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What did you think about the way Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy addressed the future of receiver Donald Driver? At the very least, Driver's future with the franchise doesn't appear to have been decided.

Driver, 37, has said he would be willing to re-negotiate his contract to remain with the team, and last week the Packers made two difficult decisions -- releasing left tackle Chad Clifton and safety Nick Collins -- while Driver remained on the roster. But when asked if Driver is set to go to training camp with the team, Thompson told reporters Saturday: "I would never speculate on something like that. He's dancing right now. Doing good, too."

(As you know, Driver remains apart of the "Dancing with the Stars" cast on the West Coast and, according to ESPN.com's Lynn Hoppes, he's scheduled to dance the Viennese Waltz in Monday night's broadcast. That'll be big.)

It's not unlike Thompson to avoid direct answers on personnel matters. But McCarthy was unusually vague when asked the same question, saying: "No reason to speculate on that. I'm just going to follow Ted's answer to that question."

If Driver was definitely set to return, you would think Thompson and/or McCarthy would have said so. If a decision had already been made one way or the other, there would be nothing to avoid speculating on.

One guess is that the sides are trying to work out a restructured deal but haven't completed negotiations. Another, less likely, possibility is that they have agreed to reconvene after Driver's stint on "DWTS."

There certainly are no hard feelings at this point. McCarthy gleefully admitted he and his family have faithfully watched each "DWTS" episode, which is more than I (and possibly you) can say.

"I didn't realize it was such a tough thing for a man [to watch] "Dancing with the Stars," McCarthy said. "And if I'm not at home, we have to DVR it and watch it as a family. We're rooting him on and voting eight times like you're supposed to. He's doing a great job."

The Packers are well into their offseason program, but the early stages are mostly about strength and conditioning, neither of which have ever been a problem for Driver. Stay tuned.

News of the Green Bay Packers' decision to release safety Nick Collins was sad, sobering and inevitable. From my experience, Collins is a quiet and humble family man who was on his way to becoming one of the best and most consistent safeties of this generation before suffering a serious neck injury last September. (Agent Alan Herman confirmed the news to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.)

But I've suspected this moment was coming from the moment Packers coach Mike McCarthy said last month that he wouldn't let Collins return if he were his son. Collins had cervical fusion surgery to repair his injury, a procedure some NFL players have returned from, but McCarthy seemed scarred by seeing Collins immobilized and removed from the field on a stretcher, and the Packers' medical staff must not have offered enough supporting evidence to suggest it was completely safe for Collins to return.

I won't pretend to understand all of the medical details involved in this decision, and your first reaction might be to criticize the Packers for disposing Collins the minute they decided he could be of no use to them. That would be shortsighted, however. The Packers can't prevent Collins from playing again with another team, but it's clear they didn't want the burden of a possible re-injury to fall on their watch. Directly or indirectly, they're trying to help him walk away from the game under his own power.

Think about it. Collins is 28 and a three-time Pro Bowl player. The Packers' pass defense collapsed after his injury last season, and thus they have every reason to want him back on the field. If they were unconcerned about his well being, they would have brought him to training camp regardless of the medical risks and let him play for as long as he could. If he were re-injured, they would release him then. For once, an NFL team appears to have acted with some empathy even if it hurts on the field.

*UPDATE: General manager Ted Thompson indicated as much in a statement released as part of the team's official announcement: "From the beginning of this process, we have taken our time and sought numerous medical opinions while maintaining consistent dialogue with Nick. In the end, we were not comfortable clearing him to play again. As with all of our players, Nick is a member of our family and we thought of him that way as we came to this conclusion. Nick is a part of our core, and this is a very difficult day for all Packers. Making this kind of decision is never easy, especially when it involves someone like Nick Collins. He has meant so much to the community, his teammates and the organization. He is a good man and will always be part of the Packers family."

My guess is the Packers have been planning for this eventuality all offseason. They didn't sign a free agent safety, but it's fair to assume that position is among their priorities in this week's draft. Veteran safety Charlie Peprah had a better year in 2010 when he replaced fellow safety Morgan Burnett than when he stepped into Collins' role last season.

With the NFL's attention mostly on the draft, the Packers have now released two franchise cornerstones this week. Chad Clifton, their starting left tackle since 2000, departed Monday. The two moves cleared about $9 million in salary-cap space. But from a big-picture perspective, the Packers have undergone some monumental changes this week -- and the draft hasn't even begun.

