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In the hours after claiming the prestigious "Mirror Ball" as the champion of "Dancing with the Stars," Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver flew across the country to appear on ABC's "Good Morning America." He also hammered out an exclusive blog post for ESPN.com's Playbook page, and I'll excerpt a portion of it below:

It was truly special to be around so many great people. Each and every week we pushed each other to get better. We also had a lot of fun, and I will never forget the great times we had the past few months.

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Kelsey McNeal/Getty imagesDonald Driver and partner Peta Murgatroyd won Season 14 of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars."

Now the focus goes back to football.

Physically, I feel incredible.

I can't wait to get back up to Green Bay and get on the practice field with my teammates.

Winning this competition was sweet, but I still have a bitter taste in my mouth from last year’s playoff loss to the Giants.

We just brought the Mirror Ball to Wisconsin, and now it’s time for another Lombardi Trophy!

God Bless!

Despite rampant speculation, there are no indications the Packers plan to move on in 2012 without Driver. Coach Mike McCarthy indicated Driver could begin participating in the team's organized team activities as early as next week.

If you missed Driver's GMA appearance, here is a link to the first segment. He explains his post-victory celebration this way: "I was on fire. So I had to roll around and get the fire off of me."

Hi everyone, and thanks for bearing with me Thursday while I attended to some business at, yes, the ESPN mothership. We discussed many important and pressing issues, among them our plans for the one or two days this summer when the NFL news feed slows down.

In reality, it appears I didn't miss too much in the way of news Thursday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter has strengthened his earlier report on the apparent all-clear that Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall has received from the New York City police department. Most notably, however, it appears we might have some clarity on the future of Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver.

It's been long speculated that the Packers will release Driver this offseason, even though he has offered to renegotiate his contract to stay with them. Non-committal answers last month from general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy strengthened that possibility, but on Thursday, agent Jordan Woy said he expected Driver to return to the Packers in 2012.

Woy told ESPN's Andrew Brandt: "He'll be back. Just need to work out details when done" with his appearance on "Dancing with the Stars." The reality show will conclude next week.

As we've discussed, there really hasn't been any rush to complete a renegotiated contract. Driver wasn't due any money until the start of training camp. So it's quite possible that Thompson and McCarthy won't commit publicly to Driver's return until the new deal is done. That makes some sense. We'll know soon enough.

SeattleAztec from San Diego asks whether Matt Flynn might be the "most developed" quarterback in the NFC West after learning from Mike McCarthy in Green Bay.

"Alex Smith and Sam Bradford seem to be the least developed with having multiple offensive coordinators and no great vets to learn behind," he writes. "Kevin Kolb had a good upbringing in Philadelphia and Arizona has shown an ability to handle QBs, but Flynn had the benefit of learning in the Green Bay system. Learning behind Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy will give him an advantage, assuming he wins the starting job. Thoughts?"

Mike Sando: Flynn's background with McCarthy and the Packers appealed to the Seahawks. McCarthy, with nothing more than a compensatory draft choice to gain from advocating for Flynn in free agency, gave glowing reviews in conversations with the Seahawks. Those conversations appear more credible based on Seahawks general manager John Schneider's long association and friendship with McCarthy.

"We really respect the job that they’ve done with their offense and their quarterbacking and Matt is a beneficiary of that, so therefore we are also," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said after signing Flynn in March. "His process to learn as Aaron Rodgers has learned has really been helpful to him. There are a lot of similarities in their style of movement and decision-making, play and conscience that I think helps us."

