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We're Black and Blue All Over

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- We've arrived at the final day of the 2012 NFL owners meetings, one that might be the busiest from an NFC North perspective.

There is a 7:15 a.m. ET breakfast with NFC coaches, and I'll do my best to circulate among Lovie Smith, Jim Schwartz, Mike McCarthy and Leslie Frazier without spilling orange juice all over myself. I'll then endeavor to give you a blog post from each interview session, while saving some of the information for later posts, and by midday we should get word on any rule changes approved by NFL owners before the meeting has adjourned. An early-evening flight back to blog headquarters is also on the docket.

I know we've been a little light on Chicago Bears coverage here, but they've been quiet from a news perspective and sometimes life isn't fair. Hang in there.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Bears' shift to general manager Phil Emery has been a "smooth transition," according to Smith via Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears receiver Brandon Marshall is still well liked by former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew has had trade discussions about veteran players while at the owners meetings, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Mayhew said he has never been part of a team that put up money for big hits, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Mayhew admitted he told defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to slow down after a recent traffic ticket, notes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com speaks with former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, now the Miami Dolphins coach, about his decision to move his family immediately to Miami after the death of his son, Michael.
• Free-agent defensive end Dave Tollefson will visit the Packers at the end of the week, according to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Nine of the Packers' 12 draft picks will come on the final day of the draft, notes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• The Minnesota Vikings lobbied owners and then made a presentation of their stadium situation Tuesday at an afternoon session, according to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Political support for the stadium in the Minnesota state legislature is tenuous, writes Mike Kaszuba of the Star Tribune.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

It's quite possible that the attention on Peyton Manning's departure from the Indianapolis Colts caused you to miss the Jerry Springer-worthy opening statements from the felony strangulation trial of Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook.

Prosecutors stuck to the story laid out in the original charges, saying that Cook struck and choked his girlfriend after learning she was texting with another man during the early-morning hours of Oct. 22. Cook's attorney, however, provided a different version of the story.

It's all in this Associated Press report, but the short version is that the argument began at a Minneapolis strip club. Cook ordered a lap dance, enraging his girlfriend, whereupon she stormed out. Drunk, the girlfriend began texting the other man, which deflated Cook because, the attorney said, Cook planned to propose to her later that weekend.

According to Cook's version, the girlfriend punched him when they returned to his home. Cook retaliated in self-defense. The girlfriend will recant her earlier testimony that Cook choked her, according to Cook's attorney.

In the end, this ridiculousness is important only because a felony conviction would jeopardize Cook's future with the team. We'll keep you updated.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• One of the Vikings' stadium bill authors has outlined a tight timetable to receive legislative approval this year. Mike Kaszuba of the Star Tribune explains.
• USC left tackle Matt Kalil, who could be the Vikings' top pick in the draft, speaks with the NFL Network following a short Pro Day workout.
• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune questions whether Kyle Orton will be the Chicago Bears' backup quarterback in 2012.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com considers former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard a more realistic option for the Bears.
• Bears coach Lovie Smith spent time with Georgia Tech receiver Stephen Hill this week, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• After a toxicology report revealed their son died with alcohol and marijuana in his system, former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin and his family released a statement that read, in part: "The loss of a child and sibling is absolutely heartbreaking to a family. Ours is no different. We hope that the results of the recent toxicology report serves as a reminder to us all that the mixture of alcohol and marijuana can be extremely dangerous, potentially even fatal." Patricia Wolff of Gannett Wisconsin has more.
• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wonders if Packers general manager Ted Thompson attended Wisconsin's pro day to see guard Kevin Zeitler, who is being projected as a center.
• The Detroit Lions aren't viewing the Packers as a measuring stick, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Quarterback Peyton Manning's pending availability won't have too much impact on the NFC North. It should, however, influence the landing spot of what is arguably our top free agent.

Had Manning remained with the Indianapolis Colts or retired, Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn would have been the top free agent quarterback available. Now, it makes sense for any team in the market for a starter to consider Manning first. And if you're rooting for Flynn to find a landing place that can support his burgeoning career, there are some places to hope Manning doesn't go.

