Chicago Bears
In 2025 the Bears won 11 games and the division and while the NFC North is going to be a battle, there is no reason to think they can’t win it again. Ben Johnson proved he was worth waiting for as a head coach and he looks to build on the progress Caleb Wiliams made as a QB. Williams’ progression in the offense is a major reason for optimism along with Johnson’s ability to scheme up the run game.
They traded away WR DJ Moore but they hope for a return to health by Rome Odunze and the emergence of second-year WR Luthur Burden III will be enough to offset the loss of Moore’s experience. The team began to feature TE Colston Loveland more and more as last season wore on and his role should only continue to grow. Cole Kmet is still a useful TE and while they don’t have a clear #3 WR (sorry, Khalif Raymond doesn’t count), the passing game should be fine with Odunze, Burden, and Loveland doing the heavy lifting.
The offensive line was light year’s ahead of where it was in 2024 after importing an entirely new interior group; LG Joe Thuney, C Drew Dalman, and RG Jonah Jackson. Thuney and Jackson return but Dalman retired early and left a hole they had to fill. They traded for C Garrett Bradbury from the Patriots and then drafted Logan Jones from Iowa. It’s going to be Jones’ job at some point, but Bradbury won’t give it up without a fight. They should be fine there either way. LT is a sore spot, and they are hoping former starter Braxton Jones can recover from his injuries and take the spot back. Ozzy Trapilo was supposed to take the job, but he tore his patellar tendon late in the year so he shouldn’t be counted on. RT Darnell Wright is a rock, and he really played excellent ball last season.
The run game is a nice mix of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai who have perfectly complementary running styles. Swift is the quick and nimble guy and Monangai is the guy who will run through your face. Ben Johnson designs a very effective run game and uses the skills of his two RBs as well as anyone in the league.
The defensive front could be troublesome for the Bears if they don’t get better health and productivity out of some of their guys from last year because they didn’t add much help in the off season. DE Montez Sweat was his usual productive self, but he needs some help on the edge. Dayo Odeyingbo started the season opposite Sweat and then got hurt. Austin Booker was hurt to start the season and then returned right as Odeyingbo went down. They need both guys healthy and producing. DT Grady Jarrett returns, he’s the only guy they have that they know what they are getting. He’s solid but aging. They traded Gervon Dexter during camp and now it’s Neville Gallimore and rookie Jordan van den Berg who will play next to Jarrett. This team is counting on Odeyingbo and Booker to give them some more pass rush, and the defensive line could end up their downfall if this group isn’t better.
At LB, the team cut MLB Tremaine Edmunds in a cost-cutting move and replaced him with Devin Bush. Edmunds had his detractors, but this move is a downgrade. Bush had a nice year in Cleveland last season, but he was playing next to Carson Schwesinger and behind a very good defensive line, he doesn’t have players like that around him here. TJ Edwards is coming off an injury and none of the other LBs scare anyone. At this point, their best bet for an upgrade is for rookie Keyshaun Elliott to really emerge.
The secondary is one place they probably upgraded overall but again, they need guys to be healthy this year or their upgrades at safety won’t matter. CB Jaylon Johnson is a legit CB1 when he’s healthy, he wasn’t healthy last year. CB Tyrique Stevenson was banged up too and he’s a roller coaster under the best of circumstances. Nickle corner Kyler Gordon is one of the best when healthy, he also missed most of last year and is now in a bit of a contract dispute. Coby Bryant was brought in to give them a different look at safety and he’s smaller but quicker than the guys they had last season. He got hurt during camp so they signed veteran castoff Xavier Woods as a fill in. Rookie Dillon Thieneman will inject a level of athleticism at the other safety spot they can really use. If the CB group and Bryant are healthy, this secondary can be scary good, if not, this defense could fall apart quickly.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers finished second in the division last season because they went 9-7-1 and both Minnesota and Detroit went 9-8, that’s how close this division was last year. The Packers made no significant additions on offense, and they are counting heavily on two WRs who have had injury issues and two offensive linemen who are taking over new positions. The defense is hoping to get Micah Parsons back healthy and they’re counting on that and a new defensive scheme and coordinator to fix their issues on that side of the ball.
The Packers have Jordan Love at QB, and he’s been good for them, but his WR group thinned out this off season with Romeo Doubs leaving in free agency and they traded Dontayvion Wicks. That puts some extra pressure on Christian Watson and Jayden Reed to be healthy this season and for Matthew Golden to live up to his draft position. There’s talent there but the depth is gone. TE Tucker Kraft is also a special talent but he’s coming off a season lost to injury and they need him to be a playmaker. They did sign Jonnu Smith to give them another pass catching TE who can take some of the early season pressure off of Kraft as he gets back to it.
