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Tuesday's SportsNation chat brought us the first round of "Did Team X elevate over Team Y after the draft" questions. I was never a big algebra guy, and I'm not ready to start playing favorites here in the NFC North.

But it is probably time to start the discussion, and we'll use two offense-related questions from the chat as a springboard. The exchanges:

Will (Texas)

If healthy, does Ryan Broyles makes Detroit's offense more explosive than Green Bay's?

Kevin Seifert (2:28 PM)

The one place where the Packers would be more explosive, but probably not more productive, is at tight end. Finley more explosive downfield than Pettigrew.

Gordy B (Houston)

Is it fair to say, assuming Forte is playing behind Cutler, with the additions of Brandon Marshall, Mike Bush and now Alshon Jeffery in front of Devin Hester and Earl Bennett, the Bears have the most COMPLETE offense in the division?

Kevin Seifert (2:54 PM)

That's a fair way to look at it. They're best equipped to make significant game-planning changes week-to-week based on matchups, that's for sure.

We took a look last month at the Bears' offensive hopes under new coordinator Mike Tice, noting they are well on their way to being the NFC North's most balanced offense. I'm not sure if they'll be explosive enough to compete throw for throw with the Packers and Lions, but I'm also not sure they want to.

If "explosion" is defined by the ability to make big/long plays, the Packers had the clear edge over the Lions in 2011. Most notably, they averaged 9.3 yards per attempt to the Lions' 7.6. Meanwhile, the Lions threw 114 more passes than the Packers last season, but the Packers still had five more completions of at least 20 yards.

Assuming he is healthy, can Broyles close the gap? Here's what Scouts Inc. had to say about his big-play ability: "Quicker than fast and does not appear to have the long speed to consistently get behind defenses. However, catches the ball effortlessly on the run and quickly turns up field. An elusive and slippery runner when hitting the open field. Can create and turn and short throw into a long gain. Does not have the extra gear to consistently out run pursuit that has favorable angles."

The Packers had one of the best offenses in NFL history last season, and it will be tough for any team -- including the 2012 Packers -- to match it. But if the Lions match or exceed the Packers' explosiveness, my guess is that it will be more a product of their continued maturation as a group than Broyles' impact alone.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

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

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

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

Continuing around the NFC North:

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

If you were plugged into social media Tuesday morning, chances are you were overwhelmed with discussion on the NFL/Nike uniform announcement. I would say that a few key marketers are getting hefty, hefty bonuses.

I can report to you that, as expected, none of the NFC North teams changed the essence of their uniforms.

The photo in this post shows Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley and Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin in their 2012 attire.

You'll notice that the Bears' jersey has the television numbers on the shoulder, rather than the sleeve, and Nike reported that the "GSH" patch honoring George S. Halas will remain a part of the uniform. The Lions' pants don't have quite as much shine, and in some cases there is a new "flywire collar." It's also worth noting that each player in the photograph has shoes that match his team's primary color. Previously, players wore white or black shoes.

For now, at least, the change to Nike has impacted material and technology more than anything. If you want details on that, be sure to check out Nike's website. At the moment the site is quite slow, but eventually this link will take you to the Vikings' page. There is a scrolling mechanism at the bottom to take you to any of the 32 team pages.

Yeehaw!

» AFC Assessments: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Chicago Bears

Key additions: Running back Michael Bush, linebacker/special teams Blake Costanzo, quarterback Jason Campbell, receiver Brandon Marshall (trade), receiver Devin Thomas, receiver/returner Eric Weems.

Key losses: Running back Marion Barber (retired), cornerback Zack Bowman, cornerback Corey Graham.

Come on back: Lost in the shuffle of the Marshall trade were the return of three free agents who should play key roles in 2012. Tight end Kellen Davis figures to get an expanded role in offensive coordinator Mike Tice's scheme, especially as a receiver. Cornerback Tim Jennings should retain his starting role opposite Charles Tillman, with D.J. Moore in the nickel. And safety Craig Steltz will provide reliable depth at safety and will be one of the Bears' special teams leaders after the departure of Graham and Bowman.