I don't want to shortchange Flynn's potential, but rare is the player who can rise above an otherwise limited infrastructure. Flynn's best chance for success is to sign with a team that offers a smooth schematic transition, a relatively stable coaching staff and a fair amount of playmakers around him.

That's why the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks seems like the most comfortable fits. They are also among the early speculative destinations for Manning. So if I'm Flynn, I'm hoping Manning signs with the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Redskins or perhaps the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving the Dolphins, Seahawks and maybe the Cleveland Browns to bid for me, er, Flynn.

With the Dolphins, Flynn would play for former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin and in the West Coast scheme of another coach with Packers ties, offensive coordinator Mike Sherman. He would have Brandon Marshall as a legitimate No. 1 receiver, a tailback in Reggie Bush who had a strong finish to the 2011 season and one of the NFL's best left tackles in Jake Long.

Flynn would also be in a West Coast scheme if he signed with the Seahawks, who are coordinated by former Packers and Vikings assistant Darrell Bevell. He would have a top-flight running back in Marshawn Lynch, a presumably healthy No. 1 receiver in Sidney Rice and an upgraded offensive line.

We've heard wildly disparate views on Flynn's ceiling. Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who has watched him practice for four years, said last month that "he's ready to be an NFL starter." ESPN.com contrarian KC Joyner , meanwhile, compared him this week to Scott Mitchell, who flopped when the Detroit Lions signed him as their starter in 1993.

In the end, I think we can all agree that Flynn stands a better chance of success if he signs with, say, the Seahawks or Dolphins than if he ends up with the Browns, whose offense remains in development, or the always-chaotic Redskins. Manning can't close all the doors, but the best-case scenario for Flynn is if he leaves the right ones ones open.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

INDIANAPOLIS -- The first day of the NFL scouting combine was a whirlwind of interviews, minor news updates and unexpected dustups that only a year-round football fan could appreciate. We covered a ton of ground on the blog but there is plenty more to catch up on in our morning post, starting with the lawsuit filed by the family of former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson.

In essence, the lawsuit claims that the NFL didn't do enough to protect Duerson from and educate him about the brain injuries that ultimately led to his suicide last year. Duerson's son, Tregg, said: "If they knowingly failed to inform and implement proper safety concussion procedures, then their indifference was the epitome of injustice."

More than 600 former players are currently suing the league in concussion-related cases, but as Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune points out, Duerson's family has the added evidence of a brain study that demonstrated he had a condition brought on by multiple concussions. The mounting legal cases against the league might be the single biggest challenge it faces going forward.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Bears coach Lovie Smith seemed to endorse the safety tandem of Major Wright and Chris Conte, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune took note of Smith's enthusiastic endorsement of big receivers.
• Getting Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson signed to a long-term deal isn't going to be easy, according to Lions coach Jim Schwartz via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• The Lions' draft will be shaped by what does, or does not, happen in free agency, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Schwartz did not rule out the possibility of signing free-agent cornerback Courtland Finnegan, notes Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
• Former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin on becoming the Miami Dolphins coach days after burying his son, Michael, via Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Hopefully, you guys know when you put nine years of heart and soul into something, it's hard to leave. So I'm very grateful about this opportunity. I'm ecstatic about the reception we had as a family and the way the organization has embraced us, but it's tough. I'm not going to lie. It's been tough."
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette thinks it's a "real possibility" that the Packers make quarterback Matt Flynn their franchise player.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com speaks with various team officials about the Flynn possibility.
• The Minnesota Vikings like the nasty demeanor of USC left tackle Matt Kalil, writes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Kalil is an interesting prospect, writes Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune.
• Vikings officials will meet soon to finalize plans for their pending free agents, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.

ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck hits on an important point as Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn determines his next move. As one of the marquee targets in free agency, Flynn would be well-advised to choose a team that offers minimal scheme transition. That would allow him to hit the proverbial ground running, and that's why Hasselbeck thinks that the Miami Dolphins -- coached by former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin -- might be the best choice for Flynn.