The offensive line is going to be shuffled a bit after Rasheed Walker wasn’t re-signed. Jordan Morgan will take over at LT, and second-year man Anthony Belton is slated to move to the RG spot full-time. Morgan played a little at LT, but he’s moved around on the line mostly and hasn’t been a full-time LT since his college days at Arizona. RT Zach Bako-Bewele (formerly known as Zach Tom) is a good player but he’s been banged up at times, and they need Aaron Banks to live up to his big contract at LG. Sean Rhyan played well enough at C to get a new contract there and that’s a positive.
The running game was supposed to be in the capable hands of Josh Jacobs, however, he had an assault incident over the summer and he’s starting the season on the Commissioner’s exempt list. That means he’s suspended with pay until his criminal case plays out. Marshon Lloyd is supposed to be ready to step in, he’s looked good in training camp and he’s healthy, for now. Jacobs’ suspension and Lloyd’s prior health issues led the Packers to trading for Kaleb Johnson from Pittsburgh. Johnson has been buried on the Steelers depth chart but he’s perfect for the Packers scheme and if he gets a chance to play, he could be a player for them.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley got the head coaching job in Miami, and the team is making the switch to former Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon as the new DC. He won’t run a system exactly like Hafley’s and that could be a good thing.
They need Micah Parsons to get back healthy this season if they want any chance of being a top-level defense. He’s the straw that stirs the drink regardless of the defensive scheme. They traded Rashan Gary to Dallas and lost Kingsley Enagbare in free agency which means they need Lukas Van Ness to step up on the edge. They signed DT Javon Hargrave and drafted Chris McClennen to import some new size up front, and both of them will be counted on.
LB Edgerrin Cooper played well last year but they lost Quay Walker in the middle and traded for Zaire Franklin to fill the spot. Franklin is older and a downgrade from Walker, but they hope Cooper’s play continues to grow. Ty’Ron Hopper and Isaiah McDuffie return as the backup LBs and give them depth.
The secondary is really good at safety and needs some guys to step up at CB. Keisean Nixon is supposed to be CB1 but he’s not an elite player. Carrington Valentine gets the job done at the CB spot but again, he’s not amazing. SS Xavier McKinney and FS Evan Williams were an awesome tandem last year, and Javon Bullard does a nice job as the nickel player. They signed Benjamin St-Juste and drafted Brandon Cisse at CB, so they clearly understand they need better play on the outside.
Detroit Lions
The Lions finished 9-8 last season, and it was a disappointing season given how good they have been for a few years. Dan Campbell took play calling duties away from his offensive coordinator during the season and then replaced him with Drew Petzing this off season. The defense has some major injury concerns at safety and still doesn’t have a true threat opposite Aidan Hutchinson at DE. If they can get healthy and get the offense back on track, they will compete for the division and a playoff spot.
Jared Goff is still a solid starting QB, but he and the offense took a step back without the wizardry of Ben Johnson calling plays. Drew Petzing did some solid stuff in Arizona but he’s not the most inspiring choice to re-establish this offense. There is plenty of talent to work with and Goff is a much more reliable player than anyone Petzing had in Arizona.
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best WRs in the NFL even if he doesn’t always get the credit as one. He’s one of the toughest covers in the league and can get open against just about anyone. Jameson Williams has become a very good deep threat and has added to his game over the years and he’s not just a one-trick pony anymore, he’s a legit playmaker. TE Sam LaPorta is a good third option in the passing game and team is hoping Isaac TeSlaa can turn his highlight reel catches into some consistent production this year.
The run game was essentially just Jahmyr Gibbs making plays on his own as he took over most of the important snaps as the year went on. The blocking up front was much less consistent with LT Taylor Decker being injured or banged up most of the season, an unsettled interior with C Graham Glasgow being a major downgrade at the position and two young OGs flanking him. This year, Penei Sewell is moving to LT to replace Decker, he’s such a talent that he should have no problem making the move. Rookie RT Blake Miller takes over Sewell’s old job, and they signed Cade Mays to take over at center. Mays is a bigger and better player than Glasgow and was meant to stabilize the line. Unfortunately, he sustained a wrist injury that is going to keep him out for months. Juice Scruggs was thought to be a throw-in from the David Montgomery trade to Houston but now, he’s a starter. Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany are good young guards who just need time to develop their game.
The defense will once again be led by DE Aidan Hutchinson up front. Hutchinson is one of the better DEs in the league and gives everything he’s got on every play. They have a new cast of characters opposite him at DE. Tyler Lacy is set to start with veteran DJ Wonnum and rookie Derrick Moore also added to the mix. Unless Moore really steps up, this is similar to other groups of guys they have run out opposite Hutchinson, that’s not a good thing. At DT, they are hoping Alim McNeil can return to form, he was underwhelming last season when he wasn’t hurt. Tyliek Williams will be the other DT, and they hope he’s better in his second year. The X factor could be Levi Onwuzurike, if he’s back from his injury, he can add some juice to the front four.
