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We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Oakland Raiders' apparent decision to hire Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as their head coach will result in some stability among the Green Bay Packers' coaching staff.

Packers assistant head coach/inside linebackers Winston Moss and defensive coordinator Dom Capers were both candidates in the Raiders' job search, which was run by former Packers executive Reggie McKenzie, now the Raiders' general manager. Moss had been considered by many media members to be a favorite for the job, but McKenzie conducted a wide search.

To this point, offensive coordinator Joe Philbin is the only assistant to depart the staff. Philbin is the Miami Dolphins' new head coach. Coach Mike McCarthy hasn't announced a replacement yet. Quarterbacks coach Tom Clements remains a candidate for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' head-coaching job.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "It might be a little premature to declare Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy out of the woods completely, but any predictions about his staff being ravaged by outsiders seem to be overblown."
• Former Packers coach Mike Holmgren doesn't wonder what might have happened if he had stayed with the team rather than bolt for the Seattle Seahawks. Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has more.
• Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton will meet Wednesday with Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf to discuss the Metrodome stadium site. Mike Kaszuba of the Star Tribune details the political infighting currently in play on that site.
• Vikings general manager Rick Spielman allowed four reporters to sit in on an interview with Auburn long-snapper Josh Harris at the Senior Bowl. Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has more.
• The Vikings plan to find more work for running back Toby Gerhart, regardless of Adrian Peterson's health, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Detroit Lions vice chairman Bill Ford Jr. spoke positively in rare public comments about the team. Tom Walsh of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Lions receiver Calvin Johnson is sitting out the Pro Bowl because of an Achilles injury, but he is still heading to Hawaii this week and is bringing the Lions' entire receiving corps, notes Dave Birkett of the Free Press.
• Two Lions assistant coaches, Tim Walton (secondary) and Shawn Jefferson (receivers) are close to signing new contracts to stay with the team, according to Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
• ESPNChicago.com has a rundown of Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher's comments on using the pain-killer Toradol.
• Urlacher expanded on those comments with Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli endorsed his director of college scouting, Phil Emery, for the Bears' general manager job. Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times explains.
• The Bears' new general manager will have the flexibility to change as much of the scouting staff as he wants. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the team's six college scouts and three pro scouts all have expiring contracts.

We can cross off one of the many swirling coaching situations in the NFC North now that the Chicago Bears have re-signed special teams coordinator Dave Toub.

Toub's contract had expired and he recently interviewed for the head-coaching position with the Miami Dolphins. It appears the Dolphins have moved on to a new batch of candidates, and the Bears jumped at the opportunity to bring back one of the game's top special-teams gurus before he began soliciting offers from other teams.

The conclusion to the Toub story leaves us with these coaching storylines in the division:

1. The Bears still need to hire a quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator and an offensive line coach to replace Mike Tice, who was promoted to offensive coordinator.
2. The Minnesota Vikings' entire defensive staff remains in flux without a coordinator in place. Indianapolis Colts defensive backs Alan Williams is the latest candidate to get an interview for that job. Coordinator Fred Pagac and defensive line coach Karl Dunbar have both been fired.
3. Up to five Green Bay Packers assistants could be candidates for promotion elsewhere, some for the same job. Offensive coordinator Joe Philbin has interviewed for the head coaching job in Miami, has another interview scheduled with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and could generate interest from the Oakland Raiders. Assistant head coach/inside linebackers Winston Moss could be a candidate for the Raiders, as could Philbin, defensive coordinator Dom Capers and safeties coach Darren Perry. Finally, quarterbacks coach Tom Clements has an interview scheduled with the Buccaneers.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

With all but four NFL teams done for the 2011 season, we have a pretty good idea of what the 2012 draft order will look like. Something tells me you would be interested in where NFC North teams will be choosing in the first round, and so I refer you to ESPN.com's full draft order on our NFL Nation blog.

