ESPN NFL

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Good Monday morning to everyone. It doesn't get a whole lot bigger than the first week of organized team activities, or OTAs as we call them in the business, and that's exactly the point we've reached in the NFL offseason.

The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers have scheduled their first OTAs of the spring for Monday, and the Chicago Bears will have one Tuesday. The Minnesota Vikings will open OTAs a week from Tuesday. Over on our NFL Nation blog, we have a comprehensive schedule of all 32 team's OTA schedules.

For newcomers, OTAs are on-field practices without pads or (presumably) contact. Some are open to the media, so expect to see some coverage in the coming days of how your favorite players are performing in jerseys and shorts.

Before we move on to our morning roundup, I want to thank everyone for their feedback to Friday's post on our blog operations. If you missed the post and/or want to share further thoughts about what you like and don't like, by all means hit up the mailbag.

OK, now, continuing around the NFC North:

• Here's a smart analysis of the Bears' negotiations with tailback Matt Forte from Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune. Pompei suggests a fair deal could include about $20 million in guaranteed money.
• In this ESPNChicago.com video, ESPN's Cris Carter says that the ability to "catch the ball and separate" is what makes Bears receiver Brandon Marshall so good.
• Bears linebacker Lance Briggs isn't concerned about Marshall's off-field behavior, writes Vaughn McClure of the Tribune.
• The running back position is one of the storylines for the Lions' first OTA, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Running back Kevin Smith thinks the Lions will have a better running game in 2012, notes Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
• Carlos Monarrez of the Free Press takes a look at some of the young cornerbacks the Lions added this offseason.
• Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel looks at the three young Packers receivers who will vie for roster spots this summer: Diondre Borel, Shaky Smithson and Tori Gurley.
• Keeping receiver Donald Driver on the roster goes "against everything the Packers regime believes in," writes Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "[I] t can be argued [Packers coach Mike] McCarthy is underpaid compared to some of his coaching brethren residing in the exclusive $7 million club."
• The Vikings signed former Bears offensive lineman Levi Horn, notes Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "The Vikings were 3-13 last season. Zygi and Mark Wilf and the entire Wilf family had a lot to do with that because for more than a year no one was in charge at Winter Park. In fact, the coach and personnel director often were at odds. It wasn't until after the season that [Rick] Spielman was given control after a leaguewide search netted, well, Spielman."

On Friday, we gave you a look at the sartorial splendor of Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall during the time he spent at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn. Now let's look at some of the bold talk Marshall presented during his various appearances.

In the video cut of his time on "First Take," we hear Marshall say: "Honestly I think we can not only make it to the Super Bowl but I think we'll have a chance to win it."

And during his appearance on "NFL Live," Marshall offered this assessment of the NFC North when asked what the Bears need to do to keep up with the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions: "I look at it the other way. You have to pay respect to the Packers because they won the division, but those teams don't have a defense like we do. On the offensive side of the ball, we know what we have in Matt Forte and Jay Cutler, and adding me to the passing game -- and opening up other alleys for Devin Hester and Earl [Bennett] -- it's just going to make our offense and our team that much better. But what we have that they don't have is that defense."

Do we really have to wait four more months for the season to start????

Daggone it! I knew I left my bow tie, suspenders and short-sleeve dress shirt in Bristol, Conn., this morning. Fortunately, Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall found and wore them in my honor during his Friday morning appearance on "SportsCenter."

I spent a good part of this week reviewing not only the past year on this blog but also some of our daily and weekly events that have become routine over time. I have some thoughts and ideas, but first I want to hear from you.

As NFC East readers did earlier this week for colleague Dan Graziano, I want your unvarnished take on what you like about this blog, what you don't like and how you want it to change and evolve. I can't guarantee any particular tweak, but this is certainly the time of year to consider them.

Use the comments section or the mailbag, and don't worry about hurting my feelings, which clearly has never been a concern for most of you in the past. A few points to get your brains moving:

How important is the early-morning BBAO post? I initially conceived it to simulate the traditional act of reading the newspaper and catching up on news first thing. Nowadays, however, the news cycle isn't the same. Newspapers post stories on their sites all day long, as do Internet-only organizations. So does it matter if BBAO is posted in the morning, afternoon or evening? Or do you need it at all?

Has "Have at It" run its course? During the season, we try to have a weekly debate post on a topical NFC North issue. Some weeks are stronger than others, and toward the end of last season participation fell off. Are you bored with it or ready to attack it for another season?

