ESPN NFL

A committee of ESPN experts -- including Trent Dilfer, Mel Kiper, Gary Horton, Matt Williamson -- assembled this offseason to create a unique version of our traditional Power Rankings.

Naturally, NFC North teams are featured prominently in what amounts to a three-year projection of Power Rankings for the 2015 season . The Green Bay Packers received the top spot as the team best equipped to compete three years from now, while the Detroit Lions were not far behind at No. 6.

The file requires an Insider subscription to read in full, but I can pass along where our four teams ranked and also a glimpse at the methodology used. Here is how the committee evaluated each team and the degree of impact each category had:

• Roster (32.5 percent of total score): Players under 30 emphasized
• Coaching (20 percent): Capability and stability of current staff
• Quarterback (17.5 percent): Where quarterback play would be in three years
• Draft (15 percent): Based on team's 2012 class and how many picks available in next three years.
• Front office (15 percent): Ability to manage roster and market's attraction to free agents.

Now on to the NFC North rankings with comments from me:

1. Green Bay Packers
Seifert comment: The presence of a 28-year-old MVP quarterback and one of the NFL's top general manager-coach combinations puts the Packers on an ideal long-term path.

6. Detroit Lions
Seifert comment: Quarterback Matthew Stafford had a 5,000-yard season before his 24th birthday. That's a nice start. General manager Martin Mayhew has elevated the team's talent level every season of his tenure and most of the Lions' key players -- Stafford, receiver Calvin Johnson, tight end Brandon Pettigrew, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, safety Louis Delmas and linebacker Stephen Tulloch -- are under 30.

17. Chicago Bears
Seifert comment: Jay Cutler is a legitimate franchise quarterback, but the best players on the Bears' defense are all over 30. That list includes defensive end Julius Peppers, linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, and cornerback Charles Tillman.

31. Minnesota Vikings
Seifert comment: Questions about quarterback Christian Ponder's long-term prospects made it difficult for the committee to project future success. There are also concerns about a lack of young impact players on defense. Defensive end Jared Allen is 30 and linebacker Chad Greenway is 29.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Good Monday morning to everyone. The Minnesota Vikings are hoping that Monday afternoon and evening are good to them as well.

Yes, the first floor vote of the Vikings' stadium bill is scheduled to take place Monday in the state House of Representatives. If it passes, the state Senate likely will schedule a vote on its version of the stadium bill later this week. If it fails in the house, the bill almost certainly is dead for this 2012 legislative session and the situation will take a closer step toward Armageddon.

This issue is so hotly contested that debate could extend well into the evening and late night, so there is no way to know when we'll have any news to report. We'll of course be monitoring it while also keeping an eye on what is expected to be a large contingent of Vikings fans essentially tailgating at the State Capitol in a uniquely football lobbying campaign.

Catching up on weekend news from around the division:

• Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, Gov. Mark Dayton and others participated in one of a series of stadium rallies over the weekend in the Twin Cities, notes The Associated Press via 1500ESPN.com.
• Frederick Melo of the St. Paul Pioneer Press looks at the difficulty of passing the stadium bill without support from House Speaker Kurt Zellers. Last week, Zellers said he would vote against the bill.
• Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune profiles Vikings rookie tight end Rhett Ellison, whose father Riki is a former NFL linebacker.
• The best advice Vikings safety Harrison Smith ever got is among the tidbits unearthed about him by Pioneer Press columnist Bob Sansevere. The advice: "Do not live under the bed."
• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune: "Lost in the debate over [Shea] McClellin's best NFL position is that he could succeed at either defensive end or outside linebacker because of his outstanding versatility."
• The Bears are expected to bring defensive tackle Trey Lewis in for a visit, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears linebacker Lance Briggs made clear to David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune that he doesn't agree with the way the NFL is emphasizing player safety. Briggs: "It's becoming flag football. We're flying around at 100 mph. In our mindset, to say I need to literally go 5 percent lower [on the body] within a split-second -- how do you do that?''
• Bears receiver Brandon Marshall would like to see better care for NFL players dealing with brain and psychological issues. He wrote a guest column in the Chicago Sun-Times this weekend.
• Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press wonders if Detroit Lions players with contracts that will soon expire are watching the experience of defensive end Cliff Avril, who has been trying to secure a multi-year deal for two years.
• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News writes an important and moving column about his own experience as a victim of depression.
• Lions receiver Nate Burleson wasn't concerned with the team's decision to draft receiver Ryan Broyles in the second round last month, according to Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
• Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that two members of the Green Bay Packers' front office, Eliot Wolf and Brian Gutekunst, are in line for significant promotions.
• The Packers' draft strategy of trading up for targeted players has its risks, writes Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Rob Demovsky of the Press-Gazette profiles Packers draft pick Nick Perry.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Good morning. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, although I'm guessing it was a bit stressful knowing that ESPN.com would roll out its blogger mock Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET. I understand. The good thing is the time is near.

