Recapping the Week's NFC North Press Conferences at the NFL Scouting Combine

The NFL scouting combine is more than just an opportunity for each team to get a closer look at the top draft prospects of the year. It's also a chance for coaches and general managers to speak to the media, often for the first time since the end of the previous season.

Here is a brief recap of each NFC North team's press conferences from Thursday and Friday.

The most important issue the Chicago Bears need to solve, from a free agency standpoint, is keeping running back Matt Forte on the team. While there's little-to-no chance he will walk in the coming months, the pressure is on to sign him to a long-term contract rather than using the franchise tag on him.

Speaking at the combine on Thursday, Bears head coach Lovie Smith said that "Matt is going to play his football for the Chicago Bears," adding that, "In time, hopefully we can get an agreement in place that suits Matt and we feel comfortable with. I think it's just a matter of time." The two sides are reportedly going to resume negotiations over the weekend.

In a comment that does not bode well for cornerback Tim Jennings' future in Chicago, Smith said that the team can no longer afford to put 5'9" corners up against 6'5" receivers, such as the Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson. Jennings is 5'8" and a free agent.

Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz said he's not concerned with his scouts' reports on the combine attendees until after the combine, preferring instead to form his own opinions before seeing his scouts' grades.

Speaking on the subject on Thursday, Schwartz said he prefers this approach in order to minimize second-guessing down the line:

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"If you go in with a clean slate, you evaluate a player, you don’t know that the scouts gave him a high grade, and you don’t like him, and you’re like, ‘Well, we really don’t like him, but the scouts graded him high.’ That’s not a good situation. Same thing vice versa.” (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press)

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Schwartz also said that running backs Jahvid Best and Mikel LeShoure should both be fully healthy and able to take the field for the Lions in the 2012 season. Best missed much of the 2011 season with concussion issues, while LeShoure tore his Achilles' tendon in the preseason and was inactive in his rookie year.

Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier spoke to the media on Friday, and a major topic of discussion was the progress running back Adrian Peterson was making in his recovery from tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 16 of the 2011 season.

Peterson was hoping to begin running on February 28, but Frazier said that's not likely, with April or May a more realistic target considering the nature of his injuries. Frazier added that Peterson's rehab was coming along as planned but that he doesn't want him to rush into physical activity.

Frazier also spoke about the team's quarterback situation, saying that backup Joe Webb will likely be used as a quarterback exclusively in the future. Webb was used as a running back and wide receiver on occasion in 2011.

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson isn't known for being very forthcoming at his scouting combine press conferences, and his meeting with the media on Friday wasn't much different.

He spoke about the injury statuses of a number of players, including safety Nick Collins, tackle Derek Sherrod and tight end Andrew Quarless, saying the former's future on the field is still undetermined while the latter should be fine to take the field in 2012.

Thompson also reiterated his longstanding draft strategy of taking the best available player will stand in 2012, saying "I think you absolutely have to treat a draft choice, especially early in the draft as a long-term investment. And the best policy, in my view, is to take the best player because it gives you the best chance at getting a return on your investment," according to Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press Gazette.

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy addressed the media on Friday afternoon and said that quarterback Matt Flynn, Aaron Rodgers' backup and impending unrestricted free agent, is definitely ready to be a starter in the NFL.

He also added that the team will take a different approach to running the ball in 2012 , which is something they weren't terribly effective at in 2011.

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