Two weeks ago, during a public appearance to promote the Final Four, Lions president Tom Lewand said the team was having “discussions on frameworks of contracts with several different representatives” for potential No. 1 draft picks.

Asked Monday during a promotional event for next year's Frozen Four how those discussions have evolved in the past 10 days, Lewand didn't offer much insight.

“I don't want to sound like a broken record, but I don't think it does us a whole lot of good to discuss publicly what kinds of negotiations or what kinds of parameters we've been outlining with different representatives for different players,” he said. “I think what's important for us to do is to make sure that all components involving particularly the No. 1 overall draft choice are in place before we make that selection. That's a very dynamic process right now, particularly with where our system is.

“It's not just the player and his ability on the field, although that's obviously the bulk of it and that vast majority of it. But it's the player off the field, it's the contract and how that fits into things. It's a very dynamic process and one that requires a team to be very, very thorough, and that's what we're in the process of doing and have two weeks left to continue and finalize that.”

While most speculation centers around Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford, it's unclear whether the Lions have come to a consensus on who to take No. 1 overall. Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry and Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith also are candidates.

Lewand said the Lions have focused their discussions not on who will help immediately but on what players “are going to be best suited to come in and become a part of foundation for the kind of program that we are building.” Curry (at middle linebacker) and Smith (at tackle or guard) would be Day 1 starters, while Stafford would likely sit for part or all of next season behind Daunte Culpepper. All three would be valuable long-term building blocks.