The NFC North in 2024 provided one of the most entertaining division title races the NFL has ever seen. For a large part of the season, three teams were competing for not just the top spot in the division, but the number one seed in the conference. In the end, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings matched up in week 18 with the top seed in the NFC, and the division title on the line, with the Vikings losing that game and finishing as the NFC’s 5th seed with a 14-3 record. This year, the NFC North offers four teams that could all have an argument to be division winners, with many arguing for multiple of these teams to be a contender for the NFC’s representative in the Super Bowl. Let’s dive into the NFC North for 2025, one of the most exciting divisions in the league.
4th Place – Chicago Bears
Last place in the NFC North this upcoming season will be nothing to be ashamed of. While that would be no consolation to the Bears if they do end up in fourth place come January, I would not be surprised if they finish with a winning record, and we see this division repeat what the AFC North did in 2023, where all four teams finished with an above .500 record.
There is a lot of positivity around the Bears entering this season, and rightly so. Ben Johnson is the new head coach and will be looking to bring his electric play calling to the windy city. Caleb Williams will only benefit from Johnson’s creativity as he looks to make a second year jump, and already seemed to show progress in preseason. Johnson and general manager, Ryan Poles, know they have a potential franchise quarterback in Williams and they have improved the offensive line to protect him. The additions of guards, Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson will help massively on the interior, as well as Drew Dalman at centre, one of the best in the league last season. Williams’ weapons aren’t bad either, with D. J. Moore as his top target and fellow second year player, Rome Odunze, also lining up out wide. With Cole Kmet at tight end, and D’Andre Swift at running back, the offense on paper is electric.
However, Johnson being an excellent offensive coordinator does not necessarily translate into being an excellent head coach. Williams still has a lot to learn, and his pocket presence was a big issue last year. Combine this with Johnson introducing an entire new offensive scheme with potentially a lot of trick plays, and it could be a concern for the Bears. That’s not to say Williams will have a bad season, but I don’t think he will take a massive leap just yet.
Defensively, I have concerns for Chicago. They don’t have the strongest pass rush, and, while they do have a solid linebacker group, as well as an All-Pro calibre cornerback in Jaylon Johnson, this unit worries me, especially against the run. Grady Jarrett was a big offseason addition, but the former All-Pro is coming off a down year and is not the player he once was.
Chicago will be a solid team with a chance at a wildcard spot, but in this division it is hard to see them step up and contend with three teams who all had 11+ wins in 2024.
3rd place – Minnesota Vikings (Wildcard)
The Vikings enter this season with high hopes for J. J. McCarthy. The second-year quarterback out of Michigan missed the entire 2024 season due to a torn meniscus. He enters 2025 essentially as a rookie despite being drafted in 2024 with the 10th overall pick by Minnesota. Of course, he’s not really a rookie because so much of the transition between college and the NFL is on the mental side of things, especially for a quarterback.
There is no reason McCarthy can’t succeed in this offense. He has a coach in Kevin O’Connell who helped reignite Sam Darnold’s career last season. Along with that, McCarthy has some of the best weapons in the league at his disposal. Justin Jefferson is a perennial All-Pro and has had one of the best five years to start a career for any receiver ever. Jordan Addison is as good as a number two receiver as you will find in this league (although he will miss the first three games due to a suspension), and T. J. Hockenson is a great tight end. On the offensive line, the Vikings have improved where they were weak, on the interior. Ryan Kelly is a solid signing at centre, and Minnesota used a first round pick on left guard Donovan Jackson. At right guard, Will Fries will look to bounce back from his season-ending injury early on in 2024. The same goes for left tackle, Christian Darrisaw, who was amongst the best in the league at his position before he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in week 8 last year. The blindside protector should play week 1, but even if he doesn’t, his return, along with Fries’, is great news for McCarthy, providing they can both recreate their 2024 form. Brian O’Neill at right tackle rounds off a great offensive line for Minnesota that should be amongst the best in the league.
Brian Flores is the mastermind behind the Vikings’ defensive unit. They were tied for the league lead in takeaways last season, and were tied for fourth in sacks. Minnesota has kept their core defensive unit together, and with Flores at the helm, there is no reason that this blitz-heavy defense can’t replicate the surplus of splash plays they delivered in 2024.
With a defense that will make plays, a good offensive line, and great weapons, even if J. J. McCarthy takes a bit of time to settle, the Vikings will be a good team in 2025. With Kevin O’Connell at the helm, I believe they will be a playoff team.
