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A few newsbits from Thursday:

Item: The Detroit Lions re-signed tight end Will Heller and also signed defensive end Everette Brown.
Comment: Heller is back for another year as the Lions' third tight end, presumably at a lower salary than the $1.2 million he was scheduled to earn in 2012. Brown is a former second-round draft pick who didn't make much impact in three years with the Carolina Panthers and San Diego Chargers.

Item: The Minnesota Vikings are scheduled to host Baltimore Ravens free agent cornerback Chris Carr on a visit, according to multiple reports.
Comment: Carr has been a starter on one of the NFL's better defenses, but a hamstring injury limited him to one start last season. He is very much the definition of the second-tier free agent market.

Item: New Chicago Bears running back Michael Bush hasn't spoken yet with starter Matt Forte, who didn't react well Thursday to his arrival.
Comment: Hopefully no one takes out their anger on Bush. Forte's issue is with the team, not him.

Item: The Lions hosted Bears free agent cornerback Corey Graham on a visit Thursday.
Comment: The Lions have an opening for a starter after Eric Wright's departure, and Graham is looking for an opportunity to play more cornerback in addition to special teams.

Item: Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch's five-year contract is worth $25 million, including $11 million guaranteed, according to Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
Comment: As my NFC West colleague Mike Sando noted, the market for inside linebackers has been flat for a while, probably due to the NFL's passing focus. For context, consider that former Vikings middle linebacker E.J. Henderson signed an almost identical contract six years ago.

I have no idea if this is our last post of the day or if we'll have five more before we call it a night. That's how crazy the NFL news cycle is at the moment. But we've had a collection of newsbits hit the wire in the past few hours, so let's bring them all together while we have a moment — in quick-hitting fashion, of course.

Item: The NFL has taken $36 million in salary cap space from the Washington Redskins and $10 million from the Dallas Cowboys for two-year-old contract violations.
Comment: Each NFC North team will receive $1.6 million in additional cap space as a result. Yee-haw!

Item: The Detroit Lions released tight end Will Heller.
Comment: Heller was due a roster bonus of $200,000 and would have received a base salary of just under $1 million in 2012. As cold as it sounds, you don't need to pay your third tight end that kind of money.

Item: The Chicago Bears issued a low tender of $1.26 million to running back Kahlil Bell, a restricted free agent.
Comment: The Bears have the right to match any contract offer Bell might receive, but they would get no compensation if he departs. At this moment, he appears in line to be Matt Forte's primary backup in 2012. Marion Barber isn't expected back.

Item: The Vikings aren't expected to tender linebacker/special teams ace Kenny Onatolu, according to Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Comment: The fate of the Vikings' other restricted free agent, running back Lorenzo Booker, has yet to be learned.

Item: The Green Bay Packers are entering into their final hours of exclusive negotiating with center Scott Wells, a pending free agent.
Comment: The Packers have a history of last-minute agreements, but Wells might feel compelled to test his market value before being satisfied with what the Packers have offered.

Item: I can't count how many people have asked for updates on the status of Packers left tackle Chad Clifton and receiver Donald Driver.
Comment: If either player has restructured his contract and/or been informed of his release, it hasn't been made public. That's all I can tell you at this moment.

DETROIT -- A few important NFC North notes from the inactive lists for Sunday's early games:

• The Detroit Lions will have safety Amari Spievey in the starting lineup against the San Francisco 49ers. He missed last week's game against the Chicago Bears because of a hamstring injury.
• Will Heller will start for Lions tight end Tony Scheffler (concussion).
• Lions receiver/special-teams ace Rashied Davis (foot) is active for the first time in a month.
• As expected, the Green Bay Packers will have Bryan Bulaga (knee) back at right tackle and will start Marshall Newhouse at left tackle.

TAMPA, Fla. -- I scrambled up to the press box here late Sunday afternoon, seeking verification of some basic facts. Namely: The current year and the final score of the game that had just concluded at Raymond James Stadium.

No, I hadn't fallen into a heat-induced delerium. In fact, I had just left the Detroit Lions' air-conditioned locker room. Therein, I heard:

Quarterback Matthew Stafford talk about the latest ailment that forced him to stagger off the field.

Coach Jim Schwartz rant about "stupid" football and "inexcusable" mistakes, promising that "it's not going to be a real pleasant film session" on Monday.