Who knew that the departure of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, who neither called plays nor coached a position, would lead to a significant shuffling of the Green Bay Packers' offensive coaching staff?

The final staff, announced Monday morning, covered some previously known territory but also provided a few revelations. In the end, here is how the dominos fell after Philbin left to become the Miami Dolphins' head coach:

1. Quarterbacks coach Tom Clements was promoted to offensive coordinator.
2. Tight ends coach Ben McAdoo replaced Clements as quarterbacks coach.
3. Running backs coach Jerry Fontenot replaced McAdoo as tight ends coach.
4. Alex Van Pelt, a longtime friend of coach Mike McCarthy, was hired to replace Fontenot as running backs coach.

Two offensive position coaches will remain in their 2011 jobs: Receivers coach Edgar Bennett, who made the jump from receivers coach in 2010, and offensive line coach James Campen.

McCarthy has said on several occasions that he values coaching ability over specific playing experience, explaining why he has been so willing over the years to swap assistants. Here's how Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel put it via Twitter: "#Packers now have a QB as RBs coach, a TE as QBs coach, an OL as TEs coach and a RB as WRs coach. Go figure."

Indeed, Van Pelt played nine seasons as an NFL quarterback and has focused on quarterbacks for most of his coaching career. McAdoo never played the quarterback position, Fontenot was an NFL center for 16 years and Bennett spent eight seasons as a running back for the Packers.

I'm not going to get too worked up about McCarthy's mixing and matching. You would be surprised if you examine the career histories of coaches through the NFL; many of them took meandering paths to their current area of expertise. It might be unusual for a staff with so many former NFL players to have so many people "out of position," but if anything it speaks to McCarthy's confidence in his program's ability to foster career expansion.

We've had two coaching developments Wednesday afternoon in the NFC North. We'll start with the Green Bay Packers' apparent shift of assistant Ben McAdoo from tight ends coach to quarterbacks coach, a move first reported by Jason La Canfora of NFL.com.

It was obvious that Packers coach Mike McCarthy had something in mind for McAdoo when he blocked requests from the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to interview him for their offensive coordinator jobs. McAdoo will fill the role once held by the highly regarded Tom Clements, whom McCarthy recently promoted to offensive coordinator to replace the departed Joe Philbin.

While McAdoo is obviously considered an up-and-comer in several corners of the NFL, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared skeptical earlier this week on his ESPN 540 radio show about the possibility of installing a coach with no experience at the position. Here's what Rodgers had to say about reports that McAdoo was a candidate for the job:

"I think that's an interesting conversation I hope I'm in the loop for, because going into my eighth season it'll be interesting to see what direction [McCarthy] wants to go in -- if he wants to bring in a former quarterback with experience to kind of help me with my transition into the middle part of my career being more of an established player in the league now. I'm not sure what the dynamic would be with a coach who hasn't coached the position before, but Ben is a very talented coach and if they do make that decision I'm sure he'll make a very smooth transition."

McAdoo, 34, has coached with McCarthy when both were with the New Orleans Saints (2004) and the San Francisco 49ers (2005). He was one of McCarthy's first hires when he got the Packers job in 2006 and has been their tight ends coach ever since. No matter how good a coach he is, it's fair to ask if he has the expertise to speak the language of a veteran MVP quarterback. McAdoo will also have the important job of developing the Packers' next backup quarterback, assuming that Matt Flynn signs elsewhere as a free agent.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears rounded out their staff by hiring Tim Holt as their offensive line coach. Holt was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' assistant offensive line coach in 2011, and it's expected that new offensive coordinator Mike Tice will retain a daily presence with the offensive line, much as defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli does with the Bears' defensive line.

Let's catch up on the status of the Green Bay Packers' coaching staff, which continues to be the subject of national and local reports as several teams attempt to round out their staff of assistants.

We noted that the Oakland Raiders wanted to interview secondary coach/cornerbacks Joe Whitt Jr. for their defensive coordinator position. It's not clear if the Packers granted permission, but ultimately the Raiders hired former Stanford assistant Jason Tarver for the position.

