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Previewing some of the big decisions facing NFC North teams early in the 2012 offseason:

Minutes after he was named the Minnesota Vikings' head coach in 2002, Mike Tice announced his first decision: Jim Kleinsasser would be moved from fullback to tight end. Some coaches discuss the quarterback while others focus on the defensive scheme. Stocking the tight end position ranked atop Tice's list of priorities, a revealing nugget about the kind of offense he planned to install.

Times and circumstances have changed, but 10 years later, there is every reason to presume a continued focus on the tight end now that Tice has taken over as the Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator. The Bears once boasted a strong tandem in Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark, but they discarded both players when their offense veered away from the position under former offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

A tight end himself for 14 years in the NFL, Tice likes to use them extensively in the passing game as well as run blockers. In four seasons with the Vikings, tight ends caught a total of 308 passes. So the first order of business this offseason will be to determine whether the Bears' incumbent starter, Kellen Davis, is capable of blossoming in that role.

Davis is a pending free agent but his career total of 28 catches might not spur mass interest on the free-agent market. He did score touchdowns on five of his 18 receptions last season, however, and his 6-foot-7 build makes him a potential downfield mismatch for linebackers.

The Bears will probably be on the lookout for downfield threats in the passing game, but Tice's affinity for tight ends means that Davis could prove a crucial part of their offensive plan for 2012.

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

FALLING

1. Certainty in the short term, Chicago Bears: Their season derailed by injuries to quarterback Jay Cutler and tailback Matt Forte, you wonder if the Bears are approaching the end of days for their nucleus of the past eight years or so. Already, they have bid farewell to center Olin Kreutz, tight end Desmond Clark, tight end Greg Olsen and defensive tackle Tommie Harris. Linebacker Lance Briggs asked for a trade last summer. Will the Bears oblige him this winter? Will they start over on offense (again) by replacing offensive coordinator Mike Martz? And is there any chance that general manager Jerry Angelo, 62, will retire this winter, as rumored? Those questions are at least fair game at this point.

2. Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings quarterback: Sunday's turnover-riddled performance was one of the worst for an NFL quarterback in the last four seasons, according to the Total Quarterback Rating system. Above all else, Ponder carried with him into the draft a reputation for smart play and solid decision-making. There are typically a combination of factors that go into a stretch of turnovers, and that includes a lack of playmakers surrounding the quarterback. But there is no defending some of the mistakes Ponder has made. He was dealing with a hip pointer last week, but for his sake I hope he is able to play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. The Vikings need to see him bounce back from the inevitable adversity rookie quarterbacks face.

3. Left tackle confidence, Green Bay Packers: The decision to rotate Marshall Newhouse and rookie Derek Sherrod makes me nervous. Perhaps it was too much to expect Newhouse, the final pick of the fifth round in the 2010 draft, to be able to hold down the position indefinitely while starter Chad Clifton recovered from a hamstring injury. Newhouse doesn't fit the pedigree of an NFL left tackle. He's 6-foot-4, and fair or not, starting-quality left tackles aren't usually available late in the fifth round. Sherrod, on the other hand, is of classic left tackle size and was the Packers' first-round pick in 2011. If anyone projects as Clifton's long-term replacement, it's Sherrod. But I hate seeing a playoff team's left tackle position unsettled in Week 15. That's asking for trouble.

RISING

1. Cliff Avril, Detroit Lions defensive end: I wonder how many people outside the NFC North realize that Avril -- and not Kyle Vanden Bosch or Ndamukong Suh -- leads the Lions in sacks. Avril added two more to his season total Sunday against the Vikings and now has a career-high nine through 13 games. Avril has also forced six fumbles, a figure that is tied with Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs for the NFL lead. As we discussed Monday, Avril has made himself some money this season. The only question is whether the Lions will be the ones writing the check next year.

2. Moment of truth for Packers receiver Jordy Nelson: The caveat has followed Nelson this season, even as he has caught 51 passes for average of 18.8 yards and scored a team-high 10 touchdowns. He has been beating favorable coverage, the theory goes, after opponents prioritize receiver Greg Jennings and tight end Jermichael Finley. That might have been the case for some of Nelson's big plays this season, but now we'll get an opportunity to see what Nelson can do against what figures to be more attention from opponents as Jennings recovers from a sprained knee. The guess here is that Nelson won't miss a beat.