What's next: There is no urgency yet, but the Bears will need to make peace with tailback Matt Forte at some point before the summer. Forte isn't happy that he's been made the Bears' franchise player and briefly lost his public composure when Bush signed a deal that guaranteed him about the same amount of money as the franchise tag will pay Forte. It's not a big deal if Forte skips the Bears' offseason program or even misses a few days of training camp, but the Bears will want to find a way to eliminate this issue by early August. Meanwhile, it wouldn't be surprising if the Bears address their offensive line during the draft.

Detroit Lions

Key additions: Defensive end Everette Brown, cornerback Jacob Lacey.

Key losses: Cornerback Eric Wright.

All in the family: With the exception of Wright, the Lions were able to retain the core of their 10-6 team. Among those who re-signed: Tackle Jeff Backus, safety Erik Coleman, defensive end Andre Fluellen, quarterback Shaun Hill and linebacker Stephen Tulloch. And don't forget that receiver Calvin Johnson is locked up for perhaps the rest of his career. He signed a new eight-year contract worth $132 million.

What's next: The Lions appear interested in adding competition at safety, having hosted free agent O.J. Atogwe earlier this month. Adding a safety remains a possibility, if not through free agency, then probably through the draft. And while Backus is re-signed for two years, it wouldn't be surprising if the Lions look for a long-term replacement in the draft.

Green Bay Packers

Key additions: Defensive lineman Daniel Muir, center Jeff Saturday, defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove.

Key losses: Quarterback Matt Flynn, center Scott Wells.

Shocker: The Packers usually do whatever it takes to keep their own players and avoid having to search the free-agent market for other the castoffs of other teams. They started off that way by re-signing tight end Jermichael Finley to a two-year contract, but when they were unable to sign center Scott Wells, they quickly targeted veteran Jeff Saturday and made him their first starting-caliber free-agent signee in five years. General manager Ted Thompson also authorized the acquisition of Hargrove and the pursuit of Dave Tollefson.

What's next: It's not out of the question that the Packers will add a veteran pass-rusher, whether at defensive end or linebacker. Then they'll get back into their comfort zone and start preparing for the draft, where it's reasonable to think they'll use at least one of their 12 picks on a center while also continuing to pursue pass-rushers.

Minnesota Vikings

Key additions: Cornerback Zack Bowman, tight end John Carlson, running back Jerome Felton and offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz.

Key losses: Nose tackle Remi Ayodele (release), guards Anthony Herrera (release) and Steve Hutchinson (release), tight end Jim Kleinsasser (retire), running back Jerome Felton.

Methodical methodology: The Vikings made one big-money signing, bringing in Carlson as a new weapon for quarterback Christian Ponder, and otherwise have spent their offseason getting younger and signing complementary players. General manager Rick Spielman wants to end a cycle of seeking blue-chip players via free agency and instead count on the drafts for his difference-makers.

What's next: One way or the other, the Vikings need to find a deep threat for Ponder. The draft would seem the most likely place for that will happen. They are also midway through a rebuild of the secondary that could use at least one more cornerback and perhaps two safeties.

» AFC Free-Agency Primer: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET

Chicago Bears

Key free agents: Tight end Kellen Davis, running back Matt Forte (franchise), cornerback Corey Graham, quarterback Caleb Hanie, defensive end Israel Idonije, cornerback Tim Jennings, quarterback Josh McCown, safety Brandon Meriweather and receiver Roy Williams.

Where they stand: The Bears will have the most salary-cap space among NFC North teams, upwards of $30 million, and have plenty of potential uses for it. Quarterback Jay Cutler needs more targets in the downfield passing game, whether it's at the receiver or tight end position. And new general manager Phil Emery must start restocking a defense led by four players more than 30 years old: Linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, defensive end Julius Peppers and cornerback Charles Tillman.

What to expect: It's widely believed the Bears will be in the running for free-agent receiver Vincent Jackson. But Jackson's price tag could be steep and no one knows if Emery will prove to be a big spender. It seems likely he will re-sign Davis, and Emery should also save some of his cap space to extend Forte's contract. Secondary receiver targets could include Marques Colston. Bears fans are hoping the team will pursue defensive end Mario Williams, but it's hard to imagine the Bears budgeting for Williams two years after breaking their bank on Peppers.

