The AFC North is often recognized as the biggest bloodbath in the NFL, and with how good the teams have been as of late it certainly is.
Giving credit where it’s due, though, the NFC North is also an extremely hard division to win with the constant competition. Everyone clowns on the Lions, but they’ve had Barry Sanders, Matthew Stafford, and Calvin Johnson. They’ve slowly turned into a juggernaut, and people aren’t laughing anymore.
The Bears also make things tough, and the Vikings are a perennial playoff contender. With how bright the future looks for all 4 teams, the NFC North has never been more competitive and fun to watch, Here’s how they all look after the 2024 NFL draft.
Chicago Bears
The Bears have done well with the last 2 drafts under Ryan Poles. They’ve also brought in guys like DJ Moore and Keenan Allen to help guide Caleb Williams to what could be the first-ever all-time great QB the team has had. The Bears also added Rome Odunze with the 9th overall pick.
The Bears have done a good job of keeping the defense balanced. Montez Sweat and Tremaine Edmunds help turn things around, but they’ve got a ways to go to get back to having their typical top-tier defense. They didn’t pad the defense much in the draft, so they’ll have to hope their young talent can only continue to improve next year.
Detroit Lions
The Lions have benefited heavily from being able to draft guys like Penei Sewell, Aiden Hutchinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs. Of course, their later-round picks have also been nice so it’s not like they’re bound to fail by any means. They were hungry for DBs just like the Eagles and Ravens were in this draft, and at least one mid-to-late round pick from Brad Holmes will immediately help the team in addition to first-round pick Terrion Arnold. The reigning NFC North champions will have a tough road next year, but they should still be pretty good.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers aren’t a Super Bowl or bust team – yet. They do have some of the important pieces, but this off-season has been a litmus test for a potential championship down the road.
So far, so good. The Packers right now seem to be where the Texans were a year ago. An underrated off-season with ok cap space, but next year might be the Packer’s true off-season to swing for the fences. Signing Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney has been pretty sweet, there’s little doubt about that.
The best way to follow up on the moves they’ve made so far, though, is to have a good draft. They addressed OT with Jordan Morgan, a move that for some reason was controversial. Considering all the high-end OL talent was gone by pick 25 and the team desperately needed a replacement for David Bahktiari, the pick isn’t that bad. Time will tell of course, but it looks like the front office did a solid all-around job with both free agency and the draft.
Could the Packers win the NFC North? It’s certainly possible.
Minnesota Vikings
With JJ McCarthy now onboard, the Vikings will quickly be back to relevancy. Considering their pass-rush trio of Johnathan Greenard, Dallas Turner, and Andrew Van Ginkel, their defense should look sturdier than it has over the last few years. They will undoubtedly be a wild-card contender barring a Justin Jefferson trade, but their ceiling isn’t too high considering their rookie QB. The NFC North and its competitiveness also make things complicated as well.
Very, Very Early NFC North Predictions
- Lions (12-5)
- Packers (11-6)
- Vikings (9-8)
- Bears (7-10)