Shortly before 1 p.m. ET, we'll direct you to a live chat module we'll call "Blogger Mock Draft Live." All eight divisional bloggers will gather at that time and roll our first-round selections. You'll have the opportunity to jump into the chat to interact with us, or you can tweet into it using the hashtag #espnbloggermock.

We're trying something different here and hoping it will be fun. Hopefully it will add a bit to your draft week, which I just realized, HAS BEGUN!

Let's do this … right after our morning tour around the division:

• The Chicago Bears need to start drafting difference-makers on defense, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune. Pompei: "What the Bears really could use in this draft is another Brian Urlacher and another Lance Briggs. That's all."
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com examines the Bears' needs at defensive tackle.
• Character still weighs heavily for the Bears, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Detroit Lions tailback Jahvid Best has been participating in the team's offseason workouts, notes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. Football drills don't take place during the first two weeks of the program, however.
• Dave Birkett's mock draft in the Detroit Free Press gives defensive end Whitney Mercilus to the Lions in the first round.
• Quarterback and receiver are low on the Lions' priority list, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com takes a look at Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick.
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette looks at the developmental quarterbacks the Green Bay Packers might draft.
• Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel rates the draft's running back class, knowing the Packers are thin in the backfield.
• Receiver Jerome Simpson left a visit with the Minnesota Vikings without a contract, but the possibility remains he could sign with them, according to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• What if USC left tackle Matt Kalil isn't the Vikings' pick at No. 3? Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press considers that question.
• The St. Paul Pioneer Press editorial page endorses the Vikings' stadium bill.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

It's safe to say the Chicago Bears are interested in upgrading their depth at linebacker after a whirlwind of veteran free-agent visits this week. According to ESPNChicago.com, the list includes Rocky McIntosh, Bryan Kehl and Zac Diles.

The Bears were thin at the position last year behind starters Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Nick Roach. But anyone they sign at this point should be viewed as a backup who could potentially compete with Roach to start during training camp.

The bigger issue the Bears face is finding eventual replacements for Urlacher, who turns 34 next month and Briggs, who turns 32 in November. That work will have to be done during the draft.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Bears signed veteran guard Chilo Rachal, notes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• The Bears will "do just fine" with defensive tackle Henry Melton, writes Dan Pompei of the Tribune.
• The NFL has turned up the heat on the Minnesota Vikings' stadium situation, but at least one state legislator wasn't happy to hear the league trying to "drive policy" for state government, according to Doug Belden of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune repeats a familiar message: Replacing a relocated team is always more expensive than giving the original team a new stadium.
• Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has spoken with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, according to the Associated Press via 1500ESPN.com. Another conversation is expected Thursday morning, which will include Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney.
• Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews privately lamented the loss of defensive end Cullen Jenkins last season, writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel begins his position-by-position draft evaluations with quarterbacks.
• Young Detroit Lions players will benefit from the team's offseason program, writes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Washington running back Chris Polk could be a target of the Lions, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions season-ticket sales appear to be brisk this spring, according to Eric Lacy of the Detroit News.

