[2023] Division Preview: NFC North

[Piercewise1]

Welcome to part 4 of our series! Today we look at another division that was decided on the last week of 2022 - the NFC North!

NFC NORTH
 

 

Team: Detroit Lions
Last Year: 10-7 (division champion)

Additions:

N/A

Departures:

WR Edwin Chabolla (79, 6)
DE Nicholas Sarno (72, 5)

Key Progressions:

QB Randall Hansen +6 (66, 3)
OT Young Pascual +4 (72, 4)
DT Bradley Crook +5 (71, 4)
RB David Perrigin -3 (73, 11)
OLB William Edwards -3 (78, 9)

Rookie to Watch:

FS Jacob Carlin

Overview:

The Lions are in an interesting position – they have the 4^th-oldest roster in the league (average EXP of 5.85) but are led by 3^rd year quarterback Randall Hanson who had a tremendous offseason and looks like a future star. He’s joined by a starting running back and wide receiver with a combined 20 years in the league…hopefully they can keep up with the young stud. Meanwhile that defense could be good for a long time with the recent draft additions of DE Phillip Calhoun, CB Mike Pressley, and FS Jacob Carlin.

Strengths:

Offensive line
Linebacker

Weaknesses:

Wide receiver
Tight end

Outlook:

The Lions can lean on their veterans this year as they seek a second division crown. But it feels like time is running out for this older core of players, so it will be interesting to see how much playing time these young guys get once we’re out of preseason. Still, there’s enough talent here to complete for a playoff spot, especially with Hansen’s improvement at QB.

 

Team: Chicago Bears
Last Year: 8-9 (2^nd in division)

Additions:

N/A

Departures:

WR Russell Barnes (75, 4)

Key Progressions:

TE Jamie Ramirez +5 (75, 5)
WR Richard Maguire +5 (75, 3)
OT Jon Mendenhall +5 (73, 3)
ILB Karl Ogles +5 (80, 5)
ILB Jehu Ginn +5 (67, 2)

Rookie to Watch:

WR Jackson Freitas

Overview:

It’s hard to overstate just how good Chicago’s progressions were. Their average OVR growth was 3.06 (3^rd in the league), they had a receiver go +7 (but then traded him away for cap space), and their 7^th year QB went +2. This is a young team with a great deal of burgeoning talent ready to hit the field. The trade leaves them a little thin at WR, so look for Freitas to get a lot of snaps early as he competes for a WR spot opposite Maguire.

Strengths:

Offensive line
Safety

Weaknesses:

Defensive line

Outlook:

The Bears are a young, talented team that seem primed for a division title run. Last year their playoff hopes were dashed in week 18, but this season could be a different story. There’s still some holes on defense and a lack of depth in a few key places, but overall they have the players to make a push for the NFC North title.  

 

Team: Minnesota Vikings
Last Year: 7-9-1 (3^rd in division)

Additions:

N/A

Departures:

WR Mathew Madden (86, 7)
OT Nelson Garcia (86, 6)

Key Progressions:

QB Christian Sinnock +5 (70, 3)
WR Alex Williams III +5 (65, 2)
C Darren Willard +6 (73, 5)
DT Neil Henry +5 (71, 4)
OLB Jeffrey Kersting +5 (71, 4)

Rookie to Watch:

DT Marcus Sirles

Overview:

Yes, the Vikings traded away their two best players. On the bright side, they’ve added 46 rookies – some of whom might actually make the team now! In all seriousness, Minnesota has an enviable passing attack with young standouts Sinnock and Williams, and WR Paul Gurule. But that defense is lacking in star power outside of interception machine Marcos Maldonado.

Strengths:

Quarterback
Defensive tackle

Weaknesses:

Inside linebacker
Cornerback

Outlook:

If even a few of these rookies pan out, the Vikings will have some quality starters on cheap contracts. But there might be some growing pains along the way, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Vikings are counting on this investment (including 9 picks stockpiled for next year’s draft) to pay off in the long run; only time will tell.

 

Team: Green Bay Packers
Last Year: 4-13 (4^th in division)

Additions:

SS Manish Watson (73, 5)
RB Carl Frost (69, 4)

Departures:

N/A

Key Progressions:

QB Joseph Garibay +5 (76, 5)
OT Oscar Martinez +4 (87, 5)
OG Robert Smith +5 (83, 5)
DE Roy Cali +5 (68, 3)
OLB Benjamin Hanbury +4 (72, 5)

Rookie to Watch:

TE Ramik Phelps

Overview:

The good players on the Packers roster are very good – note the star linemen, a pair of great outside linebackers, and two excellent safeties. But there are some big gaps too, like in the defensive interior. Green Bay’s challenge will be to maximize the impact of those great players while working around the holes. One area that might already be fixed is tight end, where Phelps could start on day 1.

Strengths:

Outside linebacker
Safety

Weaknesses:

Inside linebacker
Cornerback

Outlook:

The Packers may not be ready to compete against the rest of the NFC North, at least over the course of an entire season, but they’ve had good progressions and made some incremental improvements through solid drafting and free agency spending. It hasn’t been the flashiest offseason on paper, but games are decided on the field. And the chance to test this roster on the gridiron isn’t far away.

[Sarge]

LOINS.

I really like the direction Minnesota is going. Teams is this division across the board are making moves but we gotta remember everyone's progressing so gap closing is going to continue to be a difficult task. 

Really excited to see how well Ramik Phelps does.

[Jmjacobs]

LOINS

 

[JC.]

Fantastic write up! 

Interestingly, Green Bay are the only team in the division to have notable additions along with no notable depatures and yet, I agree, we are absolutely still behind the rest of the pack. Unfortunately for us, the other three teams all had solid drafts to compliment some great progressions this offseason.

One thing to note, we have since added both DE Scott Totherow (73, 11) and DT Michael Dryer (73, 12) on one year deals. Whilst these additions do very little to change your analysis, I hope our movements in Free Agency atleast makes us competitive, unlike last year.