ESPN NFL

We're Black and Blue All Over:

We noted last month that all four NFC North teams faced decisions on their quarterback depth this offseason. The Detroit Lions, specifically, had to decide whether to bring back backups Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton -- both of whom are pending free agents -- or if they would use the positions to help draw down their bloated salary-cap structure.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that Hill is likely to return, one way or the other, even if it means taking a "slight discount" to make it happen.

That makes sense for all parties. Hill has a longtime connection with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, performed well when the Lions needed him in 2010 and understands that he won't get a chance to beat out starter Matthew Stafford. That's a pretty good combination for a backup quarterback.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Lions added former NFL safety Marcus Robertson to their coaching staff as a defensive assistant, notes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Secondary coach Tim Walton has received added duties in coordinating the Lions' third-down package, writes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Chicago Bears rookie linebacker J.T. Thomas was arrested Monday morning and charged with misdemeanor drug possession in West Virginia, notes ESPNChicago.com.
• Former Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris is "overwhelmed" by support from the Bears and the city of Chicago after his wife died suddenly over the weekend. Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times has more.
• The Bears' window to place the franchise tag on running back Matt Forte opens Monday, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy has anticipated moving Ben McAdoo to quarterbacks coach for the past two years, writes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Former quarterbacks coach Tom Clements, now the Packers' offensive coordinator, plans to spend a lot of time around the quarterbacks, writes Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• McCarthy considered hiring Alex Van Pelt to his staff in 2006, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Minnesota officials need more input from Minneapolis leaders in order to push the Minnesota Vikings' stadium proposal to the next level, writes Doug Belden of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Former Vikings defensive line coach Karl Dunbar was hired by the New York Jets, according to Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

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

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

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

Continuing around the NFC North:

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

We're Black and Blue All Over

So the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox -- er, the New York Giants and the New England Patriots -- will meet in Super Bowl XLVI. We here in the NFC North have a very East-Coast title game to look forward to. (Or not.) Don't worry. We have plenty to keep us busy here in the Midwest.

Tops on the list is the Chicago Bears' search for a general manager, which you would think could near its conclusion this week. The Bears interviewed five candidates for the job last week, including current director of player personnel Tim Ruskell, and probably would have either a second round of interviews this week or simply make a decision.

Stay tuned on that one. The other candidates include Marc Ross (Giants), Jason Licht (New England Patriots), Jimmy Raye III (San Diego Chargers) and Phil Emery (Kansas City Chiefs).

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and fiancé Kristin Cavillari announced they are expecting, according to People Magazine via ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears cornerback Charles Tillman is one of three finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
• Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel grades the Green Bay Packers' season.
• Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette offers his grades.
• Pete Dougherty of the Press-Gazette recalls how the Packers nearly hired Joe Paterno as their coach in 1971.
• The Oakland Raiders have already interviewed Packers assistant head coach/linebackers Winston Moss and have asked permission to interview defensive coordinator Dom Capers as well, notes AFC West colleague Bill Williamson.
• Lions defensive backs coach Tim Walton interviewed for a job with the St. Louis Rams, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions place-kicker Jason Hanson figures he'll have to win his job in training camp again this summer, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Free Press.
• Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com wonders why the Vikings hired Fred Pagac as defensive coordinator last year.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports from the Senior Bowl festivities in Mobile, Ala., where the Vikings are coaching the North team.

Let's finally get around to addressing a question we left open during Tuesday's SportsNation chat. (Man, that was Tuesday? Crazy week.)

I promised William I would come back with a fuller answer once I found it myself. First, the relevant pair of exchanges on Detroit Lions safety Randy Phillips:

William J Lepetomane (Rock Ridge)

Randy Phillips looks to be a keeper for the Lions. It doesn't look like he was at the combine in April. Any idea how he stayed under the radar? Also, any further word on Ryan Stamper joining their depleting LB corp?

Kevin Seifert (2:01 PM)

I believe there is an assistant on the Lions' staff who coached Phillips in college. As for Stamper, no word...

William J Lepetomane (Rock Ridge)

I understand how Phillips got to Detroit, I don't understand why he wasn't at the combine and apparently unnoticed by anyone else. Any ideas?

Kevin Seifert (2:11 PM)

Oh, sorry. I know there is a story there but I don't have it on quick recall. Apologies. But I will put it on my list this week and do a blog post on it. Thanks.

First, let that be a lesson for me reading questions too fast. Sometimes the chat pace gets to me. Second, as it turns out, all we had to do is catch up on our reading. Chris McCosky of the Detroit News wrote a fantastic profile last week of Phillips, who signed Aug. 4 as an undrafted rookie and was almost immediately inserted into the starting lineup. He could make his third preseason start Saturday against Cleveland.

The short version of the story: Phillips tore the labrum and rotator cuff in the same shoulder early last season while playing at Miami. He decided to delay surgery until January, allowing him to play out his final season but rendering him unable to participate in postseason All-Star games or the combine.