Even a quiet week by NFC North standards leaves us with some loose ends to tie up over the weekend. I see many of your blog comments and Facebook responses, all of your mailbag submissions and every one of your @replies on Twitter. Proceed accordingly.

Several readers think Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier had more to do with this "unfortunate timing" than I debited him for in Tuesday's post about his future. Randal of Cambridge wrote: He is mostly to blame for the 2011 lost year. They could have been one or two steps further into rebuilding. He pushed for the Donovan McNabb trade but even more damaging was when the season was lost in late October; Frazier did not see what he had in his young players. It was inexcusable to play Jared Allen and Brian Robison as much as they did. He should have given the following players more playing time: DE D'Aundre Reed, DE Everson Griffen, G Brandon Fusco and T DeMarcus Love. And signing Benny Sapp was a mistake. There must have been some practice squad CB from another team who could have been given a chance.

Kevin Seifert: I'm torn on how much blame Frazier should get in that regard. If given the choice, few if any coaches are going to take the long-term road. The Vikings made it to the NFC Championship Game in 2009 and were torn apart by internal strife in 2010. Frazier thought they could be competitive in 2011 with a decrease in tension, especially if he could find a veteran quarterback to replace Brett Favre.

In truth, the Vikings would have had a much better record in 2011 if McNabb fit the bill, but his shortcomings have been well-discussed. What Frazier really needed last season was a general manager to tell him that a quick fix lasts only as long as the next one. Frazier needed a general manager to reassure him that he would be evaluated based on what he did with the tools he was given, rather than allowing him to influence the choice of tools themselves.

Rick Spielman's promotion has created that type of structure, and we now see the Vikings taking the longer-term approach that Frazier understandably eschewed when given a choice in 2011.

As far as playing untested youngsters to evaluate them for future years, I've always considered that idea on a case-by-case basis. Only players that have demonstrated in practice that they're ready for such a chance should play. It's reasonable to wish Griffen would have gotten a few more snaps from Robison, but I'm not going to hold it against Frazier for limiting his rookie offensive linemen last season. The Vikings' top priority at the time was to develop quarterback Christian Ponder, and Frazier was obligated to use the best offensive linemen he had -- regardless of their futures -- to facilitate that.

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Wil of Minneapolis wonders if Spielman and owner Zygi Wilf will evaluate Frazier on a curve as a result of the roster overhaul: Do you think that Rick, Zygi, and Frazier had a goal and expectations meeting about the 2012 season? Although no one wants to tell the public we expect a 6-10 or 4-12 record, this youth movement and historical records from other teams would probably indicate that. I think it's only fair to have reasonable expectations of Frazier and the football product. After all, the Vikings can easily go 0-6 in the NFC North alone!!!

Kevin Seifert: That's the unfortunate part of the timing, in my view. It's reasonable to have non-tangible expectations and goals in the first year of a coach's tenure, but generally teams want to see progress in the second year.

The Vikings finished 3-13 last season and are competing in a division that features two 2011 playoff teams along with a much-improved Chicago Bears team. Say the Vikings finish 4-12 or 5-11. That would give Frazier a 10-28 or 11-27 record in two-plus seasons. Most coaches deserve three years to make an impact, but at the very least, it wouldn't be an easy decision to bring back a coach with that kind of record.

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Rick of Moorhead, Minn., notes the list of players invited to the NFL draft and writes: Shea McClellin invited to NYC for the draft? Doesn't that indicate he will go the first night? I thought he was more like mid second round. Green Bay might be the team to take a shot, but it seems like a reach at 28.

Kevin Seifert: McClellin is a Boise State defensive end who would probably project as a linebacker in the Packers' 3-4 scheme. He has been a so-called quick riser in the draft, but whether he is a first-round pick remains to be seen.

Regardless, the NFL invites a cross-section of players so they can have at least some live interviews on site during the first two nights of the draft, which includes the first three rounds. Don't forget that receiver Randall Cobb was in New York when the Packers made him the final pick of the second round last season.