Tight ends coach Ben McAdoo has been pursued for several jobs, according to Jason La Canfora of NFL.com, but the Packers have blocked him from two interviews. La Canfora reports that both the Miami Dolphins (coached by former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wanted to speak with him about their offensive coordinator jobs.

There had been some speculation that the Packers would promote McAdoo to offensive coordinator, but that job has gone to quarterbacks coach Tom Clements. The Packers haven't announced yet whether Clements will double as the quarterbacks coach as well. Regardless, you can add McAdoo to the list of Packers assistants who have built positive reputations around the league.

By my count, seven Packers assistants were either interviewed or pursued for promotions elsewhere this offseason. To this point, Philbin has been the only coach to depart.

We can say with some confidence that the Green Bay Packers' coaching staff is getting a thorough once-over from the NFL this season.

Cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt is reportedly a candidate for the Oakland Raiders' defensive coordinator job, bringing the total to at least five Packers assistants who have been sought after for at least seven different jobs in the past three weeks. New Raiders coach Dennis Allen had been pursuing Greg Manusky for the job, but as my AFC West colleague Bill Williamson points out, Manusky is expected to join the Indianapolis Colts instead.

Whitt, 33, is one of two defensive assistants who survived the Packers' staff overhaul after the 2008 season. Packers coach Mike McCarthy promoted him from quality control coach to his current role, where he has received credit for his work with young cornerbacks Tramon Williams and Sam Shields.

His presumed connection to the Raiders is general manager Reggie McKenzie, a longtime Packers executive.

Despite the attention, the only Packers assistant to depart thus far is offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, who is now the Miami Dolphins' head coach.

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

Our Air and Space division boasts arguably the top grouping of starting quarterbacks in the NFL. We have a presumptive MVP in the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers, a 5,000-yard passer in Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions and, in the Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler, an upper-level starter who was having perhaps his best season before fracturing his right thumb in December. The Minnesota Vikings, meanwhile, are hoping for a big jump from first-round draft pick Christian Ponder in 2012.

The relatively settled nature of those starters overshadows what could be division-wide change in their backups. The Packers' Matt Flynn, the Lions' Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton, the Bears' Caleb Hanie and the Vikings' Sage Rosenfels are all pending free agents. Let's look at the decisions awaiting each team:

Packers: Flynn could draw interest as a potential starter from several teams, most notably the Miami Dolphins -- who hired former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin as their head coach last week. The Packers' only chance to keep him would be to use their franchise tag, requiring a commitment of about $14 million in cash and cap space. That's not going to happen. The logical successor is third-string quarterback Graham Harrell, and the Packers might have revealed their intentions by promoting him to the active roster late this season when he began receiving interest from other teams.

Lions: Quarterback depth is valuable, but you wonder if a team with tight salary cap problems can afford to keep two vested veterans behind their franchise quarterback. Hill ($3.02 million) and Stanton ($900,000) accounted for about $4 million in cap spacein 2011, and if the Lions desperately wanted to shave that figure, they could promote Stanton and sign him to a cheaper contract than what Hill was paid last season. But Hill has a longtime association with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and is generally considered one of the most reliable backups in the NFL. There are no easy answers here.

Bears: Hanie's disastrous stint as Cutler's replacement might have sealed his exit from Chicago. But the Bears will have new offensive leadership with coordinator Mike Tice and a quarterbacks coach/passing coordinator who has yet to be hired, so it's possible the new regime will have other thoughts. The Bears didn't think enough of rookie Nathan Enderle to start him in a meaningless Week 17 season finale, making it hard to imagine his ascendance to No. 2. That could leave veteran Josh McCown, another pending free agent, as an option. Or the Bears could seek help on the free agent market themselves.

Vikings: The situation in Minnesota is less clear-cut. Ponder remains the starter, and 2011 backup Joe Webb is under contract for 2012. Webb was impressive in one start and appearances in 10 other games, accounting for five touchdowns, but the Vikings' continued commitment to Ponder suggests they might look for other ways to use Webb. If he develops into a hybrid receiver/quarterback/returner, it's possible the Vikings would want an established veteran behind Ponder. That could be Rosenfels, a longtime favorite of general manager Rick Spielman, or he could come from elsewhere.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman kicked off the draft-day trade speculation season by hopping on the NFL Network during Senior Bowl practices and declaring: "It will be, I think, very busy on draft day. We're the third overall pick, so we'll be looking at all the options. If someone wants to come up and get our pick, we’re going to be more than willing to listen."