Guard Rob Sims express his conviction that coaches would "jump us on a whole bunch of stuff" in the coming days.

Hmmm. Tapping into my long history as a reporter, I confirmed that Sunday's game in fact took place in 2011. The Lions defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-20 in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated, winning their season opener for the first time in four years and putting on display many of the components that caused so many of us to catch Lions Fever this offseason.

That Stafford's "injury" was nothing more than cramps, and that Schwartz was able to discuss Sunday's troubles in the context of a victory, marked the start of a new era that only the Lions could indoctrinate. They are far from perfect and in fact could have botched Sunday's game. But overcoming injuries and "bad football," as Schwartz called it during a different portion of his rant, is half the battle in the NFL. There are no perfect teams, and just about every one of them has a knucklehead like Lions right tackle Gosder Cherilus, whose fourth-quarter unsportsmanlike conduct was almost certainly what Schwartz was referring to when he said: "There are some things that happened in this game that are inexcusable and will not continue."

Indeed, Cherilus' post-whistle shove of a Bucs defender stopped the clock with 1 minute and 24 seconds remaining and the Bucs out of timeouts. It gave the Bucs enough time to mount a potential game-tying drive, but ultimately they ran out of time. It also gave Schwartz exactly what any coach wants: A victory with plenty of material to humble his players with moving forward.

You see what's happening here, right? One of Schwartz's biggest tasks this season will be to shield players from the hype we've all created for them. It's always preferable to have players who believe they can be good than to be convinced that they already are.

But let's make no mistake here. For the most part, what we saw Sunday verified what we thought about the Lions this summer. Playing in a heat index that reached 94 degrees, the Lions controlled the game from start to finish. Frankly, much of the Bucs' success came after Lions breakdowns, namely Aqib Talib's 28-yard interception return for the touchdown and Sammie Stroughter's 78-yard kickoff return.

Indeed, Schwartz said, "They couldn't really move the ball on our defense but they had 10 points in the first quarter mainly because of two mistakes."

But Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson connected for two highlight-reel touchdowns -- one a 36-yard play on fourth down after Talib bit on a double move, and the other a 1-yard pass Stafford shoved in Johnson's direction during the third quarter just as his right calf seized.

"During the process of dropping back, I was losing it," Stafford said. "I bet I looked pretty stupid on TV. He made me look pretty good once again."

I'm sure it took the breath of many Lions fans to see Stafford on his back on the sidelines while athletic trainers worked on his leg. But he never missed a snap, finishing with the second 300-yard game of his career and the Lions' first on opening weekend since Bobby Layne threw for 364 yards in 1953.

Stafford made a handful of mistakes himself, throwing high for tight end Will Heller on Talib's interception and nearly throwing a second on a pass behind running back Jahvid Best. But Stafford appeared in command of the offense from the start, and the Lions never trailed after the 36-yard play to Johnson.

"We didn't play our best football out there but we still got a win," Stafford said. "That's a good sign. Obviously you won't want those mistakes to keep coming back. We've got to fix those."

As Stafford and the offense rolled up 431 total yards, the Lions' defense largely shut down Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman. Middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch served in a modified spy role, sacking Freeman once and finishing with two quarterback hits. Freeman had 98 passing yards through the first three quarters, and the Bucs a total of 128 yards, before the Lions' late-game breakdowns.

"This is the beginning of something special and I'm glad to be a part of it," Tulloch said. "It's crazy when you win and you know you can play better. That's what makes this so exciting. We can just keep working."

That's what I think will distinguish this edition of the Lions. Trust me, I understand why Schwartz was upset. Any coach would have been in that situation. But he doesn't get to rain on our parade. "We can just keep working" is much different sentiment than "back to the drawing board." The Lions are done with that place. This is, after all, 2011.