When we last checked in on Chad Clifton, it was clear the Green Bay Packers were hoping to find a way to get their veteran left tackle back for 2012. At the NFL owners meetings, coach Mike McCarthy termed Clifton's future "a medical decision" after postseason back surgery.

The Packers made that decision Monday, and it ended an 12-year run that included a Pro Bowl berth as recently as two years ago. Just as important, the move should save the Packers more than $5 million against the 2012 salary cap.

In truth, the Packers' pending release of Clifton -- as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter -- has been building for years. The team essentially extended his career by limiting practice time to help manage knee, shoulder, back and hamstring ailments. But the back issue developed last season while rehabilitating a hamstring injury, and it was fair to question whether the Packers could rely on a left tackle in his condition who will turn 36 in June.

Knowing this moment was coming, the Packers have drafted a number of possible replacements in recent years. Bryan Bulaga was initially a left tackle as a first-round pick in 2010, but he has since moved to right tackle. Derek Sherrod, the Packers' top pick last season, played guard and tackle before suffering a season-ending broken leg in December.

But the most likely replacement could be Marshall Newhouse, a fifth-round pick in 2010 who filled in admirably for Clifton last season. As the playoffs approached, quarterback Aaron Rodgers offered this ringing endorsement of Newhouse's performance:

"Starting the season out, I didn't look at Marshall the way I look at him now. I look at him now as a guy who really has a strong, legitimate chance to be the left tackle of the future. I think he has the personality makeup to do that, the athletic ability to do that, the feet and the smarts to be a very, very solid left tackle for us."

The Packers' depth chart at the position depends partially on this week's draft. But for now, we can at least say that he Packers will have a new left tackle this season for the first time since 1999.

Bob Sansevere's column provides us with another instance of Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman going out of his way to suggest that he is far from certain to draft USC tackle Matt Kalil with the No. 3 overall pick in the April draft.

Last month, Spielman on multiple occasions noted how important it is to surround a young quarterback with playmakers, and fill in at left tackle as needed. More recently, Spielman asked Sansevere to name the starting left tackles of the past two Super Bowl champions and apparently talked up LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne.

I judged the first instance to be blatant draft posturing, and the second might well fall into the same category. But let's take a closer look and make sure we all understand why Kalil is the presumed pick at No. 3 rather than Claiborne, Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon or even Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

First off, it's true that the Giants won Super Bowl XLVI with a replacement left tackle, David Diehl, who took over during the season for an injured Will Beatty, a second-round draft pick in 2009. The Packers won Super Bowl XLV with left tackle Chad Clifton, a third-round draft pick in 2000 and two-time Pro Bowler. For good measure, we should note that the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers advanced to the title games with Matt Light and Jonathan Scott starting at left tackle, respectively. Light was a second-round pick in 2001 and is a four-time Pro Bowl player; Scott was a fifth-round pick of the Detroit Lions in 2006.

That cross section of history allows Spielman to make an obvious point: There is no step-by-step manual for building a championship team, other than having a good quarterback, and a contending team does not necessarily need an elite left tackle. But to me, the argument for Kalil is not so much that he plays left tackle but that he is widely assessed -- at least by media draft analysts -- to be the third-best player in the draft.

The Vikings shouldn't target Kalil just because he is a left tackle, nor should they zero in on Claiborne because they are thin at cornerback or Blackmon because they want a downfield threat for quarterback Christian Ponder. The only relevant question is who the best player is.

So we will give Spielman some leeway here. I still think his public statements lend themselves more to posturing than honest assessments. But if he and his scouts truly judge Claiborne or Blackmon or even Richardson as a better prospect than Kalil, then by all means they should draft that player and put up that evaluation to stand the test of history.

If that's the case, however, you can only hope that Spielman will have made a position-neutral decision. At such a high spot in the draft, it seems like splitting hairs to debate which position is more valuable. The only choice at No. 3 is to take the best player. The media consensus suggests it's Kalil, but the media has been wrong before.

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.

INDIANAPOLIS -- There is a moment at most NFL combines when I see a highly regarded prospect and am surprised at what he looks like in person. Friday, that player was USC left tackle Matt Kalil, one of a handful of players the Minnesota Vikings might draft at No. 3 overall.

Dressed in a baggy sweatsuit, Kalil looked as much like a tight end as he did a left tackle. He played last season at 300 pounds and said he weighed in this week at 306. But suffice it to say, there are plenty of pounds left to be packed on his 6-foot-6 frame.