A few slots have yet to be decided by a coin flip, but the four NFC North teams are locked into their positions. The particulars:

3. Minnesota Vikings
19. Chicago Bears
23. Detroit Lions
28. Green Bay Packers

Let the mock drafts begin.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Please keep two of our blog regulars in your thoughts as they battle serious illness. Best wishes to VWCAU and icLambeau.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com summarizes the interest in Packers assistant coaches throughout the NFL. Offensive coordinator Joe Philbin is a candidate for the head-coaching jobs with the Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Quarterbacks coach Tom Clements will interview for the Bucs job as well. Assistant head coach/inside linebackers Winston Moss and safeties coach Darren Perry could both be candidates for the Raiders job as well.
• A lack of pass rush hurt the Packers all season, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette explains what went wrong on a Hail Mary pass that led to a New York Giants touchdown Sunday.
• The Minnesota Vikings are planning to interview Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Alan Williams, a former colleague of Vikings coach Leslie Frazier, for their defensive coordinator job, according to the NFL Network via Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• The Vikings' defense remains in flux, writes Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune.
• The Chicago Bears denied the Vikings permission to interview defensive backs coach Jon Hoke for their defensive coordinator job, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• The Bears have completed their first interview for their general manager job, having spoken to New England Patriots executive Jason Licht, according to Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Bears special teams coordinator Dave Toub, a candidate for the Dolphins' head-coaching job, is now available on the open market as a special teams coach as well. Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com explains.
• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reviews the Detroit Lions player by player.
• Detroit native Eminem gushed about the Lions in a recent GQ article, according to the Detroit Free Press. Among his observations: safety Louis Delmas is "ill."

The Oakland Raiders' decision to fire coach Hue Jackson seems likely to impact the NFC North in a substantive way. The move confirms that new general manager Reggie McKenzie has been granted substantial authority by owner Mark Davis, and makes it likely that several Green Bay Packers assistant coaches will be candidates for the job.

There is no guarantee that McKenzie will hire someone from the Packers organization, but he spent the past 17 years in Green Bay and established some deep relationships as a matter of course. The Packers have two assistants with ties to the Raiders -- assistant head coach/inside linebackers Winston Moss and safeties coach Darren Perry -- and my understanding is that McKenzie also has a strong friendship with offensive coordinator Joe Philbin.

It's not clear how Philbin's family tragedy this week would impact his availability if McKenzie is interested. But Moss, who played for the Raiders from 1991-94, has long been considered a future head coach. Perry, a Raiders assistant from 2007-08, is also well regarded.

We'll keep you updated. McKenzie is scheduled to have his introductory news conference later Tuesday.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Pass defense rankings, Detroit Lions: After giving up 307 yards to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers last week, the Lions fell one spot, from No. 5 to No. 6, in the NFL's rankings of pass defense. It's fair to assume another drop Sunday when the Lions' presumably depleted defense travels to New Orleans to face quarterback Drew Brees -- who is fresh off a 363-yard, four-touchdown performance Monday night against the New York Giants. It's possible the Lions could be playing this game without three defensive starters. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has been suspended. Safety Louis Delmas has a knee injury he has indicated will sideline him for at least one week. And the status of cornerback Chris Houston remains unknown after he suffered a knee injury last week.

2. Performance arrow, Minnesota Vikings: With every passing week, it appears the Vikings have more rebuilding work to do. In Week 12, it became clear that coach Leslie Frazier needs to grow in the job more than originally believed. Frazier and his team made a number of glaring mistakes at the end of a 24-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, errors of judgment and execution that you wouldn't have thought a calm, disciplined and experienced coach like Frazier would have allowed.

3. Questions about personnel use, Green Bay Packers: One of our NFC North preseason narratives: How would the Packers use their array of wide receivers? Eleven games in, some answers have emerged. It's clear that Greg Jennings (58 catches, eight touchdowns) and Jordy Nelson (44 catches, nine touchdowns) are deservedly getting the most looks. James Jones has been the designated big-play threat, with five touchdowns among his 24 receptions and an average of 18.8 yards per catch, tying him for the fourth-best mark among NFL receivers with at least 10 catches. Donald Driver, 36, has been respectfully phased into a spot player, and rookie Randall Cobb is getting a chance to learn the professional game mostly as a full-time special teams player.

RISING

1. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears quarterback: Sometimes, a player's value isn't totally clear until he is unavailable. It's more than reasonable to suggest the Bears would have won Sunday at Oakland had Cutler been available and played anywhere close to the level he has achieved in the past month or so. In three starts before breaking his thumb, Cutler threw four touchdown passes and one interception and took two sacks. A relatively mistake-free game from backup quarterback Caleb Hanie probably would have been enough Sunday for the Bears. But we can also use Cutler's history to cut Hanie a break. Don't forget that Cutler threw 16 interceptions in his first 15 games in Mike Martz's offense.