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Facebook friend Steve asked if the new deal Lance Briggs received from the Chicago Bears has a "no more whining about contracts" clause.

Kevin Seifert: Ouch. At the very least, it bought the Bears two more years of relative peace. At that point, Briggs will be approaching his 34th birthday and, like most players at that age and his position, will probably be thrilled to have a job.

As several reports have noted, Briggs will earn $6.25 million this season and $5.75 million in 2013. He'll also be in position to earn $5.275 million in 2014.

In the end, Briggs got less than $2 million in "new money" with this renegotiation. But it just shows that teams don't always have to break the bank to make a player happy. They just need to show a gesture of love, and in this case that's all it took for Briggs.

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It's time for our semiannual reminder about "balance." Mitch of Green Bay writes: At the rate you are discussing the Packers, it'll take you all of next season to "even things out" after how much Bears talk is going on the past few days. Anonymously, another reader added: Five of the last six blog posts have Bear headlines. There are three other teams in the NFC North. You should be a little more balanced in your reporting.

Kevin Seifert: I realize that readers filter in and out of the blog network, so it bears repeating: News doesn't occur in neat and equal 25 percent increments between our four teams. I have no interest in manufacturing posts to maintain daily balance when experience shows that everyone will get their turn over time. If you're taking a three-day, three-week or even a three-month snapshot, you'll almost certainly find an unequal proportion of posts relative to our four teams.

There were interesting things to write about the Bears this week, including the Briggs extension, and that's where I focused my time. Where will we look next week? Only The Shadow knows what evil lurks in the heart of all men.

In the relief and euphoria of his long-awaited contract extension, linebacker Lance Briggs described the Chicago Bears' offseason as "a miracle" and one that "on paper" has put him on the Bears' best team since he arrived in 2003. So as long as we're talking about ideal scenarios, we should consider what could be next for the NFC North's most active team this offseason.

From a contract perspective, at least, the Bears have at least two significant issues to address. One is a resolution to their increasingly stark standoff with tailback Matt Forte. The other is the expiring contract of linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Forte has not signed his franchise tag tender of $7.74 million for 2012, and without an injury waiver he'll be ineligible to participate in offseason workouts. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported this week that Forte won't sign anything until he agrees to a long-term contract extension, which makes it quite possible the Bears won't see him again for a while.

One way or the other, someone will have to budge if Forte is going to be on the field when training camp begins at the end of July. By most accounts, the sides aren't close.

"He knows what his value is, and I think we all know what his value is," Briggs said, adding that he supports Forte's current stance.

Urlacher, meanwhile, is in the final year of a deal the Bears upgraded and extended in the summer of 2008. He'll earn $7.5 million in base salary with an opportunity earn a $500,000 workout bonus. It's hard to imagine the Bears doing anything other than extending him until they deem him unfit to play, and so his situation becomes a matter of timing more than anything.

Will the Bears let Urlacher play out the season with the understanding he will get a new contract next winter? Or will they move to extend sometime in the next five months before the 2012 season begins? For obvious reasons, players prefer security rather than waiting, especially for someone like Urlacher, who has no desire to play elsewhere.

"I think the Bears will do right by him," Briggs said. "He's coming off a great year. Hopefully we can play until we're 49 years old, if that's possible."

Hey Lance, we're talking about the ideal scenario, not fantasy.

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.

Lance Briggs had no leverage last summer when he asked the Chicago Bears for a contract upgrade. As we discussed at the time, the midpoint of a market-level contract isn't typically a time when teams look to renegotiate.

Briggs had two choices when the Bears rejected his request. He could flip out and make himself into a yearlong distraction. Or he could buckle down and provide the Bears one more illustration of why he is a player worthy of further investment.

Briggs chose the latter, and I have to believe that decision at least partially explains why the Bears circled back and complied Wednesday with a new deal that settles Briggs' concerns for the foreseeable future. The numbers were not monumental -- Briggs got about a $2.5 million raise for 2012 and would earn $5.5 million in 2013, according to multiple reports -- and for the Bears it was a relatively cheap way to demonstrate loyalty to a cornerstone player who just wanted a little love.