"Definitely [I would like] to put more bulk on my frame," Kalil said. "I'm so tall and slender, I could weigh 310, and it wouldn't look it. I can definitely add more weight, and I will be training the next few months -- getting bigger, getting stronger, working on my body."

To be clear, I don't think Kalil needs to go on a massive weight-gaining expedition in the next few months. He credits his success to playing light on his feet and moving well, and for that reason it wouldn't make sense to jump, say, 30 pounds in a year. But weight is one of the measurables people will fixate on here at the combine, and for comparison, consider that Green Bay Packers left tackle Chad Clifton weighs 320 pounds and J'Marcus Webb of the Chicago Bears is listed at 333 pounds.

Last year, Colorado left tackle Nate Solder was considered a project in part because he had 319 pounds spread out over his 6-foot-8 frame. The New England Patriots selected him with the No. 17 overall pick. But to this point, most draft observers have agreed that Kalil is polished from a technique standpoint and ready to start in the NFL immediately.

He'll have a chance to convince Vikings officials of that Friday when he meets them for a formal interview. Kalil will also speak with the St. Louis Rams, who own the No. 2 overall pick and could make the Kalil discussion a moot point for the NFC North. Stay tuned.

There’s a very interesting blog item by The Palm Beach Post’s Brian Briggane. He caught up with former Green Bay defensive back Leroy Butler, who is unhappy that former Green Bay coach Mike Sherman did not get the job as head coach in Tampa Bay.

Butler is unhappy with the Glazer family that owns the Buccaneers, and with former Tampa Bay defensive tackle Warren Sapp. Butler said he believes Sapp influenced the Glazers' decision to not hire Sherman.

There’s history between Sapp and Sherman. Back in 2002, Sapp turned from defensive tackle to blocker after a Tampa Bay interception. Sapp hit Green Bay offensive lineman Chad Clifton and knocked him out of the game. Sherman and Sapp had a heated exchange that got a lot of national attention.

Sapp later left the Bucs, and Sherman left the Packers. But their paths crossed again last week when reports surfaced that Sherman was about to get hired to coach the Bucs.

Sapp sent out some tweets that blasted Sherman and general manager Mark Dominik, who use the same agent. Sherman had interviewed with the Bucs early in the process and again last week.

Butler claims that Sapp’s tweets influenced the Glazers to pass on Sherman and hire Greg Schiano away from Rutgers.

Part of me would like to say Butler is categorically wrong. I don’t think the Glazers use Sapp as some sort of advisor, and I’d like to say the owners probably weren’t sitting around reading his tweets when they were in the middle of making such an important decision. But I can’t say that definitively when it comes to the Bucs. As I’ve written before, the Bucs sometimes are way too sensitive about how they are perceived.

I’d like to think this was not one of those times. I’d like to think that, after meeting with Sherman and Schiano, the Bucs simply decided Schiano was the better fit for their franchise.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers are about as healthy as they can be for Sunday's divisional round playoff game. The Giants' inactives list is the same as it was last week, and the Packers have only one injured player, linebacker Robert Francois, who will be inactive.

Active for the Packers will be wide receiver Greg Jennings, who missed the past couple of games of the regular season due to injury, and starting tackles Chad Clifton and Bryan Bulaga, who also battled injuries during the final few weeks of the season. It will be interesting to see how healthy the tackles are and how they hold up against the Giants' edge pass-rushers.

Active for the Giants will be wide receiver Mario Manningham, who had struggled with knee problems in the second half of the season but was active for the first playoff game last week, and cornerback Aaron Ross and running back D.J. Ware, each of whom suffered concussions in last week's victory over the Falcons. Linebacker Mark Herzlich, still out with an ankle injury, is the injured player on the inactive list.

Full list of inactives:

GIANTS

WR Ramses Barden

RB Da'Rel Scott

LB Mark Herzlich

OL Jim Cordle

DE Justin Trattou

DT Jimmy Kennedy

OL James Brewer

PACKERS

QB Graham Harrell

CB Davon House

LB Rob Francois

OL Herb Taylor

TE D.J. Williams

DE Howard Green

LB Vic So'oto

We'll make this as easy as we can: Of the 106 players on the combined active rosters of the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, only two are unlikely to be available for Sunday's divisional playoff game at Lambeau Field.

