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As ESPN.com's Ashley Fox acknowledges, Lambeau Field as the host for Super Bowl L "will never happen."

You know why?

The high-rolling Super Bowl crowd couldn't handle it.

It's one thing to make an exception to the dome/warm weather routine for New York City, the largest city in the country and the site of the $1.2 billion MetLife Stadium. It's quite another to bring the league's singular event to Green Bay.

In New York, organizers are worried about sub-freezing temperatures at kickoff. The city's average high in January is 38 degrees and its average low is 27 degrees. In Green Bay, where the average low at that time of year is a crisp 9 degrees, they would be concerned about sub-arctic temperatures.

As you might know, the people who attend Super Bowls are a mix of corporate sponsors, celebrities, people to whom favors are owed, NFL season ticket holders and a small group of each participating team's fans and family. That crew can probably make it through a 30-degree game in New York. But how many of them -- how many of us, really -- would want to try sitting through a single-digit game at Lambeau?

(Think Brett Favre at the 2007 NFC Championship Game.)

Packers season ticket holders are quite literally a special breed. They know how to deal with frigid temperatures. It's in their blood. Outsiders? Good luck and pack an extra blaze-orange.

A Super Bowl at Lambeau Field is like a lot of things: It sounds good in theory but would be miserable in practice for the NFL's highest-paying customers.

In 2003, the NFL scheduled the Minnesota Vikings as the Green Bay Packers' first opponent in the renovated Lambeau Field. So naturally, the Vikings are expecting the league to return the favor 13 years later.

Nothing will be official for a while, but the Vikings' top stadium executive suggested to multiple media outlets over the weekend that the Packers likely will be the first regular-season opponent in the Vikings' new stadium, scheduled to open in time for the 2016 season.

Responding to a question about jabs from Packers fans on the stadium's design, Vikings vice president Lester Bagley told KARE-Ch. 11 that "we can't wait" to play the Packers there.

"The way the league is structured … our very first regular-season game will likely be against the Green Bay Packers," Bagley said. "So it will be good to see Adrian Peterson break loose and score the first touchdown in the new stadium and run over Clay Matthews on his way to the end zone. We'll see. Hopefully we'll have the last word when we get to opening day in [September] 2016."

(The answer starts around the 14:30 mark.)

The Vikings defeated the Packers 30-25 in that 2003 game, intercepting quarterback Brett Favre four times. Of course, the Packers gained the final word that season by clinching the NFC North in Week 17.

There are multiple variables that go into scheduling out a season, but the Packers will have to play at the new stadium at some point during the 2016 season. So the only real obstacles to the Week 1 matchup is if the NFL opts against it or a television network wants it for later in the season.

Football Outsiders, a statistics-based analysis service, has been producing division-by-division Insider files on remaining team needs. You'll need a subscription to read the entire NFC North post , but below I've taken a few excerpts and written a few things about them.

Chicago Bears
Football Outsiders' issue: Receiver
Football Outsiders comment: "When we pointed to wide receiver as a major flaw for the current Bears early in the offseason, it was to the consternation of a lot of Bears fans who saw the offensive line as the larger issue. The problem is that Jay Cutler is a see-it, throw-it passer. He's still a solid quarterback, but he's never thrown receivers open on a consistent basis. That amplifies the Bears' receiving problems, and while scheming can create the occasional big play for Devin Hester, Eric Weems, or Earl Bennett, they can't defeat man coverage often enough to benefit Cutler."
Seifert comment: I'm not on board with describing Cutler as a "see-it, throw-it" passer. If anything, his arm strength and velocity give him too much confidence when it comes to throwing receivers open. (The phrase refers to putting the ball in a place that an otherwise covered receiver can catch it). I wouldn't argue that Bears' need for additional depth behind Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Bennett, but it's not because of any passing limitation on Cutler's part. There's just not much else behind them, especially as long as Hester works solely with special teams.

