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I realize most of Minnesota, and a good portion of the NFC North, is focused on Monday's scheduled debate and vote on the Minnesota Vikings stadium bill. But I'm told by sources close to the situation that the Vikings held a three-day rookie minicamp over the weekend, and while it's dangerous to read much of anything into what happens at such events, two items jumped out to me in reviewing accounts of the weekend.

First, the Vikings will start off fifth-round choice Robert Blanton at safety rather than cornerback, immediately escalating his chances of making the team and seeing the field in 2012. As coach Leslie Frazier told reporters, the Vikings finished 2011 without an established starter at either safety position. "We want an open competition," Frazier said.

The Vikings have not yet re-signed 2011 starter Husain Abdullah, who struggled with concussions last season. That leaves Blanton to compete with Jamarca Sanford and Mistral Raymond for the spot opposite the one likely to be held by first-round draft choice Harrison Smith.

Second, there was no mistaking that the Vikings drafted Georgia place-kicker Blair Walsh to mount a serious threat at incumbent Ryan Longwell, who only a year ago signed a multiyear contract that included a $3.5 million signing bonus.

Over the weekend, Ben of Chicago wondered if the Vikings wanted to use Walsh as a kickoff specialist, one who would justify his roster spot by limiting the number of coverage specialists the Vikings might need to keep. Frazier said that scenario is "possible" but made clear "it's not in the game plan right now."

As we discussed over draft weekend, teams don't use draft picks on place-kickers without a significant purpose. In recent history, it's usually been either to unseat an incumbent or to fill an obvious hole.

In the five drafts between 2007 and 2011, NFL teams drafted eight place-kickers. Seven of them appeared on their team's roster at some point during their rookie season, although one of them -- David Buehler of the Dallas Cowboys -- was strictly a kickoff specialist.

Longwell will turn 38 in August, but I wouldn't consider replacing him to be atop the Vikings' list of needs. Still, Frazier said "we are obviously going to take a close look" at Walsh this summer in training camp. Stay tuned on that one.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- By the looks of it, those of you who are disappointed about the Minnesota Vikings' offseason thus far can be categorized in two ways: Those who wanted to see the Vikings pursue a starting-caliber wide receiver and those who thought they needed to prioritize a depleted secondary that contributed to one of the worst pass defenses in NFL history last season.

I think the former is mitigated a bit by the addition of tight end John Carlson, who has been a slick pass-catcher when healthy in his NFL career. But I do think it's fair to question how the Vikings intend to improve their pass defense without a talent influx, and that was on the top of my mind Sunday when Vikings general manager Rick Spielman stopped to speak with reporters here at the NFL owners meetings.

Spielman defended his approach, saying: "I just really believe in doing the due diligence and being patient." He added "there's no hurry for anything" and pointed out that veteran cornerbacks Chris Cook and Antoine Winfield should form a decent foundation for the Vikings' 2012 secondary.

In the end, however, it seems clear that Spielman has targeted the draft for difference-makers in the secondary, whether they are cornerbacks or safeties.

"There's a pretty good crop of corners in this year's draft," he said, "and we know if we do go that route, the coaches will have to step in and do a great job developing them."

Speaking generally, Spielman said his approach to building the roster is that free agency is a time to "get a lot of value" from players, but the draft is "hopefully we're going to get our top of the line, blue-chip players."

I appreciate Spielman standing in on a number of questions on the subject. I understand where he's coming from but think it's only fair to point out a number of facts:

• Both of the cornerbacks he's counting on have had trouble staying on the field in recent years.
• Cook missed 10 games in 2010 because of knee injuries and another 10 in 2011 after he was arrested in a domestic incident that he was ultimately acquitted for.
• Winfield, meanwhile, missed 11 games last season, six in 2009 and will turn 35 in August.
• One of their 2011 starting safeties, Husain Abdullah, has a history of concussions and has yet to re-sign.
• Candidates under contract to start at safety include Mistral Raymond and Jamarca Sanford, both of whom got chances in 2011.