The Giants have ruled out linebacker Mark Herlzich, who is sidelined by an ankle injury. And Packers linebacker Robert Francois is doubtful because of a hamstring injury that prevented him from practicing Friday.

Everyone else is probable or unlisted on the final injury report of the week. That includes Packers left tackle Chad Clifton, who took a veteran rest day Friday, and offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith (illness). Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) returned to practice Friday and is probable.

Is it game time yet?

» Divisional Final Word: Saints-49ers | Broncos-Patriots | Texans-Ravens | Giants-Packers

Three nuggets of knowledge about Sunday's New York Giants-Green Bay Packers divisional playoff game:

Home-field advantage: The playoffs will return to Lambeau Field for the first time in four seasons. The Packers are 15-3 all-time at home in the postseason. They've also won 13 consecutive regular-season games at Lambeau. Over that stretch, which began in Week 7 of last season, the Packers have outscored opponents by an average spread of 37-18 and have a +23 advantage in turnovers. The Giants have won two of their last three games at Lambeau, including the 2007 NFC Championship Game, but have won a total of three games in the state of Wisconsin since 1957. What does all of this mean? The Packers no doubt prefer playing at home over the alternative, but their opponent Sunday can draw on some relatively recent success to minimize the intimidation factor Lambeau would otherwise carry.

Key matchup: We've spent time this week discussing the challenge facing the Packers' defense. (They are trying to become the first team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl after finishing the regular season with a defense ranked below No. 25 overall, based on total yards allowed.) We've also noted that the Packers have scored 83 points in two games against the Giants in the last 13 months. (All of our coverage is available through this handy "Giants-Packers" link.) But one of the most interesting subplots will be the return of Packers left tackle Chad Clifton to full-time duty -- just in time to face one of the NFL's top players in 2011. Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul earned first-team All-Pro honors after compiling 16.5 sacks, including six in the Giants' final four regular-season games. Pierre-Paul is expected to start at right end, and when he takes a break or moves elsewhere, the Giants probably will use veteran pass-rusher Osi Umenyiora. Clifton hasn't played a full game since Week 4 because of hamstring and back injuries, and at 35 he's giving up 12 years to Pierre-Paul. But Clifton knows every veteran trick in the book, and he has traditionally fared well against elite pass-rushers, most notably Jared Allen. The Packers trust Clifton to figure out a way to keep the pass rush away from quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Philbin factor: After the death of Michael Philbin this week, the NFL community learned just how revered his father is by those who know him. The grief of Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin deeply touched the entire organization, and dealing with those emotions was an undeniable part of the team's preparation this week. Coach Mike McCarthy referred to it as a "punch in the heart" and fought back tears during a news conference Wednesday. It's too cliché to speculate whether the tragedy will help or hurt the Packers' mindset when they take the field Sunday, or if it affected their week in a tangible way. But if nothing else, we learned that Joe Philbin is deeply intertwined within the Packers' structure and success.

Some newsbits and random thoughts as the Green Bay Packers began practicing in earnest for Sunday's divisional playoff game against the New York Giants:

As we've been discussing for the past few days, the death of Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin's son has hit the franchise hard. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers spoke slowly and in tones hardly recognizable during the beginning of his Tuesday radio show, and on Wednesday coach Mike McCarthy, teared up and paused several seconds to collect himself while discussing the death of Michael Philbin.

Here's part of what McCarthy said, transcribed from a video available on the Packers' web site:

"Everybody's feeling it. There's no question on what level. That's really for the individual to speak on. But professionally, I've been very pleased with what we’ve been able to accomplish. We had a very productive day Monday, obviously with everything going on on Monday. And today, just a ton of energy. Clearly from a tempo standpoint, the execution is probably one of our finer Wednesday practices.

"And I think the reality of this just gave everybody a punch in the heart to let you know the reality ... how fortunate we are to be where we are."

Joe Philbin spent Wednesday with his family and McCarthy said he had not spoken to him about a return date. McCarthy had originally planned to assume Philbin's weekly duties but has since spread them around to the rest of his offensive staff.

McCarthy's message to the team Wednesday, he said, was about "the ability to separate." Obviously, that's easier said than done.

Michael Philbin's funeral is scheduled for Friday. Rodgers told reporters Wednesday that "a bunch" of people from the organization are hoping to attend the funeral, but in another sign of how impactful this episode has been, Rodgers said he has never attended a funeral.