Detroit Lions
Football Outsiders' issue: Offensive line
Football Outsiders comment: "The strength of this line in recent seasons has been pass blocking, as Detroit's offense has finished in the top 10 in adjusted sack rate for the past three seasons, but that is likely to take a hit from this offseason's turnover."
Seifert comment: On the other hand, the Lions' new offensive line might be a better run-blocking group. That aspect has taken a back seat in recent years. I do think, however, that it's worth being concerned about putting your franchise quarterback behind a line with at least three first-time starters.

Green Bay Packers
Football Outsiders' issue: Offensive line
Football Outsiders comment: "[M]uch like the Lions, the Packers are putting their faith in their quarterback to evade the pass rush this season. Unlike the Lions, the Packers don't have a lot of personnel turnover in this unit, but, also unlike the Lions, they finished second-to-last in adjusted sack rate last season."
Seifert comment: There would be those who suggest that flipping the left and right sides of your line is football version of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. But every quarterback needs more help from their blind-side pass blockers. If you're going to have a strength and a weakness, it makes sense to shore up the left side first.

Minnesota Vikings
Football Outsiders' issue: Middle linebacker
Football Outsiders comment: "Erin Henderson and Chad Greenway can take care of things in Leslie Frazier's nickel fronts, but the base 4-3 is lacking a thumper after Jasper Brinkley's departure in free agency. (Of course, given Brinkley's broken-tackle rate, they probably were lacking one even if he had come back)."
Seifert comment: The Vikings clearly fell short in their attempts to find a long-term solution at this position during the offseason. They will give Henderson a chance to grow into it during organized team activities, but he was not their first choice. This position could well be atop their list of 2014 needs as well.

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at key players for each NFC North team who are coming back from injuries:

Chicago Bears: Place-kicker Robbie Gould needed offseason surgery after rupturing a semitendinosus tendon in Week 15 and still hadn't been cleared to kick 13 weeks after. All indications are that Gould will be ready for training camp and should once again be the Bears' place-kicker in 2013. Since he entered the NFL in 2005, Gould has the seventh-best percentage of conversions (85.6) among place-kickers with at least 100 attempts, an especially notable standing considering the typical kicking conditions at Soldier Field. With all of the other changes in the organization this offseason, the Bears need the reliability that Gould provides.

Detroit Lions: Safety Louis Delmas managed to play only 41.97 percent of the Lions' defensive snaps last season because of a knee injury that required surgery in training camp. Delmas' knees have been a bothersome issue for most of his career, and there has never been any doubt about the difference in the Lions' defense when he is in and out of the lineup. The team took a cautious approach to re-signing him in free agency, offering a modest deal that would pay him six-figure incentives for every game he plays if he manages to exceed his playing time from last season. The Lions signed free agent Glover Quin as well, but they need Delmas on the field.

Green Bay Packers: Two players who missed the 2012 season because of 2011 injuries could be in position to help the Packers in 2013. Offensive lineman Derek Sherrod had a second surgery this winter to finish repairing a leg he fractured in multiple places, and the Packers have hopes that he can compete for their open right tackle job. Tight end Andrew Quarless, meanwhile, is trying to get back on the field after blowing out his knee in December 2011. When healthy, Quarless might be the Packers' most balanced tight end in terms of receiving and blocking. Jermichael Finley is the team's top tight end, but Quarless could provide important versatility to the position.

Minnesota Vikings: Receiver Jerome Simpson's disappointing season in 2012 -- he caught 26 passes and no touchdowns in 12 games -- has been attributed in part to a mysterious back injury that decreased the explosiveness in his legs. The Vikings are hoping Simpson can regain the running and leaping abilities that helped him catch 50 passes for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2011. Although they signed Greg Jennings, the Vikings still have a need for a veteran receiver who can get downfield -- especially while rookie Cordarrelle Patterson is given time to develop. Simpson is the team's best option there.

Jeff of Chicago noted the earlier post on the Jay Cutler's pocket timing and asked: "Could you post the time and ranking of the other QBs in the NFCN? I'm most curious where Aaron Rodgers falls, since he gets a lot of criticism for the same thing Cutler does here."