"I'm grateful," Briggs said in a conference call with reporters. "I'm just very appreciative right now that the work has been recognized and that it got handled as fast as it did. … We all had a number in our head and they had the same number."

Briggs earned his seventh Pro Bowl honor in 2011, but just as impressive to me was the fact that he played in every Bears defensive snap from the beginning of the season to the end. Pushing through minor injuries is probably the best way for a player to demonstrate a commitment to the team. Briggs did his part, and as it turns out, all he was looking for was the most modest of rewards. If all it took was a few million dollars to placate a key player, it was a no-brainer for the Bears to comply.

Briggs was the first to admit that his contract was a unique situation, so this is not to suggest that Bears tailback Matt Forte would benefit from a similar strategy. It will take much more money to satisfy Forte than it did Briggs. And if Forte sits back and plays under his franchise tag in 2012, the Bears wouldn't be any more compelled to offer him the rich extension he is apparently seeking.

But in Briggs' case, at this moment, there was no real crisis, and neither side treated it as one after last summer's theatrics. And voila, here we are. As is the case in so many of these "issues," all's well that ends well.

Earlier: Briggs' contract was one of several Big Decisions facing NFC North teams this offseason.

Just a quick note to pass along that the Chicago Bears have renegotiated the contract of linebacker Lance Briggs, who last summer requested a trade because his contract no longer had any guaranteed money remaining. He was set to earn $3.75 million in 2012 and $6.25 million in 2013, but only if he were on the roster for the entirety of both seasons. The new deal adds an additional year to the contract, meaning it expires after the 2014 season, and presumably includes a bonus of some sort. I'll be back with some analysis once we learn more details.

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

Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET

Chicago Bears

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

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

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

Detroit Lions

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

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

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

Green Bay Packers

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

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

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

Minnesota Vikings

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

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

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

INDIANAPOLIS -- We've gone a little light Thursday on the Chicago Bears, mostly because coach Lovie Smith spoke with reporters at the same time I was sitting in on an extended availability with Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz. But our friends at ESPNChicago.com have had the Bears blanketed all day, and what follows is a synopsis of their work in conjunction with a video report:

• Quarterback Jay Cutler and linebacker Brian Urlacher are both fully recovered from their thumb and knee injuries, respectively.
• Smith is optimistic that linebacker Lance Briggs, who requested a trade last summer, will return in 2012.
• Smith knows the Bears "need to get ourselves in a better position at that backup quarterback position."
• Smith thinks free agent Kellen Davis can be a featured tight end.

I'll weigh in over the next several days on several of these topics, but I wanted to get the basics to you as quickly as possible.

Thanks to everyone for participating in Tuesday's SportsNation chat, which included a surprising number of people wondering what the Chicago Bears could get in exchange for linebacker Lance Briggs. Last summer, of course, Briggs requested a trade when the Bears declined to upgrade his contract.

Given our place in the NFL silly season, let's entertain the relevant conversations:

Michael (Redmond, WA)

Do you see any merit to the proposition that the Bears and Giants swap Briggs and [Osi] Umenyiora in a trade?

Kevin Seifert (2:35 PM)

Has that been rumored? Or is that your idea? Either way, it would be an exchange of two aging but still effective players who want to be paid more than their teams think they are worth. I like the idea of using Osi in a part-time role, if he's willing to be paid that way.

Bear Down (KS)

I think Briggs played pretty well last season and I don't see him backing off on his contract demands from last season. In the event that the Bears do not give him a new deal, what type of draft pick do you think the Bears could get if they traded him?

Kevin Seifert (2:44 PM)

Given his age, and the fact that he would want a new deal, I'm thinking a third-round pick would be an awfully nice result.

Erik (Tn)

You like the Osi and Briggs trade? What about [Brandon] Marshall and Briggs trade? I like this one more.

Kevin Seifert (2:49 PM)

Ohhh, maybe we'll throw that in too.