2nd Place – Green Bay Packers (Wildcard)
The Packers are one of the tougher teams in the league to assess. This is a team that should definitely be a playoff team but doesn’t quite seem to have enough to become a contender yet. Of course, Green Bay has talent, that is why I have them as a wildcard team, but the biggest factor in whether they step up into a contender will be whether Jordan Love can deliver in the big moments.
On offense, the Packers have a solid line to protect Love. Zach Tom highlights that group at right tackle, although I am slightly concerned about the potential reshuffle on the interior between Elgton Jenkins, new signing Aaron Banks, and 2024’s first round pick, Jordan Morgan. Josh Jacobs helped lead this team to a top five rushing attack in 2024 and if he wants to replicate his 2024 Pro Bowl season, that interior line will need to be up to speed quick, something that is not easy to do when there is a reshuffle.
Green Bay’s wide receiver group is an interesting one. Firstly, they will be without Christian Watson for at least the first part of the year, after the 2022 second round pick suffered a torn ACL in week 18 of the 2024 season. Of the receivers they have available, many would consider them all solid number two options, but Green Bay don’t seem to have an out and out number one. Jayden Reed is the most likely out of the group to make that step up into becoming a true number one weapon. Matthew Golden was the Packers’ first round pick in 2025, the first wide receiver they have chosen in the first round since 2002. That will leave the rookie with high expectations but, for now, Reed will be seen as the man to step up. If he can then Golden, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks provide good depth at the position.
Green Bay’s defense played to a high standard last season. They ranked sixth in points per game, were top ten in sacks, and forced the fourth most turnovers. Xavier McKinney at safety is the standout player of this group, and the Packers shouldn’t be too worried about their last line of defence. However, the rest of the defensive unit worries me despite being a solid group in 2024. Outside of safety, there is no position of real strength in this group. After the release of Jaire Alexander, Keisean Nixon will have to step up as the number one cornerback, a role he hasn’t had to play before. On the defensive line, fans will hope that Kenny Clark can return to his 2023 Pro Bowl form but, if he can’t, that group is a worry. Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper are solid options at linebacker, with Cooper poised for a breakout year, something this defense may need.
This team will need Love and the receiving group to step up if they are going to become a real contender. The Packers certainly have the foundations to become a great team. The defense is solid enough and the offensive line is good to great, with a top running back in Josh Jacobs behind them. Along with that, Matt LaFleur is one of the best coaches in the league. This team was 1-5 in the division last season, and only lost six games overall. It was the moments that cost them in 2024. With a good base around him, Love can take a leap in 2025 and make this team a true Super Bowl contender, providing his receivers are also up to the task.
1st Place – Detroit Lions
After a crushing end to the 2024 season, the Detroit Lions look to win their third straight division title, but it won’t be easy given the losses they’ve had this offseason. The downside to being such a great team, which the Lions were in 2024, is that your coordinators are top head coaching candidates. The Lions have learned that the hard way as their former offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, is now with the Bears, and former defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn, is now with the New York Jets. This is not to say that the Lions will take a significant step back, but losing both coordinators is never easy.
The Lions’ domination in the regular season last year was largely down to their offense, and the offensive line was a huge part of that. The interior of that line has suffered two big losses this offseason. Frank Ragnow, a second team All-Pro centre in 2024, announced his shock retirement in June. Guard Kevin Zeitler was also lost in free agency, leaving big concerns on the interior, even if Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker provide strong protection at the tackle spots. The Lions still possess some of the best weapons in the league, with an elite running back duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. The speed is there with Gibbs at running back, and at wide receiver with Jameson Williams. Two time first-team All Pro, Amon-Ra St. Brown, is Williams’ fellow wide receiver, and Sam LaPorta at tight end is a great option. All this to support Jared Goff, who has established himself as a top ten quarterback in the league.
Detroit was riddled with injury on defense last year but in 2025, they will hope to be back to almost full strength. Aidan Hutchinson was the favourite for defensive player of the year in 2024 when his season ended through injury. Marcus Davenport also missed some time last year, including the divisional round loss, so Detroit’s two starting edge rushers are back. Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch also give Detroit one of the best safety duos in the league, and Alex Anzalone is a great player to have at linebacker. Aaron Glenn will be missed by this group but the defensive unit of Detroit can still be dominant given the return of some of their best players.
The losses of Johnson and Glenn are big but Dan Campbell is the man who led the turnaround of this franchise. With him at the helm and the talent they have on offense, this team will contend again. The problem is, they are in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, so winning it for a third straight year won’t be easy.