Ask and you shall receive. (Sometimes. When I'm in the mood.)

The chart, courtesy of the data mine of ESPN Stats & Information, shows the average amount of time each NFC North quarterback spent in the pocket (TIP) before the pass during the 2012 season. NFL rankings are based on quarterbacks with at least two starts, and I also threw in the sack rate per drop-back to give you the best apples-to-apples comparison that I could between TIP and sacks.

(It's important to note that TIP doesn't factor in the time a quarterback spends outside of the pocket before a pass. But my sense is that most sacks occur on plays when quarterbacks stay in the pocket.)

To be sure, holding the ball too long is one of multiple reasons a sack can occur. Pass protection, coverage and play calls all play in to it as well. But it's worth noting the difference between, say, Matthew Stafford's average time and sack rate with that of Cutler and Rodgers.

Rodgers' numbers probably require a separate conversation that we'll only start today. I was asked in Tuesday's SportsNation chat if there is anything Rodgers could do better. My response: The Packers would love to reduce his sack total, which is at least a partial reflection of his responsibility.

Rodgers has been accused over the years of holding the ball too long, leading to additional sacks. The counterargument, which I accept for the most part, is that holding the ball for longer than an optimal time can also lead to more big plays. Would you trade a few additional sacks if you knew the approach would also lead to more touchdowns? Probably.

So I'm not ready to make any grand judgments on Rogers' TIP and his sack total. The numbers are open to interpretation. But to answer Jeff's original question: Yes, based on the way ESPN Stats & Information times it, Rodgers holds the ball in the pocket longer than any other NFC North quarterback.

A mere two years later, the 2011 draft is crumbling for most of the NFC North. At a time when it should be forming the nucleus of our respective teams, the class of '11 is instead causing some of our most gaping holes.

The futures of two first-round picks are in serious doubt, a second-round pick has already been waived amid a disastrous meltdown and only eight of the 30 players selected appear to have a reasonable chance to start in 2013.

Mistakes, bad luck and injuries have all contributed to this disaster, which we will detail below.

Chicago Bears
Total picks: 5
Picks remaining with team: 4
2013 projected starters: 2
Catastrophe: Offensive lineman Gabe Carimi (Round 1, No. 29 overall)
On the fence: Defensive tackle Stephen Paea (2-53)
Potential gem: Safety Chris Conte (3-93)
Final analysis: Carimi suffered a season-ending knee injury in his second game as a rookie and didn't appear fully recovered last season. He was benched after 11 starts at right tackle and moved to guard as an emergency measure. New Bears coach Marc Trestman indicated last month that his staff views Carimi as a guard, and Carimi has been working out on his own in Arizona ever since. Neither Trestman nor general manager Phil Emery were with the team when Carimi was selected, so there is no reason to think he is guaranteed a roster spot because of his draft status. Paea started 14 games last season, but has ceded any interior playmaking role to Henry Melton, whom the Bears franchised. Paea has 4.5 sacks and a total of 21 tackles in two seasons. You would hope for more from a second-round pick. Conte has been more than competent in 24 starts but has had trouble keeping his 6-foot-2 frame healthy. No matter how you look at it, the Bears didn't get a single impact player from this draft.

Detroit Lions
Total picks: 5
Picks remaining with team: 2
2013 projected starters: 1
Catastrophe: Receiver Titus Young (Round 2, No. 44 overall)
On the fence: Running back Mikel Leshoure (2-57)
Potential gem: Defensive tackle Nick Fairley (1-13)
Final analysis: Drafting Young is the biggest mistake general manager Martin Mayhew has made in his tenure. Young had a history of behavioral problems at Boise State and he flamed out midway through his second season, at the cost of about $2.6 million in salary and bonuses -- and not to mention a continuing hole at receiver. Leshoure lost his rookie year to a torn Achilles tendon and was suspended for two games last season because of two drug-related arrests. When he did play, Leshoure was the least explosive running back in the NFL. He'll almost certainly cede playing time to newcomer Reggie Bush in 2013. Fairley demonstrated how dominant he could be during a limited stretch late last season, notching four sacks in five starts, but needs to provide that kind of performance more consistently.

