Bears Solutions for NFC North on Draft Day

At Grizzly Detail, we've been focused on who the Bears need to take to strengthen the team. But it's necessary to keep an eye on the other NFC North teams and their draft needs and wants. Here what Bears fans need to do to make Draft '11 a rousing success:

Detroit: The Lions took huge strides last season, including a four-game winning streak at the end of the 2010 season. However, that doesn't mean they're without needs.

With Ndamukong Suh's easy transition to the NFL, the defensive line is set. But the rest of the defense is lacking. A cornerback like Jimmy Smith from Colorado or Suh's teammate at Nebraska, Prince Amukamura be a good pick-up for Detroit.

Bears fans' solution: Sneak former GM and destroyer of the Lions Matt Millen into the Detroit war room, and sit him near the phone, but behind a ficus plant so that he'll be easily hidden. When the time comes for the Lions to call in their pick, Millen won't be able to keep from the phone. "A WIDEOUT! ANY WIDEOUT! JUST GIVE US A RECEIVER!" he'll yell. The Lions will be stuck with one more young receiver, and we can all cackle in delight.

Green Bay: It's not irritating enough that they're Super Bowl champs, but they are also really, really good at the draft. Their best players -- Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings, A.J. Hawk, Clay Matthews -- were all picked up in the draft. They could use depth at linebacker, but otherwise they're a young, well-stocked team who is poised to dominate the NFL for years to come. Vomit.

Bears fans' solution
: Send a troupe of exotic dancers, five dozen pizzas, three kegs of beer and a truckload of cheese curds to Green Bay's war room. Keep them distracted as the draft drones on. That way, they'll miss out on their first-round pick, and everyone will laugh at them. Win-win. It seems improbable, but the Vikings have done it. Twice.

Minnesota: After Corey Wootton sacked Brett Favre into retirement, the most glaring need for the Vikings appeared to be at quarterback. There is plenty of talk of Minnesota using their 12th pick to draft Jake Locker, the strong-armed quarterback out of Washington who has shown that he can handle all the punishment that NFC North teams are willing to dole out. In theory, he could be a good pick and the solution to Minnesota's QB problems.

But if the Vikings pick up Locker, they will have three quarterbacks on their roster under the age of 25. Joe Webb showed promise in the five games he played in after Favre's injuries, including a memorable performance in a win over Philadelphia late in the season. Drafting Locker would give Minnesota even more confusion. There is also talk of Minnesota signing Donovan McNabb, who is far from a long-term solution at QB. The Vikings don't need another QB as much as they need a good quarterback coach and a plan to develop their quarterbacks for an NFL starting job.

Bears fans' solution: Draft Locker! Keep Webb! Sign McNabb! Let confusion reign in Minnesota, and the Bears won't have to worry about beating them. They'll beat themselves.

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