How many starting defensive backs can you get in a single draft? Maybe one if you do a good job and two or three if you have a great draft. Sitting out the opening days of free agency prevents paying elite money to above-average players, but it also leaves a team in the predicament the Vikings are in now: Hoping to recycle some players with question marks near their names.

It doesn't mean the Vikings can't fill all of their needs. It just means they won't do it all at once, or even in one year.

"It's funny," Spielman said. "People think you have this need and you have to fill it now. There's no order that you have to fill your needs in. Not the last time I looked."

A few thoughts on an eventful and costly 33-26 victory at FedEx Field:

What it means: The Minnesota Vikings snapped a six-game losing steak and avoided tying the franchise record for consecutive losses. But it came at a price. Tailback Adrian Peterson (left knee) and quarterback Christian Ponder (concussion) suffered injuries on consecutive plays in the third quarter, and Peterson's injury appeared particularly gruesome. Also, by winning their third game this season, the Vikings eliminated themselves from contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft.

PetersonWatch: The Vikings will keep their fingers crossed on Peterson, but he was unable to put any weight on the knee as he was helped off the field and later needed a cart to get to the locker room. The late-season timing of this injury, if it includes a torn ligament, could threaten Peterson's availability for the start of the 2012 season.

WebbWatch: Backup quarterback Joe Webb once again played like gangbusters after Ponder departed, accounting for three touchdowns -- two through the air and one on the ground. The Vikings' energy level with Webb in the game is unmistakable.

End of run I: Safety Mistral Raymond's fourth-quarter interception of Rex Grossman was the Vikings' first in 10 games, ending a run that set a new NFL record. It came at a critical moment and set up the possession that made it a two-score game with about four minutes remaining. The Vikings entered the game with an NFL-low six interceptions this season.

End of run II: Longtime athletic trainer and current team historian Fred Zamberletti had attended every game in Vikings history before Saturday, a streak of 1,049 games including pre- and post-season. Zamberletti, 79, is ill and was unable to make the trip.

What's next: The Vikings will close out the regular season next Sunday by hosting the Chicago Bears.

A few thoughts on a wild game at the Metrodome with the Broncos winning 35-32:

What it means: In shades of their early-season struggles, the Minnesota Vikings lost another halftime lead and found a way to lose this game at the end. They are 2-10 and the best news is that they maintained their position near the top of the 2012 draft.

PonderWatch: We saw the best and worst of rookie quarterback Christian Ponder, who threw for 381 yards and three scores but also had two game-defining interceptions. Part of me wants to give Ponder credit for that kind of production in the absence of tailback Adrian Peterson. Ponder also appeared to be playing on a gimpy leg. But he threw his first interception into the hands of Mario Haggan, resulting in a 16-yard return for a score. And his second put the Broncos in position for Matt Prater's game-winning 23-yard field goal as time expired.

HarvinWatch: Receiver Percy Harvin, who missed practice Friday because of an illness, was the Vikings' big playmaker in the absence of Peterson. Harvin turned two short passes into long touchdown plays in the second half and finished with 156 receiving yards. He also took another five carries out of the backfield. I like the way the Vikings are using Harvin on offense under new coordinator Bill Musgrave.

Secondary woes: When Tim Tebow completes 10 of 15 passes against you for 202 yards and two scores, and isn't intercepted, you know you've got some issues in your secondary. Rookies Brandon Burton and Mistral Raymond saw plenty of action and, not surprisingly, struggled at times. The biggest insult: The Broncos' offense scored 28 points using basically a traditional offense. They didn't need to resort to the option and Tebow had only four carries.

Highlight reel: Rookie tight end Kyle Rudolph gave fans something to think about for the future by reaching over safety Quinton Carter to haul in a 19-yard touchdown reception. You can't ask more from a tight end in the red zone than to render the defender helpless with his size.