2. Claims of hypocrisy: Some of you cried foul in the wake of my reaction to Suh's ejection from the Thanksgiving Day game. After all, on Oct. 29, I wrote that I didn't think Suh was a dirty player. To be clear, I thought what happened Thursday clearly crossed the line Suh had previously hovered near. To me, "dirty" connotes a deliberate attempt to injure opponents. Pounding the head of Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith into the turf three times, and then stomping on his arm, is well beyond the scope of football and could have no purpose other than to cause harm. I didn't change my mind here. I saw something different. To me, the distinction is clear.

3. Winston Moss, Packers inside linebackers coach: Fans see Moss from time to time on candidate lists for head-coaching jobs, but few probably know why or are aware of his credentials. Thursday, at least, Moss' work was visible for all to see. The Packers finished the game with two inexperienced inside linebackers on the field in place of injured starters A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop, both of whom had suffered calf injuries. Rookie D.J. Smith finished with five tackles and Robert Francois had three more, along with an athletic interception. Obviously, Smith and Francois deserve part of the credit. But it's mostly a credit to coaching when a team's overall performance doesn't dip noticeably when backups are forced into competitive games at key positions. Moss is in charge of the daily development of Smith and Francois.

This week's edition of ESPN.com's offseason Power Rankings was one of my favorites, and not just because I wrote it. As opposed to ranking the best of this moment, our goal was to look ahead and project some of the people we might include in future Power Rankings.

If we're right, this week's list represents the core members of the next wave of NFL head-coaching candidates. We didn't include college coaches, and we made the executive decision to eliminate anyone who has already been a head coach, allowing us to focus on up-and-coming assistants throughout the league.

Given how much projection was involved in this exercise, I felt most comfortable with the people I know most about. (So did the other bloggers, and 24 assistants ended up appearing on at least one ballot.) To that end, I voted for four NFC North coaches in the order below:

3. Green Bay Packers safeties coach Darren Perry
6. Packers receivers coach Edgar Bennett
7. Chicago Bears special-teams coach Dave Toub
10. Packers assistant head coach/inside linebackers Winston Moss

Moss (No. 6) and Perry (No. 10) made the top 10. My thoughts below:

• Perry has two important attributes going for him. First, he is a good coach and deserves credit not only for guiding the transition of Pro Bowl free safety Nick Collins into a new scheme but also patching together the strong safety spot last season between multiple starters. Second, and this is just as important to his future, he is a long-time disciple of defensive coordinator Dom Capers, having played and coached in his 3-4 scheme. Given the success of the Packers' defense last season, and the fact that both Super Bowl teams played that scheme last season, Perry has the schematic pedigree NFL teams will be looking for. Many people around the league believe it is a matter of when, not if, Perry makes the next step to defensive coordinator.
• Bennett presided over the rise of tailback Ryan Grant from obscurity in 2007 and has drawn particular praise for drills designed to limit fumbles. Grant deserves some credit as well, but the fact remains he lost five fumbles in three years under Bennett as the Packers' primary tailback. Last season, no one among the trio of Brandon Jackson, John Kuhn and James Starks lost a fumble on a running play. The Packers' decision to shift Bennett to receivers coach suggests he is being groomed for a bigger job -- either in Green Bay or elsewhere.
• I didn't really expect anyone else to vote for Toub, and I can't say for sure that an NFL owner would seriously consider hiring a special-teams coach from outside the organization for his own head-coaching job. But Toub has quite simply fielded the most competent and explosive special-teams group in the NFL since joining the Bears in 2004. (One obscure stat among many: The Bears have more blocked kicks during Toub's tenure than any other NFL team.) Toub also has the global mindset necessary to be a head coach, and in 2009, Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid said: "On your staff, the coach that's best prepared to be a head coach is your special-teams coach. They have to deal with everybody on the roster, plus [the media]. That's a tough thing to do. Dave Toub would be a great head coach down the road." Like current Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, Toub might need to move to an offensive or defensive role for a time period to balance his résumé.
• Moss drew interest from both the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders two years ago for their respective head-coaching jobs. He is a strong leader, someone that players enjoy working for and deserves credit for transitioning A.J. Hawk into an inside linebacker and Desmond Bishop into a full-time starter. Moss has experience in a 3-4 and a 4-3 scheme, and there was talk of the Raiders hiring him as their defensive coordinator this winter. My thought in ranking him No. 10 is that NFL teams would pursue Perry before Moss because of Perry's connection with Capers, but that's just an educated guess.
• Remember, this was a ranking of up-and-coming assistants, not a list of the 10 best assistant coaches in the NFL. If it had been, my list would have looked dramatically different. Many of the NFC North's best assistants are former head coaches who might not get another chance at the top job. That list includes Capers, Chicago Bears assistants Rod Marinelli, Mike Martz and Mike Tice, and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.
• And finally, we put together a little video that you might have missed in the original post. Extra credit for anyone who identifies the photograph in the background of my segment.

