NFC News

It's probably best that the Vikings' rumored interest in Brian Urlacher went unrequited.

Even from a surface level vantage point, it's readily apparent that the San Francisco 49ers 2013 draft class is abundantly more talented than its 2012 counterpart.

Ricardo Lockette already is Colin Kaepernick's favorite target -- at least when it comes to getting home-schooled in NFL terminology while sharing a house 21 2 miles from the 49ers facility.

Below is a fairly plausible path for the Cowboys into the playoffs with a 10-6 record as the NFC East champs.

So with that in mind, here are 10 things we learned on the first day of OTAs. NFL.com analyst Gil Brandt has investigated the Cowboys' offseason and likes the evidence that turned up, so much so that he's projecting them to win the NFC East.

Mario Manningham paused from his own injury rehabilitation Thursday to rally 49ers teammates in the wake of Michael Crabtree's Achilles tear.

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III's right knee and his relationship with coach Mike Shanahan, each of which was damaged to an extent during the wild card playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, are coming along well according to player himself.

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is still recovering from knee surgery and said Thursday his goal is to be ready for training camp in July.

The NFC East is expected to be extremely tight once again this season. Bovada in Las Vegas predicts that all four teams in the division will win between seven and nine games.

The NFC East is expected to be incredibly tight once again in 2013. Bovada in Las Vegas predicts that all four teams in the league's most popular division will win between seven and nine games.

One of the greatest things about the world of football is that the best players find a way to improve on a yearly basis and do it right in front of our eyes.

The oddsmakers generally like the Eagles. It has something to do with the proclivity of Philadelphians to put a few of their hard-earned dollars at risk at Sundays.

The Falcons were a pretty good defense last season when they blitzed, but they couldn't get pressure on the quarterback with a standard four-man rush.

The Green Bay Packers will enter the 2013 NFL season in a sort of limbo zone between respected juggernaut out of the NFC and erstwhile Super Bowl favorite.

In this Oct. 18, 2012 file photo, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree jumps over Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman during the first quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco.

The Green Bay Packers are coming off of their third consecutive NFC North championship but have been struggling to get back the form they were in when they won Super Bowl XLV .

The San Francisco 49ers lost in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history last season, but that loss to the Baltimore Ravens highlighted how far the NFC West powerhouse has come in the last two years.

Atlanta Falcons When he signs his new deal, quarterback Matt Ryan is projected to be a member of the $100 million club .

The St. Louis Rams hoped 2012 fifth-round draft choice Rokevious Watkins would compete for a starting job at guard last season.

Although it looked as though Brian Urlacher's tenure with the Bears would end on a sour note after his release this offseason, the idea of playing in a new uniform proved to unpalatable for the future Hall of Famer.