That doesn't necessarily mean Flynn will be the "most developed" quarterback in the division. A few thoughts on what the other NFC West quarterbacks have going for them:

• Smith (49ers): Jim Harbaugh should know the position better than any head coach in the division. Smith has more experience than any quarterback in the division. Harbaugh and Smith meshed well last season. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman and quarterbacks coach Geep Chryst round out what looks like a solid support group. Smith has finally had time this offseason to work on his mechanics. He's getting a second season in the offense. Spending one season with McCarthy and a second with Norv Turner probably counts for something, too, despite the passage of time.
• Kolb (Cardinals): Kolb did not practice with the Cardinals until 38 days before the 2011 opener. That made it tough for Kolb to learn a new system and settle into the role. Injuries derailed Kolb once he finally did get experience in the system. The Cardinals fired quarterbacks coach Chris Miller and promoted receivers coach John McNulty to the position. Arizona valued McNulty enough to block Tampa Bay from pursuing him as its offensive coordinator. The team's new receivers coach, Frank Reich, was an NFL quarterback for 14 seasons. What does it all mean? It's a little early to tell.
• Bradford (Rams): New coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was with Mark Sanchez previously. One line of thinking says Schottenheimer led Sanchez as far as Sanchez could go, then took the fall when Sanchez failed to carry more of the offensive load. Another line of thinking says Schottenheimer couldn't get Sanchez past a certain point. Bradford is on his third coordinator in as many seasons. The Rams went through 2011 without a quarterbacks coach. The new quarterbacks coach, Frank Cignetti, coached the 49ers' Smith under coordinator Jim Hostler in 2007. That was one of the worst offensive seasons in 49ers history. Hostler took the blame. It's tough to fault Cignetti in that context, but also tough to offer a strong endorsement without seeing results.

Circling back to the original question, we could make a case that Flynn should be the most developed quarterback in the division.

Other factors go into success, of course. Bradford and Smith were No. 1 overall choices, indicating that teams thought they were more talented than Flynn, a seventh-rounder who drew moderate interest in free agency this offseason. And if the Seahawks were convinced Flynn were the answer, they would have had less reason to use a third-round choice for a quarterback after signing Flynn.

I do think Flynn's background with the Packers was crucial for the Seahawks. Schneider's first-hand knowledge of Green Bay's quarterback training techniques was a factor.

In sifting through the mountains of rookie camp coverage over the weekend, I stumbled upon this video from the Detroit Lions' reporting team of Tim Twentyman and Mike O'Hara. Toward the end, the pair addressed an issue that brought up two interesting questions:

1. Is there anything to read into the fact that Lions coach Jim Schwartz hasn't yet signed a long-promised contract extension?
2. If not, at what point is it significant that Schwartz's contract, at least of this moment, is set to expire after this season, or in about 10 months?

From the top, we should point out that coaching contracts are among the best-kept secrets in the NFL. There is no salary cap for coaches, nor is there a union, so teams don't have to file the final documents with many outside entities. News releases are typically issued to announce a new deal, although they often don't include the duration and never mention dollar figures.

Schwartz reiterated over the weekend that he won't talk about his contract, nor will he say if he would confirm a deal if it had happened. Regardless, it's probably safe to assume the Lions don't yet have a final agreement with Schwartz. That doesn't really matter at the moment, and to me it won't be an issue until the first day of training camp -- the symbolic start of a team's season.

There is every reason to think the sides will come to an agreement. If you judge coaches by playoff appearances, Schwartz is the Lions' best coach in more than a decade. And unless Schwartz has previously undisclosed designs on some sort of dual general manager/coaching job that wouldn't be available in Detroit, there is every reason to think he wants to stay put.

Those factors suggest a friendly negotiation that will wrap up in due time. But if Schwartz and the Lions report to training camp in late July to begin earnest preparations for the 2012 season without a resolution, then there is reason to start asking fair and legitimate questions about the future.

For what it's worth, the past three coaching contract extensions in the NFC North all came at least 11 months before the deal's expiration.

With his deal set to expire after the 2011 season, Bears coach Lovie Smith signed a two-year extension in February 2011. Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy's five-year extension came in March 2011; his contract was scheduled to expire after the 2012 season. And in November 2009, former Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress received an extension about 13 months before his deal was set to expire.

On Friday, we posted some basic but important questions about the trio of NFC North rookie minicamps held over the weekend. I thought they would help us keep focused amid discussion about dozens of players who probably won't make an NFL team, let alone make an impact on the 2012 season.

