Upon seeing the news that Chicago cut cornerback Nathan Vasher quickly got the AFC South Blog thinking about his potential to fit in this division.



The Texans and Titans are cornerback needy, but it’s the Colts who rank as the best fit for him based on what the very smart Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. told me Thursday morning.

“Don’t love him. He isn’t real fast and he isn’t real big. Two problems for a CB. The Bears didn’t do a real good job of getting after the QB this past season, but Vasher also didn’t play all that well either. He is more of a short-area quickness guy, which was a pretty good fit with the Cover 2, but not as much in Tennessee or Houston. He was much more productive early in his career — on very good defenses — and probably inflated his name value more than his true play now indicates. He also has missed a lot of time with injuries, which could have directly led to his overall play falling off.”

The Colts do need secondary depth after a purge that saw Marlin Jackson, Tim Jennings, T.J. Rushing and Aaron Francisco all become free agents after Indy didn’t tender them as restricted. Jackson signed in Philly where he’s going to convert to safety. Jennings signed in Chicago, where he’s surely part of the reason the Bears felt OK about parting with Vasher.



NFC North kingpin Kevin Seifert says the release came a year too late and that Vasher, who was productive early in his career, was already an “inferior player” at the end of 2008.



It will be interesting to see where he lands.

Chicago’s decision to release cornerback Nathan Vasher came a year too late.



Whether it was injuries or confidence or a combination of both, Vasher was clearly an inferior player at the end of the 2008 season. He appeared in eight games that year, after making it through only four the season before, and had a $2.5 million roster bonus due before the 2009 season.



That seemed an appropriate time to part ways, but the Bears’ loyalty to a key player on the 2006 Super Bowl team got the best of them. Against all logic, they believed Vasher could regain his starting job and give them the kind of playmaking that led to 13 interceptions in the first two seasons of his career.



Vasher, however, started only two games and lost his job to Zack Bowman. Any chance of competing for the 2010 nickel job was eliminated Tuesday after the Bears signed free agent Tim Jennings.



But don’t shed many tears for Vasher, one of the genuinely good guys in the Bears locker room. As Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune points out, Vasher collected $18.6 million over the past three seasons.

Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Biggest needs revisited.



Chicago Bears



Last month: The Bears started five different safety combinations last season and have a pressing need for a ball-hawking free safety. Al Afalava could fit as a strong safety, but the Bears don’t seem to trust any of their incumbent safeties in deep coverage. The Tampa 2 scheme doesn’t always put safeties in position to make big plays, but the Bears’ free safety has too often been a liability. Chicago could also use depth at defensive end after the death of Gaines Adams and the expected departure of Adewale Ogunleye.



Now: The Bears have addressed some of the needs we first identified last month via the free-agent market, signing defensive end Julius Peppers to replace Ogunleye and Chester Taylor to provide premium depth in the backfield. But both safety positions remain noticeably untouched. There have been some suggestions that the Bears pursue St. Louis safety O.J. Atogwe, a restricted free agent who would require compensation to pry from the Rams. Barring a run at him, safety ranks with offensive line as the Bears’ top needs with the draft looming in five weeks.



Detroit Lions



Last month: Depth is an issue at most positions, but none moreso than in the Lions’ interior offensive and defensive lines. They are in position to draft an elite defensive tackle with their No. 2 overall pick, be it Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy or Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh. They also will be scouring the nation for candidates to play both guard positions alongside center Dominic Raiola. A receiver to steal some coverage from Calvin Johnson should be a priority after the middling performance of free-agent acquisition Bryant Johnson last season. There could also be a need at tight end, where starter Brandon Pettigrew is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and his two backups — Casey Fitzsimmons and Will Heller — are eligible for unrestricted free agency.



Now: The Lions have addressed the interior of their defensive line, acquiring defensive tackle Corey Williams from Cleveland and hosting defensive tackle/end Anthony Hargrove, a restricted free agent, on a visit. Veteran guard Chester Pitts is scheduled for a visit, but the left guard position might ultimately be filled through the draft. It’s also not out of the question that the Lions target Oklahoma State left tackle Russell Okung with the No. 2 overall pick. The Lions have addressed their No. 2 receiver position with free agent Nate Burleson and re-signed Heller, two other areas of need we discussed.



Green Bay Packers



Last month: Both of the Packers’ starting offensive tackles, Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher, are pending unrestricted free agents. At 34 and 33, respectively, neither player has a long career ahead of him. The Packers might have addressed one of the positions by drafting T.J. Lang last year, but they could use additional depth and options considering both positions must soon be turned over. Injuries last season revealed a need for depth in the defensive backfield, especially at cornerback, and the Packers also need to determine whether they will replace outside linebacker Aaron Kampman.



Now: Clifton and Tauscher have both re-signed, but finding a left tackle of the future remains one of the Packers’ top priorities as the draft approaches. Clifton signed a three-year deal, but it’s not clear how long he will play. As per their philosophy, the Packers haven’t addressed any needs by signing free agents from other teams. They’ll target their remaining need positions in the draft. In addition to left tackle, that positional list should also include outside linebacker and cornerback.



