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We're Black and Blue All Over:

Former Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins hasn't decided whether to pursue a job with another team or retire, according to his agent via ESPNMilwaukee.com's Jason Wilde.

The Packers released Collins last week because they think a neck injury he suffered in September 2011 makes his return too risky. I wouldn't be surprised at all, however, if other teams have made inquiries about his health and status. Collins was a three-time Pro Bowl player and one of the NFL's best safeties before his injury.

Every team's medical staff is different, and there are no black and white answers with Collins' medical history. Someone might be willing to clear him. Ultimately, the decision could be up to Collins.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers draft pick Andrew Datko has been dealing with a left shoulder injury since college, writes Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• The Packers haven't reached out to free agent running back Ryan Grant, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and it can only be assumed they are not interested in re-signing him.
• Grant has received a contract offer from the Detroit Lions and will visit their facility Monday, writes Eric Lacy of the Detroit News.
• Justin Rogers of Mlive.com has a transcript of Lions coach Jim Schwartz's recent appearance on NFL Network.
• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has a profile of new Lions cornerback Jonte Green.
• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune ranks the top draft picks of former Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo.
• The Bears waived safety Winston Venable, notes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers on Monday's vote for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium, via the Star Tribune: "I don't know that there are the votes in the Republican caucus, or the votes [overall], at this point."
• Zellers appeared Thursday afternoon on KFAN-100.3 to explain his position on the stadium.
• The Vikings will give the son of assistant head coach Mike Singletary, linebacker Matt Singletary, a tryout during rookie minicamp this weekend, according to Adam Caplan via Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.

The Chicago Bears' annual push to sign their draft class early hasn't changed in the transition from general manager Jerry Angelo to Phil Emery. The Bears agreed to terms with second-round receiver Alshon Jeffery on a four-year contract Wednesday, believed to be the first contract agreement for an NFL draft choice this offseason.

Contracts for rookies have less wiggle room under the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), and holdouts should be far less frequent. And in truth, agreements aren't necessary until the start of training camp in July.

But clearly, Bears contract negotiator Cliff Stein is getting his usual head start. One down, five more to go. Get 'er done, Cliff.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The aggressive offseason of first-year general manager Phil Emery has caught the attention of Chicago Bears players. Speaking Wednesday to announce his contract extension, linebacker Lance Briggs said: "It feels like a miracle, what they've done this offseason."

Briggs continued: "They've gone out and gotten a bunch of guys that are going to help us win a championship. I know that … we are a contender. Even guys that have signed, they know they signed here instead of possibly other places because we're a contender."

Briggs said that "on paper," the Bears have their most talented roster in his tenure with the team.

"Would I call us the dream team?" Briggs said. "No, I would not. But I would say we're a championship-caliber team, potentially. … We have to go out and transition it to the field. We have to go out and turn the paper into reality."

With a pair of 2011 playoff teams in their division, the Bears needed to get better. They knew it and their players knew it, and Emery has made a good first impression on them.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Briggs had spoken with former Bears general manager Jerry Angelo about his contract the day before Angelo was fired, notes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Agent Drew Rosenhaus was glad to avoid "negativity" in the Briggs negotiations, according to Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Briggs was guaranteed $8.25 million in the new contract and could earn $12 million through 2013, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• The Bears hosted free-agent offensive lineman Adam Goldberg on a visit, notes Biggs for the Tribune. Goldberg played for offensive coordinator Mike Tice in Minnesota.
• Green Bay Packers receiver Greg Jennings spoke to high school students in Green Bay about financial intelligence. Patti Zarling of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has more.
• Defensive end tops the Packers' draft shopping list, according to Rob Reischel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Boise State linebacker Shea McClellin figures to be on the Packers' draft radar, according to Pete Dougherty of the Press-Gazette.
• Minnesota Vikings running back Toby Gerhart is in the final stages of knee rehabilitation, according to Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune looks at the Vikings' possibilities in the third round.
• The Detroit Lions have a goal of multiple championships, writes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News considers potential cornerbacks the Lions could add in the draft.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

In many ways, it's tough to criticize the Chicago Bears' hiring of Phil Emery as their new general manager. He is by all accounts a highly respected figure in NFL scouting circles, someone who has demonstrated the willingness to work all day and every day to unearth talent and separate the so-called contenders from pretenders. As we discussed Monday, his character and approach are that of an ex-Naval Academy conditioning coach, and he sounded in his introductory news conference like a fine person to work for.