A straight-up Briggs-for-Marshall trade seems unlikely, as jmac3444 wrote in the comment section: "Why would the Dolphins want a aging unhappy lb for a young wr who is considered one of the best at his position?"

Briggs for Umenyiora is a more nuanced deal that would give the Bears some help at position where they really only used two players in 2011, Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije. The biggest problem would be the utter lack of potential replacements the Bears have on their roster, but it's possible to draft an outside linebacker and immediately plug him into a starting lineup.

So what do you think? Is this just fantasy talk? Would you trade Briggs if the Bears aren't willing to extend his contract? And if you would, would you take Umenyiora in return? Or a third-round pick? Or Marshall, even if it meant throwing in a draft pick as well?

We've used 2011 playing-time statistics to identify a number of trends and important points, from the perfect attendance of Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs to the reliability of Detroit Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew to the curious limitations placed upon Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin. Now let's sift though some other figures that don't demand dramatic conclusions but are of interest nonetheless.

1. We noted that Briggs played every defensive snap for the Bears last season. Five other players, all offensive linemen, also never missed a play. That list includes Chicago Bears center Roberto Garza and left tackle J'Marcus Webb, Detroit Lions guards Stephen Peterman and Rob Sims, and Green Bay Packers guard/tackle T.J. Lang.
2. Minnesota Vikings left tackle Charlie Johnson missed a grand total of eight plays in 2011. Lions center Dominic Raiola missed nine plays and Packers center Scott Wells missed 29. Vikings right tackle Phil Loadholt played all but 33 snaps.
3. Depth issues at defensive end surfaced for several teams. The Vikings' Jared Allen led all NFL players at his position by playing on 94.3 percent of his team's snaps, and teammate Brian Robison ranked 11th among defensive ends by playing 84.4 percent. Meanwhile, the Bears' Israel Idonije was on the field for 84.6 percent of his team's snaps, with Julius Peppers close behind at 82.1. Obviously that foursome is a good group of players, but it's also clear that their teams didn't have backups they felt comfortable rolling in.
4. Consider that conclusion in the context of how the well-stocked Lions rotated their defensive ends. Cliff Avril played on 72 percent of their snaps and Kyle Vanden Bosch was on the field for 67.9 percent. Lawrence Jackson played on 30.1 percent of the Lions' snaps despite injuries that limited him to 11 games, while backup Willie Young saw action 22.7 percent of plays over 14 games.
5. The NFC North had two workhorse middle linebackers. The Bears' Brian Urlacher missed only 14 plays, most of which came after a knee injury in the season finale. The Lions' Stephen Tulloch, meanwhile, missed only 19 of 1,098 defensive snaps.
6. Bears running back Matt Forte was on the field for the 10th-most plays (564) among running backs despite missing four-plus games because of a knee injury.

Some necessary ingredients must be in place for a team even to consider signing receiver Randy Moss in 2012. It needs a strong and established coaching staff. A rifle-armed quarterback, with experience in handling high-maintenance receivers, is a must. And it needs a personal advocate who knows Moss, understands him and can serve as an internal facilitator/translator.

There is an NFC North team that fits every aspect of that description, and the minimal chance of a deal highlights how difficult it will be for Moss to get a job for 2012, as he said Monday he wants to do. And that assumes Moss, now 35, can still play at a reasonably high level.

Lovie Smith is one of the NFL's longest-tenured coaches and his locker rooms rarely, if ever, display the type of discord Moss has caused in his various stops. Quarterback Jay Cutler throws one of the NFL's best deep balls, and his long-standing friendship with receiver Brandon Marshall is an example of his social flexibility.

And offensive coordinator Mike Tice was Moss' coach for three seasons when both were with the Minnesota Vikings. Tice lived through the best and worst Moss has to offer, coaxing 217 receptions and 24 touchdowns in their first two seasons together while also dealing with Moss' arrest for nudging a traffic officer with his car and his decision to leave the field early in the 2004 regular-season finale, among other episodes.