What's next: The Vikings will play at the Detroit Lions next Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge on Week 13:

Closing in: The Green Bay Packers have a great chance to clinch a playoff spot Sunday, regardless of what happens in their game at the New York Giants. (It can happen with a Packers victory, or a loss by one of the following teams: the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions or the Atlanta Falcons.) The Packers can also clinch the NFC North with a victory combined with a Lions loss to the New Orleans Saints. Even if they lose to the Giants, losses by the Lions and Bears this weekend would hand the division to the Packers. And then the real fun begins. The Packers' next goal would be to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and, possibly, a 16-0 regular season.

History: The Giants have lost three consecutive games and aren't expected to have defensive end Osi Umenyiora (ankle/knee) for this game. The Packers, meanwhile, have won 17 consecutive games, including the playoffs. But optimism in New York for an upset has centered, in part, on the Giants' history in such situations. On three occasions, the Giants have snapped an opponent's winning streak of 18 or more games. They beat the New England Patriots in 2004, the Denver Broncos in 1998 and the Chicago Bears in 1934. With that said, nothing has happened lately to suggest that these Giants are in position to make it a fourth time -- other than the fact that previous incarnations of their teams have pulled it off.

Must win: Let's be blunt: If the Bears want to participate in the 2011 postseason, they'll need to beat the Kansas City Chiefs at Soldier Field. The Chiefs have lost four consecutive games and are expected to start quarterback Tyler Palko, who has thrown six interceptions in the Chiefs' past two games. The other alternative is former Bears quarterback Kyle Orton, who has spent a week with the team. The Bears are 5-1 and are averaging 31.3 points per game at home this season, their only loss coming in Week 3 to the Packers. There is a general assumption that quarterback Caleb Hanie will settle down for his second NFL start, but the Chiefs' poor perimeter run defense could help tailback Matt Forte gobble up yards outside the tackles. (The Chiefs are allowing 5.7 yards per rush outside the tackles.) No matter how it happens, the Bears can't afford a loss Sunday.

Tough to win: As we noted earlier Friday, the Lions will have their work cut out for them Sunday night in stopping the New Orleans Saints' offense, which is particularly explosive at the Superdome. To be fair, it's worth noting that the Lions have a decent opportunity to score against the Saints' risk-taking defense. The Saints are giving up the sixth-most passing yards per game in the NFL this season (253.7) and have only six interceptions, tied for the second-lowest in the league. The fractured right index finger of Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has healed, and the Lions at least have the capacity to exchange blows in a shootout.

Defending Tebow: The Minnesota Vikings' beleaguered secondary will get something of a break this week against Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. The Vikings will be without four of the top five defensive backs they opened the season with, and on Sunday rookie Mistral Raymond will make his first NFL start. But the Broncos rarely throw downfield with Tebow and instead focus on their option running game. The Vikings will need to pay particular attention when Tebow is in the spread formation; the Broncos are averaging 6.5 yards per rush and have five rushing touchdowns when Tebow is in the shotgun.

Getting inside the Friday injury report:

Chicago Bears: Nickel back D.J. Moore (ankle) is doubtful for Sunday's game and isn't expected to play against the San Diego Chargers. Corey Graham will be the nickel back. All other players should be available.

Detroit Lions: Punter Ryan Donahue (quadriceps) was ruled out, confirming that newcomer Ben Graham will punt Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Safety Amari Spievey (toe) is probable and expected to play. The Lions could be thin on the defensive line, based on the availability of defensive ends Willie Young (ankle) and Lawrence Jackson (thigh). Both are listed as questionable.

Green Bay Packers: The only injury issue this week has been defensive end Mike Neal (knee), who made it through portions of all three practices. The Packers are listing him as questionable for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an encouraging sign. Even if he doesn't play this week, it appears Neal hasn't had any setbacks to prevent an imminent return.