TAMPA, Fla. -- A few thoughts after an eventful first half at Raymond James Stadium:

• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers should feel fortunate to trail by seven points, and to be getting the ball to start the second half. The Detroit Lions have outgained them 324-108 and have 16 first downs to the Bucs' seven. The Bucs' only touchdown came off a pass tipped by Lions' tight end Will Heller and into the arms of cornerback Aqib Talib, and they needed a 78-yard kickoff return to put them in position for one of their field goals.
• That said, the Lions have set themselves up for second-half success by possessing the ball for 21 minutes and 45 seconds. They've also run 41 plays to the Bucs' 23. On a hot and steamy day, that type of disparity cane make a difference late in the game.
• Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has made a few mistakes, but overall you would have to call a 265-yard first half a success. The Lions had a delay of game under his watch, he dropped a shotgun snap to thwart one play and he overthrew receiver Calvin Johnson in the second quarter. Two other passes -- the interception to Talib and a near-interception on a pass to Jahvid Best -- put his receivers in tough spots. But his 37-yard touchdown pass to receiver Johnson on fourth down, which Talib appeared to tip but couldn't knock down, was a thing of beauty. He kept an 11-yard scoring pass to tight end Tony Scheffler appropriately low to prevent an interception, and he could have had a third touchdown pass had tight end Brandon Pettigrew not dropped an easy one in the first quarter.
• The Lions' pass defense has been sharp. Quarterback Josh Freeman has managed only 98 yards through the air. Cornerback Chris Houston made a physical interception in the end zone to end one drive, and nickel back Aaron Berry broke up a potential touchdown pass late in the second quarter. Safety Louis Delmas, meanwhile, made a nice breakup of a third-down pass.
• Who liked Scheffler's touchdown celebration? It appeared he was mimicking a swashbuckling pirate in the home of the Buccaneers. Not bad on the creativity scale.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Here is something to consider as the Detroit Lions trail the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-6 after the first quarter of the season: On a hot and humid day, the Lions ran 25 of the first 28 offensive plays and held the ball for 12 minutes, 52 seconds of the first quarter.

The temperature has hit 89 degrees with a 93-degree heat index.

The Lions only have six points to show for two long drives and have made a few more mistakes than they would have liked. The two most egregious: Tight end Brandon Pettigrew dropped a touchdown pass and tight end Will Heller inadvertently tipped a pass into the hands of Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib, resulting in a 28-yard interception return.

But the Lions' heavy first-quarter possession should only help them as the game continues. Their defense is rested, while the Bucs' has worked pretty hard already in this heat.

NFC West colleague Mike Sando has compiled his annual roster rankings by age, and the results are of particular interest in the NFC North.

Based on rosters as of Sunday morning, the Detroit Lions are the fourth-oldest team in the NFL. The Green Bay Packers, meanwhile, are the second-youngest. Keep in mind that NFL teams will continue to tweak their rosters over the next few days, but nothing should dramatically shake up these rankings.

The Packers ensured their continued youth by including 10 rookies among the 53 players on their final roster Saturday. And as the chart in Mike's post shows, the Lions' offense is primarily responsible for their relative age.

The Lions' offensive line includes a pair of 32-year-olds in Jeff Backus and Dominic Raiola. Backup receiver Rashied Davis is also 32. Backup quarterback Shaun Hill and running back Maurice Morris are 31. And tight end Will Heller, kick returner Stefan Logan and receiver Nate Burleson are all 30.

There are many paths to building a winning roster, and these rankings aren't a comment as much as they are a peek into each team's philosophy. With that said, here are the full NFC North rankings:

4. Detroit Lions
10. Minnesota Vikings
23. Chicago Bears
31. Green Bay Packers

We're Black and Blue All Over:

On Wednesday, we discussed in several installments the future of Green Bay Packers tailback Ryan Grant. Let's consider the (presumable) final word on the topic.

Although Grant agreed to a $1 million reduction in his base salary, the remaining $2.5 million is fully guaranteed, according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. That means the Packers would owe Grant the entire $2.5 million if they release him, and any team that acquires him in a trade would be inheriting the same $2.5 million guarantee.

That fact, on top of the previous knowledge that the Packers have already paid Grant a $1 million-plus roster bonus, makes it less likely from a financial perspective that the Packers will enter the season without him. There is nothing precluding them from doing so, but generally it's not good business to part ways with a player whose salary you've just guaranteed.

As we discussed Wednesday, it would still require a perfect storm of circumstances for this all to make sense. Moving on ...

