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We're planning posts on each NFC North team's cuts once they are official. Announcements could come at any point Saturday afternoon or evening, but for now let's round up some of the bigger names who are already reported to be on the way off their respective rosters.

• The Chicago Bears are planning to waive a good chunk of their 2009 draft, including defensive end Jarron Gilbert and receiver Juaquin Iglesias. They will also waive former starting left guard Josh Beekman. (Sources: ESPNChicago.com and Chicago Tribune.)
• The Detroit Lions will waive offensive lineman Jon Jansen, the loser of the right tackle competition with Gosder Cherilus. Other cuts include linebacker Vinny Ciurciu, who spent most of the summer as the No. 1 middle linebacker, and safety Ko Simpson. (Sources: Mlive.com and Detroit News.)
• The Green Bay Packers reached an injury settlement with offensive lineman Allen Barbre and also released safety/kick returner Will Blackmon. They might also trade tight end/linebacker Spencer Havner. (Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.)
• The Minnesota Vikings will waive two cornerbacks, DeAndre Wright and Marcus Sherels. That leaves them with three healthy cornerbacks on their roster, an indication they will make a trade or waiver claim at the position this weekend. (Source: Star Tribune and ESPN1500.com.)

We're Black and Blue All Over:

It's already clear that rookie Jahvid Best has taken over the Detroit Lions' starting tailback job. We've assumed that his predecessor, Kevin Smith, would become his backup. But Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press indicates Smith is no lock to make the Lions' 53-man roster.

Smith has returned from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but his preseason performance has been weak (2.4 yards per carry) and he isn't much of a special-teams factor. The Lions have a relatively deep backfield that also includes Maurice Morris, Aaron Brown, DeDe Dorsey and Jerome Felton. Tellingly, coach Jim Schwartz provided a neutral answer when asked if Smith had earned a spot on the roster: "I don't know. I'll cross that bridge when we get there. I don't know that there's very many people that have 100 percent earned a spot."

Smith was drafted by the Lions' previous front office/coaching regime and targeted specifically for a zone-running scheme the team no longer uses. Is it possible that Smith could make the team? Sure. But there are certainly a number of factors working against him.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News considers defensive tackles Andre Fluellen and Landon Cohen, safety Ko Simpson and cornerback Aaron Berry to be among the Lions' bubble players.
• Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has been linked to D-list celebrity Kristin Cavallari. Cutler on the repercussions of such rumors, according to the Chicago Tribune: "It'll be interesting."
• Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Sun-Times: "Dark forces seem to be gathering against the Bears these days. There's a devastating combination of deflating preseason losses featuring alternating areas of concern on the field, curious trade rumors off it and even the bottom-line folks at Forbes magazine labeling the franchise 'financial flatliners.'"
• Bears backup quarterback Todd Collins should get extended playing time in Thursday night's preseason finale, writes Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald.
• Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz is surprised by the number of mistakes players have made in preseason, according to Michael C. Wright of the Chicago Tribune.
• In the big picture, the Green Bay Packers made it through training camp healthy, writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers defensive lineman Ryan Pickett on moving from nose tackle to end: "It took me awhile to accept it. I was disappointed for a little while. But after that, I started playing it and started liking it." Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more.
• Oft-injured defensive lineman Justin Harrell could be down to his final days with the Packers, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Veteran Lito Sheppard is the likely Week 1 starter at right cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings, according to the Star Tribune.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com on the Vikings' recent injury woes: "This team has a swarm of locusts in the locker room."
• Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian on the red zone bobble that led to an interception in Saturday's preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks: "It was one of those things that just happened." Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has more.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Thanks to everyone for their patience during what was a wild Tuesday afternoon in the NFC North. Brett Favre's return to Minnesota forced us to cancel our weekly SportsNation chat, which I promise to make up later this week, and veered us from our division-wide mission for one day.

I'll be at the Vikings' Winter Park practice facility Wednesday afternoon, having taken the team's statement that "media availability with QB Brett Favre is to be determined" as quasi-confirmation that he has in fact been reinstated to the roster. But we'll also resume coverage of the entire division, beginning with our morning spin.

Suamico72 -- who, like me, never sleeps but unlike me is counting consecutive FavreWatch posts -- will be so disappointed.