Minnesota Vikings: Guard Anthony Herrera (knee) and safety Husain Abdullah (concussion ) were ruled out for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders. Joe Berger will again start at right guard, and it's expected the Vikings will use a three-man rotation at safety between Jamarca Sanford, Tyrell Johnson and rookie Mistral Raymond. Meanwhile, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe (hamstring) is questionable, as is linebacker Erin Henderson (hamstring). Kyle Rudolph and Kenny Onatolu, respectively, could see additional playing time Sunday.

After the Minnesota Vikings' 45-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertFollowing their loss to the Packers, the Vikings take a seat in the examination room.
   The Vikings talked big last week about ending the Packers' run at an undefeated season. Instead, they produced their most lethargic performance of the year. Defensive end Jared Allen called it "disgusting" and fellow defensive end Brian Robison felt compelled to say via Twitter: "We have not quit." When a team lays that kind of egg on national television, public discussion naturally turns to the effectiveness of the head coach. I'm not ready to go there yet with Leslie Frazier. He took over a complicated situation and is trying to navigate a roster transition while still prodding the remaining veterans. As an organization, the Vikings are approaching their situation as a remodel rather than a rebuild. They might have underestimated the work ahead of them.
2. There is a line of thought in the NFL that you don't play rookies and/or backups just to play them, or in the blind hope that they will provide an upgrade over the status quo. But the Vikings have enough low-functioning players to justify it at several positions. I see no reason why rookie defensive tackle Christian Ballard shouldn't continue to start ahead of Remi Ayodele. It's worth seeing whether rookie safety Mistral Raymond is any better than Tyrell Johnson, Jamarca Sanford or Husain Abdullah. In basketball terms, at 2-7 and after displaying the kind of lethargy we saw Monday night, the Vikings need to empty the bench. If nothing else, it's a method for holding players accountable. No one has tenure in the NFL.
3. Amid it all, we should note that Allen continues to bring it hard on every play this season. He was in the face of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers all game, finishing with seven tackles, including three for a loss, and one sack to bring his season total to 13.5. I would imagine his NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidacy will be negatively impacted by the Vikings' poor team performance, but that's too bad. One of this generation's best pass-rushers is having the best season of his career. Allen's production and energy level have never been higher. He's setting an example that, quite frankly, isn't being noticed by enough of his teammates.

And here is one issue I still don't get:

What does the future hold for cornerback Antoine Winfield, whose season is probably over after fracturing his collarbone Monday night? He will be 35 when the 2012 season begins and has been limited by injuries in two of the past three seasons. The Vikings have uncertainty across the board at cornerback, from fellow starter Cedric Griffin to second-year player Chris Cook, who is inactive because of legal issues. And it's worth nothing that the Vikings negotiated a de-escalator into Winfield's most recent contract, one that would pay him $7 million if he is a starter but about $3 million if he is a nickelback. Winfield is part of an old guard of Vikings defenders who eventually will be phased out. Will it be this offseason?

We're Black and Blue All Over:

CHICAGO -- Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was not the only NFC North player revealed Sunday to have a significant injury. Chicago Bears left guard Chris Williams suffered a dislocated wrist that required immediate surgery and will cost him the rest of the season, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.

Williams appeared to have been making a successful transition from left tackle, but the injury represents another in a series of season-impacting injuries he's suffered since the Bears made him their top draft pick in 2008. If he doesn't play again this season, Williams will have missed 26 of a possible 64 starts because of back, groin and wrist injuries.

Edwin Williams replaced Chris Williams on Sunday afternoon. He seems to be the first option to play left guard moving forward.

