate, it's hard to put Cutler in that category.

Coaches can only do so much. During times of difficulty this season, who will keep players together and focused on their jobs? If it's Cutler, it will represent a dramatic personality turnaround. Otherwise, the Bears have to hope linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, or possibly safety Chris Harris, can step up.

ROOKIE ADJUSTMENT

Rookie offensive lineman Gabe Carimi played as a left tackle at Wisconsin, and many of us thought he would be the Bears' best short-term answer at the position in 2011, even if he ultimately projected as a right tackle in the future.

Instead, the Bears have decided to put Carimi on the right side from the start. They think his strengths as a run-blocker will benefit them most there while also giving him a less competitive environment for developing his pass-blocking skills.

"I'm a pretty good run-blocker," Carimi said, having lost none of the bravado he displayed at the February scouting combine. "That is my forte. All I really have to do is keep on working on my pass pro. I'll get there -- to where I'll be an elite pass protector, too."

But Carimi also noted he has been a right tackle for "about 10 days" and said months of offseason work split equally between the left and right side still left him at square one when training camp opened.

"There is nothing you can do other than doing it every day in practice," Carimi said. "You're not going to get those good reps until you go against actual defensive ends with pads on."

VETERAN ADJUSTMENT

At first, Roberto Garza wasn't thrilled when the Bears asked him to open camp at center.

"I thought Olin was coming back," he said. "I didn't think that was going to be even an issue. We've had to move on. ... If that's the role I'm going to perform, I've got to go out there and do it to the best of my ability."

By all appearances, Garza is a competent center who won't have Kreutz's savvy at the position but will find a way to get by. He'll stay right at center unless the Bears have a problem with one of their guards, in which case he will move over and Chris Spencer will take over at center.

After 10 years in relative obscurity, however, it appears Garza is about to step into a role that will prove critical to the Bears' 2011 success.

"At guard, I was spoiled," Garza said. "Olin made everything. Now everything is on my shoulders to go out there and get everybody squared away. It's a learning process as well. I have to go out there and do some things playing center that I didn't do as a guard."

OBSERVATION DECK

• Much of the attention has gone to the arrival of Williams, but those at Bears camp say Devin Hester has had an outstanding summer. After a full season in Martz's system, Hester is running routes more confidently and catching everything thrown his way.
• There were two early camp storylines as they related to Cutler: That he had improved his footwork in the pocket and had lost weight. Absent a confirmation on the weight, I can attest that Cutler certainly looked slimmer. As for footwork, I can't possibly speculate. I don't think he has ever had a problem getting away from center. If anything, he just has never had to set his feet and position his body like most quarterbacks must to get heat on his passes. But if that's what Cutler worked on this offseason, he deserves credit for addressing an issue that most quarterbacks in their late 20s have either mastered or give up on.
• Another consequence of the Bears' roster upheaval: Kellen Davis is atop the Bears' depth chart at tight end. Davis an athletic 6-foot-7, and the Bears presumably trust him as a blocker. Some of you have asked if he is a potential breakout star in 2011, but let's remember he has 11 receptions in his career. If anything, I think his ascendance reflects the limited value that Martz places on pass-catching tight ends.
• The inadvertent quote award for Bears camp goes to Peppers, who was asked about his relatively modest total of eight sacks last season. "I don't like to put a number on stats," Peppers said. He went on to add: "Like I always say, it's an indicator. It doesn't really tell the full story of how a player should be evaluated." In all seriousness, Peppers' All-Pro status was fully warranted last season, no matter where his sack totals ended up.
• Many fans have been interested in receiver Andy Fantuz, a 6-foot-4 former CFL player. But the new receiver who has caught the eye of many camp-goers is Dane Sanzenbacher, an undrafted rookie from Ohio State who seems well-suited for the slot position in Martz's offense.