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette looks at the Packers' roster to see who is a lock and who is on the bubble. Interesting bubble names include tight end Andrew Quarless and safety Charlie Peprah.
• The Packers are looking for special-teams contributions from their young receivers, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Chicago Bears are planning no personnel changes on their offensive line, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. Offensive line coach Mike Tice: "We had some guys get better across the board. I think each one of the guys got better at some thing, some guys got better at multiple things. Mental errors were at a minimum and they played hard. We played with good technique, for the most part, so it was a good stepping stone for us. But we've got a long way to go still."
• Bears wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher has a pretty big booster in quarterback Jay Cutler. David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune explains.
• Here's what Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake had to say about receiver Roy Williams, via Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times: "He's not where he needs to be, and he knows that. He and I have talked about that -- and the good thing is, you've got Johnny Knox, who's fighting and working hard. And believe you me, Roy understands Johnny's there. Johnny's hungry, and Johnny wants his spot back. If things don't start changing, then Johnny's going to be in there. That's straight from the horse's mouth."
• Minnesota Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe had a mild setback on his return from a hamstring injury and won't play in the team's preseason game this weekend, according to Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune. That means Shiancoe is likely to miss the entire preseason assuming coach Leslie Frazier doesn't play many starters in the final week.
• Vikings linebacker Erin Henderson appears to have won a starting job by default, notes Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• Bob Sansevere of the St. Paul Pioneer Press speaks with Vikings rookie defensive tackle Christian Ballard, who has made an impression this summer.
• Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News on Detroit Lions tight end Will Heller: "Entering his 10th season in the league, Heller is certainly that, playing all of the above positions for the Lions. His primary position remains tight end, but he's also playing the 'H' back when offensive coordinator Scott Linehan chooses to go to a two-back set. In those sets, Heller can either be a fullback, a pass protector or receiver."
• Lions rookie receiver Titus Young is still recovering from a hamstring injury but made a nice catch in practice Wednesday, notes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com.
• All three of the linebackers who started in Week 1 last year for the Lions last season are out of the league, notes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson breaks down the tight ends of each NFC North team. Today: Detroit Lions.

Brandon Pettigrew's 2010 receiving numbers might inflate his true value as a receiving option, but he does have the look of a very reliable and tough intermediate option in the middle of the field. His presence could be huge for Matthew Stafford's development. Pettigrew should find plenty of favorable matchups in the middle and near the goal line with all the attention Detroit’s other weapons will attract. Still, he isn’t overly dynamic. There is a lot to like about Pettigrew’s game, though.

He is well-built and powerful and shows those qualities after the catch, and especially as a blocker. As young tight ends go, Pettigrew is an exceptional blocker. He can uproot defensive ends in the run game and certainly holds his own in protection. Shaun Hill, who has a much weaker arm than Stafford, tended to favor Pettigrew, but Stafford might throw to the perimeter and downfield more than his backup did a year ago.

Tony Scheffler is a much different type of tight end, but he and Pettigrew should complement each other very well. Scheffler moves well and does very good work away from the formation, where he can run wide receiver routes, often against linebackers. Unlike Pettigrew, Scheffler is not a very physical player and won’t get much done as an inline blocker. Detroit should continue to use a lot of double-tight-end sets with Scheffler and Pettigrew in the game together.

Will Heller contributed very little last season. Heller, an older veteran, is a third tight end at best and a special teams contributor.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com. Follow Matt Williamson on Twitter @WilliamsonNFL

» NFC Decisive Moments: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

The Detroit Lions knew they might never get a better chance to take the lead Sunday in what was yet another close game in the fourth quarter. So facing a second down from the Green Bay Packers' 13-yard line, they dialed up what they hoped was a perfect play for the situation.

Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan called a tight end screen, but he targeted No. 3 tight end Will Heller. Heller was giving starter Brandon Pettigrew a breather at the end of a 12-play drive, but the Packers could never have guessed what was coming.

Linebacker Clay Matthews ran past him at the line of scrimmage, and by the time Heller grabbed Drew Stanton's pass, he had three key blockers out in front of him.

Right tackle Corey Hilliard and center Dominic Raiola double-teamed safety Nick Collins. Receiver Calvin Johnson held off cornerback Tramon Williams. And Heller ran through linebacker A.J. Hawk's tackle attempt at the goal line for the touchdown.

"It was a long drive," Heller said. "Brandon [Pettigrew] made some big plays on the drive to get us in position. I was just going in to give him a blow. We called a tight end screen and it was a good situation for it. They were bringing pressure off the edge with Matthews. I got a hand on him and was able to release behind him. A lane opened up and the linemen made some big blocks."

Nearly half of the fourth quarter still remained, but as it turned out, Heller's touchdown proved to be the decisive moment of the game.