We'll spend Monday morning wrapping up Sunday's action before shifting gears to Monday night's game at Lambeau Field. First, let's take our morning tour around the division:

• Michael Wilbon of ESPNChicago.com: "When the Chicago Bears are really good, which is to say a serious contender, there's a specific formula that works for this franchise. Punishing defense plus electrifying special teams and a dash of offense equals a potentially special season. The Bears are on the verge of that now, right at the edge of something promising."
• The Bears were "Baaaad Men" on Sunday, writes Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears cornerback Charles Tillman played a great game against Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, according to Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune: "In a matchup with playoff implications, the team trying desperately to project a bad-boy image was just plain bad, while the real postseason contender stood up. The Lions came hoping to intimidate, but instead everybody left raving about the Bears' intimidating defense that created six turnovers. The Lions picked the fight. The Bears finished it."
• The Lions' six turnovers Sunday came after they led the NFL in turnover margin for their first eight games of the season, notes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press on Stafford's game: "The Lions can say it was the wind. They can believe it. But as a fan, you have to hope they are lying. Stafford needs to play well even when it is windy. After all, the Lions finish the season in Green Bay, and if they make the playoffs, they might have to play in Green Bay, Chicago or San Francisco, three of the windiest locales in the NFL. Finger injuries go away. In the NFC North, the wind will be around for a while."
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News: "For the first time all season, the Lions regressed and retreated, not only shaken badly by the Bears, but shaken badly by the moment."
• John Niyo of the News: "The Lions play hard. They play on the edge. And sometimes they cross the line, as they probably did again a time or two Sunday. "
• The Bears might be a more formidable divisional opponent for the Green Bay Packers than the Lions, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette suggests it's time for the Packers to give rookie linebacker Vic So'oto a chance to rush the passer. Here's what Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers said: "The best thing I can say there is he's still very young at the position, still very green learning the techniques, all those things. You don't want to experiment on the field. You guys hear me say this all the time, and I tell the team, if we're going to call something on Sunday I want to see it work on the practice field. I don't want to just throw it out there and see if it works."
• The Packers think left tackle Marshall Newhouse is more prepared to block Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen than he was in the teams' first meeting. Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com has more.
• The return of Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield should provide a boost, notes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune looks into why the Vikings seem so committed to cornerback Chris Cook.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press profiles rookie Vikings safety Mistral Raymond. An excerpt: "As Raymond prepares to become a bigger part of the Vikings' plans, with the team taking a hard look at its rookie safety as early as Monday night at Green Bay, the sixth-round draft choice is relishing the opportunity, but not just for him. Football is not his most important job."

Check here for a complete list of the Minnesota Vikings' roster moves.

Surprise move: Either the Vikings have confidence in a number of unproven offensive linemen or they have their sights on some veteran acquisitions later this weekend. They released guard/tackles Chris DeGeare and Ryan Cook, both of whom saw substantial action at right guard during the injury rehabilitation of starter Anthony Herrera. This version of their 53-man roster features three centers and a total of 10 offensive linemen. The group includes two rookies (DeMarcus Love and Brandon Fusco) and one first-year player in Patrick Brown. The Vikings' arrangement here remains under construction, as far as I’m concerned.

No-brainers: Undrafted tight end Allen Reisner was one of the big surprises of camp. He not only pushed veteran Jeff Dugan off the roster but also forced the Vikings to keep four tight ends on their roster. I wondered whether the Vikings would release safety Tyrell Johnson, who has struggled to maintain his starting job in the face of a modest challenge from Jamarca Sanford. In the end, the Vikings didn’t have enough in-house experience to make that move. But watch out down the road for rookie Mistral Raymond, who forced his way onto the initial 53-man roster and is clearly respected by coaches.

What’s next: You would think the Vikings would be on the lookout for two areas in particular: Linebackers and running backs. The decision to release veteran Heath Farwell left them with five linebackers, only two of whom have starting experience. The current backups are special-teams ace Kenny Onatolu and undrafted rookie Larry Dean. With new starter Erin Henderson still establishing himself, you wonder if that is enough depth. Meanwhile, the Vikings kept only three tailbacks (and no fullbacks). Both of Adrian Peterson's backups, Toby Gerhart and Lorenzo Booker, were dealing with injuries as recently as last week. Depth is definitely an issue and could be addressed in the next 24-48 hours.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

During Tuesday's SportsNation chat, David of Florida asked whether Jordy Nelson or James Jones would be the Green Bay Packers' best candidate for the No. 2 receiver. It was as if veteran Donald Driver was no longer in the picture.

