ESPN.com presents NFC North Kevin Seifert http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth 60 en-us Fri, 24 May 2013 18:41:10 webmaster@espn.go.com http://assets.espn.go.com/i/espn/teamlogos/lrg/trans/espn_dotcom_black.gif 110 110   We've spent a good part of this week discussing feuds of varying degrees, from the dissipating animosity between Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers to the now-healed relationship between Mike Ditka and the Chicago Bears. Those situations have me thinking: Is there any healing to do between the Bears and now-retired linebacker Brian Urlacher? Here's what we know: Urlacher was angry when the Bears announced in March that the sides had failed to reach a contract agreement.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/56753/healing-needed-for-bears-brian-urlacher Fri, 24 May 2013 15:00:58 EDT 56753 How does each NFC North team look at running back, and what still needs to be done? Chicago Bears: If you were drawing up plans for an experienced but diverse backfield, you could do a lot worse than modeling after the Bears. Starter Matt Forte is a shifty off-tackle runner and one of the NFL's top pass-catching running backs, a collection of skills that will fit neatly into new coach Marc Trestman's offense. Forte has caught 267 passes since his career started in 2008, the third-most in the NFL by a running back over that stretch.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/56733/eight-in-the-box-rb-status-check Fri, 24 May 2013 12:00:58 EDT 56733 Mike Ditka's final season as a player for the Chicago Bears was in 1966. His last season as their coach was 1992. So why did it take 47 years after his departure as a player, and 21 years after his final season as the coach, to retire the number of one of the most recognizable figures in team history? A small part of the explanation could be the sheer size and breadth of the Bears' history. Before retiring Ditka's No. 89, a move the team announced Friday, the Bears already had the most retired numbers in the NFL (Ditka's is the team's 14th).]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/56717/ditka-credits-george-mccaskey-for-peace Fri, 24 May 2013 10:30:15 EDT 56717 We're Black and Blue All Over: Thursday, we broached the topic of whether the Chicago Bears would retire the number of middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. As it turns out, the team is dealing with a backlog on that issue. Almost a half-century after playing his final game with the team, Mike Ditka will have his No. 89 retired this season, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. (The Bears have since confirmed the report.) As Biggs explains, Ditka has had his ups and downs with the franchise after both his playing career and coaching tenure the latter of which brought the Bears a Super Bowl championship in 1985.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/56721/bbao-bears-to-retire-da-number-89 Fri, 24 May 2013 08:10:10 EDT 56721 I liked what I heard -- er, read -- from Detroit Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew this week. As Tim Twentyman of the Lions' website writes, Pettigrew has pledged to rectify the series of negative plays he made last season. "I can't put what I did [last year] on anyone else," he said. "I take it upon myself to fix the drops or missed blocks, the plays that weren't made, the fumbles. That's on me and I take it upon myself. It's my problem to fix." Pettigrew fumbled four times in 2012, losing two of them, and dropped eight passes, according to ESPN Stats & Information.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/56714/lions-on-brandon-pettigrews-drops Thu, 23 May 2013 16:30:34 EDT 56714 Oh. My. GOD. If I see one more story or hear one more radio interview about the much-suggested but still-unplanned reunion between the Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre, why, I'm going to pack up my blogger uniform, head down to my ranch, start cutting the grass and not come back until the rest of ESPN.com's blog network team flies down in a private plane and begs me to resume as a favor to them. (Starting right after this blog post, of course.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/56706/green-bay-packers-brett-favre-have-reconciled-indirectly Thu, 23 May 2013 14:20:31 EDT 56706 To this point of the offseason, the Minnesota Vikings have elected to carry untouched the largest salary-cap hit for a non-quarterback in the NFL. Despite his cap charge of $17.063 million, defensive end Jared Allen told the Star Tribune recently that "we haven't talked one iota" about a contract extension that would lower that figure. So what does that mean about Allen's future with the team? Based on what is known at the moment, it's not outlandish to suggest that the Vikings plan to part ways with Allen when his contract expires after the 2013 season.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/56699/vikings-2013-and-done-for-jared-allen Thu, 23 May 2013 12:00:55 EDT 56699 All we know for sure is that on May 21 -- more than two months before training camp and 109 days before the start of the regular season -- Mike Neal was working as an outside linebacker during a Green Bay Packers organized team activity (OTA). Does that mean Neal has a new position? Or is this simply a spring experiment? I doubt even the Packers have an answer to that question yet. Neal has been a defensive end for the past three years, and despite his well-chronicled athleticism, his listed weight of 294 pounds would be rare even in a 3-4 scheme.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/56695/green-bay-packers-finding-ways-to-use-mike-neal Thu, 23 May 2013 10:30:57 EDT 56695 We're Black and Blue All Over: Now that we've dissected Brian Urlacher's retirement and assessed his chances at enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we should ask the next question: Will the Bears retire his No. 54? That issue might be more complicated than the Hall of Fame. It would seem a natural next step, but the Bears already have 13 numbers retired in a sport where 90 players are taken to training camp and 53 make the final roster.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/56690/bbao-retire-brian-urlachers-no-54 Thu, 23 May 2013 08:30:36 EDT 56690 Catching up around the division Wednesday after Brian Urlacher's retirement illuminated at least one curious development. Detroit Lions safety Louis Delmas isn't participating in organized team activities (OTAs), and not just simply to avoid wear and tear on his troublesome knees. According to what Lions coach Jim Schwartz told reporters, Delmas isn't able to participate. "He's not here right now going through this stuff," Schwartz said. "But there's nothing that he could get out of this because he can't physically do the stuff that we're doing right now.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/56680/louis-delmas-cant-practice-already Wed, 22 May 2013 20:35:35 EDT 56680