• After a few swings and misses, the Chicago Bears brought in free-agent quarterback Matt Gutierrez for a visit as a potential short-term replacement to injured backup Caleb Hanie. ESPNChicago.com's Jeff Dickerson has more.
• The "turbo" gear of Bears tailback Matt Forte has been evident in training camp, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune: "Frank Omiyale's adventure at right tackle has been much smoother than a year ago, when the Bears inserted him at left guard. Omiyale graded out well in Saturday's exhibition opener, and the Bears are hoping that will serve as a building block for the offensive line. He looked more comfortable and natural, even if he's more accustomed to the left side, after struggling to play with proper leverage a year ago."
• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: "Last week in the middle of training camp, when tired legs and body aches were beginning to set in, Turk McBride gave the rest of the [Detroit] Lions defensive linemen a pick-me-up by hanging stuffed monkeys in their lockers."
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz had to cut Tuesday's practice short because of "an acute personnel shortage in the secondary," according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. Here is McCosky's rundown of the injury list: Cornerbacks Jonathan Wade (finger), Dre Bly (thigh), Aaron Berry (hamstring) and Jack Williams (knee), and safeties Louis Delmas (groin), Dante Wesley (unspecified) and Ko Simpson (knee). Safety Randy Phillips also left the field because of dehydration.
• Rookie Lions defensive end Willie Young flashed enough promise in last Saturday's preseason opener at Pittsburgh to make veteran end Jason Hunter expendable, writes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com.
• The Green Bay Packers' fluid situation at outside linebacker has yet to clear itself up, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• The Packers passed on signing free-agent tailback Brian Westbrook, who ultimately landed in San Francisco, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Uh-oh. Oft-injured Packers defensive lineman Justin Harrell experienced tightness in his back Tuesday and sat out both practices, according to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.

Sunday, the Detroit Lions shuffled their secondary in a message that no job is safe this summer.

Monday, some help arrived. Safety Louis Delmas, the Lions' best defensive back, was on the field and practicing after a groin strain sidelined him for the first nine days of training camp. Delmas actually suffered the injury during the spring, but team officials wanted him to spend the early part of August working on his conditioning to avoid a possible setback once he finally began practicing.

The Lions also activated tight end Will Heller from the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list Monday morning. That leaves the Lions with two players remaining on the PUP: Safety Ko Simpson (knee) and cornerback Jack Williams (knee).

As in previous years, I’ll do my best to infuriate you with the proportions of our training camp coverage. I typically try to emphasize the team I’m visiting while catching up on the other three as time permits. Usually, it all evens out. The only requirement is patience.

In that vein, we’ve already checked in on the Minnesota Vikings. So let’s catch the couple points from the first day of practice in Green Bay and Detroit.

Green Bay Packers

Safety Atari Bigby is likely to miss a week or more because of ankle injury he said he suffered during Friday’s conditioning test. Bigby told reporters that he is “very concerned” about the injury and added: "This is something that I've already been down this road and hopefully we can resolve it and I won't have to look at it again and we can laugh at it in the future." In the meantime, rookie Morgan Burnett remains in the starting rotation. …

Rookie cornerback Sam Shields had a strong first day of practice, reports Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Shields intercepted a Matt Flynn pass and also knocked down several other passes. He is considered a return prospect first and foremost.

Detroit Lions

Safety Louis Delmas was among six players placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list. Coach Jim Schwartz said Delmas is still recovering from a groin injury he suffered during minicamp. The injury itself is healed, but Delmas’ conditioning suffered as a result. Schwartz said that neither Delmas nor the other five players -- defensive end Jared DeVries, tight end Will Heller, tight end Brandon Pettigrew, safety Ko Simpson and cornerback Jack Williams -- will have long-term stays on the list.

On Delmas, Schwartz said: “What we’ll do with him is keep him on the side and work him into shape. The last thing we want to do is take a guy that’s healing and looking good and all of a sudden put him out too quick. I don’t want to put any kind of time table on it but he’ll be back pretty soon.”

… Running back Kevin Smith, on the other hand, was cleared for practice less than eight months after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament. Schwartz: “Kevin Smith was considered to go on the PUP, but he’s been here an awful lot and he’s done an awful lot and he’s recovered well. He was able to go in and go pretty much without any limitations."