ESPN.com’s NFL writers rank the top 10 up-and-coming assistant coaches in the league today. Next week: Top players overall.

Seven NFL teams named new head coaches after last season, tapping into a pool that included experienced coordinators and relatively unknown assistants alike. The class of 2011 featured longtime candidates (Leslie Frazier, Ron Rivera). It also included a trusted position coach in Mike Munchak (Tennessee Titans) and a couple of relative hotshots in Hue Jackson (Oakland Raiders) and Pat Shurmur (Cleveland Browns).

Who will comprise the NFL's next batch of head-coaching candidates? That was the question ESPN.com hoped to answer in this week's edition of the offseason Power Rankings. We established one ground rule by eliminating any assistant who has already had a permanent head-coaching job. The idea was to develop a list that focused on the "next wave" of coaching candidates.

No less than 24 NFL assistants received at least one vote, a reflection of both the variables involved in head-coaching searches and the relative lack of national name recognition for all but the most highly regarded assistants.

So in that vein, it was no surprise to see four well-known assistants at the top of our list, headed by New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell -- who placed first or second on six of the eight ballots. Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan finished second, followed by New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and Arizona offensive line coach Russ Grimm.

Fewell is an ideal candidate in many ways, having spent time as the Buffalo Bills' interim coach in 2009 and leading a substantial turnaround of the Giants' defense last season. Fewell interviewed for four head-coaching jobs last winter, and NFC East blogger Dan Graziano suggested that experience, along with a high profile afforded to coaches in New York, make him "the most likely guy on the list to be a head coach soon."

Just don't bother forwarding his name to AFC South colleague Paul Kuharsky, who couldn't find room for Fewell on his 10-man ballot. Kuharsky noted the Giants' poor performance in Week 2 last season against the Indianapolis Colts, during which quarterback Peyton Manning threw three touchdowns and cruised to an easy 38-14 victory.

"Certainly I'm letting one game overinfluence my ballot," Kuharsky muttered. "But Fewell's plan for the Giants against the Colts last season was so bad that I could not help but score him down for it. Was he not familiar with how Peyton Manning and Indianapolis operate?"

We can't cover every coach who received votes in this exercise, but let's hit some of the more interesting names that received attention.

Another Ryan? Deserved or not, Ryan has long been considered a loose cannon. There is little doubt about his schematic prowess, but hiring him would require a confident owner ready to make a leap of faith.

The success of twin brother Rex Ryan with the Jets might have softened the perception of that risk, and collectively we see Rob Ryan on the doorstep of a job.

"Similar to Rex, Rob Ryan is good with X's and O's and has the type of outgoing personality players want to be around," AFC North blogger James Walker said. "I think both are equally important in today's NFL. Both brothers say exactly what's on their mind, and before that scared off a lot of teams. But Rex broke the ice with his success in New York and that could help Rob in the future."

The next generation: Schottenheimer has turned down more opportunities to interview for head-coaching jobs than he has actually submitted to. He has nixed requests from the Miami Dolphins and Bills in recent years, but he did interview for the Jets' job that ultimately went to Ryan. I placed him atop my ballot (he finished No. 3 overall) because I think NFL people have made up their mind that he is the kind of young and innovative assistant who can turn around their franchise. (Think: Cowboys coach Jason Garrett.)

Schottenheimer's pedigree doesn't hurt -- he's the son of longtime NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer -- and I'm not sure how closely teams will dissect the specifics of the Jets' offensive performance. Graziano, on the other hand, thinks Schottenheimer is close to coaching his way out of the golden-child image he cultivated and left him off his ballot.