3. Detroit Lions: They have absorbed more than their share of national criticism this year, but the Lions are also deserving of some significant big-picture praise. Sunday's victory over the Minnesota Vikings, as nail-biting as it was, ensured the franchise its first non-losing season in a decade. Their next victory would be their first winning season since they finished 9-7 in 2000. In all reality, 9-7 represents the high point of what most national observers thought possible for this team. For as hard a time as I've given coach Jim Schwartz this season, he would deserve a special award -- Coach of the Past Three Years -- for turning out a winning record so quickly after the 0-16 disaster of 2008.

Chris Harris is 29 years old. Last season, the Associated Press named him a second-team All-Pro. So how could it be that Harris made it through only seven games for the Chicago Bears this season before his surprise release Thursday morning?

A couple of factors are in play here, not the least of which is the Bears' pathological compulsion to swap out players at the safety position. Since taking over as coach in 2004, Lovie Smith has made 29 changes to his lineup at safety. When the Bears return from their bye next week, they'll be looking for a new starter to pair next to the sudden anchor of the position, rookie Chris Conte, who has started two games in his NFL career.

It's fair to say that Harris struggled some in coverage this season, most recently when receiver Dezmon Briscoe beat him for a touchdown in last Sundays' 24-18 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But I think even Harris would admit he is best used near the line of scrimmage as a run enforcer. A starting safety must be able to function in pass coverage, but the Bears could have protected Harris more if they had a better option to play alongside him. Wright, Conte and newcomer Brandon Meriweather -- who has been a healthy scratch the past two weeks -- all have similar run-first styles.

Finally, I think it's impossible to ignore the systematic breakup the Bears are engineering of their long-held core of veterans. Since the end of last season, they have bid farewell to defensive tackle Tommie Harris, center Olin Kreutz, tight end Desmond Clark and now Harris. (You wonder if linebacker Lance Briggs, who requested a trade last summer, will be the next to go.)

The Bears had justifiable football reasons for parting ways with each of those veterans. If Smith was ready to bench Harris permanently, there was no sense keeping him as a backup/special-teams player. NFL teams routinely make harsh decisions about key players, but the Bears have made a number of them in short order. So it goes.

Check here for a complete list of the Chicago Bears' roster moves.

Surprise move: The Bears have now bid farewell to three locker room stalwarts: Center Olin Kreutz, receiver Rashied Davis and now tight end Desmond Clark. The Bears released Clark as part of Saturday's roster cutdown, deciding to keep undrafted rookie Kyle Adams instead. Clark said via Twitter that "I played my butt off but sometimes it's more about the business." The Bears indicated that he was released with an injury. Regardless, intentionally or otherwise, the Bears have at least temporarily created a player leadership void.

No-brainers: After last week's communication fiasco, there was little doubt that running back Chester Taylor would be part of this cutdown. The Bears need only two tailbacks behind starter Matt Forte, and those roles will be filled by Marion Barber and Kahlil Bell. They also kept fullback Will Ta'ufo'ou. I don't know if the Bears entered training camp planning to keep undrafted rookie receiver Dane Sanzenbacher, but his quick ascension as a slot receiver was obvious by the midpoint of the preseason. Quarterback Jay Cutler loves throwing to him.

What's next: The Bears' depth at linebacker is a little scary. They kept only five at the position, with Brian Iwuh and undrafted rookie Dom DeCicco as the reserves behind Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher and Nick Roach. You would think the Bears would at least scan the waiver wire for additional depth, especially with Briggs nursing a knee injury. And with Barber and Bell having suffered preseason injuries, the Bears might check out emergency running back depth as well.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

We've spent so much time this summer discussing the Green Bay Packers' left guard competition, won by veteran T.J. Lang, that we haven't really noted that left tackle Chad Clifton has spent much of training camp on a strict practice regimen designed to limit wear and tear on his knees. With relatively little practice under his belt, Clifton looked pretty rusty in Friday night's preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts.

But as Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com points out, the Packers have no concern about Clifton's durability and availability for the season, even with his heir apparent -- rookie Derek Sherrod -- now working as the second-team left tackle. Here's what coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Sunday:

"I have all the confidence in the world in Chad Clifton. Like I've stated, Chad Clifton's played at a Pro Bowl level in my time here, and I expect him to play at that level this year. I don't know what else to tell you. He had a handful of plays I'm sure he wishes he had back."