Green Bay Packers
Total picks: 10
Picks remaining with team: 6
2013 projected starters: 1
Catastrophe: Offensive lineman Derek Sherrod (Round 1, No. 32 overall)
On the fence: Running back Alex Green (3-96)
Potential gem: Randall Cobb (2-64)
Final analysis: The Packers hadn't found a position for Sherrod by the time he suffered a massive leg injury in Week 15 of his rookie season. Multiple fractures cost him the entire 2012 season and required additional surgery this spring. The Packers are hoping he can compete for their right tackle spot, but if he can't get back on the field 18 months after this injury, it will be fair to wonder if he ever will. Green tore his ACL midway through his rookie season and failed in an extended audition to be the Packers' No. 1 back last season. Drafting Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin suggests Green will need some good fortune to get anything close to that kind of opportunity again. A shoulder injury cost cornerback Davon House (4-131) a chance to win a starting job last summer, and he is now behind Tramon Williams, Sam Shields and Casey Hayward on the depth chart. Cobb, on the other hand, led the Packers with 80 receptions for 954 yards last season and is developing into one of the NFL's most electric receivers. The Lions' choice of Young over Cobb will go down as one of the all-time draft gaffes in this division or elsewhere.

Minnesota Vikings
Total picks: 10
Picks remaining with team: 9
2013 projected starters: 4
Potential catastrophe: Quarterback Christian Ponder (Round 1, No. 12 overall)
On the fence: Safety Mistral Raymond (6-170)
Potential gem: Tight end Kyle Rudolph (2-43)
Final analysis: Ponder had a poor rookie year and was terribly inconsistent in his second season until pulling it together for a sharp four-game stretch to end it. He hasn't fallen to the level of Carimi, Sherrod or Young, but 2013 is still entering a make-or-break year for him. If Ponder falls short and needs to be replaced, the Vikings will have wasted three years developing their team around him. That qualifies as an unmitigated catastrophe. Although there are nine players remaining on the roster from this draft, Raymond and guard Brandon Fusco are the only other likely starters/contributors. Raymond seems to have the interest of coaches even after an injury-shortened season. Rudolph caught half of the Vikings' total touchdown passes last season (nine of 18) and was named MVP of the Pro Bowl. Ponder's development could make Rudolph into a dominant threat.

We spent far too much time last summer discussing the Green Bay Packers' backup quarterback situation. Presumptive No. 2 Graham Harrell struggled through some ugly-looking preseason appearances before locking down the job, at least for public consumption, with a near-perfect performance in the Packers' preseason finale.

Much of the concern, of course, was that the Packers had no other internal possibilities if Harrell couldn't handle the role. Rookie B.J. Coleman was strictly a developmental draft pick, and in fact he spent 2012 on the practice squad.

Now, however, is a fair time to ask whether Coleman can provide true competition for Harrell in training camp. Remember, the last quarterback the Packers drafted in the seventh round was Matt Flynn -- who backed up Aaron Rodgers for four years and is now the Oakland Raiders' presumed starter.

Because he spent last year on the practice squad, Coleman is technically a first-year player and thus was eligible for last weekend's rookie minicamp. It provided his first stage to run the Packers' offense and demonstrate improvement. Wrote Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "[E]arly signs this year suggest he will provide genuine competition for Harrell."

Coach Mike McCarthy will have the final say, of course, and he told reporters that he saw enough from Campbell over the weekend.

"What I had to see from B.J. is him [having] looked like he'd been here for a year, be in charge of the drills and be productive," McCarthy said. "And that was evident in all three practices."

The Packers are tentatively planning to bring four quarterbacks to training camp, meaning that Coleman's repetitions will be limited. I don't think the Packers are eager or even looking to move on from Harrell. But it appears as though Coleman put himself at least into the backup conversation over the weekend.