Before anyone starts doing cartwheels over the Detroit Lions' latest swindle/trade, let's remember one thing: Good cover cornerbacks are never, EVER reasonably available when under contract. You can get them, but it almost always requires a ridiculous contract on top of premium trade terms.

The Lions had to do neither Saturday afternoon in order to pry Alphonso Smith away from the Denver Broncos. Instead, general manager Martin Mayhew sent No. 4 tight end Dan Gronkowski to the Broncos. And that's it. As of now, at least, there are no indications that the Lions included any draft picks for Smith, who was the No. 37 overall pick of the 2009 draft. *Update: Reports are emerging that the Lions might send a low-round pick to Denver to complete the deal. We'll bring it to you officially when it is announced.

It's rare that a team gives up on a highly-drafted cornerback after one year. It was especially painful for Denver which, as my AFC West colleague Bill Williamson recently pointed out, traded its 2010 first-round pick (No. 14 overall) to jump back into the second round in 2009 to draft Smith. But he was buried deep on the Broncos depth chart this summer and would have been released were it not for this trade.

That said, Mayhew had every reason to make this trade. Even though Gronkowski had a strong preseason, there was little chance he would play in a tight end group that includes established veterans Brandon Pettigrew, Tony Scheffler and Will Heller. Cornerback is a much more important position than tight end, and the Lions' need there is acute.

Chris Houston and Jonathan Wade finished the preseason as the starting cornerbacks, with Eric King working at nickel. But Smith will get every opportunity to turn around his career in Detroit, at minimal cost to the Lions. Advantage, Detroit.

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

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

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

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

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

Green Bay Packers

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

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

Detroit Lions

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

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

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

Verse No. 2 from a tune reflecting our pending shift from offseason to training camp mode -- and other looming transitions:

Six o'clock TV hour, don't get caught in foreign towers
Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn
Locking in, uniforming, book-burning, blood-letting
Every motive escalate, automotive incinerate
Light a candle, light a votive, step down step down
Watch your heel, crush, crushed uh-oh this means
No fear cavalier, renegade, steer clear
A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives
And I decline

It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)
It's the end of the world as we know it
And I feel fine

Some of us University of Virginia types would argue the transcription of line seven, but Michael Stipe couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Like the rest of you, he can hit the mailbag portal, Facebook or Twitter to contact me.

Onward...

Corey of Evans, Ga., wants us to revisit our 2009 discussion on the NFC North's skilled group of tight ends.

Kevin Seifert: Last year, we followed the progress of the four promising (and starting) tight ends in this division: Greg Olsen, Brandon Pettigrew, Jermichael Finley and Visanthe Shiancoe. Corey's question intrigues me because it helps illustrate how much depth NFC North teams have assembled behind those starters this offseason.

Check out the chart below.


The Bears signed Brandon Manumaleuna to a substantial free-agent contract. The Lions traded for Tony Scheffler to help them navigate Pettigrew's knee rehabilitation, while the Packers drafted talented pass-catcher Andrew Quarless from Penn State. The Vikings drafted Quarless' backup, Mickey Shuler, but at this point I don't think he ranks higher than No. 5 on the Vikings' depth chart.

It's going to be fun to watch this group's progress in 2010 and find out how the new additions will impact the incumbents. Olsen, for instance, has been dropped into an offense that traditionally hasn't made much use of pass-catching tight ends. Manumaleuna has played for Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz and is known for his blocking prowess, but he has disappointed some people with his slow recovery from offseason knee surgery.

In Detroit, it's not totally clear when Pettigrew will be cleared to return after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament last November. Even when he does play, Scheffler is too good of a receiver to leave on the bench. Finally, I'm wondering what Quarless' arrival will mean for veteran Donald Lee in Green Bay. Assuming Quarless is good enough to make the team, and that Spencer Havner's versatility remains valued, would Lee lose his roster spot? Do the Packers need four tight ends?

Those questions are among the issues we will be following this summer and fall.

---

Yukonjack of Carrington, N.D., writes: With all the rumors flying around up here about Adrian [Peterson] not attending minicamp, do you think it could be as simple as the Vikings embarrassed him on the NFL Network with running backs coach Eric Bieniemy constantly getting after him in that film study? Adrian's answers kept getting shorter and by the end, he was not answering at all!! What's your take??

