Links to the Best in NFC North Coverage, April 17th Edition

Dear NFC North,

It's been a rough morning for Vikings fans. Please be nice(ish).

Signed,

The Management

We start Tuesday with the news that the NFL will release the season schedule tonight in a ridiculously long affair starting at 7 pm EST and probably going up until the start of next week's draft. Or three hours.

Let's get to the hot links for the morning. As alluded to at the top, we start in Minnesota.

Minnesota Vikings

The Star Tribune reports that a Minnesota state House panel rejected the Vikings' stadium proposal. It's not a good situation for the Vikings or the plan, which is now as good as dead.  

What's next? Usually saber rattling and threats to move—my take on it is here. Heads up, Vikes fans—it's going to sting a bit. It's not your fault though, just remember that.

Sadly, that is the bulk of the news on the Vikings today. I can't imagine what fans must be thinking right now, and it sucks. If you can find any humor in it, it's likely the type that The Daily Norseman did. And even that only takes the edge off a tad.

Detroit Lions

Given the Vikings, the pot arrests a while ago don't look all that bad, huh?

Continuing on the positive note, Matt Stafford is really happy to be healthy and ready to go from Day 1 this season, according to the Detroit News.

I don't know if you're familiar with the MockOne.net site, but it's a mock drafting site which gathers together media, casual fans and others to mock draft the upcoming NFL Draft. B/R writer and assistant editor Mike Schottey was involved in the Mock Three (Mock Four is ongoing) and broke down their draft. It's some good reading.

Green Bay Packers

Speaking of Mock Four, Brian Carriveau and Zach Kruse at CheeseheadTV.com talk about their second-round pick in the mock.

I bring this up because his outfits on the show have been ridonkulous, but Donald Driver is on Dancing with the Stars. I don't watch the show but saw highlights and an interview where he had on a purple vest, no shirt. Jason Wilde at ESPNMilwaukee has more if you really need it.

Press-Gazette Packers beat writer Rob Demovsky has a nice piece about the needs along the defensive line.

Chicago Bears

ESPNChicago's Michael Wright writes about tight end possibilities in the upcoming draft. 

Dan Pompei profiles some guard prospects for the Bears at the Chicago Tribune. He goes pretty deep, which is good because if the Bears don't grab a premier one early, they should at least get depth late.