That's clearly not the case, as Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette points out. Driver remains entrenched in the Packers' No. 2 role, well accustomed to the annual questions about his future.

Driver: "I said I want to play until I'm 40. Will that day come? I hope. If not, I'm willing to know when it's over, it's over. And right now for me it's not over. It's been a proven fact I'm still playing at a high level. I'm competing at a high level."

If Nelson and Jones continue their development, it's going to be hard to keep them off the field. The emergence of rookie Randall Cobb also adds a layer to that dynamic. But Driver isn't ready to concede anything, nor should he.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers defensive end Mike Neal was treating his injured left knee in a hyperbaric chamber Tuesday, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was vague about the future of the no-huddle scheme in the Packers' offense, notes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Detroit Lions rookie defensive tackle Nick Fairley has shed the cast on his broken foot and has been an active participant in defensive line meetings, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions cornerback Brandon McDonald is "geeked" to play the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 of the preseason, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• The Lions' offense is going to take what the defense gives, writes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune profiles Minnesota Vikings linebackers coach Mike Singletary, noting that Singletary nearly ran away from home as a 12-year-old because he wasn't allowed to play football.
• The Vikings are working Chris DeGeare at both right guard and right tackle, according to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• The Vikings are giving rookie safety Mistral Raymond a long look, notes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz had quarterback Caleb Hanie back working with the No. 2 offense Tuesday, notes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times. Hanie: "Mike's done that before with me; last season in training camp, too. Mike's tough on his backup quarterbacks. It's been his m.o. his whole career. I'm glad he is because it pushes me and makes me better."
• Bears running back Matt Forte is staying focused during his contract negotiations, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune wonders if the Bears will maintain their commitment to the running game in 2011.

On Thursday, we find ourselves at an important juncture in the NFL's summer evaluation process. Players have been going at it in training camp for two weeks, giving coaches a glimpse of the kind of practice habits and skills they have. Beginning Thursday night for some teams and this weekend for the rest, we'll start getting an idea of how they function in games.

We've all heard stories of players who impress early in camp. Some continue that process through the preseason, and others fall off. So before things get confused by the upcoming transition, I want to pass along one rookie or newcomer who has caught my eye during each stop on CampTour'11. (And yes, I realize three of the four are receivers. I guess I spent a lot of time watching one-on-one drills.)

Chicago Bears
Player: Receiver Dane Sanzenbacher
Comment: I have no idea if the Bears will have roster space for a rookie free agent from Ohio State, and who knows how Sanzenbacher will perform in the preseason. But he sure looked comfortable in the slot position of offensive coordinator Mike Martz's offense during the time I was at Bears camp.

Detroit Lions
Player: Receiver Maurice Stovall
Comment: By all accounts, my choice here probably would have been tailback Mikel LeShoure had he not ruptured an Achilles tendon Monday. I realize Stovall has been in the NFL for five years, but at 6-foot-5 he is a big target who looked awfully difficult to stop during red zone drills that I watched. I'm not sure if the Lions can find a roster spot for him, especially after signing receiver/special-teams ace Rashied Davis, but Stovall seems intriguing.

Green Bay Packers
Player: Receiver/returner Randall Cobb
Comment: I was at Packers camp pretty early, but already it was clear that Cobb had exceptional acceleration, aggressiveness and open-field running ability. Reports indicate he has continued to open eyes, and everyone is excited to see what -- and how much -- he can handle in the preseason.