Clifton's rough night came against a pretty good opponent in Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney, who had two sacks. Clifton also was called for an obvious hold on a play that wiped out a touchdown. It seems that similar concerns have arisen about Clifton most every summer, and he's managed to push through the season. The fact that the Packers drafted a player at his position in the first round makes things a little more interesting this year, but I really don't think the Packers want Sherrod replacing Clifton anytime soon.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers tailback Ryan Grant on taking a pay cut this season, via Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "Nobody wants to lose any money, but at the same time you have to look at the situation. I'm not the first person to [take a pay cut], I won't be the last person to do it. We'll see how it pans out. The fact that it's guaranteed makes you feel good they're willing to do that as an organization."
• Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel profiles Tori Gurley, who has unofficially blocked five punts in Packers training camp this summer.
• Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times on Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs' request for a new contract: "Lance Briggs is not Brian Urlacher, and therein lies the problem in Briggs' quest for another boatload of money from the Bears."
• Sean Jensen of the Sun-Times profiles Bears defensive tackle Amobi Okoye.
• Bears tight end Desmond Clark was carted off the field Saturday with a knee injury, but Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com reports it is not believed to be a season-ender.
• Bears receivers left 100 yards of catches on the field Saturday night against the Tennessee Titans, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson seems to be running with a different style this summer, writes Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• Vikings left tackle Charlie Johnson played well Saturday night against the Dallas Cowboys, writes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press looks at the Vikings' roster battles.
• The Vikings are offering upper-deck tickets at a 50 percent discount for their first two home games. A failure to sell out will lead to a local television blackout.
• The Detroit Lions' offense looks potent, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News: "If Matthew Stafford is the face of the Lions, then Ndamukong Suh is the scowl. Even the sneer. When we talk about this team changing its culture, that's where it starts, where Suh and his buddies reside."
• Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com considers the matchup problems presented by Lions tight end Tony Scheffler.

A few Tuesday training camp tidbits in quick-hitting fashion ...

Item: The Chicago Bears signed tight end Desmond Clark to a one-year contract.
Comment: It's not entirely clear what the Bears are up to at tight end. Clark was inactive for 11 of 16 games last season and didn't seem to fit into the team's plans. But he has been a locker room pillar for years and might have extra value now that we know center Olin Kreutz won't return. Said Clark: "I think the way the Bears viewed me as a leader had a great deal to do with it."

Item: After mulling retirement, Kreutz wants to play somewhere this season, according to his agent.
Comment: Kreutz didn't encounter a ton of interest on the free-agent market, but someone will need a veteran center in the next few weeks, if not before.

Item: The Indianapolis Colts signed former Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris.
Comment: Four sacks in two years.

Item: The St. Louis Rams signed former Green Bay Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga.
Comment: Poppinga is expected to compete with another former Packers linebacker, Na'il Diggs, for a starting job. He'll certainly bring an aggressive attitude to the Rams' defense.

Item: The Minnesota Vikings might still be in the market for free-agent receiver Malcom Floyd, according to Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.
Comment: Could Floyd bulk up and play left tackle?

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson breaks down the tight ends of each NFC North team. Today: Chicago Bears.

Mike Martz doesn’t use the tight end a lot in his offense. Even though the Bears' wide receivers are not a stellar group and Jay Cutler has proved to have a strong liking for Greg Olsen near the goal line, Olsen still is well down the ladder in this passing game. Olsen, a finesse tight end all the way, could be a star receiving threat if Chicago were to trade him to a better fitting offensive scheme.

When I call Olsen a “finesse player” I mean that he isn’t a powerful or particularly willing inline blocker, doesn’t out-muscle coverage players for the ball when it is in the air and is not a forceful ball carrier after the reception. Olsen also gets manhandled when attempting to run block and can look uninterested in doing so. But he is an excellent athlete and has very good natural receiving skills. He has a long athletic body with the ability to pluck the ball away from his frame. Olsen is a smooth route-runner who can truly stretch a defense. He is excellent in motion or away from the formation. But the Bears' offensive system rarely asks him to use his talents as a pass-catcher. If the Bears improve their offensive line, Olsen’s role might increase, because he should be asked to block less often.

Brandon Manumaleuna is a king-sized tight end who you would think might serve as an extra offensive tackle. But like the Bears’ entire offensive line, Manumaleuna was in over his head blocking last year. As a pass-catcher, he offers very little.

Kellen Davis is an interesting player whose role could grow. Although he's not a quick-twitch athlete, Davis does move pretty well and has some power and excellent size. Considering Manumaleuna’s shortcomings last season, Davis could be in line to step up.

Desmond Clark is 34 years old and didn’t play a snap last season. He is an unrestricted free agent. He may or may not be back, but certainly will not be a top priority at this stage of his career.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com. Follow Matt Williamson on Twitter @WilliamsonNFL.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

It appears the Green Bay Packers and linebacker A.J. Hawk won't be apart long.