As we've discussed before, the presence of Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III would make the Vikings an obvious trading partner for a quarterback-needy team at No. 3. In the past, Spielman has said there are a few players in each draft that he would never pass up an opportunity to select, regardless of the trade offer.

You wonder if USC offensive lineman Matt Kalil will be one of those players. The Vikings are in need of a left tackle and usually teams need to devote a high draft pick to get one. Three more months to go.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Vikings are preaching steady improvement but not a revival in 2012, according to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune checks in with new Vikings defensive coordinator Alan Williams.
• The NFL doesn't consider Los Angeles a viable option for relocation in 2012, writes Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers endorsed quarterbacks coach Tom Clements to replace Joe Philbin as the team's offensive coordinator, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Rodgers thinks there is a "strong possibility" that Philbin will bring Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn to the Miami Dolphins, notes Wilde.
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune suggests that Phil Emery is likely the Bears' new general manager: "But given the stability Emery offers and the job requirements as [team president Ted] Phillips defines them, I will be surprised if the Bears hire anybody else."
• Bears offensive coordinator Mike Tice has been communicating daily with quarterback Jay Cutler, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Former Bears offensive lineman Kevin Shaffer is working with draft prospects at the Senior Bowl, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune wonders if Alex Van Pelt will be the Bears' new quarterbacks coach/passing coordinator.
• Detroit Lions offensive lineman Johnny Culbreath paid a $412 fine after being charged Monday with possession of marijuana. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham is happy that defensive backs coach Tim Walton will remain with the team, according to Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.

Here's what we know:

• Brandon Marshall caught 206 passes in two full seasons when paired with quarterback Jay Cutler in Denver.
• Cutler's current team, the Chicago Bears, has an obvious need for a big, downfield receiver.
• Marshall's current team, the Miami Dolphins, recently hired a new head coach, an event that sometimes augurs unexpected personnel moves.
• During a Twitter exchange earlier this month, Cutler indicated he would be thrilled to play with Marshall again.

Are those circumstantial pieces of evidence enough to start discussing the possibility that Marshall and Cutler could join forces this season with the Bears? I'm thinking it's a long shot, mostly because Marshall is under contract with the Dolphins for three more years and his new coach, Joe Philbin, comes from an offensive background and probably doesn't want to empty the Dolphins' cupboard.

Still, it's worth listening to Marshall's interview Wednesday with ESPN 1000 in Chicago. Marshall acknowledged he is "pretty much locked up" in Miami but didn't hide his affection for Cutler nor his confidence in their continued chemistry.

"It's hard to find that and sometimes it's once in a lifetime," Marshall said, "…when you take two guys and put them on the field together and they have that chemistry, that's what's almost impossible to find. I can't explain it. That's why I said it's almost painful to think about.

"We'll line up there and we'll get a coverage and he will just look at me and I'll know exactly where he wants to adjust my route. You don't find that. It got to a point where coaches, they didn't know what we were doing so we'll install a whole play and they'll give us a play on the front side and put me on the back side and they'll tell us just do what you all do and just make it work. We had a lot of freedom in our offense, and we made it work and chemistry was great. It was something special."

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Oakland Raiders' apparent decision to hire Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as their head coach will result in some stability among the Green Bay Packers' coaching staff.

Packers assistant head coach/inside linebackers Winston Moss and defensive coordinator Dom Capers were both candidates in the Raiders' job search, which was run by former Packers executive Reggie McKenzie, now the Raiders' general manager. Moss had been considered by many media members to be a favorite for the job, but McKenzie conducted a wide search.