Below, I've addressed the questions with updated information culled from a variety of sources. Links are provided when appropriate. In one case, I offered a rarely-seen "bonus" section. Don't say I never do anything for you.

Chicago Bears: What is the conditioning level of receiver Alshon Jeffery?

By all accounts, Jeffery was having a nice opening practice Friday -- "picking peanuts off some guys' heads," according to offensive coordinator Mike Tice -- before leaving with leg cramps.

Cramps are not unusual at rookie camps, where nerves and a lack of familiarity often lead to inadequate hydration and/or eating. Jeffery's pre-draft questions about work ethic and conditioning add a level to this particular departure, but he returned for the weekend practices without incident.

"Most of the guys are a little sore right now, but we see a guy with great hands, a big target that will only get better," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "He should be in the mix to help us win games this year."

The Bears' initial plan is for Jeffery to learn the "Z" slot position, but it's not out of the question that he could eventually pair with Brandon Marshall as an outside receiver with Devin Hester moving inside.

Bonus: Here's what Tice had to say about criticism of the Bears' depth at tackle, a position they did not draft to: "If we felt that tackle was a dire need for us, I'm sure they would have answered the bell on draft day. With the change in scheme, the change in personality and an offseason and getting some guys healthy, I think we'll make a big jump in the offensive line. It takes time for young guys to play good in all areas. And we have a couple young guys who have played good football in half the scheme, and they need to step it up in the other half. Plus, we have some guys who got hurt, and we need to get those guys back."

Detroit Lions: How many positions is offensive lineman Riley Reiff playing? Also, how much work, if any, is receiver Ryan Broyles doing?

The Lions rotated Reiff between left tackle and right tackle on a per-practice basis, but there were no reports of him seeing time at guard. That doesn't mean he won't eventually get some work there as a possible competitor for right guard Stephen Peterman, but on his first weekend the Lions limited him to the two positions he figured to be most familiar with.

Lions coach Jim Schwartz clearly subscribes to the "less is more" philosophy on drawing conclusions in rookie camp. But here were his early impressions of the Lions' first-round draft choice: "You can tell as much of what we did here today about him as we could outside [of practice.] I mean walkthroughs, meetings and things like that. You can tell that he's an experienced, smart, confident player and he’s going to do well for us."

Broyles, on the other hand, observed but did not participate in any of the practices as he continues to recover from a November knee injury. The question now becomes whether he will be cleared in time for training camp or whether he will open camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

Schwartz wouldn't commit to a timetable on when Broyles will be able to practice or play a game but said: "[H]e's on a good path. He's had a good rehab so far. He showed it in his pro day and he's shown it here. It depends on what happens between now and then."

Green Bay Packers: How rough does Nick Perry look at outside linebacker? Also, are there any clues that B.J. Coleman will be able to challenge Graham Harrell for the No. 2 quarterback job?

The biggest news on Perry is that the Packers started him off as the left outside linebacker, which is where Clay Matthews played the past two seasons. Coach Mike McCarthy wouldn't say whether that meant Matthews will move to the rights side or if Perry will initially be slotted as a backup. But as Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette pointed out, most 3-4 teams prefer their biggest outside linebacker to work on the left side to stand up against opponents who are generally right-handed running teams.

Meanwhile, Coleman demonstrated notable arm strength in comparison to fellow quarterback Nick Hill, according to Rob Demovsky of the Press-Gazette. That's a good start. Whether he can challenge Harrell depends on how quickly he can learn the Packers' offense, and according to McCarthy, how long it takes him to adapt to an entirely new set of footwork techniques required at the professional level.

Thursday's Big Question series was intended mostly as a post-draft gathering point than an attempt to break new ground, but many of you were left with further questions about the Green Bay Packers' open safety position after reading the post. Lance of Beloit, Wis., writes:

Are Charlie Peprah and Jerron McMillian the only to viable options to replace Nick Collins? I have read reports that Charles Woodson may be moved to safety. Casey Hayward would be moved into Woodson's starting role. This was talked about on the Packers' website. I see this being an option also replace Collins and prolong Woodson career like Rod Woodson and Ronnie Lott.