Released on Wednesday because of a bloated 2011 salary, Hawk reportedly will re-sign with the team before the expiration of the NFL's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) Thursday night. According to Lance Allan of WTMJ-Ch. 4, Hawk will sign a new five-year contract. Hawk's agent told Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette that the sides are putting the "finishing touches" on the new deal.

Even if the matter isn't completed Thursday, the Packers won't necessarily lose Hawk. He would be eligible for unrestricted free agency, but the market won't open until after a new CBA is reached. He could always sign the structure of what has been negotiated at that time.

Hawk was scheduled to earn a base salary of $10 million or the value of the franchise tag for linebackers in 2011, whichever was higher. In essence, that salary was written to force the Packers to make a decision on his future this offseason. It appears that decision has been made and is nearly executed.

Continuing around the NFC North on what could our last normal day offseason day for quite some time:

• Hawk had surgery on his right wrist less than a month ago and won't be ready for football activities until this summer, notes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Free-agent nose tackle Pat Williams told Tim Yotter of VikingUpdate.com that he won't return to the Minnesota Vikings in 2011.
• The Vikings are continuing business as best as they can this week, according to the Star Tribune.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reviews the tenders the Vikings gave to restricted free agents, although those offers are likely to be rendered moot in most cases by a new CBA.
• Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com speaks to Chicago Bears tight end Desmond Clark and running back Garrett Wolfe about the impact of the looming lockout on their careers.
• Bears personnel director Tim Ruskell has some new ideas, according to Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Among many nuggets in Neil Hayes' Chicago Sun-Times story with offensive coordinator Mike Martz: Bears receiver Johnny Knox "embarrassed" the New York Jets' cornerbacks last season, Martz said.
• The Detroit Lions would be hurt financially more than most NFL teams by a lockout, writes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
• Lions cornerback Chris Houston, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: "It's business, and with things going right now, every team is kind of trying to take the cheaper road out, which we expected. But at the same time, I feel like if they wanted me as much as they say they did then things would have got done a little bit earlier or right after the season or before this even occurred. But at the same time, it's business from their perspective, and it's going to be business on this end."
• Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com outlines a way that Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara could fall to the Lions at No. 13 overall.

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.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Bears safety Chris Harris (hip) is active for Sunday’s NFC Championship Game and will start.

It will be interesting to see how long Harris lasts in this game. As Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported, Harris has a torn muscle in his hip and needed a pain-killing injection Sunday morning. Rookie Major Wright will be available in reserve.

As expected, Bears tight end Desmond Clark will play in this game after being deactivated for 11 games during the regular season. As a result, the Bears have four receivers and four tight ends active for this game.

Here are the Bears’ eight inactive players:

• Quarterback Caleb Hanie
• Receiver Devin Aromashodu
• Safety Craig Steltz
• Defensive back Joshua Moore
• Running back Kahlil Bell
• Offensive lineman Herman Johnson
• Offensive lineman Edwin Williams
• Defensive lineman Marcus Harrison

CHICAGO -- Believe it. I rolled in to Soldier Field at about 10:15 a.m. ET, fresh and ready to hit Round 2 of our NFC North playoff doubleheader. After the Green Bay Packers' victory Saturday night in Atlanta, we're halfway to nirvana

Enough about me and that. (For now, at least. I’ll put together a post tracking some of the high points of this journey on Monday. And if the Chicago Bears beat the Seattle Seahawks, we’ll have a post or two about the NFC North’s new role as the epicenter of humanity.)

First things first. We just received the official inactive lists from both teams, and I can report there are absolutely no surprises. As expected, Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu (concussion) has been cleared to play and will start.

The Bears, who listed no players on their injury report Friday, had their usual list of inactive players: Quarterback Caleb Hanie, safety Craig Steltz, running back Kahlil Bell, cornerback Joshua Moore, offensive linemen Herman Johnson and Edwin Williams, tight end Desmond Clark and defensive lineman Marcus Harrison.

OK. I'll be joining NFC West colleague Mike Sando and the rest of our crew over at Countdown Live during the game. Please join us.

Getting inside the Friday injury report:

Chicago Bears: Cornerback Zack Bowman (foot) was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills. Tight end Desmond Clark (neck) was added to the injury report Friday and is questionable, but he has been a healthy scratch for three of the past four games. All other players are expected to be available.