About the only criticism I could find in the Chicago media was the suggestion that the Bears swung low in their search to replace general manager Jerry Angelo, valuing competence but also requiring a level of conformity to their existing structure that might have disqualified higher-profile candidates. Here's how Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times put that sentiment:

"You get what you ask for. What the Bears asked for was a GM who has no desire to fire a middling head coach, a GM who thinks the team isn’t far away from being great and a GM who is extremely happy to be here. Check, check and check. Emery sounds like a man who can work with anyone who is put in front of him. That includes [coach Lovie] Smith, the scouting staff and, presumably, Staley the mascot, as long as he's a team player."

Regardless, I think we can use baseball terms to put this hire in proper perspective: The Bears put a runner in scoring position even if they weren't swinging for the fences.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune: "Much of the public listened to Emery and equated uninteresting with incapable, but be careful before jumping to conclusions. Judge Emery's substance, not his style."
• Smith's job appears as safe as it could following a general-manager transition, writes Dan Pompei of the Tribune: "Emery did not sound a bit like a man intent on running out Smith as soon as possible so he can put his stamp on the Bears with the head coach of his choosing. In fact, he made it clear his goal is to ensure Smith is the coach of the Bears for a long time."
• Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com: "It seems to me, a professional scout of character, that Emery is an old-school, salt-of-the-earth football guy. He's certainly not a personality in the vein of Jerry Angelo, whose famous last words in Chicago were telling a reporter to 'whistle dixie.' But I have a feeling that Emery knows what he's talking about when he's in a room full of like-minded men. He's a scout, after all, a guy who works in anonymity, taking his victories mostly in silence."
• Emery received a five-year contract, according to Brad Biggs of the Tribune.
• The Bears will speak with Alex Van Pelt for their open quarterbacks coach position, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• The Minnesota Vikings are looking at a stadium site across the street from the Metrodome so that they can continue playing in the existing stadium until the new one is ready, writes Kevin Duchschere of the Star Tribune.
• Bob Sansevere of the St. Paul Pioneer Press speaks with Hall of Fame candidate Chris Doleman.
• Vikings director of player personnel George Paton interviewed Monday for the St. Louis Rams' general manager job, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson was named The Sporting News' executive of the year, notes the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Missed this from a few days ago, but Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com reported that many in the Detroit Lions organization are uncertain if running back Jahvid Best (concussions) will play again.

When the Chicago Bears fired general manager Jerry Angelo, one of the first questions we raised was about the future of his right-hand man. Would director of player personnel Tim Ruskell be promoted or follow Angelo out the door?

It appears we have an answer on the first business day since the Bears hired Phil Emery to replace Angelo. Ruskell and the team have agreed to part ways, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.

Ruskell's departure is an entirely expected turn of events after the Bears passed over him for the job. But it will leave Emery to make some quick adjustments to the team's front-office structure in preparation for free agency in March and the draft in April.

Ruskell arrived as part of a 2010 front-office reorganization that dissolved the traditional jobs of pro and college scouting directors. Ruskell headed up both departments, so Emery will need either to hire a replacement in that role or resurrect the director jobs to provide structure between the team's scouts and himself.

Emery is scheduled to be introduced at a 3 p.m. ET news conference. We'll let you know if he sheds any light on that issue, as well as other topics on his checklist.