Yes, Packers.com guru Vic Ketchman wrote: "[C]onsensus opinion is that a move from cornerback could do for Woodson’s career what it did for Ronnie Lott and Rod Woodson, which is to have lengthened its greatness." And defensive coordinator Dom Capers didn't exactly reject the idea last week after the Packers not only drafted McMillian, but also cornerback Casey Hayward.

"Charles is a bright guy," Capers said. "It's not like it would be a radical move because of the way we've used him in the last three years, basically. We feel he can play any one of those positions. That's one of the things he brings to the table is the flexibility that he gives you that he can."

Capers uses one of the more creative schemes in the game, and in some of his more elaborate formations, it's difficult to tell who is playing what position. Technically, Woodson has lined up as a cornerback, a slot nickel man and as a linebacker at various times over the past three years. The only way to tell if Woodson is a full-time safety is if he lines up there in the rare occasions when the Packers use their standard 3-4 base formation.

We've hit this topic often both in the blog and our weekly SportsNation chats. My take remains the same. Cornerback is a more important position and more difficult position than safety. Moving Woodson to safety only makes sense if the Packers have a strong option to replace him at cornerback.

Is that the case? Last year at this time, we might have thought Sam Shields was ready for that role. Shields took a step back last season. Could Hayward be that player? That might be a lot to ask a rookie. In February, at least, coach Mike McCarthy strongly implied that Woodson primarily will be a cornerback in 2012.

McCarthy could change his mind, of course, but at this point I wonder if he's more willing to take a chance with an unproven player at safety than he is at cornerback.

Cleaning out my notebook after the 2012 NFL draft:

It can be difficult to gauge the value of coaching the annual Senior Bowl, but it's worth noting that two of the Minnesota Vikings' draft choices played under their coaching staff for the North team at this year's affair. That included Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith, whom the Vikings traded up to draft at No. 29 overall, and NC Sate linebacker Audie Cole, a seventh-round pick.

In the case of Smith, the Vikings were so convinced of his value after the Senior Bowl that they didn't speak again through the entire draft process. They didn't interview him at the annual scouting combine and didn't invite him to their facility for a pre-draft visit.

"When we got into our meetings and we put our board together and seeing how it was going to develop and knowing that we do need some help on the back end to improve our secondary," general manager Rick Spielman said, "that was the one huge advantage of being able to coach the Senior Bowl because we got to know those players inside and out and know what they are about. How they are in a meeting room. How they are out on the field. Our coaches know what it’s like to coach that player so that was a huge advantage for us and we know exactly what we are getting in Harrison Smith."

We've noted that the Green Bay Packers drafted six defensive players to open the draft. Another trend we noted: The Vikings drafted three pairs of players from the same school.

But we probably didn't spend enough time in the latter stages of the draft pointing out that the Detroit Lions finished the draft by selecting six consecutive defensive players -- including three cornerbacks -- while also drafting three players from Oklahoma.

We should probably chalk up the Sooner connection -- receiver Ryan Broyles, defensive end Ronnell Lewis and linebacker Travis Lewis -- as coincidence. But I wouldn't say the same thing about the defensive trend, considering how poorly the Lions' defense played over the second half of the 2011 season.

The impact of that decision is "yet to be seen," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. He added: "Drafting them doesn't do anything other than drafting them. They have to play well in preseason and training camp and they have to prove their draft status. So, yeah, it adds more guys to the roster and creates competition and things like that. ..."

With that said, I would think the Lions' cornerbacks should consider themselves on notice. Third-rounder Dwight Bentley is a smallish but feisty corner who had an excellent Senior Bowl against elevated competition. And fifth-rounder Chris Greenwood might have played at Division III Albion, but he is 6-foot-1 and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds. Players with those kind of measurables eventually get their opportunity.