Detroit Lions

Key free agents: Defensive end Cliff Avril (franchise), left tackle Jeff Backus, safety Chris Harris, quarterback Shaun Hill, linebacker DeAndre Levy (restricted), running back Maurice Morris, running back Kevin Smith, quarterback Drew Stanton, linebacker Stephen Tulloch and cornerback Eric Wright.

Where they stand: The Lions are tight against the salary cap after franchising Avril and aren't likely to be big spenders on the free-agent market. They could relieve the situation by reaching long-term agreements with Avril and/or receiver Calvin Johnson, who has a $22 million cap figure for 2012. Tulloch made a big impact last season after signing a one-year deal, but so far the Lions' attention has turned elsewhere.

What to expect: The Lions' best-case scenario is to keep their 2011 core together without mortgaging their future relative to the salary cap. That would mean getting Tulloch re-signed to preserve the linebacker group they upgraded last season by signing him and veteran Justin Durant, moves that allowed Levy to play on the outside. Hill seems likely to re-sign as Matthew Stafford's backup, while Stanton might test the free-agent waters to see if he has a chance to do better than third on a team's depth chart.

Green Bay Packers

Key free agents: Cornerback Jarrett Bush, quarterback Matt Flynn, running back Ryan Grant and center Scott Wells.

Where they stand: The Packers took care of a big challenge by signing tight end Jermichael Finley to a two-year contract last month. They will let Flynn depart for a possible starting job elsewhere and it appears Grant will test the free-agent market. Discussions with Wells haven't led to an agreement, but the Packers often go to the final moments before reaching a deal. There are no obvious internal replacements for Wells, making his return a priority.

What to expect: The Packers will have some flexibility with the salary cap, but general manager Ted Thompson's aversion to veteran free agency is well known. It's been three years since he signed a veteran unrestricted free agent in the offseason. The Packers have needs at defensive line, outside linebacker and possibly at center if Wells leaves. But let's put it this way: Thompson's strong preference is to find depth and future replacements in the draft, not on other teams' rosters.

Minnesota Vikings

Key free agents: Safety Husain Abdullah, receiver Devin Aromashodu, receiver Greg Camarillo, defensive lineman Fred Evans, defensive lineman Letroy Guion, linebacker E.J. Henderson, linebacker Erin Henderson, safety Tyrell Johnson, quarterback Sage Rosenfels, cornerback Benny Sapp and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

Where they stand: The Vikings seem poised for a major roster overhaul in their first offseason since Rick Spielman was promoted to general manager. Players like Shiancoe, E.J. Henderson, Camarillo and Johnson all seem poised to move on. There aren't many positions on the team that appear secure.

What to expect: If the Vikings don't plan to draft USC left tackle Matt Kalil at No. 3 overall next month, the first clue will be if they pursue a free-agent left tackle. That seems unlikely. But they'll need to combine their draft with at least a few veteran free agents if they intend to compete for a playoff spot in 2012. Cornerback could be a point of focus, where Brandon Carr and Cortland Finnegan are among those available. Another could be receiver. The Vikings had major interest in Jackson two years ago.

Chicago Bears

The Bears announced an increase in price for season tickets. According to the Chicago Tribune, "Non-club seats will range from $76 to $150, and club seating remains between $265 and $385. Invoices to season ticket holders were sent Tuesday, and full payments are due April 9."

Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus has drawn interest from several teams, including the Bears.

Detroit Lions

The Lions are hoping recent success on the field pays off when free agency starts next month. "I think what we're seeing now with our current free agents is those guys want to be here," general manager Martin Mayhew said. "They want to be with us, they want to be a part of it. They're in our locker room every day, they see what's going on with our football team, and our current guys want to be here, and I think there may be some other guys out there, I don't know."

Green Bay Packers

Packers guard T.J. Lang makes a case for why the team should do what it can to keep center Scott Wells in Green Bay.

While Jermichael Finley is out to silence his critics on the field next season, he spent time Tuesday night with one of his fans who has battled leukemia for eight years.

Minnesota Vikings

Virginia cornerback Chase Minnifield is on the Vikings' radar.

Wide receiver Greg Camarillo has been told the Vikings don't plan to re-sign him.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley just skipped through Lucas Oil Stadium, stopping to speak with a handful of reporters before meeting with general manager Ted Thompson here to finalize his new two-year contract.