Hopefully all of you got a chance to read John Clayton's take on the NFC North in his training camp preview. Included in the post was this analysis of the Detroit Lions' safety situation:

Safety Louis Delmas, a second-round pick in 2009, seems to be a good piece to build around. Lions coach Jim Schwartz must sort out whether Ko Simpson, Marquand Manuel or C.C. Brown is the strong safety to pair with Delmas.

I would be surprised if the Lions don't add one or two names to that list of candidates before the start of the regular season. It might not be their top organizational priority, as evidenced by their cool pursuitof free agent Oshiomogho Atogwe, but my understanding is that they were less than satisfied with their options as minicamp concluded last month.

Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News suggests the Lions could have interest in Kansas City Chiefs safety Jarrad Page, who has asked for a trade. Another option is veteran defensive back Dante Wesley, whom the Lions signed as a reserve cornerback in April mostly for special teams purposes. Wesley has some experience as a safety, however, and the Lions likely will give him a chance to compete for the strong-side position in training camp.

We'll get into a more formal discussion of training camp battles next week, but at this point, the Lions' safety situation is among the most fluid in the division.

Of the eight divisions, the NFC North reports to camp the latest. All four teams arrive July 30.

Figuring Brett Favre will report to Minnesota sometime after the Vikings break camp in Mankato, Minn., that seems fitting. All good things come to those who wait.

The NFC North, once known as a pounding-the-rock division, is now one of the more interesting for quarterback play. Favre, who is expected to return, and Aaron Rodgers of the Packers are among the league’s elite quarterbacks. Jay Cutler of the Bears hopes to regain that status after a poor 2009 season. The Lions drafted Matthew Stafford with the hope of him being one of the next great ones.

FOUR BIG QUESTIONS

Chicago Bears: Can new offensive coordinator Mike Martz add enough offense to the Bears to catch up to the Vikings or Packers?

Martz adds five to six points a game to any offense he’s around, so there is no question the Bears will be better on offense. Cutler likes what he sees, but the Bears must tighten their defense because the season will be a roller-coaster ride if they play 27-24 games every week. Keep an eye on the defense -- it ranked only 17^th in 2009 -- in camp and during the preseason.

Detroit Lions: Can the Lions generate enough of a running game to make it easier on Stafford?

Probably not. The Lions averaged only 25.6 rushing attempts a game last season, meaning Stafford needed to complete 24 or 25 passes a game for the offense to be good. Keep an eye on rookie RB Jahvid Best in camp. He will add explosiveness. Last year’s starter, Kevin Smith, is coming off knee reconstruction and may not be ready to earn quality first- and second-down yards.

Green Bay Packers: What’s the biggest concern on defense?

The Packers must sort out their cornerback situation in camp. Al Harris is coming off a major injury, so they must make sure that Tramon Williams is ready to take over if Harris is not ready for the start of the regular season. They also must develop Pat Lee as a key backup just in case.

Minnesota Vikings: While they wait for Favre to return, what is the main job of the Vikings’ offense this summer?

Ensuring that Adrian Peterson protects the football would be nice. Peterson has an NFL-high 20 fumbles the past three seasons. Vikings head coach Brad Childress knows that Peterson’s aggressive style sometimes will lead to fumbles, but a repeat of late-season fumbling issues by Peterson would not be good. Peterson fumbled twice and caused a turnover on a third play when he botched a handoff in the second quarter against the Saints in the NFC Championship Game.

HOTTEST SEATS

Bears: Head coach Lovie Smith. This is an easy one. Smith is on the hottest seat in the division. If the Bears don’t have a winning record this season, anyone who isn’t a McCaskey or a Halas will lose his job. It’s win or else.

Lions: Right tackle Gosder Cherilus: Former Redskins veteran Jon Jansen was signed to be an insurance policy, but Jansen came out of the offseason program in competition for a starting job. The right tackle job is there for the taking. Cherilus is big and physical, but he’s on the hot seat.

Packers: Safety Atari Bigby. The Packers rewarded free safety Nick Collins with a four-year, $30.4 million contract. Bigby isn’t happy that he was given the $1.759 million restricted tender and hasn’t signed it. Plus, the Packers drafted strong safety Morgan Burnett in the third round and seem to like him.