Kevin Seifert: Interesting point, Yuk. I don't think the video itself is what caused Peterson's absence, especially considering it didn't hit the airwaves until after minicamp. (If you haven't watched it yet, by all means do so.)

But I'm also not ready to brush aside the video as a non-issue, either. Bieniemy is always blunt and a straight shooter, but I'm wondering if Peterson knew he was going to be so harsh with the cameras rolling. I agree with your assessment. It got pretty uncomfortable watching Peterson's reaction, especially because you could tell he knew the cameras were seeking his reaction.

That's not to say Bieniemy's analysis was wrong or undeserved. But there is a big difference between delivering it in the private sanctity of an NFL film room and in front of NFL Network cameras. By the end, Peterson looked like he wanted it to be over. Not many players, superstar or otherwise, prefer to be dressed down by their coaches in front of a camera.

And I was especially interested to note that none of the (aired) conversation was about Peterson's fumbling issue. It was about Bieniemy's belief that Peterson left 200-300 yards on the field last season through fundamental lapses and impatience.

Keep in mind that this was one of the few (if only) film sessions Peterson had with a Vikings coach all offseason. I'm not sure how productive it was.

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Thatkuhlkid of Madison, Wis., writes: What will happen with the Packers if there is an owners lockout? They are a publicly-traded company and I can't imagine the stock holders/team president wanting to lock them out. Is there a scenario that the Packers would have the opportunity to take the field at all?

Kevin Seifert: I've gotten this question from more than a few people. It's true from a technical standpoint that some 112,000 shareholders own the franchise through voting stock. But the reality is the Packers don't operate their daily business in that regard. Their Executive Committee and CEO/president Mark Murphy are empowered to make the organization's decisions.

Given Murphy's role on the NFL's Management Council Executive Committee, which will negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement on behalf of owners, it's safe to assume he will involve the Packers in a lockout if one comes to pass. And if he didn't, who would the Packers play?

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Mike of Raleigh, N.C. writes: I've heard a lot about how Rob Sims should help anchor the Lions' line, now that we have a quality LG. I've repeated it myself to friends without really thinking too much about it. In unrelated articles however, I've read about how it's relatively easy for coaches to mask deficiencies in the interior of the line. If that is the case, how much improvement should we really see with Sims in there? Is it the case that he is so vastly superior, or is more wishful thinking from Lions fans?

Kevin Seifert: No, I think this is a big deal -- if for no other reason than having continuity at the position. A team might be able to compensate for a weaker offensive lineman, but there is no way to cover for constantly changing personnel. If Sims can lock down the position, developing some chemistry with left tackle Jeff Backus and center Dominic Raiola, then the Lions will have made a significant upgrade regardless of his skill level.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The hand-to-hand combat training craze has made its way to Detroit, as John Niyo of the Detroit News explains. While some teams have hired mixed-martial arts (MMA) specialists, the Lions have offered structured one-hour workouts with a Detroit-area boxing pro on every Wednesday of the offseason. About half of the team's players have participated.

Lions defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch considers boxing a perfect supplement to traditional offseason training because it emphasizes blocking punches, a skill all defensive players need when attempting to shed blocks. And if nothing else, Vanden Bosch said, the sessions have broken up the Lions' offseason weeks.

The Lions open their mandatory minicamp Wednesday.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Lions are pleased with the investment they made in tight end Will Heller last season, writes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz is happy with the progress of his rookie class, according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Green Bay Packers cornerback Tramon Williams said there is no indication the team plans to complete a multiyear contract extension anytime soon, writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop said "I want to be out there badly" but isn't rocking the boat about his backup status, according to Greg A. Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com speaks with Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers about using defensive end Cullen Jenkins as an outside linebacker in minicamp. Capers: "I think he can have production, whether it's inside or outside. I think he can win his share of one-on-ones and we can move him around. If he can stay healthy, I think he'll have good production for us. We know that he can handle it. We moved him around last year, he's a smart guy, he has a background of rushing outside on the edge. He's got good movement for a guy his size, and he can certainly be a physical guy if we put him out on the edge."
• Former Chicago Bears defensive tackle William "The Refrigerator" Perry has some hearing loss after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome last year, according to The Associated Press.
• The Minnesota Vikings' ownership partners have refinanced the loan they took out five years ago to purchase the team, writes Daniel Kaplan of the Sports Business Journal. (Subscription required.)