Minnesota Vikings



Last month: Whether or not quarterback Brett Favre returns in 2010, the Vikings must establish a succession plan at the position. They’ve drafted three quarterbacks in the past four years, but among that list — Tarvaris Jackson, Tyler Thigpen and John David Booty — none are signed for 2010. There’s no reason to believe the Vikings consider Sage Rosenfels a long-term solution, so drafting a quarterback would seem to be among their highest priorities. Another area of need is at cornerback, where starter Cedric Griffin is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and nickelback Benny Sapp is a pending unrestricted free agent.



Now: The Vikings re-signed Sapp to give them an alternative if Griffin isn’t ready to start the season, but cornerback could still be a high priority in the draft. The loss of Taylor makes depth at running back an issue, but that is one position where it makes sense to go young. As draft boards begin to shape up, it will be interesting to see if the Vikings get an opportunity to fill their need for a long-term quarterback answer. Will there be anyone of that description available with the No. 30 overall pick? That debate remains unsettled.

As we head into the second full week of free agency, it’s probably a good time to revise our look at each NFC North team’s unsigned players. We haven’t had a restricted free agent (RFA) receive an offer sheet yet, so we’ll limit this post to unrestricted free agents (UFAs) — who have total freedom to sign with another team.



Chicago Bears

UFAs as of March 5: Linebacker Darrell McClover, defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, running back Adrian Peterson, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.

Comment: None have re-signed. The Bears are trying to bring back Tinoisamoa.



Detroit Lions

UFAs as of March 5: Linebacker Vinny Ciurciu, offensive lineman Damion Cook, quarterback Daunte Culpepper, tight end Casey Fitzsimmons, linebacker Larry Foote, tight end Will Heller, cornerback Anthony Henry, cornerback Will James, offensive lineman Jon Jansen, safety Marquand Manuel, quarterback Patrick Ramsey.

Comment: Ciurciu, Heller and Jansen have re-signed. Foote seems likely to return to Pittsburgh.



Green Bay Packers

UFAs as of March 5: Offensive lineman Chad Clifton, running back Ahman Green, linebacker Aaron Kampman, offensive lineman Mark Tauscher.

Comment: Clifton and Tauscher have re-signed. Kampman signed with Jacksonville.



Minnesota Vikings

UFAs as of March 5: Offensive lineman Artis Hicks, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, cornerback Benny Sapp, running back Chester Taylor.

Comment: Kennedy and Sapp re-signed. Taylor signed with Chicago. Hicks signed with Washington.

My reaction to Minnesota’s swing-and-miss with running back LaDainian Tomlinson is the same as when Chester Taylor jumped to Chicago. The Vikings’ backup running back job is an important but ultimately secondary role as long as starter Adrian Peterson plays a full season, and it should be viewed accordingly.

Tomlinson

Taylor

I couldn’t get worked up about Taylor’s departure, and I really don’t consider it a crisis now that Tomlinson has agreed to terms with the New York Jets. Over the past two seasons, Taylor touched the ball 284 times via rushing or pass plays. That averages out to 8.88 touches per game, or about 14 percent of the Vikings’ offensive plays over that span. That’s not a big enough number to lose sleep over, in my opinion.



Peterson is the focus of the Vikings’ running game, and you’re kidding yourself if you think they will pull back on his carries because of continuing fumble problems. Tomlinson no doubt had several reasons for signing with the Jets, but I’m sure this undeniable fact was one of them: He’s going to be more involved in the Jets offense (current starter: Shonn Greene) than he would have been in the Vikings’.



From Minnesota’s perspective, it made sense to pursue a future Hall of Famer. If he wanted to gear down his career to that extent, bully for the Vikings. But it’s not surprising he chose the other option.



Discussion will naturally turn to veteran Brian Westbrook, who played under Vikings coach Brad Childress when Childress was Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator. Childress has always had great respect for Westbrook, but it’s only fair to note the Vikings have yet to show interest. Westbrook’s history of concussions makes him a risk for any team he might sign with.



Without Taylor or Tomlinson, the Vikings wouldn’t have an experienced back to take over if Peterson is sidelined for an extended period of time. But for now, it will be interesting to see if the Vikings give second-year player Albert Young at least an offseason look at the role.



Childress talked up Young during a radio interview last week. It’s also possible to find immediate running back help in the draft.



The Vikings would have done well to sign Tomlinson, but I don’t think his decision qualifies as a blow. It just adds a little pressure on their depth chart and draft preparations.

Falling



Bryant McKinnie, Minnesota left tackle. Julius Peppers‘ arrival in the NFC North is another hit in a tough offseason for McKinnie. In a nationally televised matchup last December, Peppers dominated McKinnie so thoroughly that the Vikings eventually benched him. In that game, Peppers notched one sack, had three quarterback hits and also batted down a pass. As Chicago’s top free-agent pickup, Peppers will now face the Vikings — and potentially McKinnie — twice a season. Peppers has played on both the right and left side of the defensive line in his career, but the Bears are sure to be tempted to match him up on McKinnie when the teams play in 2010.