Lions secondary coach Tim Walton had recruited him to play at Miami, and so Detroit had an obvious connection. Essentially, the Lions waited until Phillips was fully recovered from surgery and signed him.

Will Phillips actually be a starter when the regular season begins? That's unclear at this point. Louis Delmas is scheduled to make his debut against the Browns, but fellow starter C.C. Brown has a cast on his right hand to protect an injury. Phillips sure seems to have a chance. Regardless of what that would say about the Lions' depth, it would be an amazing story.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Busy day here in the NFC North. The latest comes from Detroit, where the Lions just announced their full coaching staff.

Coach Jim Schwartz's 18-man staff includes six holdovers from predecessor Rod Marinelli's staff. Here is the full list, with an asterisk (*) next to the holdovers:

• Assistant head coach/defensive coordinator: Gunther Cunningham
  
• Offensive coordinator: Scott Linehan
  
• Quarterbacks: Jeff Horton
  
• Offensive line: George Yarno
  
• Running backs: Sam Gash*
  
• Wide receivers: Shawn Jefferson*
  
• Tight ends: Tim Lappano
  
• Offensive quality control: Todd Downing
  
• Defensive line: Bob Karmelowicz
  
• Assistant defensive line: Kris Kocurek
  
• Linebackers: Matt Burke
  
• Secondary: Tim Walton
  
• Assistant secondary: Daron Roberts
  
• Defensive quality control: Don Clemons*
  
• Special teams coordinator: Stan Kwan*
  
• Assistant special teams: Bradford Banta*
  
• Coordinator of physical development: Jason Arapoff*
  
• Strength and conditioning: Malcolm Blacken*

Here is a link to a page with biographies for each coach. I'll have a bit more analysis on this list Thursday. Please don't go blue holding your breath.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

We noted earlier Wednesday that Detroit hasn't announced the majority of its new coaching staff, even though some of them apparently are on the job already. But names have been floating around for each job, so for reference, here is one version of new coach Jim Schwartz's first staff as culled from various sources and reports:

Offensive coordinator: Scott Linehan
Offensive line: George Yarno
Running backs: Sam Gash
Wide receivers: Shawn Jefferson
Tights ends: Tim Lappano
Defensive coordinator: Gunther Cunningham
Defensive line: Unknown
Linebackers: Matt Burke
Defensive backs: Tim Walton (or Bob Slowik)
Special teams: Stan Kwan

I don't want to draw too many conclusions because nothing is official yet. But there are a few facts worth noting:

1. At least three holdovers from former coach Rod Marinelli's 0-16 team appear to have survived: Gash, Jefferson and Kwan.
2. Of the new assistants, two came from the college ranks: Lappano and Walton. (There have also been reports that Slowik would coach defensive backs, so this position is not entirely clear yet.)
3. Yarno and Burke received promotions from their previous jobs as assistants in Tampa Bay and Tennessee, respectively. Yarno was the Buccaneers' assistant offensive line coach, while Burke was a defensive assistant for the Titans.
   
4. Youth is balanced by the experience of Linehan and Cunningham, both of whom are former NFL head coaches and have been coordinators for multiple teams.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Minnesota owner Zygi Wilf is ramping up efforts to sell his stadium plan as a way to spur job growth and stimulate the local economy, according to reports in the Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Wilf hosted a meeting of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council on Tuesday, hoping to gain its leaders' support in spreading the message. Dick Anfang, the council's president, estimates the project could net $500 million for local contractors and at various times provide jobs to as many as 5,500 people during the four-year construction period.

There are many questions left to be answered about those figures, including whether any of the jobs would be permanent and if the stimulus would compensate for the taxpayer contribution -- expected to be $700 million or more -- the project would require.

Every indication from Minnesota state leaders has suggested the Vikings won't get serious consideration during this year's session of the state legislature. But it's clear Wilf will not go quietly. His stadium point man is already elevating the rhetoric, noting the Vikings have 30 games left on their Metrodome lease (which expires after the 2011 season).

Continuing around the NFC North:

• There were reports last month that Detroit would hire Bob Slowik as its defensive backs coach. But a report from FOX-13 in Memphis says the Lions have hired University of Memphis defensive coordinator Tim Walton for the job. The Lions have yet to confirm any member of their coaching staff other than coordinators Gunther Cunningham (defense) and Scott Linehan (offense).
• Via Dave Birkett of the Oakland Press, Rivals.com reports that former University of Washington assistant Tim Lappano will join the Lions as tight ends coach.
• Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com confirms earlier reports that former Lions offensive coordinator Jim Colletto, demoted last month to offensive line coach, won't return in any capacity. Colletto said he likely will retire. George Yarno has been reported to be the Lions' new offensive line coach.
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times analyzes whether one of the draft's top quarterbacks could slip to the Bears at No. 18.
• In an online chat, Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette says he thinks backup tailback Brandon Jackson will get more carries in 2009.
  
• Mike Vandermause of the Press-Gazette suggests the Packers freeze ticket prices for 2009. A decision is expected next month.