"Having spent a good amount of time around that team the past couple of years, I just feel like defensive coordinator Mike Pettine is the more likely guy to end up a head coach," Graziano said. "Schottenheimer's under a ton of pressure as Ryan defers the offensive responsibilities to him. I feel like, if the offense has a bad year, he could end up in trouble or even out of a job. And given their youth at quarterback and running back and the uncertainty of their receiver situation, a bad year for the Jets' offense is possible.

"Now, he could be a genius, make chicken salad and be the next hot name eight months from now. But I think there's the potential that he may have already peaked as a hot coaching prospect and that he might not be set up to succeed in New York."

The big fella: Four years ago, Grimm thought he would be the next Pittsburgh Steelers coach. He moved to Arizona after the Steelers selected Mike Tomlin instead, and we view his status as a head-coaching candidate with wide disparity.

AFC West blogger Bill Williamson put Grimm atop his ballot, and AFC East blogger Tim Graham had him No. 2. Kuharsky and I left him off.

Williamson thinks Grimm has moved to "the top of the food chain" largely because most of his "hot-name" contemporaries have already gotten jobs. As well, Graham suggested that it will soon be Grimm's turn because he is still well-regarded throughout the league.

Personally, I couldn't get past Grimm's well-publicized gaffe after interviewing with the Chicago Bears, after which he referred to the team owners as the "McClaskey" family. I also agree with NFC West blogger Mike Sando, who ranked Grimm No. 8 and wondered: "Is he still ascending? Grimm seems content coaching the line in Arizona. He has plateaued and doesn't seem to be losing any sleep over it."

Welcome back: Unless you're a college football fan, you might not have heard of Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. He spent six years as the head coach at Arizona State, but has drawn some quiet acclaim for his work with the Jaguars and made a strong impression while interviewing with the Denver Broncos last winter.

"In a setting where he won't have to deal with boosters and can shine for being a smart X's and O's guy with strong coaching DNA," Kuharsky said, "I think he'd do far better. He's smart and will interview quite well. He really impressed John Elway and the Broncos before losing out to John Fox's experience. St. Louis wanted him as coordinator, but Jacksonville wouldn't let him go. He's heading into the final year of his contract. How Blaine Gabbert develops early on will have a big bearing on Koetter's future."

Secret weapon: In two years, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have developed quarterback Josh Freeman into one of the better starters in the league. The man largely responsible is offensive coordinator Greg Olson, who navigated a disastrous 2009 preseason -- coach Raheem Morris promoted him in the middle of training camp after firing Jeff Jagodzinski -- and NFL teams often seek out coaches with success developing young quarterbacks.

"I think Olson deserves a ton of credit for developing Freeman so quickly," said NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas. "Freeman threw for 25 touchdowns and six interceptions in his first full season as a starter and carried an incredibly young team to a 10-6 record. I also think people need to look at what Olson did last year with rookie running back LeGarrette Blount and rookie receiver Mike Williams. He helped make them into instant stars."

Super Bowl entitlement: The Green Bay Packers were the only team to place more than one name in the top 10, as would be expected from a championship team. Assistant head coach/inside linebackers Winston Moss is at No. 6, while safeties coach Darren Perry finished No. 10. I also voted for receivers coach Edgar Bennett, who has moved over from running backs coach and is clearly being groomed for bigger things.

I'll detail my ranking of the Packers' assistants, including why I think so highly of Perry, in a future post for NFC North readers. But we'll say this for now: Moss is a strong leader who has drawn interest from the Raiders, while Perry is a disciple of Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers and his coveted 3-4 scheme.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

It's been a few weeks since the Minnesota Vikings were in the headlines, and so defensive end Everson Griffen has provided the latest grist: In a story first reported by the Daily Trojan, Griffen was arrested Monday in Los Angeles and booked for investigation of felony battery.

According to the Los Angeles police department, Griffen allegedly assaulted a police officer during a traffic stop. Griffen had spent the earlier part of the day visiting former teammates and coaches at USC. He reportedly tried to run from the officer, who eventually used a Taser to subdue him.

Griffen, a fourth-round draft pick in 2010, had 11 tackles in 11 games for the Vikings this past season. His role could elevate in 2011 depending on what the Vikings do with potential free agents Ray Edwards and Brian Robison.

