Early Combine Buzz Signaling Wild Offseason in the NFC North

If the first two days of the NFL Scouting Combine are any indication, the chaotic offseason in the NFC North is only starting to heat up. 

General managers and head coaches of the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings spoke to the media from Indianapolis on Wednesday and Thursday. A number of answers provided by the team's decision-makers figure to set the table for a wild couple of months inside the division. 

One major theme: Big names could be on the move, and some other big names might be staying put. 

In Chicago, the new-look Bears are making no commitments to quarterback Jay Cutler or receiver Brandon Marshall. 

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Asked multiple times about Cutler and his future with the Bears, new head coach John Fox said his team remains in the evaluation phase. 

"I don't think there's any question that there's ability and talent there, but there's a lot more that goes into it," Fox said, via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. 

New general manager Ryan Pace sang a similar tune. 

"Cutler has outstanding physical talent, there's no denying that," Pace said. "It's just getting to know the individual and all of the other intangibles that make a great quarterback. That's what we're doing now. That really takes getting to know the person, right? So that's the process we're going through."

Neither can be considered a ringing endorsement for Cutler. Fox and Pace were hired over a month ago. 

The Bears still have time. While all $15.5 million of Cutler's salary is already guaranteed for 2015, another $10 million in 2016 doesn't become guaranteed until March 12.

If, over the next few weeks, Fox and Pace become comfortable with Cutler as the starter in 2015 and beyond, the Bears have nothing to do. However, if the pair decides to cut ties with the 31-year-old quarterback, things get tricky.

A straight-up release seems unlikely, even if offset language in Cutler's contract may save the Bears financially. And a trade might be difficult to execute given the money still owed to Cutler over the length of his deal. Then again, the NFL is currently facing an extreme shortage at the quarterback position, so Cutler might have considerable value in Chicago and elsewhere. 

Fox and Pace have less than a month to complete the evaluation. 

The Bears were equally noncommittal to Marshall, who has spent the last three seasons in Chicago. Like Cutler, $7.5 million of Marshall's recently signed extension becomes guaranteed on March 12. Chicago can save almost $4 million in 2015 cap room—and almost $8 million if he's a designated June 1 cut—by releasing Marshall. 

His 13 games, 61 catches, 721 yards and eight touchdowns were all three-year lows in Chicago. He also turns 31 next month. 

Marshall's off-the-field ventures, which included a weekly spot on Showtime's Inside the NFL last season, may also hurt him with the new staff. 

“I just want to make sure that we understand the Chicago Bears and football are our No. 1 priority going forward,” Pace said, via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. 

While changes may be coming on offense, the defense is certain to look different under Fox and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. For the first time in franchise history, the Bears will operate in the 3-4 front. The transition will likely require draft capital and potential free-agent signings to be functional in 2015.

Among Cutler, Marshall and a defensive rebuild, the next two or three months figure to be chaotic ones in the Windy City. 

In Minnesota, the Vikings have solidified their desire to return running back Adrian Peterson next season. 

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"I think our ownership has made statements, I've made statements, our head coach has made statements; we want Adrian Peterson back with the Minnesota Vikings," general manager Rick Spielman told reporters Wednesday. 

Peterson, who played in just one game in 2014, remains suspended by the NFL. The ban lifts in April. 

The Vikings are sticking with a "time heals" approach to Peterson's off-the-field transgressions. But the bigger issue in any potential return is probably contractual, as Peterson is currently scheduled to cost the Vikings over $15 million on the 2015 cap. Minnesota can save $13 million by releasing the star running back. 

If a restructured deal can be reached, the Vikings feel good about what Peterson still brings to the table, according to Spielman:  

"

Adrian Peterson is a pretty unique football player. He's a 30-year-old running back. But I also know people said that when he was coming off his ACL and had one of the best seasons a running back could have. You're talking about a guy who didn't take many hits on his body last season. I expect that he's going to come back with a point to prove to everybody.

"

Given at least 14 games in a season, Peterson has never rushed for less than 1,000 yards. His three years of playing a full 16-game schedule have averaged 1,746.7 yards. He gained 2,097 after ACL surgery in 2012. 

As Spielman noted, there isn't a team in the NFL that wouldn't want a player of Peterson's caliber. 

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The Lions are far less certain about their big-name running back. 

General manager Martin Mayhew acknowledged Reggie Bush's future in Detroit remains "up in the air," per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. 

Bush will turn 30 in March. He will also count $5.3 million against the Lions' cap in 2015 if retained. Detroit wouldn't have a decision to make had Bush not been banged up for most of 2015, which allowed backup Theo Riddick to feature in Bush's role.  

Mayhew may be attempting to negotiate a contract restructuring for Bush, helping line up Detroit's monetary commitment with his potentially decreased role inside the offense. A straight-up release is also on the table, which would open the door for the Lions to entertain the running back market in both free agency and the 2015 draft. 

The bigger priority in Detroit remains Ndamukong Suh, and Mayhew again sounded optimistic about the Lions getting a deal done with the All-Pro defensive tackle. 

"I have an update on that," Mayhew said, via Birkett. "It's not done, we're still working on it, still very optimistic that we'll be able to get it done."

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Mayhew reiterated Suh is Detroit's "No. 1 priority." He also didn't rule out using the franchise tag, acknowledging it as an option his staff is still "talking about right now." 

Free agency begins March 10. The Lions have until March 2 to use the tag. If the franchise tag is applied to Suh, the Lions would extend their negotiating window to July 15. But in the interim, the tag would cost Detroit nearly $27 million—a crippling amount on any cap. 

Regardless, the Lions look more and more likely to retain Suh on a long-term deal. 

The Packers have their own free agents to re-sign, including receiver Randall Cobb. But general manager Ted Thompson was his typical unrevealing self when asked about Cobb Thursday. 

“We’d like to re-sign all of our free-agent players,” Thompson said, via Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee. 

Cobb, a Pro Bowler in 2014, is joined by right tackle Bryan Bulaga, cornerbacks Tramon Williams and Davon House, defensive tackle B.J. Raji and several others as Green Bay's looming free agents. 

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Thompson's draft-and-develop philosophy demands he retain most of them. 

“We say the same thing every year, we mean it," Thompson said. "It’s not secret that we try to keep and maintain our own guys as much as possible. We feel like that’s a good investment for the organization. We feel like, especially, if we have good people like we do, we’d like to do that."

Thompson had no comment on the futures of linebackers A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones. Releasing the pair could save the Packers over $7 million on the 2015 cap. 

The money saved could help Green Bay keep linebacker Julius Peppers, who is scheduled to count $12 million against the cap next season. On Thursday, head coach Mike McCarthy was confident he'd return for another season, although a contract restructuring might be the best course of action for both sides. 

Got that all?

Just two days into the NFL combine, and the NFC North looks ready to provide a potentially wild offseason ride. There will be comings and goings, returns and departures. Even by April's draft, the division may look considerably different. 

Salary information courtesy of Spotrac.com

Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2