In retrospect, the Chicago Bears' 25-day search for a general manager played out exactly as they said it would. Team president Ted Phillips made clear he wasn't looking to turn the organization upside down after firing Jerry Angelo on Jan. 3. No, as we discussed at the time, the Bears wanted someone who could bring a better hit rate as a talent evaluator.

Kansas City Chiefs executive Phil Emery emerged as a favorite early in the process because of his unique qualifications under those criteria, and for that reason it was far from surprising to hear that the Bears hired him Saturday.

Emery spent seven years as a Bears scout from 1998-2004, making him relatively familiar with the inner workings of Halas Hall and unlikely to pursue a massive overhaul. He was part of a Bears scouting department that drafted eight future Pro Bowlers, from receiver Marty Booker to linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs to safety Mike Brown and cornerback Charles Tillman. Later, he drafted receiver Roddy White and quarterback Matt Ryan, among others, as the Atlanta Falcons' director of college scouting.

Emery surely will bring his own tone and vision to the Bears' front office. But initially, at least, he'll do so by assimilating the existing infrastructure and minimizing the side effects of transition.

The Bears have missed the playoffs in four of the five seasons since their appearance in Super Bowl XLI. But whether you agree or not, Phillips said he thinks the team has suffered from inconsistent talent evaluation rather than larger-scale issues. So in essence, he has swapped one longtime scout-turned-general manager for another in hopes of getting better results.

Phillips said Jan. 3 that the Bears needed to close the "talent gap" that exists between the Bears and their two most competitive NFC North rivals, the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. In many ways, the decision to bring back Emery reflects the Packers' hiring of general manager Ted Thompson in 2005.

Thompson spent eight years with the Packers in various personnel roles between 1992 and ‘99 before returning as general manager in 2005. Emery brings a similar reputation as a blue-collar scout and workaholic who figures to spend a good portion of his years on the road personally scouting college players.

Thompson, of course, had the authority to remake the Packers franchise as he saw fit. Much of the front office remained intact, but he fired coach Mike Sherman after one season and hired Mike McCarthy in 2006. The Packers won Super Bowl XLV with a 53-man roster that included 49 players acquired after Thompson's arrival.

That's a tough ideal for Emery and the Bears to pursue, but I wouldn't be surprised if it comes up at some point during Monday's news conference to introduce him formally. The Bears wanted a low-key leader who would focus on talent evaluation and, like Thompson, stay below the radar. By all accounts, Emery fits that bill.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Chicago Bears are moving forward with their general manager search and have received assurance they won't lose their just-promoted offensive coordinator. Such was the upshot of two developments for the franchise Monday night.

The finalists to replace general manager Jerry Angelo are Kansas City executive Phil Emery, a former Bears scout, and Jason Licht of the New England Patriots. Both will receive second interviews this week, after which the Bears will presumably make a decision. There have been reports that Emery -- a relatively quiet, hard-working meat-and-potatoes candidate -- is seen as the favorite in many NFL circles, but the team insisted that no decisions have been made.

Meanwhile, offensive coordinator Mike Tice was dropped from consideration for the Oakland Raiders' head-coaching job. Tice had been scheduled to interview for the job Tuesday, but the Raiders have already moved to the second round of their interview process, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has told the Minnesota Vikings that the only stadium site with chances of getting approved in 2012 is the Metrodome site. The Star Tribune has more.
• The Vikings are "extremely frustrated" with that decision, according to a team spokesman via Doug Belden of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Vikings guard Steve Hutchinson wants to play in 2012, according to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• The Vikings' reconfigured coaching staff is getting a trial run at the Senior Bowl, reports Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune.
• Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers has already spoken with the Oakland Raiders about their head-coaching job, reports Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• The departure of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin could send ripple effects through the Packers' coaching staff, writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Former Packers radio announcer Jim Irwin has died, notes Kareem Copeland of the Press-Gazette. He was 77.
• Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew wants to see the team reduce its penalty total but isn't concerned with personal fouls on their own, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

The Chicago Bears have released a preliminary list of candidates to replace former general manager Jerry Angelo. All four have been granted permission to interview with the team, but a statement on the Bears' website made clear that additional candidates have not been ruled out and that current director of player personnel Tim Ruskell remains in play.

