Now that all is said and done here is what I think about the NFC North and the 2010 NFL Draft.

The Lions cleaned up. I think the Lions did enough over the three days to move them ahead of the Bears in the division. The Lions got Ndamukong Suh with their first pick and then totally swindled the Vikings later in the first round to grab Javid Best. What the Vikings had in mind we may never know for sure, but it was the kind of decision the Vikings have made for decades and a major reason why they will never win a Super Bowl.

The main reason I think the Lions will surpass the Bears is the Bears simply have nothing. Yeah, I know they have some guy named Peppers, but he is over the hill. With nobody to compliment him, Peppers will be pedestrian at best. On offense the Bears have next to nothing. For the first time in 20 years they might have a QB but the don’t have anything else on offense other than a tight end. They don’t have a running back worth you-know-what and their receivers wouldn’t make most team’s practice squads. Cutler is a prime example of what happens to players who think they are bigger than the team – they get sent to Siberia.

Because of Cutler the Bears didn’t have squat for picks so basically Peppers was their only improvement in the offseason. Chester Taylor is a good role player, but like Forte, not a every down back. The Bears are headed to 4-12 or 6-10 and a fond adieu to Lovie Smith.

The Vikings, like the Packers, drafted according to their status, not many holes to fill so take the best player available. Giving up a first-round pick to the Lions and then moving up later to take Toby Gerhart is more than a little baffling. Why not just take Best? Whether or not Brett Favre returns, the Vikings aren’t likely to return to the NFC Championship game.

The Packers and Vikings are going to battle it out for the NFC North again this year. My gut feeling is the Packers will beat Favre and the Vikings at least once this year. If 2010 is the last year of football for a while, it at least should be a damn good one!

It is safe to say the Packers might not see an immediate impact from their top picks this year, but that is a direct reflection of the status of their current roster more than anything else. With the lack of a drastic immediate hole in the roster the Packers could truly take the best player available and the fact that Bryan Bulaga dropped to them was a major bonus. Bulaga clearly is the future at left tackle with hope he doesn’t have to be pressed into duty this year. At 21 years-old, a year behind Chad Clifton would do wonders for the kid.

The best chance for immediate impact would be the next two picks – Mike Neal and Morgan Burnett. Neal will certainly see playing time unless he flops completely in training camp and my guess is Burnett is already the favorite to start opposite Nick Collins at safety. Current starter Atari Bigby can be written off if you ask me. Burnett or somebody else starts this year, Bigby is done, a one-hit wonder if there ever was one.

After that I’m as confused as the next guy. We didn’t really need a tight-end but Andrew Quarless could give the Packers their best tight-end tandem since the glory days of Mark Chmura and Keith Jackson. Spencer Havner had a great run, but it’s over. Donald Lee makes three. Of course Quarless is not likely to be that guy this year so D-Lee will be the backup to Jermichael Finley this year and see most of the playing time.

Marshall Newhouse is an interesting selection. Solid college career, bloodlines being the cousin of Robert Newhouse, the bruising fullback of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1970s. That Newhouse went to three Super Bowls, hopefully ours does the same. One thing is sure, competition on the offensive line is about to heat up big time. My guess is Daryn Colledge signs his tender real soon, however the Packers might be hoping he doesn’t. If Colledge were to win a starting job again this year the Packers are doomed to failure.

The last two picks, running back James Starks and defensive end C.J. Wilson will have uphill battles to see any playing time if they even make the team. Starks might have a chance because the Packers still don’t have a legit third-down back and it looks like Brian Westbrook will be signing elsewhere and the Packers appear to have no interest in re-signing Ahman Green.

But here’s the thing – the Packers didn’t need a huge impact player this year. I know cornerback is probably the biggest hole to be filled and the Packers were not able to address that in the draft or free agency, but the offseason still has three months to go. Al Harris will be available at some point but I think Tramon Williams will be the starter opposite Charles Woodson regardless. That isn’t exactly the end of the world. An increased pass rush would make them all Pro Bowl players.

