Cheese Curds, 6/1: Montgomery values feature role as NFC North RBs are in the news

In today’s Cheese Curds, the running back position takes a prominent role. Three running backs from around the NFC North are in the news, with one signing a contract and another talking about losing weight.

(No Eddie Lacy jokes, please — he’s in the NFC West, after all.)

For the Green Bay Packers, Ty Montgomery is enjoying his first offseason as a running back, and the preparation he is gaining this offseason should serve him well moving forward. He recently spoke about the transition, and it would have been understandable if he had been skeptical of moving to tailback full-time. However, he is embracing the switch entirely, and his reasons for doing so are the topic of one of today’s links.

Meanwhile, take a look at the steps forward a second-year Packer is taking in his first full offseason along with a lengthy highlight video of a certain two-time MVP and his biggest plays.

Quality (at running back) over quantity (at receiver) for Ty Montgomery - ESPN
Montgomery understands that playing running back at a high level usually means a shorter career than at wide receiver, but he also saw a much bigger opportunity to be a difference-maker in the backfield. That is probably the most important reason he was okay with the position switch he made a year ago.

Bears RB Howard to play at lighter weight in 2017 | PFF
Howard is the latest player to demonstrate the value that you can find by waiting on drafting running backs until day three. This year, he's aiming for bigger and better things by slimming down a bit.

Dalvin Cook signs rookie contract with Vikings - NFL.com
Cook, Latavius Murray, and Jerick McKinnon will make for a deep backfield, but will it be enough to help balance out the fact that Sam Bradford's yards per completion average was the lowest of any qualifying QB in the NFL last year? (h/t to Paul Noonan for identifying this.)

Spring snaps making a difference for Kenny Clark | Packers.com
Last year at this time, the Packers' first draft pick was on the west coast, waiting for his college to finish class so he could join the team and participate in spring practices. Fast forward to now, and the situation is still the same (Kevin King is waiting to rejoin the team), but last year's top pick - Kenny Clark - is relishing the opportunities he has in OTAs.

WATCH: Highlights of every long TD pass thrown by Aaron Rodgers | Packers Wire
Aaron Rodgers has thrown 50 touchdowns of 40 yards or more, and the highlight reel lasts a full seven minutes. Awesome.

Nelson on using OTAs to prep for training camp | Packersnews.com
Jordy knows that there's always competition even in spring practices. It's not just competing with players on the opposite side of the football, it's competition for snaps and passes with the players at the same position.

Is Matthew Stafford a playoff-winning QB on every other team in the NFL? - Pride Of Detroit
What would happen if the Packers and Lions had swapped quarterbacks in 2016? Madden simulations say exactly what you'd expect: a Stafford-led Packers squad finishes below .500 as he throws 20 picks, while Rodgers goes on to have multiple playoff wins. Stafford might be a nice quarterback, but even Lions fans have to admit that he's not near Rodgers' level.