Finley made clear that he didn't want to test the open market and couldn't envision a better situation for his future growth -- and another payday -- than Green Bay. As we discussed earlier Thursday, Finley could put himself in prime position in 2014, when the NFL's salary cap is expected to rise and two of the NFL's best tight ends, Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski, probably will have signed lucrative extensions.

"It was a no-brainer to sign a two-year deal," Finley said, "and come back to the table at 26 when Jimmy Graham done hit it and Gronkowski done hit it and raised the market. I'm going to be back then, knocking on the door."

As a blog community, I think we can all say we're looking forward to it.

INDIANAPOLIS -- We're scheduled to start speaking with NFL coaches and general mangers later Thursday morning. So while we have a few minutes, let's consider a secondary consequence of the two-year contract agreement the Green Bay Packers struck with tight end Jermichael Finley.

In all likelihood, Finley won't be a realistic candidate for the franchise tag when the deal expires after the 2013 season -- for reasons similar to why the Detroit Lions almost certainly can't franchise receiver Calvin Johnson after the 2012 season. And it means the Packers will be motivated to pursue a long-term deal at a time when the NFL's new television contract will kick in and presumably raise every team's salary-cap surplus.

As we discussed last month, franchise tags numbers are determined by the higher of these two values:

• The average of the five highest salary-cap figures at the player's position over the past five years.
• A figure equal to 120 percent of his prior year's cap number.

Finley and agent Blake Baratz structured this deal so that about $10 million of the $15 million in this deal will come in the second league year of the deal. That will give Finley a high cap figure for 2013, around $10.5 million, and 120 percent of it would be about $12.5 million. (Likewise, Johnson's 2012 cap number of $22 million means his 2013 franchise number would be about $26 million.)

The franchise tag for other tight ends won't be anywhere close to $12.5 million in 2014. So would the Packers franchise Finley at $12.5 million in 2014 or pursue a long-term contract? I'm guessing the latter. So while Finley has taken a calculated risk with his 2012 compensation, this deal has set him up to have more flexibility moving forward.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

INDIANAPOLIS -- Good morning from the site of the NFL scouting combine, where we in the NFC North are still buzzing over the unexpected timing of Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley's new two-year contract. I weighed in Wednesday evening on the deal and the possibility of the Packers using their franchise tag on another player, and Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has some important details about the structure of the deal.

The deal is officially two years for about $15 million, but according to Silverstein, it is more like a one-year deal worth $5.75 million with an option to add a more lucrative second season. The details: Finley will receive $5.75 million in 2012 and then be due a $4.45 million roster bonus soon after the 2013 free-agent market begins.

The Packers could decline the bonus, making Finley a free agent, or pick it up to keep him on their roster for 2013. In that case, Finley will receive $10.2 million in the first 13 months of the deal.

Regardless, the agreement crosses off an important offseason task for the Packers in a way that should be satisfactory for both sides. As Finley wrote on Twitter: "I could not be happier to have the privilege of being a Packer for the next 2 yrs. Glad to be back with my team & coaches for 1 common goal."

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Monday will be an important day at the combine for the Packers, writes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. It's the day when defensive linemen work out.
• North Carolina linebacker Zack Brown is an intriguing prospect for the Packers, writes Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel.
• Tagging quarterback Matt Flynn would at least temporarily put him $6 million above Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in 2012 compensation, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• New Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery will be in his element at the combine, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Bears pro scout Dennard Wilson is leaving the team to take a job as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Rams, according to Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Justin Rogers of Mlive.com takes a closer look at the Detroit Lions' running game in 2011.
• Taking the "best player available" is an oversimplification of the Lions' draft philosophy, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune looks at four receivers who could help the Minnesota Vikings in 2012.
• Random Minnesota state legislators are introducing bills for a Vikings stadium even before the team and state leaders agree on a site and financing plan in Minneapolis. Doug Belden of the St. Paul Pioneer Press explains.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Our Franchise Focus series last week accounted for the possibility, but I'm not sure if anyone considered it a likely scenario. Namely: Would the Green Bay Packers use their franchise tag on anyone other than tight end Jermichael Finley?