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at a key player from each NFC North team who needs to show something in offseason sessions:

Chicago Bears: Offensive lineman Gabe Carimi was the No. 29 overall pick of the 2011 draft, a left tackle at Wisconsin whom the Bears decided to install at right tackle as a rookie. There was some thought that Carimi could eventually find his way back to left tackle with the Bears, but a knee injury knocked him out for the season after two games. Carimi couldn't regain his footing last season, was benched and moved to guard because of an emergency personnel situation. Now the Bears are looking at him exclusively at a position he might not be physically suited for. The Bears' new coaching staff has no ties to Carimi as a first-round pick and he will have to demonstrate a level of comfort this offseason to give himself a chance to compete for a job -- either as a starter or a backup -- in training camp.

Detroit Lions: Cornerback Bill Bentley was a third-round draft choice last season and earned a starting job out of training camp before a shoulder injury limited his effectiveness and eventually ended his rookie season. Since then, the Lions have re-signed veteran cornerback Chris Houston, used a second-round draft choice to acquire Darius Slay and expressed excitement about the development of two other cornerbacks drafted alongside Bentley: Jonte Green and Chris Greenwood. Slay is recovering from knee surgery and might not have a chance to impress coaches right away, but Bentley will need to make sure he doesn't get lost in the shuffle this offseason to ensure a legitimate chance to win the starting job alongside Houston.

Green Bay Packers: Derek Sherrod was selected three slots below Carimi in the 2011 draft. The Packers viewed Sherrod as a potential long-term replacement for left tackle Chad Clifton but worked him at guard and right tackle before he suffered a gruesome multi-fracture of his leg late in Week 15. He missed all of the 2012 season and recently had a second surgery to address lingering issues. The Packers hope he can be cleared to do at least some work this spring so they can determine whether to count on him for their right tackle competition. If he can't get back to non-contact practices 18 months after the injury, there is reason to be concerned if he ever will.

Minnesota Vikings: Joe Webb has a cult following among Vikings fans (and some media members) because of his off-the-charts athletic ability. The Vikings gave him a handful of reps earlier in his career at receiver and kick returner before making him their backup quarterback in 2012. That experiment failed, resulting in the free-agent acquisition of Matt Cassel. Now it's on Webb to find a way to make himself valuable, perhaps at another position, this offseason. It's possible the Vikings will simply make him their No. 3 quarterback, but for his long-term career prospects, it's probably time for Webb to dig in elsewhere as well.

We're still hashing through the results of the 2013 NFL draft. Mel Kiper Jr.? He's already produced his first Big Board for the 2014 affair.

You'll need an Insider subscription to see the entire post, which lists Kiper's 25 best college prospects after spring practices. From an NFC North perspective, here are a few snippets:

• If you're wondering about the Minnesota Vikings' options if quarterback Christian Ponder bombs in this crucial year, or about the Chicago Bears if they move on from Jay Cutler, it's worth noting Kiper lists three quarterbacks. In order: Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater, Clemson's Tajh Boyd and Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel. You would have to assume that Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, will be a polarizing draft figure given his willingness to run and his size (6-foot, 207 pounds).
• If you want the Vikings, Bears or Lions to seek receiver help next year, you should know that there are three among Kiper's top 25: USC's Marqise Lee, Clemson's Sammy Watkins and Texas A&M's Mike Evans.
• If the Green Bay Packers can get in position to draft an elite left tackle, Kiper projects four among his top 11 overall prospects:: Alabama's Cyrus Kouandijo, Texas A&M's Jake Matthews, Michigan's Taylor Lewan and Tennessee's Antonio Richardson.
• Finally, if an NFC North team crashes hard enough to claim the No. 1 overall spot, Kiper will be quite upset if it doesn't draft South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

We've already discussed the events that led to the Green Bay Packers giving up the opportunity to choose between Wisconsin running back Montee Ball and Alabama's Eddie Lacy. As you recall, the Packers traded down from No. 55 overall -- when both players were available -- and took Lacy at No. 61 after Ball went to the Denver Broncos at No. 58.