Minnesota Vikings
Player: Safety Mistral Raymond
Comment: Raymond has some of the thinnest legs I've seen and has a steep learning curve, but he appears to be a lively personality and a strong competitor who could make things interesting for the Vikings. At least one safety position is wide open, and Raymond saw some first-team repetitions as recently as Wednesday.

We're quickly learning that the signing of draft picks is all but a formality under the new collective bargaining agreement. Either that or agents haven't yet identified enough loopholes to draw out negotiations. Regardless, the NFC North is humming along in that regard.

The Detroit Lions have completed negotiations. The Chicago Bears have one player remaining as of early Friday morning. The Green Bay Packers have made progress, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette. The Minnesota Vikings haven't had any reported signings, but their rookies also don't need to report to training camp until Sunday.

Here's the tally as of this moment:

Chicago Bears

Unsigned

• Round 1: Offensive lineman Gabe Carimi

Green Bay Packers

Signed

• Round 5: Tight end D.J. Williams
• Round 6(a): Offensive lineman Caleb Schlauderaff
• Round 7(a): Tight end Ryan Taylor

Unsigned

• Round 1: Offensive lineman Derek Sherrod
• Round 2: Receiver Randall Cobb
• Round 3: Running back Alex Green
• Round 4: Cornerback Davon House
• Round 6(b): Linebacker D.J. Smith
• Round 6(c): Defensive end Ricky Elmore
• Round 7(b): Defensive tackle Lawrence Guy

Minnesota Vikings

Unsigned

• Round 1: Quarterback Christian Ponder
• Round 2: Tight end Kyle Rudolph
• Round 4: Defensive tackle Christian Ballard
• Round 5: Cornerback Brandon Burton
• Round 6(a): Offensive lineman DeMarcus Love
• Round 6(b): Safety Mistral Raymond
• Round 6(c): Center Brandon Fusco
• Round 6(d): Linebacker Ross Homan
• Round 7(a): Defensive end D'Aundre Reed
• Round 7(b): Receiver Stephen Burton

The Detroit Lions will be the first NFC North team to get on the field for a training camp practice, and so it makes sense for them to have made signing their draft class a high priority. After a flurry of agreements Thursday afternoon, the Lions are down to one unsigned rookie: First-round pick Nick Fairley.

The Lions have a 10:15 a.m. practice scheduled for Friday morning.

Chicago Bears

Signed

• Round 5(a): Linebacker J.T. Thomas
• Round 5(b): Quarterback Nathan Enderle

Unsigned

• Round 1: Offensive lineman Gabe Carimi
• Round 2: Defensive tackle Stephen Paea
• Round 3: Safety Chris Conte

Detroit Lions

Signed

• Round 2(a): Receiver Titus Young
• Round 2(b): Running back Mikel Leshoure
• Round 5: Linebacker Doug Hogue
• Round 7: Offensive lineman Johnny Culbreath

Unsigned

• Round 1: Defensive tackle Nick Fairley

Green Bay Packers

Unsigned

• Round 1: Offensive lineman Derek Sherrod
• Round 2: Receiver Randall Cobb
• Round 3: Running back Alex Green
• Round 4: Cornerback Davon House
• Round 5: Tight end D.J. Williams
• Round 6(a): Offensive lineman Caleb Schlauderaff
• Round 6(b): Linebacker D.J. Smith
• Round 6(c): Defensive end Ricky Elmore
• Round 7(a): Tight end Ryan Taylor
• Round 7(b): Defensive tackle Lawrence Guy

Minnesota Vikings

Unsigned

• Round 1: Quarterback Christian Ponder
• Round 2: Tight end Kyle Rudolph
• Round 4: Defensive tackle Christian Ballard
• Round 5: Cornerback Brandon Burton
• Round 6(a): Offensive lineman DeMarcus Love
• Round 6(b): Safety Mistral Raymond
• Round 6(c): Center Brandon Fusco
• Round 6(d): Linebacker Ross Homan
• Round 7(a): Defensive end D'Aundre Reed
• Round 7(b): Receiver Stephen Burton

Amid the frenzied free-agent market, NFL teams are trying to get their draft classes signed in time for the training camps they want to open in the coming days. So lets resurrect our annual draft tracker to keep you abreast of who has signed and who is left.