At LB, Jack Campbell has become one of the best LBs in the league and is a true difference maker in the middle. His job got a lot harder when the team lost Alex Anzalone in free agency and their big fix was signing Devin White, a guy the Raiders didn’t want back. White hasn’t been good in a while but he’s probably a better option than Malcolm Rodriguez or rookie Jimmy Rolder. Derrick Barnes is a solid third LB, but Campbell is going miss Anzalone and so is this defense.
The secondary was a mess last season with the inconsistency at CB and the injuries at safety. DJ Reed was supposed to be a replacement for Carlton Davis, but he was hurt for about half the year. Terrion Arnold was also unreliable and now he’s gone after his off-season trouble (it’s a crazy story). At this point, either Rock Ya-Sin or maybe rookie Keith Abney II will start opposite Reed, those aren’t great options. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are one of the most talented safety duos in the league but both of them are coming back from major injuries. If they get back healthy it will go a long way towards this defense being not terrible, if they miss time, things could get dicey. For now, Avonte Maddux and Chuck Clark are set to start until Branch and Joseph return, that’s a massive downgrade.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings went 9-8 last season with some of the worst QB play you can possibly imagine, it has to be better this season, right? The Kyler Murray hype is a bit much for me. He certainly will be better than JJ McCarthy was last year but I’m just not a believer in Murray as a winner. He’s had multiple injuries over a number of different years, and I wonder about how it will affect his overall athleticism. His athleticism is the thing that separates him from others. If he has to win mostly from the pocket, that gives me pause when evaluating the Vikings’ outlook.
Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and the newly signed Jauan Jennings make for a nice trio of WRs, and TJ Hockenson is a good TE when healthy. They will all benefit from Kyler Murray playing instead of McCarthy. Even if Murray isn’t the athlete he once was, he’s still an upgrade over McCarthy. I don’t think the ceiling is as high as many are making it out to be because Murray still is a limited player because of his size and inconsistency. The rest of the offense is going to have to help carry the load.
The offensive line can be awesome if LT Christian Darrisaw and RT Brian O’Neill are healthy, but that’s a big if. Darrisaw is one of the most underrated LTs in football when he’s healthy, he’s fantastic. He just seems to get banged up every year. O’Neill is very good on the right side but he’s about to be 31 and the wear and tear is starting to catch up with him. LG Donovan Jackson is good, but again, another guy who missed some time. C Blake Brendel stepped in when Ryan Kelly was hurt last year and now Kelly is retired and it’s Brendel’s job. He did a solid job and the Vikings are rolling with him. RG Will Fries is still good but not as good as his peak with the Colts.
The running game is once again going to be handled by Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. Neither one set the world on fire last year and some of that had to do with a less than effective passing game. They hope Murray can give them more of a threat and open some things up, but Jones is 31 and doesn’t have the juice he once had. Mason has been a grinder his whole career, but his best year was playing for Kyle Shanahan and that can make any RB look better than he might actually be.
The Vikings defensive line underwent a major overhaul with Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen sent packing and team drafting Caleb Banks in round one and Dominique Orange in round three at DT. Jalen Redmond was a pleasant surprise last year as was Levi Drake Rodriguez but that is a lot of youth to count on. Two third-year players and two rookies up front means not a lot of experience to work with.
The LB corps is the opposite of the front four, three out of four starters are 30 or older. ILBs Blake Cashman (30) and Eric Wilson (will be 32) were a solid duo last year but the cliff could come at any moment. OLB Andrew Van Ginkle (31) is the type of hybrid player Brian Flores loves, and he’s been great for this defense. They traded Jonathan Greenard in a cost cutting move and to give Dallas Turner the full-time job opposite Van Ginkle. Turner can be a breakout player, but it leaves them short on the depth chart behind the starters. Rookie LB Jake Golday is penciled in to be a backup ILB, but Brian Flores is going to like Golday’s versatility, and I wouldn’t pigeon-hole Golday just yet.
The secondary will likely be without SS Harrison Smith for the first time since the Reagan administration, it seems he may finally be retiring (I’m not 100% sold he’s done yet, but it looks that way). That leaves Josh Mettelus, Jay Ward, and Theo Jackson as the three-safety trio Flores likes to use. Flores will scheme them up to be fine but it’s not an overwhelming group. CB Byron Murphy has been great for Flores and Isaiah Rodgers was a good value signing last year for them. They went after another value signing this year at CB with James Pierre and I’m not going to doubt that Flores will get the absolute best out of this trio at CB. They are going to need Flores to scheme up this entire defense as they rely on a lot of youth up front, some aging guys at LB, and a group of unspectacular players in the secondary.
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