Vikings: Backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels. Before Favre joined the Vikings last season, Rosenfels competed against Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job. Rosenfels left the offseason program as the fourth quarterback, behind rookie Joe Webb, who was drafted to play receiver. Rosenfels’ seat is burning.

SECRET WEAPON

Bears receivers: Want a weird stat? The Bears are tied with the Vikings for most Pro Bowl players at wide receiver. That’s right. The Vikings have Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin. The Packers have only Donald Driver as a Pro Bowler, although Greg Jennings has been on the Pro Bowl radar the past couple of years. Bears wide receivers Devin Hester and Johnny Knox have each been to the Pro Bowl. The problem is that each made it as a returner, not a receiver. Those trips vouch for their athletic abilities, but it makes them ultimate secret weapons in the Mike Martz offense. Hester has receiving skills similar to Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers, but he tends to wear down the more routes he runs. Plus, he is challenged by the adjustments receivers must make on routes. Knox’s game is speed, but the second-year player still must polish his receiving skills.

Martz and the Bears said they like their receiving corps, but how good is it? If Hester and Knox are raw talents who can turn into solid receivers, the Bears could emerge as one of the league’s surprise offenses.

Another receiver to follow in training camp is Devin Aromashodu. This is Aromashodu’s fifth team, but Jay Cutler treated him as though he were his favorite receiver in the second half of last season. He caught 22 passes in the final five games. It’s hard to categorize Bears receivers into who is the legitimate No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3. It will be interesting to see how this sorts out in camp.

WILD CARD: DETROIT’S SECONDARY

How quickly the Lions’ secondary jells this summer could determine the fate of Detroit’s division rivals. In many ways, the Lions are the wild card of this division because the Vikings, Packers and Bears are each counting on two wins against Detroit if they want to get a better seeding in the playoffs or, in the case of the Bears, make the playoffs.

No secondary has undergone more change the past two offseasons than the Lions’. Detroit’s passing defense was abysmal last season, ranking last in the NFL. Opponents threw for 266 yards a game, with a 68.1 completion percentage and a 107.0 QB rating. Obviously that won’t cut it in a division that features Favre, Rodgers and Cutler.

Safety Louis Delmas, a second-round pick in 2009, seems to be a good piece to build around. Lions coach Jim Schwartz must sort out whether Ko Simpson, Marquand Manuel or C.C. Brown is the strong safety to pair with Delmas.

It’s a roll of the dice at cornerback. Eric King is the only corner returning from last season, but he started only one game for the Lions. The Lions acquired Chris Houston from the Falcons in a trade and have high hopes for third-round choice Amari Spievey. The Lions also have Jonathan Wade and Dre’ Bly, who played for Detroit from 2003-2006, but he’s 33.

It's been a week since we wondered if the entire NFC North would be fighting for free agent safety Oshiomogho Atogwe. I had a wild mental image of each team pulling a different Atogwe limb, but it didn't work out that way.

The Green Bay Packers, who rarely pursue veteran free agents, never seemed a serious candidate. There were some connections between Atogwe and the Chicago Bears, but as Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com pointed out, there isn't much money left in the Bears' player payroll budget.

The Minnesota Vikings have indicated their safety depth chart could change, but apparently it won't include Atogwe. Friday, coach Brad Childress said the Vikings had no interest in him. "We've got who we need right now on this football team," Childress said.

(For now, the Vikings are giving Jamarca Sanford -- a seventh-round draft pick in 2009 -- a chance to unseat either Madieu Williams or Tyrell Johnson.)

That leaves the Detroit Lions, who have been the NFC North's most active team in free agency over the past two years. Atogwe is a native of nearby Windsor. Although he is nearly 29, Atogwe plays a position that historically has featured stars in their mid-30s.

Most important, check out the Lions' current stack of safeties in the chart to your right. It doesn't exactly rule out the need for further talent, especially when you consider that three of the six players on the list -- Marquand Manuel, Daniel Bullocks and Ko Simpson -- are recovering from season-ending injuries.