All-in-all I thought it was a good three days for the Packers. The Packers aren’t a player away from the Super Bowl, they are home-field advantage away from the Super Bowl. Just like they were going into the 1996 season. The Packers hopefully made sure that they can overcome the ups and downs of a season with much needed depth where they needed it most, albeit one exception.

The Packers did well in the draft. Confidence is high.

Bryan Bulaga looks like he was born to be a Green Bay Packer. He has the look of a meat-and-potatoes type of guy that will fit right in in Green Bay. It doesn’t hurt that he is a top-ten talent who dropped to the Packers in a wild first-round that must have the NFL brass rejoicing over it’s decision to put the first round in prime-time TV. It was good stuff to say the least.

Bulaga is now the future at left tackle but hopefully he won’t be pressed into action too soon. The Packers paid big for one or two years of Chad Clifton and I hope at least the first one is as a starter. Bulaga will have plenty of years to be the main protector of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. If Bulaga wasn’t there I’m sure the Packers would have went defense with their first pick, this was a dream pick I think.

I like the first day, the only thing is I hate waiting so long for the next pick. The shield knows how to market, that is for sure.

My first take on the Packers’ 2010 schedule is a good one. It’s an even mix of home and away games and includes three Sunday night games and a Monday night game. The Packers will be on national TV six times including two home Sunday nighters. Wow!

It looks like another 11-5 season at first glance. I think a good start will lead to some rough times when the Packers play four-of-five games on the road in late November and early December. I figure they will lose three of those games then close out with wins over the Giants and Bears in Lambeau.

I don’t mind opening in Philly, probably a good time to play them the first game with their new quarterback. With about six weeks to prepare for him, Kevin Kolb  won’t know what hit him. Pull of that win and with games against the Bills and Lions in the first four weeks the Packers should be 3-1. In the second quarter of the season I think the Packers can do another 3-1 leaving them 6-2 at the midpoint.

The second half will be a little tougher with only three home games, well four if you consider Ford Field in Detroit a home game, which is almost is. 11-5 wasn’t enough to win the division last year but I think it will get the job done this year. Can’t wait for it all to get started. At least we have the draft this week to carry us over for a while.

More to come…

I almost laughed out loud the first morning I turned on the local sports radio show when I woke up in Tarpon Springs, Florida two weeks ago. I could have swore the guy on WDAE was talking about Ted Thompson and the Green Bay Packers. The fact that the Bucs let Santonio Holmes go to the Jets for a measly fifth-round pick put the local morning man over the edge. Talk about a home-away-from-home feeling. It felt like Groundhog Day.

Dan Sileo, the morning guy on WDAE simply could not believe the Bucs not only refused to grab Holmes but was livid with the Bucs lack of activity in free agency. They simply are not trying to win, much like the way general manager Ted Thompson is perceived here in Green Bay. Cracked me right the f?*#, uh, cracked me right up.

If I was a Tampa Bay Buc fan I would be worried too. Unlike the situation in Green Bay where Thompson has built what appears to be a perennial playoff team in his  five years as general manager, the Bucs are doomed to failure since firing the two guys who lead them to greatness; John Gruden and Bruce Allen. Packers’ fans can feel secure knowing Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy aren’t going anywhere, there won’t be a rebuilding project every two years in Green Bay.

This week is Thompson’s week to shine, he has built this team through the draft and has been pretty damn successful so far. But the stakes are higher now that the Packers are once again a playoff team. Getting to the playoffs now better be a given, advancing in the playoffs must be the next step. Another draft like last year’s and the Packers might even have higher expectations.

The week I spent listening to the Tampa-St. Pete sports guys made me appreciate the men we have in charge in Green Bay more than ever. The Packers’ off-season really starts this week with the draft. Now we go.

I’m back baby!