Continuing around the NFC North as we prepare for Super Bowl media day on a snowy and icy morning here in North Texas:

• Vikings coach Leslie Frazier is the latest of agent Bob LaMonte's success stories, writes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• The Green Bay Packers are on a mission, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers called winning the Super Bowl "the optimum measuring stick for a quarterback, be it fair or not," according to Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Rodgers added: "Dan Marino, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, did not win a Super Bowl. I think he's still in the discussion for the greatest quarterback of all time. But as far as playing in Green Bay, you have to win Super Bowls."
• Before learning he would finish second in the NFL's defensive player of the year voting, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews said: "Whichever way it goes, win or lose, I still get to play on Sunday." Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more.
• Ross Tucker of ESPN.com credits the Packers' two linebackers coaches, Winston Moss and Kevin Greene, for holding together the group during a spate of injuries this season.
• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press spoke with the high school coach of Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, who played at nearby Highland Park High School. Coach Randy Allen: "He's a really tough kid. He was never hurt. I mean, he never missed a game for us, and he was very physical. Anytime we ran a reverse play he was a blocker, and he'd roll over people. He was just so physical. He was the one always delivering the blow and never even got up slow after a game. He never missed a practice that I know of."
• Chicago Bears tailback Matt Forte on his contract situation, via Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com: "It would be nice [to get the contract done]. It's always nice to have something like that happen. It's really up to my agent [Adisa Bakari] and the Bears to negotiate it. I just want to stay informed with what they're talking about. Hopefully it's all good things. I love playing for the Bears, and I think it's a great organization and I just want to continue to succeed and play well for them."
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune on Bears quarterback Jay Cutler: "Now, the best and only way Cutler really can repair his reputation will come on the field -- not into a microphone or on the Internet."
• The Philadelphia Eagles have interviewed Bears defensive backs coach Jon Hoke for their defensive coordinator job, notes Brad Biggs of the Tribune.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin confirmed to reporters Monday that he is being treated for sleep apnea, a condition that might have triggered his increasing frequency of migraine episodes this summer. Harvin said the diagnosis came when he was hospitalized after an Aug. 19 collapse during a Vikings practice.

Harvin (via Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press): "They'd just barge in the room and be like, 'Harvin, you OK?' I'd say, 'I think so.' [They said] 'Well, your heart just wasn't beating.' I was like, 'What do you want me to do?'"

Indeed, doctors determined his heart was stopping and then re-starting during the night, a common symptom of sleep apnea. He now sleeps with an oxygen device and said he feels a "100 percent difference" when he wakes up in the morning.

Whether this cures his migraines, slows them down or merely helps him sleep better, Harvin appears to be in a better place than he was a month ago.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Vikings owner Zygi Wilf's enthusiasm hasn't dampened following a Week 1 loss at New Orleans. According to Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune, Wilf said: "We built a team that we expect to go all the way. We're not holding back right now. ... We pretty much feel that we're all in. We're going to try our best to fulfill our goal."
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com: "Sidney Rice expects to remain on crutches for a couple more weeks, and the Minnesota Vikings' top receiver said on Monday he hasn't set a target date for returning to practice following last month's hip surgery."
• Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel lists these veteran agent running backs as available if the Green Bay Packers look for outside help to replace Ryan Grant (ankle): Willie Parker, Ahman Green, Justin Fargas and J.J. Arrington.
• Because the Packers spent the entire game at Philadelphia in the nickel, A.J. Hawk did not receive a single defensive snap, notes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Inside linebackers coach Winston Moss: "If I was in that same situation, I would be upset if I didn't play and I was going into an opening game ... and I had a very good preseason. I would have wanted to play. I'm sure a highly competitive guy would have wanted to play. I would use it as -- if I have to do whatever it takes and do more to stay on the field as much as possible, I've got to do whatever it takes. That would be my attitude."
• The Packers plan to re-sign defensive lineman Jarius Wynn to replace the injured Justin Harrell (knee), confirms Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Detroit Lions agreed to terms with former Chicago Bears cornerback Nate Vasher, notes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com. Vasher could replace injured nickelback Aaron Berry.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz called backup quarterback Shaun Hill "one of our biggest offseason acquisitions," writes John Niyo of the Detroit News.
• Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford on his series of injuries in the NFL: "Pretty perfect hits. Guys dropped me on my shoulder pretty hard both times. I'd call them weird, freaky injuries more than anything." Michel Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is willing to gain yards on the ground, notes Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com questions the Bears' decision to match Lions receiver Calvin Johnson in single coverage on the play that nearly beat them Sunday.
• Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz made a number of concessions Sunday for his still-developing offensive line, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times: "Devin Aromashodu started the 2010 season the way he ended the 2009 season: as the Bears' hottest receiver."

