Links to the Best in NFC North Coverage, April 20th Edition

We're now less than a week away from the NFL draft and yet the biggest story continues to be the Vikings, the stadium bill and the potential aftermath of the death of that bill.

We'll start there today.

Minnesota Vikings

Talk about your bad timing—guess whose plane the LA Daily News saw in Los Angeles? Wilf's family owners a ton of real estate in Los Angeles so this could be nothing. Or it could be another shot across the bow. The timing is, of course, suspect.

According to ESPN, NFL officials, including Roger Goodell, will be meeting with legislators and Governor Mark Dayton today in order to try and get things going again. I'm much more in favor of supportive and lobbying appearances by ownership (including Steelers Art Rooney) and the league than threats to move in public relations releases.

All this is overshadowing the fact that, essentially, the Vikings are on the clock since the Colts have informed Andrew Luck he is going to be their pick and the Redskins moved up to grab RG3.

Kalil, Claiborne or Blackmon? Vote in the poll.

Detroit Lions

Think having three players involved in pot-related incidents is making the Lions take a hard look at the character aspect of their draft process? Not so, writes Dave Birkett in the Free Press.

Anwar Richardson reports that Jahvid Best has been attending the Lions' voluntary workouts, though he said GM Martin Mayhew didn't say if he was an active participant. 

Chicago Bears

Michael Wright of ESPNChicago talks a little wide receiver in his latest draft preview. 

Mark Potash at the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Bears have signed former 49ers guard Chilo Rachal. Rachal fell apart last season (hence his availability) but had been pretty solid prior to that. This is not what I meant when I said the Bears need help on the offensive line, though.

Meanwhile, Sean Jensen writes about new GM Phil Emery's approach to the draft. While he'll take a little from various teams he's worked for, he's largely following "The Patriot Way."

Much has been made of the Pats' former coaches leaving (and often failing) and the style they bring to their new teams. There isn't as much discussion about how the Pats draft and how former execs and scouts might influence other teams when they leave.

This should be interesting to watch. I am cautiously optimistic—Scott Pioli hasn't exactly duplicated the Pats' success in Kansas City yet.

Green Bay Packers

Ted Thompson had a press conference yesterday, and yours truly sat through the feed to sift some nuggets from the various platitudes that come in a presser right before the NFL Draft. You can read the review here. 

Rob Demovsky writes in the Press-Gazette that according to Thompson, the uncertain status of safety Nick Collins will not affect the Packers' draft plans. 

Finally, Aaron Rodgers made an appearance on Jim Rome's new show, and JSOnline reporter Bob Wolfey has a few quotes on the whole Saints Bounty scandal.

General NFCN Note

One last general piece for the division by my NFC North counterpart at ESPN, Kevin Seifert, about how the once black-and-blue division isn't so bruising anymore.