Should we freshen up the "Free Head Exam?" I like the idea of reviewing games on Monday, but is there is a different way to do it?

What would you like to see from ESPN Stats & Information? We added playing time this year to the reams of data I can filter out for you. In previous years, you've seemed particularly receptive to blitz percentages, air yards and drops, among other categories. What other details can I mine for you?

Is there anything we can do together during games? My general sense is that if you're connected to the Internet during games, it's to check fantasy stats. Is there anything we can do on the blog to run parallel to that?

What, if anything, should we be doing on social media that we aren't already? We're relatively fluent in Twitter and Facebook. Are the interaction levels good enough? More? Less? Do many of you go to Google+? I have a Google+ account but don't really know what it's for. You're not going to make me do Pinterest, are you?

Those are just a few quick points to get the juices flowing. Let me know what you think, if you are in fact thinking here on a Friday afternoon.

As we catch up on this week's news and events after some rare May travel, it's worth pointing out Forbes Magazine's annual rankings of the highest-paid coaches in professional sports.

The top 10 includes eight NFL coaches and two from the NBA. One NFC North name is on the list and I wonder if a second should be as well.

As we've said many times, coaching salaries are among the NFL's best-kept secrets. Forbes' estimates are based on media reports and its own investigating, but ultimately the only people who know the numbers usually are the coach, the coach's agent, the owner and whoever handles the team's payroll and finances. That's a relatively short list of people with firsthand knowledge.

With that said, Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith is the country's sixth-highest paid professional coach with a $6 million annual salary, according to Forbes. Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy isn't listed on a chart that bottoms out at an annual salary of $5.5 million per season.

But as we discussed last March, there were reliable reports that McCarthy's post Super Bowl contract extension totaled $32.25 million over five years. That's an average of $6.45 million, which would leave him trailing only four NFL coaches on this list. (The New Orleans Saints' Sean Payton isn't listed because he won't receive most of his $7 million salary due to a year-long suspension.)

We're Black and Blue All Over:

One NFC North pillar will depart Bristol, Conn., on Friday but another one will soon be in place. Or something like that.

I'm making my way back to NFC North blog headquarters, but Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall is scheduled to appear in the offices here as part of ESPN's NFL programming Friday. He's scheduled to debate Skip Bayless on "First Take" at 11:30 a.m. ET and will also be a guest analyst on "NFL Live" at 4 p.m. ET.

The timing is swell for Mr. Marshall. As you have probably heard, ESPN's Adam Schefter has reported that Marshall won't face charges at this time stemming from an altercation outside a New York City nightclub in March. The New York Police Department, said the investigation will continue and is not closed. But for now there is no reason to expect any further proceedings.

Continuing around the NFC North on a fine Friday morning:

• On the day that Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy signed a multiyear extension, Bears running back Matt Forte declined to discuss his contract situation. Scott Powers of ESPNChicago.com has more.
• Forte's agent, Adisa Bakari, has spent the past several days in Chicago, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Detroit Lions guard Rob Sims on gaining 15 pounds this offseason, via Chris McCosky of the Detroit News: "Last year I'd be eating a Whopper on my way in to the [weigh-in] room just to get to 305 pounds, but really I was playing under 300. I want to play in the 312 to 315 range, and I could even get a little smaller than that if I wanted to. But blocking Albert Haynesworth and Justin Smith at 295 pounds, I can't do that anymore. I faked it for two years and got through it, but I can't do it no more."
• Sims expects Jeff Backus to be the Lions' starting left tackle in 2012, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions receiver Nate Burleson on coach Jim Schwartz during a radio interview via Justin Rogers of Mlive.com: "I really commend Schwartz on his approach to the team because he has a great balance of being a hard-nosed, no-nonsense, zero-tolerance coach, but it's a subtle blend of also being a caring, concerned players coach."
• The agent for Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver said Thursday that the team wants Driver to return in 2012, prompting Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette to write: "If it’s true the Packers have always wanted Driver back, as [agent Jordan] Woy said, they have a funny way of showing it."
• Packers place-kicker Mason Crosby has found motivation for improvement in the 2012 season, writes Weston Hodkiewicz of the Press-Gazette.
• The Minnesota Vikings have declined to be on HBO's "Hard Knocks" this summer, according to Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press checks in on the Vikings' offseason program.

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.