The four outsiders are:

• Phil Emery, the Kansas City Chiefs' director of college scouting
• Jason Licht, the New England Patriots' director of pro personnel
• Jimmy Raye, the San Diego Chargers director of player personnel
• Marc Ross, the New York Giants' director of college scouting

I don't want to pass much judgment on this list because I don't totally know what the Bears are up to. It's unusual for a team to announce its full slate of candidates for such an important job. Is this a new era of transparency? Or could there be a stealth candidate they're distracting us from? Call me a conspiracy theorist, but lots of crazy stuff happens this time of year. Could it be an attempt to demonstrate due diligence before ultimately hiring Ruskell?

There have been rumblings that Ruskell has a better-than-even chance to get the job. Let's just say that the Bears haven't stacked the deck with this pool. None of the four has experience as a general manager.

The most intriguing candidate might be Ross, who has been a rising star since the Philadelphia Eagles made him the league's youngest college scouting director in 2000, when he was 27. He is a Princeton graduate and has a master's degree from the University of Massachusetts.

Stay tuned.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Minnesota Vikings have moved on to the second known candidate for a defensive coordinator position that technically remains filled. Although they have announced no decision on incumbent Fred Pagac, the Vikings began the interview process Tuesday night with former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator/interim head coach Mel Tucker, notes Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.

Tucker joins former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris on the Vikings' list of replacements for Pagac. Another candidate is believed to be Vikings assistant head coach/linebackers Mike Singletary.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that he does not expect the Vikings to hire Morris for the job. It's unclear whether the Vikings are interviewing alternatives for Singletary, who is a close friend of coach Leslie Frazier, or if they intend to keep him in his current role.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Vikings want to dispel the notion that the Metrodome site is the cheapest place to build a new stadium, writes Mike Kaszuba of the Star Tribune.
• Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel profiles Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Ryan Pickett.
• The 2011 New York Giants don't defend the pass as well as they did in 2007, writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• The Packers are not expecting offensive coordinator Joe Philbin to coach this week, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Tennessee Titans rejected the Chicago Bears' request to interview quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Dowell Loggains for a similar role, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com takes an early look at the Bears' draft needs.
• The Bears haven't interviewed a candidate to replace general manager Jerry Angelo, according to Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• John Niyo of the Detroit News: "Jahvid Best certainly doesn't act like someone who's afraid his career has been lost to the shadows."
• The Detroit Lions have gotten old on the defensive and offensive lines, notes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

We're Black ad Blue All Over:

Lost in other season-ending issues for the Detroit Lions was a significant injury that could impact the team's offseason plans.

Left tackle Jeff Backus suffered a torn biceps muscle late in the Lions' 45-28 loss to the New Orleans Saints, and coach Jim Schwartz confirmed that Backus was set to undergo surgery Monday. Schwartz said Backus will miss "a significant portion of time" as he recovers this offseason.