The Chicago Bears' decision not to draft a lineman would appear an endorsement of their returning starters. So it's worth noting that coach Lovie Smith refused to say where offensive lineman Chris Williams will play in 2012, calling into question the short- and long-term future of the Bears' No. 1 draft choice in 2008.

First, here's what Smith said when asked if Williams would resume his role as left guard when training camp begins: "I can't tell you that right now. We have options with him. We'll see how it all shakes out. Chris, of course, can do both [guard and tackle]. Right now, we're two weeks into our offseason program. Let us get into it a little more and we'll be able to define some roles a little better."

That's hardly an endorsement for a player who has started at right tackle, left tackle and left guard in his disappointing career. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune makes some excellent points in suggesting Williams' most likely 2012 destination is a swing backup.

Williams was drafted as a left tackle, but the Bears chose J'Marcus Webb to play there last season and don't appear interested in looking back. Gabe Carimi, the 2011 first-round pick, figures to return at right tackle, making it easy to move Lance Louis back to one of the other guard spots. Louis, Chris Spencer and newcomer Chilo Rachal would be top candidates to start at the other two guard spots.

Everything is subject to change. But clearly there remain some parts in motion along the Bears' offensive line.

I'm sure the Packers have kicked around the idea of signing a veteran backup quarterback, and it could still happen. But after drafting Tennessee-Chattanooga's B.J. Coleman in the seventh round Saturday, the Packers don't appear eager to add anyone else. In other words, former No. 3 Graham Harrell is going to get every opportunity to win that job.

"I don't think you just say, 'I need a veteran backup,'" Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "We have the MVP in Aaron Rodgers as our No. 1, and now we feel that we have three really good candidates to compete for two spots. ... The roster will shake that out."

Those candidates are Harrell, Coleman and Nick Hill, a former Arena Football League player who signed in January.

Some people cringed when the Coleman spoke reverentially about his pre-draft work with and respect for Brett Favre. Coleman seemed oblivious to the hard feelings surrounding Favre's departure in 2008 and his return with the Vikings in 2009 and 2010.

Maybe Coleman was a bit naïve, but I thought his giddiness was instructive as much as anything and perhaps illustrative of the big-picture way most of the football world view the relationship between the Packers and Favre.

In the big picture, the Packers-Favre separation was a small portion of a two-decade marriage that is destined to be reconciled. We are hypersensitive to that blip because we lived through it on this blog, but not everyone was as affected. If we aren't already, we'll all be closer to Coleman's perspective than we probably ever thought possible.

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.

The Green Bay Packers found their developmental quarterback in the seventh round of the just-completed NFL draft, using the No. 243 overall pick to select Tennessee-Chattanooga's B.J. Coleman. Normally we could stop our coverage there, but since former backup -- and likely Seattle Seahawks starter -- Matt Flynn was also a seventh-round pick, we should probably keep going.

Coleman is a former Tennessee recruit who transferred after losing the starting job. He missed time last season because of an injury to his throwing shoulder. Scouts Inc. reports that Coleman "possesses a very strong arm and can make all the NFL throws as well as stretch the field vertically" but otherwise doubts his aptitude for playing in the NFL.

The Packers are well known for their quarterback development, and that's what seventh-round picks are for. That, and this: According to coach Mike McCarthy, Thompson told team officials he would be the best draft pick they ever made. That's saying something. Can't wait to see B.J. Coleman in training camp.

Have a great evening, everyone.

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.

We discussed last week the complicated decision the Green Bay Packers could face on safety Nick Collins, who has been rehabilitating from a serious neck injury that has jeopardized his career. Packers coach Mike McCarthy has twice expressed hesitation about bringing Collins back in 2012, regardless of the results of his latest medical tests, and it appears we are at least a week away from a resolution.

Collins was scheduled to visit a neck specialist late last week, and his agent told ESPN's Adam Schefter that a meeting has been scheduled for next week in Green Bay to discuss the issue. Agent Alan Herman said Collins "looks and feels terrific" but offered no specifics on Collins' test results.