Rising



Gunther Cunningham, Detroit defensive coordinator. Good players make for good coaches. So you can expect Cunningham to be a better coordinator in 2010 after an overhaul of the defensive line that might not be done yet. The Lions already are better at two positions, with Kyle Vanden Bosch taking over for defensive end Dewayne White and Corey Williams succeeding nose tackle Grady Jackson. If the Lions draft a defensive tackle No. 2 overall, they will have pulled together a more-than-competitive defensive front that will create more havoc in the backfield and get more heat on the quarterback. The first place to address any woebegone defense is up front, and Cunningham will be the beneficiary in 2010.

We’ve had some early evening developments that merit a mention before morning:

• Minnesota re-signed cornerback Benny Sapp, its primary nickel back last season who also started seven games for in place of an injured Antoine Winfield. Sapp could figure as an Opening Day starter in 2010 if cornerback Cedric Griffin (torn anterior cruciate ligament) is not fully recovered. Sapp signed a two-year contract worth $4.2 million, according to Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.
• Chicago released running back Kevin Jones, a predictable outcome after the signing of free agent tailback Chester Taylor. Jones missed all of last season because of torn ankle ligaments.
• I hesitate to post this bit of information, for fear of Packer Nation reaction. But here goes: Green Bay signed free agent receiver Charles Dillon, who spent time in Indianapolis’ 2008 training camp. Dillon played last year for Spokane of af2. (That’s arena football for the uninitiated.)

ESPN’s Adam Schefter has the annual breakdown of the six-year contract Chicago gave defensive end Julius Peppers.



If he plays the entire length of the deal, Peppers will receive at last $84 million. The base salaries in each of his first three seasons are guaranteed, for a total of $40.5 million. He’ll have a chance to earn an additional $7.5 million in incentives, for a possible total of $91.5 million over the length of the deal.



Here are Peppers’ annual base salaries:

2010: $20 million

2011: $11.5 million

2012: $9 million

2013: $13 million

2014: $14 million

2015: $16.5 million

TOTAL: $84 million



As Peter King of Sports Illustrated points out, it’s key for Peppers to receive his highest salary this season, the year before a possible NFL work stoppage.

It didn’t take long for @EricStangel, Twitter’s resident sports funnyman, to start poking at Chicago’s free-agent spending spree. A sampling:

• “Julius Peppers signs w/ Bears. Was looking for team w/ QB who throws lots of INTs just like in CAR. That way he plays more!”
• “NFL Free Agency Update – The Bears are getting carried away. They just signed the groundskeeper to 6yr/$72 million deal”
• “The Chicago Bears just signed Quinton Aaron who played Michael Oher in The Blind Side to 5 yr/$50mil deal”

Yes, it was downright hysterical to see the Bears dole out $121 million in free-agent contracts Friday, let alone the $42 million in guarantees they gave Peppers. And by “hysterical,” I mean it has generated a new round of Bears hysteria in the NFC North. I visited with ESPN 1000 listeners Sunday morning, and already the question is being asked: Have the Bears done enough to win the division in 2010?



My colleague Gene Wojciechowski addressed that question earlier Monday. (His answer: Not yet.) For the purposes of this post, I’d like to look at why the Bears stepped out of their previous financial constraints to lure Peppers. It’s the same reason Detroit coach Jim Schwartz was on Kyle Vanden Bosch’s doorstep the moment the market opened, and it illustrates once again the seismic change the NFC North has witnessed over the past 12 months.



The influx of elite quarterback play transformed the Black and Blue into a pass-dominated division, a trend that helped direct Chicago and Detroit to the bottom of the division standings. Although every NFL team covets a strong pass rush, you could argue it will be a necessity to compete in the NFC North moving forward.

(Read full post)

We have been tracking guaranteed money on this blog ever since Detroit committed quarterback Matthew Stafford to an NFL-record $41.7 million on the eve of the 2009 draft. Finally, it’s time for Stafford’s deal to take a back seat.



But as it turns out, the record remains in the NFC North family. (Would you have expected anything else?) Chicago guaranteed defensive end Julius Peppers $42 million on Friday, putting Peppers at the top of our list:



Chicago defensive end Julius Peppers: $42 million

Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford: $41.7 million

Washington defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth: $41 million

San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers: $38 million

Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick: $37 million*

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger: $36 million

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning: $35 million

Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan: $34.8 million

Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning: $34.5 million

Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell: $31.5 million

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo: $30 million

*Vick’s deal has since been terminated.



It will be interesting to see how long Peppers’ record stands. If a quarterback is drafted No. 1 overall next month, you would think his guaranteed money would overtake Stafford. With only a $300,000 difference between Stafford and Peppers, there is a chance the record could soon fall. Other candidates include Manning and New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, both of whom are expected to receive contract extensions this offseason.