Backus is an unrestricted free agent, and if the Lions tried to extend his contract during the season, it was never reported publicly. He will turn 35 shortly after the 2012 season starts, and at some point the Lions will have to begin addressing his replacement. Whether this injury will jump-start that process is unclear. He isn't likely to be recovered when free agency opens in March, so some projection will be required.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press: "The Lions will be the next 'it' team this offseason, an offspring of the mind-blowing hyperbole that makes the NFL a 12-month talking point. They've got a young quarterback at the cusp of elite status and a monstrous receiver that scientists finally confirmed is actually a cyborg. But they'll quickly learn how expectations abruptly conflict with reality. The Lions are more than just a few roster tweaks from being a serious playoff threat."
• The Lions must re-sign pending free agent Cliff Avril, writes Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News.
• Lions running back Jahvid Best said he is free of concussion symptoms and is confident he will play in 2012. Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com has more.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com shares some information from previous interviews to give a sketch of Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, whose son Michael was found dead Monday.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "Instead of the usual excitement at the stadium that accompanies the start of a playoff work week, there was sadness and a feeling of helplessness."
• When they return their gaze to football, the Packers will have to deal with a formidable New York Giants defensive line. Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more.
• Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway actually had a better season in 2010 than in 2011, but he is headed to the Pro Bowl nonetheless, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune reviews the Vikings' quarterback situation.
• Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com grades the Chicago Bears.
• A wide receiver is the Bears' top need, according to Dickerson.
• Tim Ruskell would not necessarily be Jerry Angelo 2.0 as the Bears' general manager, according to Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Good morning. With three quarters of the NFC North now officially into their offseason, I thought it would be a good time to remind everyone of our priorities here on the NFC North blog. (Not that I don't expect and welcome your usual stream of suggestions, of course.)

We'll spend more time on playoff games than anything else. That means the percentages will shift a bit toward the Green Bay Packers until their season ends, whenever that may be. A good part of this week, then, will be about the Packers' upcoming divisional game against the New York Giants. Some of you might not be interested, but hang in there.

Our second priority is reacting to front office and coaching news. That means we'll keep a regular eye on the Chicago Bears' general manager search, the state of the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coaching staff and any changes that might occur for the Detroit Lions. The Vikings' stadium push will also be on our front burner.

Finally, when we have a chance, we'll circle back on some of our preseason themes to evaluate how they worked out.

For now, of course, let's take a morning spin around local coverage in the division:

• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "The 2011 Packers don't have many reasons to dwell on the NFC Championship Game loss to the New York Giants four years ago, but they won't be able to avoid the growing sentiment that their upcoming divisional playoff game against the Giants is headed in the same direction."
• The Packers knew they would face an opponent they had already played in the regular season. Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette looks at whether that's an advantage.
• Packers receiver Greg Jennings, appearing on ESPN 1050 in New York, chose his current quarterback (Aaron Rodgers) over his previous one (Brett Favre).
• Minnesota lawmakers are increasingly telling the Vikings that their plan to build a stadium in suburban Arden Hills won't work, according to Baird Helgeson of the Star Tribune.
• Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said that "nothing" is off the table in rebuilding the team, according to 1500ESPN.com.
• Vikings coach Leslie Frazier will coach the North team at the Senior Bowl.
• The Bears are considering two former coaches of quarterback Jay Cutler for their quarterbacks coach/passing coordinator job, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. They are Jeremy Bates and Jedd Fisch.
• Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times wonders whether Giants college scouting director Marc Ross could emerge as a candidate for the Bears' general manager job.
• It's possible the Bears will go with Jerry Angelo protégé Tim Ruskell for the job, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• The New Orleans Saints had success Saturday night running at Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, notes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• The Lions need to assess some of their shortcomings this offseason, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• John Niyo of the Detroit News: "For the Lions, this season's success -- a 10-win campaign capped by the franchise's first playoff spot since 1999 -- can't be viewed as anything more than a first step. Not if they want to get where they're going."

We've had two rapid-fire news developments pop up Friday concerning the Chicago Bears:

1. Baltimore Ravens executive Eric DeCosta, who might have been the Bears' top candidate to succeed general manager Jerry Angelo, announced he will remain with the Ravens and won't interview for any outside jobs. The Bears had requested permission to interview DeCosta, who likely is the heir to Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome.
2. The search for an offensive coordinator to replace Mike Martz, meanwhile, has reached its expected conclusion. As first reported by Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, offensive line coach Mike Tice has been promoted to the job.

There's not much more we can say about DeCosta's decision. It's easy to say the Bears' job has limited attraction for a big-time general manager candidate, considering he will be required to inherit coach Lovie Smith. Most general managers prefer to hire their own people, including the coach. But DeCosta also turned down opportunities to interview for jobs where he would hire the head coach. One name to keep in mind for the Bears continues to be Atlanta Falcons executive Les Snead.