In a perfect world, the Packers would welcome Collins back if he has a clean bill of health. But it doesn't appear the issue is that black and white. Emotion and responsibility will also play into the discussion. I don't want to hazard a guess as to what might happen. But the head coach is clearly conflicted, and for that reason we must consider every possible outcome. One of them is the return of a Pro Bowl safety. Another is his release. Stay tuned.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- In the coming days, Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins will visit a neck specialist to get a medical recommendation on whether he should resume his career. But as we get closer to that moment, it has become clear that the information will represent a starting point -- and not a conclusion -- to the discussion of whether Collins plays again for the Packers.

Twice in four days at the NFL owners meetings, Packers coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged his personal reservations about clearing a player who broke his neck last September. Speaking Wednesday, McCarthy said it will be a "great boost" to get Collins back but that "the personal side of it is a concern." He added: "It's an injury that hopefully the surgery has worked and everything's back in place. But once again, you're talking about a risk assessment. That makes me a little nervous."

At the very least, McCarthy has revealed he is conflicted about Collins' return, a predicament that isn't likely to dissipate magically after Collins' next evaluation. In fact, McCarthy called that moment "a starting point."

McCarthy: "I anticipate that [the doctors] are going to say it's a very positive report because I know they felt good about the surgery. To me, that's really the first step. Then our doctors have to get involved and we'll all sit down and talk to Nick and see where Nick is, so it will be a process that we'll go through."

I don't blame McCarthy in the least. Seven months ago, he watched Collins taken off the field on a stretcher with what turned out to be a serious injury. Collins has been on the Packers' roster for all six of McCarthy's seasons as coach, and it would be understandable if he were hesitant to authorize Collins' return.

Coaches usually defer to doctors in such cases, but it sounds like McCarthy is having a hard time forgetting the moments after Collins' injury. During the NFC coaches breakfast, I told McCarthy it sounded like he was nervous about bringing Collins back even if he is cleared medically.

"I think everybody needs to sit down and make sure we move forward together," McCarthy said. "To have Nick Collins back on the practice field and playing games would be huge, but this is more than football. Nick's a family man, he's a father, that's no fun standing over someone like that. I don't think any coach wants to see one of their players go through that."

It's hard to know for sure what all of this means. If Collins really wants to play, I'm sure he'll put a hard sell job on McCarthy. But when a football coach starts using keywords like "nervous," "personal" and "risk assessment," it's worth taking notice.

If nothing else, McCarthy appears to be struggling with the idea of letting a long-time cog of his team put himself at any further risk. It's a perfectly human reaction, and one that could ultimately end Collins' career with the Packers. Stay tuned.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- During his hour with reporters Wednesday morning, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy offered a mildly surprising insight: Left tackle Chad Clifton and receiver Donald Driver are on firmer ground with the organization than once believed and aren't likely to be released anytime soon.

For different reasons, both Clifton and Driver appeared to be candidates for departure as the Packers move younger players into their roles. Clifton missed much of 2011 because of hamstring and back issues, and he'll turn 36 in August. There are two possible replacements on the roster, Marshall Newhouse and Derek Sherrod. But asked if Clifton will be on the roster when training camp begins, McCarthy said: "There's definitely a possibility. We haven't taken him off, so he's someone we'll continue to talk about and get the reports."

The Packers have limited Clifton's practice repetitions for years to preserve his health, and ultimately, McCarthy said, his future is "a medical decision."

Meanwhile, Driver is busy this month participating in ABC's "Dancing With the Stars." His contract calls for him to earn about $5 million in 2012, but he said earlier this offseason he would be willing to restructure if that kept him with the Packers. If so, there wouldn't be any risk in bringing him to training camp.

"Donald's still on our roster," McCarthy said. "I thought Donald, the second half of the season, he played very well. His role, as far as opportunities, was not as high as it's been in the past, but I thought Donald was very consistent down the stretch. I thought he played well in the playoff game."