At the time, Broncos executive vice president John Elway said the decision was based on "medical." Now we can push the story forward a bit. Elway's top assistant, Broncos director of player personnel Matt Russell, told a conference call of season-ticket holders that Lacy's 2011 turf toe injury was the root of the Broncos' concern.

Said Russell, via the Denver Post: "We liked both these backs, we had them very similar on the board. The issue with Eddie Lacy was we were worried about a toe injury that he had, which is probably what caused him to slip. And we really felt great about Montee Ball. We feel we have a career back in Montee Ball."

That concern jibes with a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report that suggested the Pittsburgh Steelers were also scared off by Lacy's toe injury. According to the report, the condition required a fusion of bones. Positioned at No. 48 overall, the Steelers passed up Lacy and Ball and instead drafted Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell.

So what do we make of this development? Should we be concerned that two other teams passed over Lacy not because of his skills but because of a concerning report on a once-injured toe?

Every team has its own health parameters for draft picks. In some cases, opinions are formed not so much on a player's condition to perform as a rookie but in the longer arc of his career. Some teams won't use a high pick on a player who is susceptible to a shortened career.

To be clear, we don't know if that's the case with Lacy or not. What we do know is that one team's conclusion could be always be considered an outlier. But two? Then you're getting closer to a trend.

This week, NFC West colleague Mike Sando posted the NFL's little-known rules for rookie participation in offseason programs. The key portion for our consumption: Draft picks and college free agents can't participate in organized team activities until after final exams at their respective schools.

That isn't an issue on most campuses, where finals occur in early May. But there are at least four NFC North players, all from Pac-12 schools, who apparently will miss all or most of their team's OTAs this spring because of a later academic calendar.

Atop the list is Chicago Bears first-round draft pick Kyle Long of Oregon, a guard who figures to compete for an immediate starting job. The Bears' OTAs will take place between May 13 and June 6, but Oregon's final exams don't end until June 14. Long is eligible for this weekend's rookie minicamp but not the Bears' veteran mandatory minicamp June 11-13. (*Update: An earlier version of this post said Long was eligible for veteran mandatory minicamp. Upon review, that is not the case.)

The same is believed to be true for a trio of UCLA players who were drafted by NFC North teams. Green Bay Packers running back Johnathan Franklin, along with Minnesota Vikings punter Jeff Locke and Jeff Baca, appear ineligible for OTAs until after June 14. The Packers and Vikings are both scheduled to have OTAs wrap up on the same day.

Franklin would not be eligible for the Packers' veteran mandatory minicamp, which is scheduled for June 4-6. Locke and Baca would be able to participate because the Vikings' mandatory minicamp is scheduled to start June 18. (Update: Frankin's eligibility status has also been revised.) Packers defensive end Datone Jones, also of UCLA, is eligible for OTAs because he has already graduated from school.

How critical will these absences be? Repetitions are the key to learning, but most rookies are swimming when they arrive at training camp regardless of their offseason participation. But in Long's case, for one, it stiffens the learning curve required for him to compete effectively for a Week 1 starting job, as many have projected he will.

Another in a periodic series examining the roles of NFC North newcomers:

In the four months since "579," the Green Bay Packers have done some serious schematic soul-searching. Coach Mike McCarthy went so far as to send his defensive coaching staff to a private clinic at Texas A&M, where he hoped they would learn how to better defend the read-option and other outside running plays that contributed to their 2012 playoff demise.

From a personnel perspective, however, not much has changed. The Packers haven't acquired a linebacker of note, and their defensive line has taken on a modest total of two significant additions. One is Johnny Jolly, who was recently reinstated from a three-year NFL suspension. The other is first-round draft pick Datone Jones, a longish defensive end who caused all kinds of backfield disruption last season at UCLA.

It's difficult to expect much from Jolly after such a long layoff. So what about Jones? How much can we reasonably project him to improve the Packers' outside run defense?

From the top, Jones is the kind of physical specimen the Packers haven't had on their defensive line in a while. He is 6-foot-4, 283 pounds, has a background in basketball and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.8 seconds at the NFL scouting combine. Those dimensions presumably make him difficult to block, and Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers told reporters: "If you're drawing up a defensive end, you'd like to have a guy with his kind of height and length. It was one of the things that was appealing to us."