All 53 players on the Packers' active roster practiced Wednesday. Technically, left tackle Chad Clifton (hamstring/back), receiver Randall Cobb (groin) and linebacker Robert Francois (hamstring) were limited. But McCarthy said even the limited players were close to full participation.

The Giants are in decent health. Cornerback Aaron Ross, who suffered a concussion Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, was cleared to practice. But running back D.J. Ware has not been cleared from his concussion and sat out practice. So did linebacker Mark Herzlich (ankle) and running back Ahmad Bradshaw (foot/back). But Bradshaw typically sits out at least one practice a week and is expected to play Sunday.

A question for those of you who like a good inner-football discussion: How wary would you be about a playoff team swapping out its left tackle in the final week of the regular season?

The Green Bay Packers presumably will face that issue as veteran Chad Clifton gets closer to a return from hamstring and back ailments that have sidelined him for the past 10 games. It's rare when for a player to miss such a large part of the regular season and then resume playing, but replacement Marshall Newhouse's performance has at least caused coach Mike McCarthy's eyes to wander.

There's little doubt that Clifton could jump back in from a mental standpoint without a problem, but you wonder what condition he's in after such a long layoff and if his ailments are truly healed. Perhaps that's why the Packers plan to get him some game action Sunday against the Detroit Lions: to determine whether it's even worth a consideration.

So I found it interesting listening back to quarterback Aaron Rodgers' weekly radio show on ESPN 540 in Milwaukee. Rodgers didn't sound like a quarterback who was particularly interested in seeing his backside protection changed as the Packers approach the playoffs, nor did he seem to think it was particularly necessary.

"That’s not my decision on who is going to ultimately play there," Rodgers said. "Can’t say enough about the job Marshall has done. Starting the season out, I didn't look at Marshall the way I look at him now. I look at him now as a guy who really has a strong, legitimate chance to be the left tackle of the future. I think he has the personality makeup to do that, the athletic ability to do that, the feet and the smarts to be a very, very solid left tackle for us.

"Chad has been a guy who’s been so consistent for us through the years. Getting him back would mean either depth or a guy that can be plugged in right away and play. Mike has mentioned he'd like to see Chad play some plays this week in order to know if he can go with him in the playoffs.

"That being said, whoever is in there at left tackle, there will be a lot of confidence. Again, I thought Marshall played his butt off on Sunday against the Bears and I'm not surprised. It's not a performance that surprised me when he goes out there and plays the way he does."

Indeed, Newhouse was part of an offensive line that kept Rodgers almost entirely clean during the Packers' 35-21 victory. Rodgers wasn't sacked and was hit once on 33 passing plays, including 29 passes and four scrambles.

At this point, the Packers are just mulling all the options their current personnel provides. Soon, however, they'll have to decide whether to maintain their current configuration or re-install a reliable veteran for their run through the playoffs.

Holiday and travel constraints have required us to shorten our weekly Friday injury report. I've got some important bits and pieces to share, but for those who need the entire rundown, please see the injury pages on both ESPN.com and NFL.com.

• The Green Bay Packers ruled out defensive end Ryan Pickett (concussion) and offensive lineman Chad Clifton (back) for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears. Defensive end Mike Neal (shoulder) is questionable, but the Packers are hopeful he can play.
• The Minnesota Vikings ruled out guard Steve Hutchinson (concussion) and cornerback Asher Allen (concussion) for Saturdays' game against the Washington Redskins.
• It doesn't look like Bears running back Marion Barber will play Sunday night, and receiver/kick returner Devin Hester might have a hard time getting on the field as well.

Have a great evening, everyone.

Checking in on Thursday's newsbits in the NFC North:

Chicago Bears: Tight end Kellen Davis (back) and defensive end Julius Peppers (not injury related) returned to practice Thursday. Still missing were linebacker Lance Briggs (ankle), running back Marion Barber (calf) and kick returner/receiver Devin Hester (ankle). None have been ruled out for Sunday's game at Lambeau Field.

Detroit Lions: Cornerback Don Carey (concussion), safety Louis Delmas (knee), defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot), defensive tackle Corey Williams (hip) and defensive end Willie Young (ankle) all missed practice. The Lions re-signed cornerback Brandon McDonald to bolster their depth as Carey's concussion lingers.