Tice's ascension makes sense for the reasons we've been discussing for weeks. Mostly, it means the Bears won't start completely from scratch after hitting their offensive stride midway through the season. Tice shares some of Martz's terminology and root concepts, and has had two years to build a relationship with quarterback Jay Cutler. That puts the Bears ahead of where they would have been had they hired from the outside.

Tice, of course, is a much bigger proponent of the power running game than Martz was, and that puts him on a closer wavelength with Smith. It will also lead to a unique arrangement that presumably covers for some of the downsides this move would otherwise present.

Tice will call the plays for the first time in his career, according to the Bears' web site. But he will have a running-game focus, while a yet-to-be-hired quarterbacks coach will concentrate on the passing game.

The upside of that arrangement is that Tice will spend more time with the offensive line during the week, even though a new line coach will be hired. And it will also make the new quarterbacks coach more significant in the Bears' hierarchy than he otherwise would have been. (My first thought went to Jeremy Bates, Cutler's former quarterbacks coach when both were in the Denver Broncos. Just a guess, though.)

On the other hand, it will require a special degree of communication and cooperation for this to work.

There is a prevalent line of thought in the NFL that the play-caller and quarterback must be in lock-step and spend maximum time with each other during the practice week. Is that possible if Tice is focusing on the running game, and a quarterbacks coach who isn't the play-caller is spending more time with Cutler?

We'll find out. If the Bears truly become a run-oriented team under Tice, maybe it'll make more sense to have him work with the offensive line. Regardless, as we've discussed many times, there was no perfect solution awaiting the Bears on this issue. Starting over with a brand new coordinator and scheme, which would have been the fourth such change for Cutler in the past five years, wasn't appealing in the short-term. At this point, the Bears' best option was to find a way to make it work with Tice.

For those curious whom the Chicago Bears have on their list of candidates to replace general manager Jerry Angelo, a list of names has begun to emerge.

The Bears requested permission to interview Baltimore Ravens executive Eric DeCosta, who is considered the heir apparent to general manager Ozzie Newsome and is also being pursued by multiple other teams. DeCosta is probably the most popular name on the market, followed closely by Atlanta Falcons executive Les Snead, whom the Bears are also vetting, according to ESPNChicago.com.

DeCosta and Snead would both bring backgrounds in talent evaluation, which Bears president Ted Phillips said was the primary attribute he is seeking. If they want to hire either man, the Bears will probably have to act quickly.

Other names that ESPNChicago.com has reported as possible candidates include Tennessee Titans executive Lake Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs executive Ray Farmer and Arizona Cardinals executive Steve Keim.

Here's one way to think about Tuesday's news from the Chicago Bears: It all goes back to Greg Olsen.

Bear with me for a moment.

(Sorry.)

General manager Jerry Angelo was fired because he ran a front office that was willing to trade Olsen because the Bears' current scheme placed low priority on tight ends. And offensive coordinator Mike Martz was sent away because he ran a scheme that, among other things, couldn't adequately incorporate a player of Olsen's unique skills.

Obviously, last summer's trade of Olsen is one of many flash points that led to what happened Tuesday. But now more than ever, I find his late-July departure from Chicago to be a tight illustration of what should never, ever, ever, never, ever happen in an NFL franchise.

Olsen was the Bears' first-round draft choice in 2007. He had the size of a tight end, but was faster than most, and had receiver-like ball skills that are heavily valued by most NFL teams. His career peaked in 2009, when he caught 60 passes for 612 yards and eight touchdowns, but his impact was limited in a Martz offense that mostly asked tight ends to block and excluded them from the kind of matchups Olsen had already shown he could beat.

His production dropped to 41 receptions in 2010, and with Martz set to return, Angelo couldn't justify extending Olsen's contract when he was destined to be a supplemental contributor. So Angelo traded Olsen to the Carolina Panthers, who promptly signed him to a four-year contract extension worth about $23 million and watched as he caught 45 passes for 540 yards and five touchdowns.