Our clearly-flawed assumption was that the sides wouldn't agree on a long-term contract extension, forcing the Packers to use their tag to retain the 24-year-old tight end. But Wednesday's two-year agreement represented an unexpected compromise from both sides and opened the possibility of using the tag on another player. The two candidates would seem to be quarterback Matt Flynn and center Scott Wells, in that order.

Conventional wisdom suggests that the Packers wouldn't commit to paying Wells a 2012 salary upwards of $8 million, the projected value of the franchise tag for offensive linemen. But we've now learned our lesson about assuming the Packers' likely path this offseason, and it's only fair to point out that the franchise tag sometimes serves as a temporary stop for teams on the way to a long-term agreement.

That's what happened with Ryan Kalil and the Carolina Panthers last summer. The Panthers first tagged Kalil at $10.1 million before the sides agreed in August to a six-year deal worth $49 million, which made him the highest-paid center in the NFL.

The more intriguing scenario, of course, is tagging Flynn and then trading him for a high draft choice in a sign-and-trade deal. That would net the Packers at least an extra second-round draft pick for a player who projects as a starter elsewhere and thus would never have agreed to return as their backup.

The move would temporarily consume about $14 million in 2012 salary cap space, and a trade couldn't be executed until after free agency begins March 13. The Packers would also have to be confident that they will be able to find a trade partner, a tricky proposition given tampering rules in effect through March 12. It's true that NFL teams can rescind franchise tags, but not if the player signs the offer sheet -- which Flynn almost certainly would do to force the trade and ensure he isn't a late arrival to the free agent market.

Those are all reasons why franchising Flynn has seemed unlikely. But we've already had one unlikely occurrence Wednesday, and the Packers are now dealing from a position of strength with Finley now under contract. So stay tuned. I'll be roaming the scouting combine for the next three days. Packers general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy are both scheduled to speak with reporters Friday. We'll see what we turn up.

INDIANAPOLIS -- If you just saw the blur of a blue parka sprinting down the streets of downtown Indianapolis, well, don't worry. That was just me hustling back to my laptop, slobbering and panting all the way, in an effort to start blogging the surprising news of the Green Bay Packers' two-year contract agreement with tight end Jermichael Finley.

Finley's status as a pending free agent had drawn widespread debate on this blog. Some of you were nervous about making a huge commitment, both in cash and cap space, to a player who could politely be called a young 24. Others were worried how he might react to receiving a relatively cheap franchise tag assignment of $5.5 million, and many of you were concerned about a key part of the Packers' offensive success in recent seasons bolting to another team.

My educated guess is that you could find members of the Packers organization with similarly split viewpoints. So in the end, it made sense to offer Finley a deal that averages about $7.5 million per year -- the annual market rate for top-flight tight ends -- but falls way short of the long-term commitment that the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL have received. (It's worth noting that $7.5 million is about the midpoint of the franchise figures for tight ends and receivers. We discussed earlier Wednesday the possibility of the sides compromising on the issue of what position Finley truly plays.)

Why would Finley take this deal rather than seek one that paid him the way the Seattle Seahawks paid Zach Miller (five years, $34 million with $17 million guaranteed) or the San Francisco 49ers paid Vernon Davis (five years, $37 million with $23 million guaranteed) in the past year? Finley might not have gotten that kind of money elsewhere, but Finley didn't give himself a chance to find out. In the end, his decision represents a calculated bet. Finley is thinking that two more years of putting up big numbers for the Packers will put him in that position. After the 2013 season, remember, Finley will still only be 26 years old.

I don't blame the Packers for stopping short of the kind of deals Miller and Davis got. A player's second contract is typically his most lucrative payday, but Finley has not had a typical career. If all goes well, the Packers -- or someone else -- will pay him his market-adjusted Miller/Davis deal in the spring of 2014.

I'll be back in a bit with a discussion of what the Packers might do, if anything, with their franchise tag.

The NFL's annual scouting combine opens Wednesday and will conclude next Tuesday. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Media interviews begin Thursday morning and continue through Sunday, and I'll be on hand for an access schedule that should net us time with the general manager and/or coach of every NFC North team over the next few days.