Of course, speed and athleticism alone don't necessarily translate into success at the line of scrimmage. We saw that with the Packers' 2012 first-round draft pick, USC defensive end Nick Perry. Although Perry ran his 40-yard dash in 4.58 seconds, he seemed bogged down by the transition to linebacker and made a minimal impact before suffering season-ending knee and wrist injuries.

Jones, however, had an eye-opening year at UCLA, not only as a pass-rusher (6.5 sacks) but also as a run defender. As the chart shows, Jones had 17 run stuffs, the highest total among well-regarded defensive prospects. (ESPN Stats & Information defines a run stuff as a tackle on a running play that resulted in negative or zero yardage.)

So in Jones, the Packers have a well-sized and speedy defensive end who appeared difficult to block on the college level. When you look back at last season's struggles against both the read-option and Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson, you recall that the trouble usually began when the Packers were spread out and runners got to the second level.

Theoretically, getting to the second level should be harder when you have bigger and faster players up front. Former Packers defensive back Charles Woodson implied as much after the team's 45-31 divisional playoff defeat against the San Francisco 49ers, who rushed for 323 yards and had a total of 579 offensive yards.

"You'd like to have as much speed as you can," Capers said. "I think the way the offenses are heading ... you're going to be spread out. It's become more of a space game. Any time you're spread out and you’ve got to cover space, the quicker and faster you are, the better you’re going to be probably."

I'm not sure whether it's fair to attach the Packers' read-option fortunes to Jones or any other draft pick. Their difficulties against the read-option and Peterson revealed problems in covering space as well as tackling in the open field.

As the charts show, the Packers allowed 6.0 yards per rush on runs outside the tackles last season. Peterson averaged 13.7 yards per carry on such runs, and overall the Packers allowed more yards after contact per outside rush than any team in the NFL.

At the very least, drafting Jones was an important step in the direction the Packers knew they needed to take. Said general manager Ted Thompson: "Trying to add a little more speed to the defense, we think, is a good idea."

Earlier: The Packers have a nifty runner in UCLA's Johnathan Franklin. The Detroit Lions could follow a template for easing in young, inexperienced pass-rushers. The Minnesota Vikings know they need to have a plan for receiver Cordarrelle Patterson's rookie season.

Three well-regarded former NFC North players made Jeffri Chadiha's list of "seasoned, big-name free agents still sitting on the open market, hoping to find homes." Let's take a look at each:

Cornerback Charles Woodson
Chadiha: "The best Woodson can hope for is a minor role on a team that could use a veteran presence in its secondary. … It's not hard to see Woodson retiring given the way his offseason is going. He has too much pride.
Seifert take: The best chance for Woodson seemed to be the San Francisco 49ers, who went on to sign veteran cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and then draft safety Eric Reid in the first round. Woodson could help an NFL team, but it will have to be one willing to carve out a specialized role in its defensive scheme.

Linebacker Brian Urlacher
Chadiha: "This doesn't look good for Urlacher at this stage. He may have played his last NFL game."
Seifert take: Earlier this offseason, the word around the NFL is that Urlacher would play for the Bears or no one else in 2013. The Bears' final contract offer, one that that didn't guarantee him much beyond the veteran's minimum, suggested that the team who knew him best wasn't very interested. The Minnesota Vikings would be a possibility only if none of their internal candidates, including Erin Henderson, can handle the job.

Defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch
Chadiha: "Vanden Bosch essentially made about $20 million with the Lions by being a good guy who could still play. Don't expect him to be so lucky going forward."
Seifert take: Vanden Bosch has always kept himself in shape and hasn't made any announcements. But it wouldn't be a surprise if he retires.

This week began with NBA player Jason Collins rocking the sports world by announcing he is gay and continued with the unlikely entrance of former Green Bay Packers safety LeRoy Butler into the issue.