So in the Bears, you have a team with an established head coach, a quarterback who could handle Moss on the field and off, a longtime connection in Tice and a clear need for a downfield receiver. So are the Bears a front-runner for Moss' services?

Here's what I know: The same reasons that make Chicago a logical landing point also suggest the Bears won't pursue him.

One of the reasons Smith's locker room has been peaceful is the type of people he has brought into it. You don't have to worry about Brian Urlacher loafing on a play or Olin Kreutz insulting his teammates or Lance Briggs publicly questioning coaching decisions.

Cutler's connection with Marshall is based in part on the receiver's well-known work ethic. Marshall has demonstrated some unstable personality traits, but his effort on the field has never been questioned. A quarterback can count on Marshall's doing his best.

And it's only fair to point out that Tice shed no public tears when the Vikings traded Moss to the Oakland Raiders in April 2005. Too much of Tice's tenure had been devoted to Moss and his ancillary issues.

In short, the Bears are in a good position to understand what Moss is -- and what he probably isn't. For lack of a better term, Moss has been a pathological contrarian for his entire NFL career. He has undermined every coach he's played for, and to think otherwise now would be to suggest he has made a 180-degree personality change.

And as Cutler and anyone else associated with the Bears could attest by watching film, Moss took an obvious step back on the field in 2010 and was a shell of his former self. Defenses still devoted extra attention to him, but that attribute wasn't enough for three different teams to give up on him that season.

In most situations, the Moss-Bears connection would make a whole lot of sense. But this is an entirely unique scenario. Moss is one of a kind. And if it doesn't make sense for the Bears, who would it make sense for?

It took longer than expected. Preliminary decisions were questioned. Debates extended into the wee hours. We went through a first draft, then a second and even a third. Countless observers were consulted. It wasn't until I had a full week to mull the 2011 All-NFC North team that I was prepared to make the big reveal.

Via Twitter, @jpberthiaume asked: "Do people really care about these 'teams?'" I guess it's a fair point. I doubt few, if any, of the players listed in the chart wrote a fifth-grade essay about their plans to one day make the All-NFC North team on ESPN.com, even if it was only because the NFC North hadn't yet been formed in those days and ESPN.com was operating out of a Bristol-based closet.

So I'll let you be the judge. This is annually a fun exercise, even if it doesn't lead to a deep understanding of the human condition or even reveal any breakthroughs about the just-completed season. If nothing else, it offers us a blank template to recognize the best-performing players in the division without the hindrance of the politics and reputation.

Some notes on some of the tight decisions, for which I seriously received input from multiple angles:

• One of the fiercest debates came at wide receiver. Everyone agreed that the Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson deserved one spot, but there was a split about the other two. Did the Green Bay Packers' Greg Jennings, who missed three games because of a knee injury, deserve an automatic bid? And if he did, should the Packers' Jordy Nelson or the Minnesota Vikings' Percy Harvin get the third spot? I thought Jennings' 67 receptions, 949 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games merited a spot. And ultimately I chose Nelson over Harvin. I realize Harvin caught 87 passes in a punchless offense and added 345 rushing yards to his total, but in the end I couldn't overlook a player who scored more touchdowns (15) than all but four players in the NFL this season. Plus, as Hatterbot pointed out: "Rushing yards don't count in the WR category."

2011 All-NFC North Team

Pos.	Player, Team
OFFENSE
WR	Calvin Johnson (DET)
WR	Greg Jennings (GB)
WR	Jordy Nelson (GB)
LT	Jeff Backus (DET)
LG	Rob Sims (DET)
C	Scott Wells (GB)
RG	Josh Sitton (GB)
RT	Bryan Bulaga (GB)
TE	Jermichael Finley (GB)
QB	Aaron Rodgers (GB)
RB	Matt Forte (CHI)
DEFENSE
DE	Jared Allen (MIN)
DT	Kevin Williams (MIN)
DT	Ndamukong Suh (DET)
DE	Julius Peppers (CHI)
OLB	Clay Matthews (GB)
MLB	Brian Urlacher (CHI)
OLB	Lance Briggs (CHI)
CB	Charles Tillman (CHI)
CB	Charles Woodson (GB)
S-NB	Tramon Williams (GB)
S	Louis Delmas (DET)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK	Mason Crosby (GB)
P	Tim Mastay (GB)
PR	Devin Hester (CHI)
KR	Percy Harvin (MIN)
ST	Corey Graham (CHI)