The Bears, meanwhile, had only one player catch more than 37 passes, and that was running back Matt Forte (52 receptions).

Martz committed the first cardinal sin in this episode by not building his scheme around the skills of his players. And Angelo committed the second, not only by presiding over that mistake but compounding it by taking his eye off the horizon.

Martz had turned down a contract extension entering the season, starting the clock on his eventual departure. As the general manager, Angelo needed to hedge on Martz's future and protect an asset that would be of value beyond the potential end of Martz's tenure. Every other coordinator in the NFL, including whoever takes the Bears' job, has a scheme that would use Olsen more than Martz did.

Coach Lovie Smith apparently believes that Kellen Davis could be a similar player, but after catching 28 passes in four seasons, Davis represents hope rather than serious projection. In the end, the Bears traded away one of their best players because he didn't fit a scheme that they summarily dumped five months later. That should never happen.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

It's understandable if, in yesterday's flurry of news, you missed Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers' always-interesting weekly radio show on 540 ESPN in Milwaukee. As always, you can listen to the podcast, where among other things you can hear a discussion about the very issue we hit on Monday.

Namely: Would the events of Week 17 in any way impact MVP voting? As you know, Rodgers sat out the Packers' 45-41 victory over the Detroit Lions, during which backup Matt Flynn threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns. Meanwhile, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees played almost all of a 45-17 blowout of the Carolina Panthers, adding another 389 yards and five touchdowns to his totals.

Asked about the MVP impact, Rodgers said: "I don't really see how that comes into play when you're talking about a most valuable player vote. I think the way that we've gone about it and the games that we've won, I don't think you can say in any way that we've tried to get late points or late yards or late touchdowns. Look at the film. I'm not sure if that's the case for every team in the league."

In addition to playing most of Week 17, Brees also remained in the Saints' Week 16 blowout of the Atlanta Falcons as he pursued the NFL's single-season record for passing yards. All told, Brees threw 155 more passes than Rodgers this season.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel offers a thoughtful and reasoned argument for why he chose Rodgers over Brees on his MVP ballot.
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette delves into the 2012 possibilities for Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn.
• Rodgers on the possibility of Flynn returning to the Packers next season, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "Not going to happen, I don't think."
• The Chicago Bears are inviting trouble by forcing coach Lovie Smith on the new general manager they hire, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Smith emerged as the "most powerful man in the building" after the Bears fired general manager Jerry Angelo, writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune.
• Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com wonders if longtime NFL executive Bill Polian, fired this week by the Indianapolis Colts, could be a fit with the Bears.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com on the Minnesota Vikings' decision to promote Rick Spielman to general manager: "The authority the Vikings handed Spielman on Monday -- control over all football matters and final say on the 53-man roster -- doesn't ensure success. The overhaul ahead is too arduous and Spielman's track record too limited to draw strong conclusions. What's certain is Spielman will get to execute his vision now, for better or worse, without interruption or exception, and assume all the pressure that goes with being the most powerful football man in the building."
• Mark Craig of the Star Tribune: "Other than the fact we now know exactly who to blame or praise for all personnel decisions, essentially nothing has changed because, right or wrong, the decision-makers are the same and no changes are planned for the scouting departments."
• Brutal take on the proceedings from Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "Coming off a disastrous season and facing an increasingly disillusioned fan base, Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf needed to make a bold statement. And on Tuesday, they did: 'We are idiots.'"
• The Wilfs met with a select group of reporters to discuss this move. Here's a transcript from 1500ESPN.com.
• The Detroit Lions aren't bothering to play the "disrespect card" this week, notes Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh on the possibility of a high-scoring game Saturday night at the Superdome, via John Niyo of the Detroit News. "Yeah, I don't plan on anybody shooting our defense out."
• Suh is clearly excited about playing in this game, writes Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.