Now let me pass along Ian O'Connor's well-reported column on Packers Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, who was decades ahead of his time as "a champion of gay athletes." Lombardi's brother was gay, and during his time with the Washington Redskins in 1969, Lombardi worked with at least five gay men in either the front office or the playing field.

Said Lombardi's daughter, Susan: " "My father was way ahead of his time. He was discriminated against as a dark-skinned Italian American when he was younger, when he felt he was passed up for coaching jobs that he deserved. He felt the pain of discrimination, and so he raised his family to accept everybody, no matter what color they were or whatever their sexual orientation was. I think it's great what Jason Collins did, because it's going to open a lot of doors for people. Without a doubt my father would've embraced him, and would've been very proud of him for coming out."

You can read the entire column over on ESPNNewYork.com.

So on the first Friday of May, we learned that not one but two former Iowa left tackles will be making their full-time NFL debuts at the position here in the NFC North.

(The similarities don't end there. Both were the No. 23 overall pick of their respective drafts, and both have overcome the often-career ending diagnosis of short arms. Anyhoo …)

We've fully covered the path that the Detroit Lions took to naming Riley Reiff their left tackle -- namely, waiting to see if they found a better option in the draft. Now let's take a closer look at the Green Bay Packers' decision to shift Bryan Bulaga to the position four years after he last played there.

Like the Lions, the Packers waited to see what options -- if any -- the 2013 draft would bring them. Three left tackles were already off the board when the Lions chose at No. 5 overall, so it was hardly surprising that the Packers couldn't find an alternative at No. 26 and beyond.

Monday, coach Mike McCarthy made the move that, frankly, I have assumed would be a measure of last resort. After all, if the Packers had always planned for Bulaga to follow the retired Chad Clifton, then why didn't they plug him in last season rather than experimenting with Marshall Newhouse?

My guess is the Packers knew Bulaga had developed into one of the NFL's better right tackles and didn't want to disrupt a good thing if at all possible. They hoped someone -- either Newhouse or 2011 first-rounder Derek Sherrod -- would grow into the left tackle's job.

That hasn't happened. Sherrod hasn't played since breaking his leg in December 2011. Newhouse was the starter for most of the past two seasons, but over that time he allowed more sacks (16, according to Pro Football Focus) than every full-time NFL left tackle except the Chicago Bears' J'Marcus Webb (19).

The Packers realized that the best tackle on their roster was playing the less challenging of the two positions. And, for that matter, their best guard was also playing away from the blind side of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. When you look at it that way, and you remember McCarthy's offseason goal of improving the left side of the line, you understand why Bulaga is now their left tackle and Josh Sitton is the left guard.

That part makes sense. Bulaga might well be the Packers' best option to play left tackle. Whether he is a good option overall, of course, is a separate issue.

He was available at No. 23 overall in 2009 in part because, yes, his arms measured shorter than the prototypical left tackle, potentially putting him at a reach and leverage disadvantage. And no matter how much good work Bulaga quietly did on the right side over the years, it's difficult for any of us to forget how overmatched he looked in Week 3 last season against the Seattle Seahawks' speed and power pass-rushers.

PFF credited Bulaga for two sacks allowed in that game, along with another hit and eight more quarterback hurries. McCarthy received a fair amount of criticism for his play-calling in that game, which didn't alleviate the pressure on Bulaga and Newhouse quickly enough. But for the most part, you hope that your left tackle can hold his own more often than not against edge pass-rushers.

McCarthy is far more liberal about moving offensive linemen than many NFL coaches, so in itself, close observers can't be shocked by his response. In fact, at least four of the Packers' five presumed starters have made NFL starts at a minimum of two positions.

McCarthy has prioritized the left side of the line over the right, as many coaches would do. But will this solution work? Or is it a short-term bridge until the Packers find the next left tackle they want to experiment with? We'll soon find out.

Note: In total, we will have three new left tackles in the NFC North this season. Bulaga replaces Newhouse. Reiff replaces the retired Jeff Backus, and Jermon Bushrod replaces Webb, whom the Bears moved to right tackle.