Green Bay Packers: Running backs James Starks (ankle) and Brandon Saine (concussion) participated fully in practice and should be ready to play Sunday night. Linebacker Desmond Bishop (calf) and offensive lineman Chad Clifton (hamstring/back) made it through their second consecutive day of practice. Defensive lineman Howard Green (foot) was limited in practice. Defensive end Ryan Pickett (concussion) has still not been cleared.

Minnesota Vikings: The decision by USC quarterback Matt Barkley to return to school could have an indirect impact on the Vikings. If the Vikings ultimately want to trade down from their perch atop the first round, it would have helped to have another blue-chip quarterback to increase the value of their pick. Meanwhile, cornerback Asher Allen and guard Steve Hutchinson (concussion) missed practice for the second consecutive day.

Most of you know I'm not a big fan of the Pro Bowl. I don't necessarily have a way of making it better, but that doesn't mean I have to like the current incarnation. In the end, the rosters are rarely a true rendering of the best players in the NFL.

Fan balloting ended Wednesday, and you might be excited that NFC North players received more votes than those of any other division. I'm not. Mostly I'm impressed with your tenacity at the virtual ballot boxes. The Green Bay Packers' Chad Clifton, who hasn't played in two months, was the leading vote-getter among tackles? Well done.

(NFC West colleague Mike Sando has the complete divisional breakdown if you're interested.)

Players and coaches are next up for voting. Teams for both the NFC and AFC will be announced Tuesday, to be followed shortly by injury- and playoff-related pullouts. In advance of the announcement, let's consider some of the more interesting Pro Bowl-related questions in the NFC North:

How will injuries impact the final voting?

Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson, Chicago Bears tailback Matt Forte and Packers receiver Greg Jennings were all having obvious Pro Bowl years before their seasons were cut back by injuries. Peterson has returned after missing three games but ranks behind 16 other players with 932 rushing yards. Forte's 1,487 all-purpose yards still rank No. 2 in the NFL, but he might not play again this season and thus would have only 12 starts on his stat line.

Jennings, meanwhile, is probably done for the regular season and doesn't rank among the NFL's top 10 in either receptions or receiving yards.

In an ideal world, voters wouldn't hold a few games missed for injury against deserving candidates. But let's face it: some players, fans and coaches use the NFL statistics leaders to cast their ballots.

Will Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford make it?

Stafford finished No. 4 in fan voting among NFC quarterbacks, behind the Packers' Aaron Rodgers, the New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees and the Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton. The New York Giants' Eli Manning and the Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo are also strong candidates.

Stafford ranks fourth in the NFC in passer rating, yards and touchdown passes. He's on the edge.

Should Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh make it?

Suh finished second among NFC defensive tackles in fan voting, but he quite frankly hasn't made the same impact as he did as a rookie in 2010. His three sacks rank behind eight other defensive tackles in the NFL, including two from the Bears alone; Henry Melton and Amobi Okoye have combined for 11 sacks.

Suh also missed two games because of his NFL suspension, further limiting his opportunities for production. We'll see.

Will Packers linebacker Clay Matthews make it?

Those of us who have seen most Packers games would agree Matthew has made an impact beyond his six sacks. But assuming that at least some voters use the stat packet for their guide, it must be noted that 37 players have more sacks.

With that said, Matthews also has two interceptions, 10 passes defensed and two forced fumbles. He's had a Pro Bowl season.

How many NFC North cornerbacks will make it?

I would say Packers cornerback Charles Woodson, who is tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions, is a lock. But there are two other names to at least consider.

Lions cornerback Chris Houston has four interceptions, two of which he's returned for touchdowns, but has missed two games because of a knee injury. Meanwhile, Bears cornerback Charles Tillman has only two interceptions but has been widely complimented for his work against Lions receiver Calvin Johnson this season and overall has had an excellent year.

Chances are Woodson is the only player named Tuesday, but it wouldn't be surprising for Houston and Tillman to be named alternates.

Are both Bears linebackers in?

Lance Briggs has been named to every Pro Bowl since 2005 and Brian Urlacher returned last season after injury-related absences. Both have been healthy and productive this season and have the advantage of name recognition, but you never know how the Bears' late-season slide will impact their candidacies.

For what it's worth, Urlacher needs 36 tackles over the final two games of the season to match his 2010 total. Briggs has already surpassed last year's performance in terms of tackles.

Will Packers receiver Jordy Nelson get any support?

I'm going to guess not, but it's worth noting that Nelson has the second-most touchdown receptions (10) among wide receivers. He also needs 14 more yards for a 1,000-yard season.