Things change quickly in the NFL, but for the moment, McCarthy appeared to indicate that neither player will be leaving the franchise in the near future.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- In recent years, I would arrive at the NFL owners meetings in late March to annual questions on the Green Bay Packers' apparent abdication of the free-agent market. What are the Packers up to? That's what officials from other teams wanted to know. My answer was always the same: This isn't Packers season. That starts at the end of April.

This year? Not so much. Last week, center Jeff Saturday became the first unrestricted free agent to sign with the Packers in three years. The team also hosted defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove on a visit, and reports suggest defensive end Dave Tollefson and offensive tackle Demetrius Bell could also visit in the next week or so.

Already, it's the most active stretch of free agency for general manager Ted Thompson since 2006, when he signed defensive lineman Ryan Pickett and cornerback Charles Woodson. Indeed, as of Tuesday, Pickett, Woodson and Saturday remain the only players on the Packers' roster to have been acquired as an unrestricted free agent.

What has gotten into Thompson? Did the Packers' early exit from the 2011 playoffs spur a change of philosophy? Did somebody sprinkle the Lambeau Field coffee with extra caffeine?

Not if you ask Thompson, as a few of us did this week here at the NFL owners meetings. Thompson smiled and said: "I know you guys don't believe me. But we're always active in free agency."

Right. And I hit the treadmill every day, too.

Thompson added: "There have been years, a couple years in a row when we haven't actually signed anybody. It doesn't mean that we weren't active, pursuing leads, trying to understand the market, doing all of that. … Sometimes the market runs away from you, and you keep your hands in your pocket."

In all seriousness, it's not as if the Packers have stayed pat as a rule over the years. In 2009, for example, they expressed interest in defensive lineman Chris Canty but wouldn't make him an offer before he visited Green Bay, as he demanded.

Still, it's hard to look at what's happened so far in 2012 and write it off as random. Given his druthers, I think we know Thompson would prefer to remain in the background in March. So I see at least a couple issues at play here.

First, and most important, the Packers have encountered what I could call "Ted Thompson's Imperfect Storm." The Packers have specific needs at important positions where depth is thin and the draft provides an untenable risk. That was certainly the case at center, a position that might rank second to quarterback in order of importance in the Packers' offense and had no obvious heir on the roster.

Thompson acknowledged that teams have found immediate starters at center in the draft, but that player almost certainly couldn't shoulder the play-calling responsibilities of a Packers center even if he was physically ready to compete with NFL-caliber defensive linemen.

In his typical understated way, Thompson said: "I think it's an important position. The whole makeup on our offense. We asked [former center Scott Wells] to do a lot. We'll ask Jeff to do a lot. … I do think in free agency you're able to target more specific things as opposed to the draft when we try to take the best player."

The same could be said of the Packers' clear focus on pass-rushers. The Packers have a clear need for a right end and an outside linebacker to play opposite Clay Matthews. But in the current pass-happy era of the NFL, you better believe that the other 31 teams are deeply in need of pass-rushers as well. Now more than ever, the Packers would be foolish to close the door on every possible avenue for upgrades.

Second, I wonder if the Packers weren't at least cautioned by their experience with former defensive end Cullen Jenkins last year. Their anticipated succession plan, 2010 second-round draft pick Mike Neal, suffered a training camp knee injury and made little impact. It's difficult to project injuries, even for a player like Neal who has endured more than his share. But the Packers' diminished pass rush made a huge impact on their defensive struggles, thus highlighting the risk in counting on unestablished players at key positions.

Every team would love to follow the Packers' style from recent years, relying almost entirely on drafted players to win the Super Bowl. But you wonder if they were the exception to the rule. Even the best teams need help from the outside at least occasionally, and credit Thompson for acting on that -- even if he did it with his nose pinched and his eyes closed tightly.

Yes, Thompson admitted that he wasn't at Lambeau Field when Saturday arrived last week for his recruiting visit. He was at Iowa's pro day instead. He called Saturday to make sure there would be no hard feelings about his absence and said it was more critical for coach Mike McCarthy to handle the visit. To quote one of my favorite movies: Small moves, Ellie. Small moves.