Although we don't have access to most of the workouts themselves, dozens of players should be available for interviews. I'll feed the blog with zeal, of course, but to help sharpen our focus, let's consider a few important NFC North storylines to follow. If you have other ideas, hit the mailbag.

The value of the No. 3 position: Historically, the combine has helped solidify the top of the draft. We don't always leave Indianapolis knowing the order of the top few picks, but we generally know which players will comprise that pool -- knowledge that should help the Minnesota Vikings determine who they'll have to choose from at No. 3 and how intense trade interest will be.

We should know, for example, if USC's Matt Kalil is unquestionably the draft's top left tackle, or if there are any lingering doubts about his status. Is Kalil good enough that the St. Louis Rams will consider him at No. 2 overall? We'll get a better idea of interest in Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. Would the Rams trade out of No. 2 with a Griffin-infatuated team?

Finally, what other options would the Vikings have if they neither draft Kalil nor trade out of the spot? Is LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne a top-3 pick? What about Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon or Alabama running back Trent Richardson?

That Mega-contract: The Detroit Lions' tight salary cap situation has been one of our top offseason storylines, and presumed relief would begin with extending the contract of receiver Calvin Johnson. As it stands, Johnson is scheduled to have a cap number of around $22 million in 2012 and, if unaddressed, would be eligible for a franchise tag of around $26 million in 2013. The proximity of agents and team executives at the combine often fosters productive negotiations, and it's safe to assume that Lions president Tom Lewand will have some talks with Johnson's agent, Bus Cook.

The Lions aren't yet in crunch time with Johnson, but reducing his cap number by March 5 would make it easier for them to use the franchise tag on defensive end Cliff Avril, as they reportedly plan to do. Johnson has most of the leverage in this situation and figures to emerge, eventually, as the NFL's highest-paid receiver and possibly the best-paid non-quarterback in the league.

Second-tier pass rushers: The Green Bay Packers certainly will spend time negotiating with their free agents, from tight end Jermichael Finley to center Scott Wells to special teams ace Jarrett Bush. But it's also safe to assume they'll focus on prioritizing the pool of pass rushers who could be available to them at the bottom of the first round, or possibly in a trade to move up in the second round.

Elite pass rushers usually don't get past the top half of the first round, putting the Packers in a race to find the next Brooks Reed, the Houston Texans' second-round pick in 2011 who started 11 games and had six sacks as a rookie. Scouts Inc. currently has two defensive ends with grades that would give them value at the end of the first round: Syracuse's Chandler Jones and USC's Nick Perry.

Secondary help: To varying degrees, all four NFC North teams could use an influx of defensive backs. Given the league-wide passing explosion in recent years, it's fair to say there are plenty of other teams on that list as well. That means searching far and wide for talent, and to that end, Scouts Inc.'s Kevin Weidl offers a list of 12 small-school defensive backs who should get attention.

You'll need an Insider subscription to see the entire list, but it's topped by former Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who spent last season at North Alabama. It also includes Montana cornerback Trumaine Johnson and Coastal Carolina cornerback Josh Norman.

WR depth: If new Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery takes to heart a suggestion from his quarterback, he'll have an interesting group of big receivers to evaluate this week. "Anyone really over 6-2 at this point is going to look good," Jay Cutler said this week on ESPN 1000.

It's safe to assume that Blackmon won't be available when the Bears draft at No. 19 overall. The rest of ESPN anlayst Mel Kiper's list top five receivers looks like this: Baylor's Kendall Wright, Notre Dame's Michael Floyd, LSU's Rueben Randle and South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery. Wright is a 5-10 speedster, so if the Bears truly focus on big receivers, our combine focus will be on Floyd (6-3), Randle (6-4) and Jeffery (6-4).

Related: For those interested, here is a comprehensive schedule for the players invited to Indianapolis, beginning with medical testing for three position groups who will arrive Wednesday.

We've discussed several times the possibility of a precedent-setting offseason fight between the Green Bay Packers and tight end Jermichael Finley. Namely: If the Packers make him their franchise player, could Finley justifiably argue he is a receiver rather than a tight end? The answer could be the difference between a $5.5 million tag and one around $9 million.

