NFL Preview 2023: NFC North Division
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Since the NFL draft concluded in late April, football fans across America have been left in a cruel football-less purgatory through the seemingly endless summer months.
But no longer.
As training camps open across the NFL this week, it’s officially that time of year again. Football season is right around the corner and it can’t get here soon enough.
Over the next several weeks we’ll look at every team in the NFL, division by division, and gain a greater sense of the incredible stories this NFL season will contain.
Today we’ll put the NFC North division under the microscope, from the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears to the Minnesota Vikings and the division favorite Detroit Lions.
Chicago Bears
Major Additions:
T Darnell Wright (Draft)
G Nate Jones
LB Tremaine Edmunds
LB Tre Edwards
Major Losses:
RB David Montgomery
T Riley Reiff
Where they were:
Despite the emergence of QB Justin Fields on the stat sheet in 2022, the Bears suffered greatly in the win column, finishing with the worst record in the NFL (3-14). No doubt at least partially due to sporting one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL and trading star linebacker Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens in the middle of the season, the Bears were historically bad on both sides of the ball.
Where they are:
With every cloud, there’s a silver lining. By virtue of the horrendous season, the Bears earned the right to the number one overall selection in the NFL draft. GM Ryan Poles used the pick to give his promising young QB (Justin Fields) a star WR in DJ Moore, along with securing several draft picks to bolster the franchise down the road. WIth young talent, draft picks, and cap space galore, Chicago fans have plenty of reason to be excited about the future.
However, excitement for the future doesn’t necessarily include the present.
The Bears have a chance to surprise some people this year, to be sure. They have improved drastically. But that doesn’t change the fact that there are plenty of question marks throughout the Bears roster. The Draftkings Sportsbook has set the Bears 2023 season win total over/under at 7.5 and that seems to be fair to this 2023 Chicago lineup.
Grade: Properly Rated
Detroit Lions
Major Additions:
RB David Montgomery
RB Jahmyr Gibbs (draft)
CB CJ Gardner-Johnson
CB Cam Sutton
Major Losses:
RB Jamaal Williams
RB D’andre Swift (trade)
Where they were:
From the moment that HBO’s Hard Knocks premiered from the 2022 Lions training camp, it was clear that an energy was in this Detroit squad that differed from Lions teams of the past., . After stumbling a bit to start the year, the Lions won an astonishing 8 of their last 10 contests, just barely missing out on a playoff berth. The Lions have an exciting young roster, giving Detroit faithful hope for the first time in years.
Where they are:
The Lions are the favorite to win the NFC North for the first time in seemingly forever. That alone should indicate the excitement level surrounding this Detroit team. With head coach Dan Campbell back for year 3, a defense bolstered by free agent acquisitions, and a new offensive weapon Jahmyr Gibbs being added to an offense that already averaged 26.6 points a game last season, the Restore the Roar movement in Detroit is finally taking shape.
The hype is real.
This Detroit team could realistically win 12-13 games this season, and has a shot at winning their first playoff game since 1991. The Draftkings Sportsbook set the over/under for the Lions 2023 win total at 9.5, and that looks to be a conservative number for the Lions of Motor City.
Grade: Underrated
Green Bay Packers
Major additions:
TE Luke Musgrave (draft)
EDGE Lukas Van Ness (draft)
Major losses:
QB Aaron Rodgers (trade)
WR Allen Lazard
S Adrian Amos
DE Dean Lowry
Where they were:
Ouch.
That word accurately and succinctly describes the 2022 Green Bay Packers. A disappointing season full of up and down performances led the Packers to miss the playoffs for only the 5th time this century. To add insult to injury, 39 year old future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers moved on to the New York Jets in the offseason.
Where they are:
Green Bay may well be the most mysterious team in the league this season. Former 1st round pick Jordan Love will take the reins at QB after sitting behind Rodgers for 3 seasons. There’s talent on the Green Bay roster to be sure. They possess a defense loaded with first round talent along with young and exciting skill position players like WR Christian Watson. The Packers are a curious mix of veterans and young players, making them difficult to gauge this season.
The bottom line is this: If Jordan Love is a good QB, the Green Bay Packers will be a good football team. If Jordan Love is not a good QB, the Green Bay Packers will not be a good football team.
So much rides on the performance of Love, making the Packers one of the most fascinating teams in football.
Grade: Incomplete
Minnesota Vikings
Major additions:
WR Jordan Addison (draft), CB Byron Murphy, DE Dean Lowry
Major losses:
WR Adam Thielen, RB Dalvin Cook, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, CB Patrick Peterson, EDGE Z’adarius Smith (trade), LB Eric Kendricks
Where they were:
The 2022 Minnesota Vikings were a confusing football team.
Sure, they won 13 games and ran away with the division, but something never felt quite right about the men in purple last season. Whether it was the blowout fashion in which they lost games to the Packers and the Cowboys or the harrowing close calls in victories against inferior teams like the Colts, Bears, and Commanders, the Vikings felt like one of the weakest 13-4 teams in the history of the NFL. The Vikings went down quietly to the New York Giants in the wildcard round, affirming the general feeling about their record being somewhat of a farce.
Where they are:
As long as you have a wide reciever the caliber of Justin Jefferson, you have a chance.
That said, with longtime WR Adam Thielen, stud RB Dalvin Cook, and LB Eric Kendricks all being released in the offseason, there’s been a near complete changing of the guard in the Vikings program. However, one face in particular remained the same: QB Kirk Cousins. The performance (or non-performance) of Cousins will determine the Vikings success in 2023. The Draftkings Sportsbook set the Vikings total wins over/under at 8.5 despite their 13 wins in the previous season. While a low number for a team coming off a successful record, it’s perfect for the 2023 Minnesota Vikings.
Grade: Properly Rated
Who’s gonna come and take it?
The NFC North is one of the more mysterious divisions to get a handle on in the NFL this season. The race for the division title could be a dogfight to the very end. Who will rise to the top? Before too much longer, we’ll begin to see. Finally, football is almost back.