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Interesting move in Green Bay, where new defensive coordinator Dom Capers reportedly will hire one of his former players to coach outside linebackers in the Packers' new 3-4 scheme.

Kevin Greene, a two-time NFL sack leader, has agreed to join the coaching staff, according to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. The move will shift assistant head coach Winston Moss to inside linebackers coach, according to the report. Moss previously had responsibility for all linebackers.

Greene was a highly successful player and is a believer in Capers' system. He has almost no experience as an NFL assistant, but Greene's presence will help Capers instill his vision of how a 3-4 outside linebacker should play.

Based on media reports and announcements, here is the way the Packers' new defensive coaching staff appears to be shaping up:

• Coordinator: Dom Capers
  
• Defensive line: Mike Trgovac
  
• Asst. head coach/inside linebackers: Winston Moss
  
• Outside linebackers: Kevin Greene
  
• Defensive backs: Joe Whitt Jr.
  

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Whoever is Green Bay's defensive coordinator in 2009 will be no less than its third choice for the job.

That's one way of looking at Thursday's news that Gregg Williams has agreed to join the New Orleans Saints. Williams and former San Francisco coach Mike Nolan were the first two known candidates for the Packers' open position and are believed to have been the first two interviewed. But Nolan decided to join new Denver coach Josh McDaniels, while Williams was long rumored to favor the Saints.

The Packers have also interviewed St. Louis interim coach Jim Haslett, who is a finalist for the Rams' permanent head coaching job. A fourth candidate could be Philadelphia defensive backs coach Sean McDermott, who won't be eligible to interview before next week at the earliest. There is also no guarantee that the Eagles will let McDermott out of his contract in order to join the Packers.

The Packers' ultimate fallback plan likely is assistant head coach/linebackers Winston Moss, whose agent has relayed his interest in the job. The Packers' decision to interview outside candidates could be viewed as due diligence, but more likely it is a sign that coach Mike McCarthy does not consider him a top option.

With Williams officially out of the picture, this process could go in a few different directions. If McCarthy values Moss over Haslett and doesn't want to wait for McDermott, you can expect a quick resolution. But if the search extends into the weekend, it'll be reasonable to assume that McCarthy is waiting on Haslett and/or McDermott.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Green Bay assistant head coach/linebackers Winston Moss interviewed Monday for the Oakland Raiders' head coaching job, according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It was Moss' second interview of the offseason.

Moss is generally considered a young but promising candidate. He apparently did not make the final round for the St. Louis Rams' open job, but the unpredictability of Raiders owner Al Davis make Moss as likely as anyone else to get the Raiders job.

Oakland was initially interested in interviewing Moss to be their defensive coordinator. Moss' agent, Jack Bechta, told the Journal Sentinel that Moss is interested in the Packers' defensive coordinator job as well. But at the very least, it appears Moss is not the first choice of coach Mike McCarthy.

If he were, it's likely Moss would have been promoted already. Instead, the Packers have interviewed Mike Nolan and Gregg Williams for the job and might be waiting on Philadelphia defensive backs coach Sean McDermott, who is not eligible to take the job until after the Eagles' season is over. The Packers likely will reject overtures from other teams interested in Moss as their defensive coordinator, essentially making him their fallback choice.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Williams, who has received interest from Houston, New Orleans and the Packers, likely will wait to see if Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz leaves the Titans before making a decision. If Schwartz leaves, Williams could replace him, according to Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel.
• Former Chicago special teams ace Brendon Ayanbadejo, now with Baltimore, had some interesting comments on WMVP-AM in Chicago on Monday, according to Carol Slezak of the Chicago-Sun-Times. Among them: "We had a great team when I was in Chicago. I loved, loved, loved my teammates in Chicago, but something was missing. Maybe we were a bit too cool in Chicago. Or we just didn't give it our hearts and soul. Whereas here, with [middle linebacker] Ray Lewis being that emotional leader and as spiritual as he is, it takes us over the top with that emotional advantage we have over every other team on Sundays.''
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune argues that the Bears would be wrong to base their 2009 season upon upgrading at quarterback. Defense, not quarterback play, have been the key to the 2008 playoffs, Haugh writes.
• Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com recounts Schwartz's day in Detroit. The Lions are expected to conduct at least three more interviews before making a final decision on their next head coach.
• Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier will be in Los Angeles on Tuesday to meet with the Rams' ownership group. Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune sets up the day. Frazier is one of five finalists for the Rams' job.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Sorry for the late start here Friday morning. Circumstances prevailed. Such is life.