So the question circles back to Atogwe. As Howard Balzer pointed out in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, the Rams are letting him test the market. If anyone has made a significant bid for him -- the Lions or anyone else -- it hasn't been reported.

Stay tuned. Or, at least 25 percent of you should.

We're Black and Blue all over:

I hope everyone had a fun, safe and respectful holiday weekend. Not much has changed since I put together Monday's BBAO, so at the outset I'll refer you to that post. I'll also remind you we touched on a potentially interesting news story coming later Tuesday: the status of St. Louis Rams safety Oshiomogho Atogwe, who could soon be a free agent or trade bait and is of interest in all four NFC North cities.

We've got a full day of blogging heading your way, but for now here are a few more stories that popped up in the past 24 hours:

• Detroit Lions rookie defensive end Willie Young isn't shy, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions safety Ko Simpson is watching and learning as he recovers from microfracture surgery on his left knee, notes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
• Lori Nickel writes on the quiet confidence of Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• On Memorial Day, the thoughts of Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress were in Afghanistan, where his son Andrew is serving as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune has more.

Chicago Bears

Potential unrestricted free agents: Linebacker Darrell McClover, defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, running back Adrian Peterson, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.

Potential restricted free agents: Defensive end Mark Anderson, safety Josh Bullocks, safety Danieal Manning, linebacker Nick Roach, linebacker Jamar Williams.

Franchise player: None

What to expect: With no picks in the first or second round of next month's draft, the Bears are gearing up for a relatively major jump into free agency. They're expected to bid for defensive end Julius Peppers and possible safety Antrel Rolle and would also like to re-sign linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa. Tight end Brandon Manumaleuna could also be a target. Manumaleuna played for new offensive coordinator Mike Martz in St. Louis.

Detroit Lions

Potential unrestricted free agents: Linebacker Vinny Ciurciu, offensive lineman Damion Cook, quarterback Daunte Culpepper, tight end Casey Fitzsimmons, linebacker Larry Foote, tight end Will Heller, cornerback Anthony Henry, cornerback Will James, offensive lineman Jon Jansen, safety Marquand Manuel, quarterback Patrick Ramsey.

Potential restricted free agents: Defensive end Copeland Bryan, offensive lineman Dylan Gandy, defensive lineman Jason Hunter, offensive lineman Daniel Loper, offensive lineman Manny Ramirez, safety Ko Simpson, linebacker Cody Spencer.

Franchise player: None

What to expect: The Lions aren't likely to be as active as they were last year, but general manager Martin Mayhew said over the winter that he could envision a five- or six-man free agent class. Running back, defensive end and defensive back are all positions they will investigate. They'll also need to find a backup quarterback, assuming Daunte Culpepper moves on.

Green Bay Packers

Potential unrestricted free agents: Offensive lineman Chad Clifton, running back Ahman Green, linebacker Aaron Kampman, offensive lineman Mark Tauscher.

Potential restricted free agents: Safety Atari Bigby, defensive back Will Blackmon, offensive lineman Daryn Colledge, safety Nick Collins, defensive end Johnny Jolly, running back John Kuhn, offensive lineman Jason Spitz, cornerback Tramon Williams.

Franchise player: Defensive tackle Ryan Pickett

What to expect: The Packers will have a demanding offseason filled with difficult decisions. To this point, they haven't re-signed either of their starting offensive tackles. They are clearly approaching injured linebacker Aaron Kampman with caution. And they have a long line of restricted free agents who would like long-term contracts, starting with Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins. The Packers have more than enough to keep them busy, but they haven't dabbled much in free agency in recent years, anyway.

Minnesota Vikings

Potential unrestricted free agents: Offensive lineman Artis Hicks, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, cornerback Benny Sapp, running back Chester Taylor.

Potential restricted free agents: Offensive lineman Ryan Cook, defensive end Ray Edwards, defensive tackle Fred Evans, safety Eric Frampton, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, fullback Naufahu Tahi.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: The Vikings are awaiting word from quarterback Brett Favre on the 2010 season, a decision that could impact their offseason plans. They would like tailback Chester Taylor back, but it's possible Taylor will at least test his value on the open market. As a Final Four team, the Vikings will be limited to signing players that have been released by other teams unless they lose one of their own unrestricted free agents first.