• I went with the Lions' Rob Sims at left guard in part on the advice of John McTigue of ESPN Stats & Information, who noted that Sims was the only NFC North left guard to play the position for 16 games this season. Sims also had the best pass-sack ratio (19.7 passes per sack) of the group, based on video study.
• There is no doubt that the Lions' Brandon Pettigrew (83 catches) had a more productive season then the Packers' Jermichael Finley (55). But the Lions often used Pettigrew as a substitute for their punchless running game, and that's why his per-catch average of 9.4 yards was lower than any other tight end with at least 30 catches. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the average pass to Pettigrew this season traveled 6.5 yards in the air. The average pass to Finley traveled 11.4 yards. Finley caught five passes of at least 30 yards. Pettigrew's longest was 27. Both players had their share of drops, combining for a total of 15, but I thought Finley made a bigger impact on his catches than Pettigrew did.
• I really debated the Bears' Julius Peppers and the Lions' Cliff Avril at defensive end. Avril (11.5) had a half-sack more than Peppers (11) and forced twice as many fumbles. But one of the advantages we have on this team is investigating beyond the conventional numbers. Our friends at Pro Football Focus (PFF) credited Peppers with 53 quarterback pressures, the second-highest total in the NFL. Avril ranked No. 8 with 37, but in a close race, I chose the maximum mumber of plays impacted over Avril's slight edge in "playmaking" statistics.
• I used a similar approach in choosing the Vikings' Kevin Williams and the Lions' Ndamukong Suh as my defensive tackles. It's true that the Bears' Henry Melton led the NFC North's defensive tackles with seven pressures, but PFF had Suh with 27 quarterback pressures, an NFL high for an interior lineman. Williams tied for No. 3 with 25. Melton wasn't that far behind at 23, but I also took into account that the Bears nearly benched him for inconsistency at one point in the season. (Coach Lovie Smith in November: "He hasn't showed up as much. Whether teams have adjusted to him or whatever, we need to get more production from him because he's capable of it." Meanwhile, I thought Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji took a step backward in 2011. PFF credited him with only 10 stops (the cumulative number of plays made that constitute an offensive failure) in 842 snaps.
• If you want to say I chickened out at linebacker, go ahead. I originally left open the middle and one of the outside spots, but in the end I went with our division standbys: Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. For starters, Briggs was one of six non-offensive linemen to play 100 percent of his team's snaps in the NFL this season. There's something to be said for being available to your team. And while I do think that the Packers' Desmond Bishop and the Lions' Stephen Tulloch had good seasons, I couldn't find a statistic or an opinion that convinced me they were better than Urlacher. Someday, there will be turnover among NFC North linebackers. But it didn't happen this season.
• Safety play was poor throughout the NFC North, so I'm not at all ashamed to have chosen a third cornerback to replace one of the safeties on this team. It came down to the Lions' Chris Houston and the Packers' Tramon Williams. Both had their ups and downs in coverage. Houston had five interceptions and two touchdowns in 14 games, while Williams had four interceptions and one touchdown in 15 games. In the end, I chose Williams because I think it was pretty clear he was pushing through a really limiting shoulder injury for much of the first half of the season.
• I chose the Packers' specialists, kicker Mason Crosby and punter Tim Masthay. Crosby converted 24 of 28 kicks, including a 58-yarder, and ranked third in the NFL with 49 touchbacks. Masthay downed a division-high 23 punts inside the 20-yard line despite a division-low 55 punts.
• I mistakenly left off a coverage specialist from our original post. There should be no debating that the Bears' Corey Graham deserves that spot.
• Go ahead. Rip away....

Coming later this week: Some supplementary NFC North awards, including our top coordinators.