To this point, offensive coordinator Joe Philbin is the only assistant to depart the staff. Philbin is the Miami Dolphins' new head coach. Coach Mike McCarthy hasn't announced a replacement yet. Quarterbacks coach Tom Clements remains a candidate for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' head-coaching job.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "It might be a little premature to declare Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy out of the woods completely, but any predictions about his staff being ravaged by outsiders seem to be overblown."
• Former Packers coach Mike Holmgren doesn't wonder what might have happened if he had stayed with the team rather than bolt for the Seattle Seahawks. Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has more.
• Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton will meet Wednesday with Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf to discuss the Metrodome stadium site. Mike Kaszuba of the Star Tribune details the political infighting currently in play on that site.
• Vikings general manager Rick Spielman allowed four reporters to sit in on an interview with Auburn long-snapper Josh Harris at the Senior Bowl. Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has more.
• The Vikings plan to find more work for running back Toby Gerhart, regardless of Adrian Peterson's health, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Detroit Lions vice chairman Bill Ford Jr. spoke positively in rare public comments about the team. Tom Walsh of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Lions receiver Calvin Johnson is sitting out the Pro Bowl because of an Achilles injury, but he is still heading to Hawaii this week and is bringing the Lions' entire receiving corps, notes Dave Birkett of the Free Press.
• Two Lions assistant coaches, Tim Walton (secondary) and Shawn Jefferson (receivers) are close to signing new contracts to stay with the team, according to Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
• ESPNChicago.com has a rundown of Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher's comments on using the pain-killer Toradol.
• Urlacher expanded on those comments with Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli endorsed his director of college scouting, Phil Emery, for the Bears' general manager job. Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times explains.
• The Bears' new general manager will have the flexibility to change as much of the scouting staff as he wants. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the team's six college scouts and three pro scouts all have expiring contracts.

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.

I was away from the blog today for some unexpected reasons, but I want to pop in now that Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin has been hired as the next head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Some thoughts:

• [+] Enlarge
  AP Photo/Mike RoemerFormer Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin is heading to Miami. Will backup quarterback Matt Flyn and QB coach Tom Clements follow?
  Philbin's life has changed dramatically in the past two weeks. He first interviewed with the Dolphins on Jan. 7, the day before the death of his 21-year-old son, Michael. I can't imagine the range of emotions he and his family are feeling Friday evening. To my knowledge, Philbin hasn't spoken publicly since the tragedy.
• Philbin was an offensive coordinator who didn't call plays, a combination that left him largely unknown to fans outside of the NFC North. But NFL teams clearly were aware of his even temperament and impeccable character, not to mention his connection to the most successful team of the past two seasons. In addition to the Dolphins, Philbin also interviewed with the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Oakland Raiders were also reported to be interested, largely because their new general manager is former Packers executive Reggie McKenzie. It's nice to see teams take notice of an assistant who is neither a self-promoter nor one whose qualifications are easily measured in public.
• The obvious question is whether Philbin will push the Dolphins to pursue Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn, either in free agency or in a sign-and-trade. The biggest knock on Flynn is that his two career starts provide a small sample size for teams looking for a starting quarterback. But Philbin has coached almost every practice Flynn has taken part of in Green Bay. If anyone has the background and institutional knowledge to take a measured risk on him, it's Philbin. On the other hand, Philbin also has a larger body of work to conclude that Flynn might not be ready to take the next step. So the Philbin-Flynn connection could work both ways here.
• It will be interesting to see if Philbin wants to take highly-regarded Packers quarterback coach Tom Clements with him to be his offensive coordinator/play-caller. The Packers could block him from going, as they did when the Chicago Bears wanted to interview him for their offensive coordinator job in 2010. But even if the Packers promote him into Philbin's old job as offensive coordinator, it still wouldn't be a play-calling role unless coach Mike McCarthy gives that up.
• Another candidate for the Packers' offensive coordinator job would be receivers coach Edgar Bennett, who moved from running backs coach last season to broaden his horizons.
• Success has its challenges, and one is replacing the inevitable brain drain that occurs as opponents try to replicate. This month, the Packers have lost a top front office talent in McKenzie and one of their top coaches in Philbin. The pressure is on the Packers to continue to develop qualified successors.