Topping the NFC North storylines is a piece from Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who reports that Green Bay assistant head coach/linebackers Winston Moss is scheduled to interview with Oakland owner Al Davis for the Raiders' open head coaching job. The meeting, expected to occur in person, likely will happen this weekend.

Moss will be the third known candidate for the Raiders' job, along with New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and Oakland interim coach Tom Cable. (Gilbride interviewed by phone.) Moss played for the Raiders from 1991-94 and is considered a future head coach by many in the NFL. He also has interviewed for St. Louis' vacant head coaching job and is one of two defensive assistants the Packers didn't fire after a 6-10 season.

While Moss is highly regarded, it appears he does not have a strong chance to be the Packers' next defensive coordinator. Coach Mike McCarthy interviewed former San Francisco coach Mike Nolan on Thursday and is also giving consideration to former Jacksonville defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

Continuing around the division:

• If the Packers are serious about Williams, they likely will need to interview him over the weekend, notes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Williams already has interviewed with New Orleans and is being pursued by Houston as well.
• Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com articulates what some in the Bears organization have not: "Moving forward, the Bears need to resuscitate their pass rush and get better play from their secondary."
• Nicholas J. Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press writes that it's too early for naming front-runners for the Lions' head coaching job. There are some who believe Dallas offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has emerged from the pack, but the Lions haven't finished their first round of interviews yet.
• David Birkett of the Oakland Press believes it's more likely the Lions will hire a coach with a defensive background.
• Minnesota coach Brad Childress and two of his players downplayed a Yahoo.com report that the Vikings' sideline was in "total disarray" during Sunday's wild-card playoff loss to Philadelphia. Chip Scoggins and Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune have their reactions.
• Childress is poised to retain his entire coaching staff unless one of his assistants is offered a promotion elsewhere, writes Rick Alonzo of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Six coaches are out in Green Bay, including the defensive coordinator. The Chicago Bears have paraded a long-time coaching friend through their facility. The Lions are looking for someone to lift them from the NFL's defensive dungeon. Minnesota will be searching for its eighth new coordinator in 11 years if their current defensive leader moves on.

It's clear that we Black and Bluers are in for a defensive overhaul in 2009. The Packers and Lions will each have new defensive coordinators, and possibly new schemes as well. The Bears desperately want former Lions coach Rod Marinelli to join their defensive staff as a trusted advisor, possibly as their new coordinator. And the Vikings could lose defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, who will interview for at least two head coaching jobs this week.

Altering the makeup of a coaching staff is an annual rite of the NFL offseason, but this year's intensity is unusual for one division -- especially when only one team has fired its head coach. But 2008 was an especially dreary year for three of your NFC North defenses, and so it's not surprising to learn that no one is standing pat.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Yikes. The National Football Post, a Web site that has multiple connections inside the Green Bay organization, is reporting Monday morning that the Packers have fired every defensive coach with the exception of assistant head coach/linebackers Winston Moss.

The Post reported Sunday that defensive coordinator Bob Sanders was fired, news that has since been confirmed by the Wisconsin State Journal. But Monday's report means that defensive ends coach Carl Hairston, defensive tackles coach Robert Nunn, secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer, cornerbacks coach Lionel Washington and defensive quality control coach Joe Whitt Jr. are all out as well.

UPDATE (1:48 p.m. ET): Whitt was not among the six coaches the Packers named in a press release confirming the news.  

Moss is a well-regarded assistant and has interviewed for the St. Louis Rams' open head coach position.

The Packers announced the retirement of special teams coordinator Mike Stock last week.

If these moves all come to fruition, McCarthy would have effected tremendous staff turnover following a 6-10 season. It also means that the candidates he has in mind as Sanders' replacement -- Mike Nolan and Jim Haslett are among those being mentioned -- are veteran coordinators who would want their own staff of defensive assistants. It's also possible that Moss will get the job but will not have to perform the dirty work of firing former colleagues.

Finally, McCarthy seems poised to enter 2009 with an entirely new set of coordinators in comparison to the group he hired three years ago. His original offensive coordinator, Jeff Jagodzinski, left after the 2006 season to take the head coaching job at Boston College.