Detroit Lions: Safety C.C. Brown (knee) and linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba (knee) were ruled out of Sunday's game against the New York Jets. Quarterback Shaun Hill (forearm) isn't expected to be ready to play. Linebacker Ashlee Palmer (hamstring) and running back Kevin Smith (knee) both practiced on a limited basis Friday and are questionable. All other players are expected to be available.

Green Bay Packers: Receiver Donald Driver (quad) and cornerback Pat Lee (ankle) had already been ruled out. Left guard Daryn Colledge (back) returned to practice and is expected to play Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys. Defensive end Ryan Pickett (ankle) and tight end Andrew Quarless (shoulder) are both listed as questionable, but Quarless "had a bit of a setback," coach Mike McCarthy said, and wasn't able to practice Friday. Pickett, however, "looked the best he's looked in a number of weeks," McCarthy said.

Minnesota Vikings: Receiver Percy Harvin (ankle) was hardly able to run during practice Friday. He is listed as questionable but would need vast improvement in order to play Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. Receiver Sidney Rice (hip) hasn't been activated from the physically unable to perform list. Coach Brad Childress said a return to the active roster next week seems "more viable," but it's suspicious that the Vikings haven't yet filled the roster spot of waived receiver Randy Moss. Are they holding open for Rice? No. This team would never consider public misdirection.

As they've done all season, the Chicago Bears made some interesting pregame decisions for Sunday night's matchup at the New York Giants:

• Veteran tight end Desmond Clark was deactivated and is a healthy scratch for the first time in a Bears career that started in 2004. David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune notes Clark dropped a fourth-and-goal pass in Monday night's 20-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers. The Tribune's Brad Biggs notes that Clark has played only 14 offensive snaps this season, so the move probably is related to multiple factors.
• Defensive tackle Tommie Harris was in uniform after the Bears surprisingly deactivated him for the Packers game. Meanwhile, reserve Marcus Harrison was back to inactive status.
• Like Harris, receiver Devin Aromashodu was active after a one-week trip to the inactive list.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The tea leaves suggest that Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris will return to the field this week after a one-game absence, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

Biggs: "From the sounds of things, Tommie Harris will be back in action Sunday night against the Giants. Lovie Smith wouldn't come out and say as much, but he dropped hints Wednesday that the defensive tackle will be back in the mix after he was benched for the third time in three seasons Monday night against the Packers."

Smith has said Harris' deactivation for Monday night's game against the Green Bay Packers was based on performance, and it's hard to argue that point after looking at Harris' two-game stat line (one tackle, no sacks). But it would have been hard to believe the Bears would permanently give up on him after two games, either.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is taking a lot of hits this season, notes Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald.
• Bears linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa explains to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com how it came to be that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers paid for his dinner Sunday night in Chicago, along with that of tight end Desmond Clark, linebacker Nick Roach and three other people.
• In two games this season, the Bears' coach-to-quarterback headset has malfunctioned, according to Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Packers safety Nick Collins apologized for an encounter with a fan at Soldier Field, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Collins: "I'm probably not the only guy who's been in that situation before; it happens. I'm a professional. I've got to be a bigger person, and I've just got to keep walking."
• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Having been present and accounted for every practice since the middle of August, Green Bay Packers linebacker Frank Zombo has earned a level of trust that banged-up teammate Brad Jones hasn't. As a result, Zombo will make his second consecutive start Sunday against Detroit."
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com examines Packers coach Mike McCarthy's system for challenging plays.
• Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com addresses the play calling of Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.
• Return specialist Stefan Logan got some practice time at running back Wednesday with starter Jahvid Best sidelined by a toe injury, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh isn't used to losing, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Bob Sansevere of the St. Paul Pioneer Press speaks to Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier about the first three games of the season.

We spent much of the offseason discussing which of the Chicago Bears' incumbent tight ends -- Greg Olsen or Desmond Clark -- would be pushed by the free agent acquisition of tight end Brandon Manumaleuna. As it turned out, all three players are part of the 53-man roster, but it is Manumaleuna who first reached the proverbial dog house.


The Bears fined Manumaleuna $22,000 last Saturday for missing mandatory team meetings the day before a season-opening 19-14 victory against the Detroit Lions, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. Manumaleuna did not start but did play in the game.

According to Dickerson, Manumaleuna was confused about the Bears' pre-game meeting schedule. Clearly, the Bears didn't buy that excuse. Every team has slightly different fine schedules, but generally speaking, $22,000 is a high number for missing one day's worth of meetings.

Manumaleuna is a longtime favorite of offensive coordinator Mike Martz and will earn $6.1 million this season, so he's not going anywhere. But clearly, favoritism has its limits.