OK class, it's time for one of our final lessons in the new world of an uncapped NFL. Before the free-agent market opens Friday morning, each team must first address its entire list of restricted free agents in one of two basic ways:

1. Tendering a 1-year contract, OR
2. "Non-tendering" the player, essentially cutting ties.

Remember, a restricted free agent (RFA) is a player with four or five years of experience whose contract has expired. Those players are free to seek offers elsewhere, but current teams at least have the right to match that offer and keep the player. Depending on the level of contract tender, the team could also receive draft-pick compensation.

If the player doesn't sign an offer sheet elsewhere, and can't agree on a long-term contract, he plays at the salary in the chart below. (There are slightly higher values for players in their fifth seasons.)


Because of the addition of a fifth year to the RFA list in the uncapped year, an additional 212 players are scheduled to be restricted free agents this offseason. Below is a list of the primary RFAs for each NFC North team.

There have been some reports about individual tenders, but no team has officially released its decisions. That will happen sometime between now and Thursday night. When it does, we'll analyze how easy or difficult it will be for those tendered to move on to another team.

Chicago Bears: Defensive end Mark Anderson, safety Josh Bullocks, safety Danieal Manning, linebacker Nick Roach, linebacker Jamar Williams.

Detroit Lions: Defensive end Copeland Bryan, offensive lineman Dylan Gandy, defensive lineman Jason Hunter, offensive lineman Daniel Loper, offensive lineman Manny Ramirez, safety Ko Simpson, linebacker Cody Spencer.

Green Bay Packers: Safety Atari Bigby, defensive back Will Blackmon, offensive lineman Daryn Colledge, safety Nick Collins, defensive end Johnny Jolly, running back John Kuhn, offensive lineman Jason Spitz, cornerback Tramon Williams, running back DeShawn Wynn.

Minnesota Vikings: Offensive lineman Ryan Cook, defensive end Ray Edwards, defensive tackle Fred Evans, safety Eric Frampton, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, cornerback Karl Paymah, fullback Naufahu Tahi.

To read all of our award-winning CBAWatch discussion, click here.

Sorry for the light posting Wednesday. Life intervenes sometimes. We’ll be back at full strength Thursday, but for now I wanted to pass along a helpful list dug up by NFC South landlord Pat Yasinskas.

We’ve touched a bit on the potential changes if the NFL goes to an uncapped system in 2010. One is that players would need six years of experience to become unrestricted free agents instead of four. Below you’ll see a list of NFC North players who would be unrestricted in the current system but would become restricted in an uncapped year. Remember, restricted free agents can shop for contracts with other teams but can have those offers matched or else require compensation to depart.

Chicago Bears: Defensive end Mark Anderson, safety Josh Bullocks, defensive end Dusty Dvoracek, safety Danieal Manning and linebacker Jamar Williams.

Detroit Lions: Safety Daniel Bullocks, center Dylan Gandy, defensive end Jason Hunter, receiver Adam Jennings, guard Daniel Loper, safety Ko Simpson and linebacker Cody Spencer.

Green Bay Packers: Safety Atari Bigby, cornerback Will Blackmon, guard Daryn Colledge, safety Nick Collins, defensive end Johnny Jolly, fullback John Kuhn, safety Derrick Martin and center Jason Spitz.

Minnesota Vikings: Tackle Ryan Cook, defensive end Ray Edwards, nose tackle Fred Evans, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, cornerback Karl Paymah and fullback Naufahu Tahi.

Some final tidbits as the countdown continues to Packers-Lions II:

Detroit Lions: What a mess the Lions have at safety. They placed starter Ko Simpson (knee) on injured reserve and declared Kalvin Pearson (hamstring) out of the game. Fellow starter Louis Delmas (ankle) is questionable but likely to play. Still, that leaves Marvin White as the only other safety available on the active roster. White was claimed off waivers from Dallas last month. … Linebacker Ernie Sims (hamstring) has also been declared out for the game, while quarterback Matthew Stafford (shoulder) and defensive end Dwayne White (toe) are doubtful and unlikely to play. … Receiver Calvin Johnson (knee, hand) is questionable but will be limited at best if he plays.