Our friends at Football Outsiders have reached the NFC North juncture of their annual post-draft needs series for ESPN.com. You'll need an Insider subscription to read the entire file but I can provide you a snippet of the needs that Outsiders' statistical analysis points to for each of our teams.

Chicago Bears
Need: Offensive line
Excerpt: Left tackle J'Marcus Webb "led the league with 15 offensive penalties in 2011."
Seifert comment: We've been through this before. Outsiders suggests the Bears seek a swing tackle via free agency, but indications are that the team envisions 2008 first-round pick Chris Williams in that role.

Detroit Lions
Need: Cornerback
Excerpt: Free-agent acquisition Jacob Lacey "ranked 81st in success rate against the pass last year and 88th in 2010."
Seifert comment: The Lions prioritize the havoc they can create with a dynamic defensive line over whatever shortcomings they might have in the secondary. Lacey will compete with Aaron Berry and perhaps rookie Dwight Bentley for a starting job.

Green Bay Packers
Need: Backup quarterback
Excerpt: "If any injury causes [Aaron] Rodgers to miss action, the Packers are looking at trotting out either super raw seventh-round rookie B.J. Coleman or undrafted and utterly untested third-year man Graham Harrell."
Seifert comment: In 2008, the Packers set a precedent of using an untested backup in Matt Flynn. There isn't league-wide certainty that Harrell is prepared to be a No. 2 in 2012, but the Packers are more likely to use him in that role than sign a veteran free agent.

Minnesota Vikings
Need: Middle linebacker
Excerpt: "There's no evidence suggesting that [Jasper] Brinkley can handle the full slate of middle linebacker duties."
Seifert comment: All indications are that Brinkley will get the first chance to replace E.J. Henderson. There isn't a notable alternative on the roster, but it's a position where a temporary starter could be signed during training camp. But the Vikings are committed to getting younger and Brinkley is 26.

One of the first bits of advice I got on covering an NFL team: Don't worry about the contracts of draft picks until the end of July. Most years, teams I covered were frantically working on deals until the morning of the first practice -- if not longer.

ESPN.com's Andrew Brandt offers an expert analysis of how and why that late-July sprint has disappeared in the NFL. After all, here we are on May 17 and two of the NFC North's teams have signed all of their draft picks, and a third -- the Detroit Lions -- are one pick away. The Minnesota Vikings haven't signed anyone yet, but as Brandt explains, there is almost no wiggle room for either side on these deals in the new collective bargaining agreement.

Brandt: "In the past, teams were allotted a rookie cap with no specific guidelines on each pick. The new system specifies percentages of the rookie cap for each draft choice, giving every negotiation an easy marker. Thus, the negotiations have essentially become 'maxing out the slot,' where the two sides take the allotment number, back out the minimum salary and figure out the maximum signing bonus, prorated over four years."

One of the few question marks now is whether first-round draft picks get all four years of their contracts fully guaranteed. The Chicago Bears guaranteed less than half of defensive end Shea McClellin's fourth year, according to Brandt. Meanwhile, Green Bay Packers linebacker Nick Perry got three fully guaranteed years, but his fourth is not guaranteed.

A heads-up for those who crave dramatic levels of football coverage in the middle of May: The blog will be running a bit slower than normal over the next few days while I attend to some important business about 110 miles northeast of New York City and about 120 miles southwest of Boston.

You can figure it out from there. Or watch our Twitter feed (@espn_nfcnblog) for a clue or two.

I've got a few posts planned and will react to any big news as soon as I get the chance. Otherwise, please carry on and speak of me fondly.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Minnesota Vikings' training camp at Minnesota State University, Mankato, has grown shorter in recent years because of scheduling conflicts related to the school's fall semester. Those conflicts have been eliminated for 2012, however, opening the door for the Vikings to have a full three-week camp on the campus this summer.

The team has announced it will report July 26 and break camp on Aug. 16.