To this point, the Chicago Bears are the only NFC North team with confirmed draft pick signings.

I'll post new versions of this bad boy regularly but not necessarily after every transaction.

Chicago Bears

Signed

• Round 5(a): Linebacker J.T. Thomas
• Round 5(b): Quarterback Nathan Enderle

Unsigned

• Round 1: Offensive lineman Gabe Carimi
• Round 2: Defensive tackle Stephen Paea
• Round 3: Safety Chris Conte

Detroit Lions

Unsigned

• Round 1: Defensive tackle Nick Fairley
• Round 2(a): Receiver Titus Young
• Round 2(b): Running back Mikel Leshoure
• Round 5: Linebacker Doug Hogue
• Round 7: Offensive lineman Johnny Culbreath

Green Bay Packers

Unsigned

• Round 1: Offensive lineman Derek Sherrod
• Round 2: Receiver Randall Cobb
• Round 3: Running back Alex Green
• Round 4: Cornerback Davon House
• Round 5: Tight end D.J. Williams
• Round 6(a): Offensive lineman Caleb Schlauderaff
• Round 6(b): Linebacker D.J. Smith
• Round 6(c): Defensive end Ricky Elmore
• Round 7(a): Tight end Ryan Taylor
• Round 7(b): Defensive tackle Lawrence Guy

Minnesota Vikings

Unsigned

• Round 1: Quarterback Christian Ponder
• Round 2: Tight end Kyle Rudolph
• Round 4: Defensive tackle Christian Ballard
• Round 5: Cornerback Brandon Burton
• Round 6(a): Offensive lineman DeMarcus Love
• Round 6(b): Safety Mistral Raymond
• Round 6(c): Center Brandon Fusco
• Round 6(d): Linebacker Ross Homan
• Round 7(a): Defensive end D'Aundre Reed
• Round 7(b): Receiver Stephen Burton

As some of you might know by now, new Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder has organized and financed a minicamp for Vikings players this week at an IMG Academy in Florida.

Sunday night, IMG indicated that 11 Vikings players were planning to attend. Among the names on that list: Receivers Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian, along with tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

According to multiple reporters who are on the scene, none of those four had arrived as of Wednesday morning. According to Viking Update, Ponder provided explanations for three of the absences. I'm sorry, but that tweet will go down as the greatest list of excuses since Ferris Bueller took a day off.

In sum: Harvin lost his phone, Shiancoe had a late conflict and Berrian missed a flight.

Hopefully. the dog didn't eat their playbooks.

To be fair, no one was obligated to attend this event. There will be other opportunities to gather before the ostensible start of training camp. But now I think you know why some teams are conducting their players-only workouts in private. Namely: to avoid public pressure to attend and discourage public criticism for skipping it.

But I think we can agree that if there is any value to players-only workouts during a lockout, it's to develop timing between quarterbacks and skill players. When the quarterback is new, as Ponder is, you can add a few exponents to that value.

Ponder has taken on a difficult task as a rookie quarterback, trying to operate as a leader in the absence of any alternatives even before he has formally met most of his teammates. He has succeeded in reaching a few of them. Here is the list through a day and a half of practices: Receivers Greg Camarillo and Emmanuel Arceneaux, tight end and Kyle Rudolph, quarterbacks Joe Webb and Rhett Bomar, center Brandon Fusco and safety Mistral Raymond.

I don't think we should draw any long-term conclusions, or develop any deep-seated conspiracy theories, about the Vikings' four most prominent pass catchers all coincidentally being unable to attend this minicamp. I mean, who hasn't lost their phone? Or missed a flight? Let's just say that Ponder is finding out how the NFL works -- a little more each day.