Neil Hornsby of Pro Football Focus has reconciled and further analyzed some numbers we introduced as part of last week's discussion. Finley is among a group of hybrid pass-catching tight ends who are used all over the field, according to Hornsby's film analysis, Finley could argue that he was aligned away from the tackle on 51 percent of his plays in 2011 and that he was in a 2-point stance on 60 percent of his plays.

Because Finley was lined up as a receiver on a mathematical majority of plays, Hornsby concludes: "In every measurable category Finley should be considered a wide receiver for the purposes of the tender."

That might be true from a technical sense. But from this vantage point, a more equitable challenge would be to request a new franchise classification that takes into account the way tight end play has evolved for some NFL teams. Finley, Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski are used differently than earlier generations. On the one hand, they are higher-profile and have more impact on the passing game than traditional in-line tight ends. But it's hard to consider them receivers when true receivers play nearly 100 percent of their snaps away from the line of scrimmage and in a 2-point stance.

In that scenario, the value of Finley's franchise tag could rise above that of tight ends but fall short of the one assigned to wide receivers.

I'm not sure if that will happen, but that possibility seems much more realistic than putting players like Finley in the same category as, say, Vincent Jackson of the San Diego Chargers or Dwayne Bowe of the Kansas City Chiefs. Stay tuned.

KC Joyner is ESPN.com's resident contrarian, and in this week's column he took a provocative look at whether Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley is worth a premium multi-year contract as he approaches free agency. The column requires an Insider subscription, but I can tell you that Joyner suggests Finley was better in 2009 than he was in 2011 and that the Packers don't gain nearly the amount of yards on their average attempt to Finley as other teams do with their tight ends.

Joyner: "Until Finley shows he is capable of performing at a top level on a consistent basis, or unless a team is in dire need of a tight end (as could be the case with the Giants if they decide to address their tight end issue in free agency rather than through the draft), it would be folly to pay him top dollar in a multi-year deal as a free agent based on what he's done. It would be more of a leap of faith."

I've argued that some of Finley's value lies in the attention he draws away from his teammates, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers has never wavered from his belief in how important Finley is to the Packers' offense. But there are two sides to every story, and Joyner provides us a well-argued counterpoint.

In the end, the debate could be moot. The Packers have little motivation to give Finley an elite-level deal when they can secure his services for 2012 with a relatively affordable $5.5 million franchise tag.

Another in a daily series on NFC North players who are candidates to receive their team's franchise tag. The window for tagging players opens Monday and closes March 5.

As we've moved through the Franchise Focus series, several of you have asked whether the Green Bay Packers could pull off a surprise -- or at least make a move counter to the prevailing (media) sentiment. It was only two years ago, after all, that they surprised many by using their tag on defensive lineman Ryan Pickett, who ultimately signed a four-year contract worth about $25 million.

We've already discussed the Packers' likeliest target for a franchise tag: Tight end Jermichael Finley. But two other prominent players are approaching free agency as well: Center Scott Wells and quarterback Matt Flynn. Let's briefly hit on why there hasn't been much discussion about franchising either player.

All offensive linemen are assigned the same franchise tag number, even though contract values differ significantly between tackles, guards and centers. It's not unheard of for a team to franchise a center -- the Carolina Panthers did it with Ryan Kalil last year -- but it means they would be guaranteed the same kind of one-year salary as, say, a left tackle. In 2012, Brian McIntyre projects the franchise tag for offensive linemen to be around $9.5 million, via Football Outsiders.

The Packers currently have an estimated $10 million in salary cap room and could squeeze in Wells at that number if necessary. Wells earned his first Pro Bowl berth last season, but the Packers probably don't need to commit that kind of money to keep him. Kalil, considered the NFL's top center, ultimately signed a seven-year contract that averaged $7 million per season and included $28 million in guarantees.

Finding common ground on a reasonable long-term deal is the likeliest tool for retaining Wells. As for Flynn, the Packers probably need to accept his departure via free agency and accept a 2013 compensatory draft pick as a result.

It's conceivable for the Packers to franchise Flynn and then trade him to another team. It's a tempting scenario considering the possibility of getting a high draft choice in return. But even if temporary, that move would consume $14 million of the Packers' salary cap and, more importantly, eliminate the possibility using the tag on Finley or even Wells. In short, that's why it's unlikely -- but not impossible -- that the Packers will pull off a franchise tag surprise.