For those curious, the Vikings have had to break camp early in recent years because the dormitory rooms they use in Gage Hall need to be cleared for incoming students. Those dormitories are being "retired" and won't house students this fall.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Vikings are "quietly thrilled" about how little commitment they had to make to sign receiver Jerome Simpson, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• The question of quarterback Christian Ponder's aptitude will hang over the Vikings for some time, writes Patrick Reusse of the Star Tribune.
• The Detroit Lions did not immediately sign German receiver Christian Bollmann after a Wednesday workout, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is working to fight childhood obesity, according to the Detroit News.
• Rookie safety Alonzo Lawrence is ready for a fresh start with the Lions, notes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall won't face NFL discipline if New York City police don't charge him after a March incident outside a nightclub, according to Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Writing for the Tribune, former NFL player Matt Bowen had no problems about the uncertainty Bears quarterback Jay Cutler expressed this week with his offensive line. Bowen: "I have no issues with these comments and I really don't see this as Cutler calling out his offensive line. Not even close. This is much more about the quarterback telling his guys they need to play with some accountability as pros."
• Charlie Peprah considers himself one of the Green Bay Packers' starting safeties, writes Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers coach Mike McCarthy was impressed with safety Jerron McMillian during last weekend's rookie minicamp, McCarthy told Sirius radio via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.

You've probably seen reports that Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove was in New York City on Wednesday to appeal his eight-game NFL suspension.

You might also have seen reports that appeal hearings have been scheduled for May 30 for Hargrove and three other players suspended as part of the league's bounty investigation.

To clear up any confusion, let's make clear that the NFL Players Association is pursuing two parallel agendas here. Wednesday's hearing, before independent arbitrator Shyam Das, was to discuss the NFLPA's contention that commissioner Roger Goodell can't discipline players for actions that occurred under the jurisdiction of the previous collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

The May 30 hearing, to be heard by independent arbitrator Stephen Burbank, will center on whether Goodell or an independent arbitrator should hear the eventual appeal.

Most of this is legal gobbedly-gook, but it's important because it could impact whether Hargrove gets back some or all of his suspension and thus be available to the Packers before midseason.

We noted Wednesday morning that Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew had a history with the short-lived XFL, a connection that ultimately led to a rare tryout for German receiver Christian Bollmann. Many of you asked what Mayhew did with the XFL, and considering the league's relatively scandalous run, I wanted to make sure I was explicit.

No, Mayhew did not play with a silly made-up nickname on the back of his jersey. Nor did he ambush coaches after games for postgame interviews. (That was Rod Smart and Jesse Ventura, governor of the great state of Minnesota at the time.) My understanding is that Mayhew was the league official charged with making the football as legitimate as possible.

Mayhew left the XFL to join the Lions in February 2001, just before the XFL season opened. But in his time there, according to an early Lions biography of Mayhew, he was "instrumental in developing policies and procedures for the start-up pro football league. Mayhew also organized training camps and supervised team officials in planning of practices and other team activities."

So there you go, for the record. Now I just hope He (Won't) Hate Me for bringing it up.

» NFC pressure points: West | North | South | East
» AFC pressure points: West | North | South | East

Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Detroit Lions and why.

Mikel Leshoure has one week of NFL practice to his name. He hasn't played in a single preseason game, let alone in the regular season, and is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in August.

But if the Lions are to achieve more offensive balance in 2012, Leshoure will have to play a primary role. That's why he was drafted in 2011, to serve as a big between-the-tackles runner, and it's what the Lions sorely lacked after his injury.

The presumed recovery of fellow running back Jahvid Best (concussion) is really a parallel issue. Best gives the Lions a playmaker in the passing game but is best suited for a modest role as a runner. Leshoure's full-strength return would allow the Lions to use Best the way he should be while imposing a new power threat on defenses as well.

» NFC pressure points: West | North | South | East
» AFC pressure points: West | North | South | East

Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Green Bay Packers and why.

Today is May 16. That leaves about 2 1/2 months before training camp and almost four months before the start of the regular season for reinforcements to arrive. But for the time being, there is only one player on the Packers' roster who seems suited to be a No. 1 back in the NFL.

It's difficult to know for sure, but from the outside it appears the Packers are clearing the road for James Starks to take over that role in his third NFL season. Veteran starter Ryan Grant has not been re-signed and the Packers did not draft a running back last month. Behind Starks are veteran fullback/short-yardage specialist John Kuhn and two second-year players in Alex Green and Brandon Saine; Green is recovering from a torn ACL in his knee.

Grant could always re-sign at a later date, but if not, the Packers are taking a bit of a leap in hoping that Starks can stay on the field for a full season. He missed the first 13 games of 2010 because of a hamstring injury and was limited during the second half of 2011 because of knee and ankle ailments. Overall, he's missed as many games (16) as he's played. The pressure is on Starks to demonstrate he is not a part-time back.