Green Bay Packers: An MRI showed no damage on center Scott Wells’ knee, so it appears he will start Thursday. Wells told Wisconsin reporters that “nothing’s torn” and that the swelling has receded. He’s officially listed as probable. Tailback Ahman Green (groin) and tackle Allen Barbre (ankle) are the only two players the Packers likely won’t have available to them.

It’s almost time for more football! Exactly 25 hours from the publication of this post, Green Bay and Detroit will square off on Thanksgiving Day for the 18th time. I’ll be positioned at NFC North headquarters to bring you thoughts before, during and after the game.

As you’re cleaning the bird this afternoon, take a few minutes to anticipate a few talking points for this game:

• The Lions have sold out Ford Field for this game and their fan base is energized after quarterback Matthew Stafford’s heroics in Sunday’s victory over Cleveland. Fans also enjoyed a breakout game from receiver Calvin Johnson, who set a career high with 161 receiving yards. Unfortunately for everyone (except the Packers), Johnson’s status is very iffy because of knee and hand injuries. Stafford will start despite being listed as "doubtful" with a left shoulder injury, the Detroit Free Press reported.
• Fans could miss out on a potential encore performance, and the Lions could wind up playing both of this season’s games against the Packers without their two best players. (Stafford and Johnson missed the Oct. 18 matchup at Lambeau Field, a 26-0 Packers victory.)
• The Packers have tweaked their offensive approach in the past two weeks, but it’s hard to get past the mismatch their passing offense presents for the Lions' defense. After all, this is a group that gave up four touchdown passes to Cleveland quarterback Brady Quinn. The Lions' pass defense has gotten worse as the season has continued, and here are the numbers as of Week 12: Opponents have a 70.4 completion percentage, a 24-6 touchdown-interception ratio and a 110.3 passer rating. And here’s a new twist: Two of the Lions’ top three safeties, Ko Simpson and Kalvin Pearson, haven’t practiced this week because of injuries. If he wants to, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers could have an early Thanksgiving feast in this game.
• The Packers have faced their share of injuries as well in this short practice week. As of Wednesday morning, they’re not sure if center Scott Wells (knee) will be able to play. [Update: Wells is expected to play.] That could force rookie Evan Dietrich-Smith into the starting lineup. And as has been mentioned once or twice, the Packers will have two new starters on defense after losing linebacker Aaron Kampman and cornerback Al Harris to knee injuries. Thursday will mark a transition game for the entire Packers defense.
• A few people have mentioned the Lions’ 11-6-1 record against the Packers on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit. Let’s not put too much stock in that mark. Recently, the series has been all Packers. Coach Mike McCarthy has never lost to the Lions in seven games, and overall the Packers have an eight-game winning streak against them. In the bigger picture, the Packers have won 16 of the past 18 in this series. In this decade, the Lions are 2-7 on Thanksgiving Day.

Today is like a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday all rolled into one for Green Bay and Detroit as they prepare for a Thanksgiving Day matchup at Ford Field. Both teams have long injury lists and a short time to get healthy. Here’s the best we can gather from both teams:

Detroit Lions: Quarterback Matthew Stafford (shoulder) and receiver Calvin Johnson (hand/knee) were among six players who didn’t practice Tuesday. Stafford said he felt “a little sore” but it seems pretty clear that Daunte Culpepper will start in his place Thursday. Johnson’s status is less certain. Coach Jim Schwartz said: “He probably won't do much this whole week, but we'll see when it gets to Thursday, how full speed he's going to be or how much up to speed he'll be or whether he'll be able to go.” Safeties Kalvin Pearson (hamstring) and Ko Simpson (knee), linebacker Ernie Sims (hamstring) and defensive end Dewayne White (toe) also have uphill battles to play Thursday.

Green Bay Packers: Center Scott Wells (knee) didn’t practice and might not be ready to return in a short practice week. If that’s the case, rookie Evan Dietrich-Smith would become the third player to start a game at center for the Packers this season. Running back Ahman Green (groin) and tackle Allen Barbre (ankle) also didn’t practice. Brandon Jackson’s strong performance Sunday against San Francisco gives the Packers every reason to let Green heal fully before returning. Meanwhile, the Packers promoted cornerback Trevor Ford from the practice squad, according to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.