We have the NFC West and South out of the way, let’s turn our attention to the NFC North. The Minnesota Vikings ran away with the division last season. The Vikings finished four games ahead of the surprising Detroit Lions. The Green Bay Packers finished a game behind the Lions and the Bears had the first overall pick. Chicago ended up trading the picks to Carolina and they added D.J. Moore from Carolina in the process. Can Minnesota repeat as NFC North champions? Will the Detroit Lions take over the division? With their free agent signings, can the Bears go from worst to first? Who will take home the 2023 NFC North division crown?

Chicago Bears

This upcoming season is all about the growth of Justin Fields. Chicago did their best to surround Fields with talent. They traded the top pick to Carolina, and they got a #1 receiver in D.J. Moore in return. The running back core lost David Montgomery, but they added D’Onta Freeman. The Bears are good at the running back position. Robert Tonyan was added to an already impressive receiving core also. The Bears also brought in Nate Davis, who’s one of the better guards in the league. Chicago didn’t stop on the offense as they bulked up the defense. They brought over LBs Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. If that wasn’t enough, they brought in Yannick Ngakoue on a 1-year deal. The Bears have talent, but do they have enough to make a run at the NFC North crown?

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions could be one of the teams to beat in 2023. You heard me right; the Detroit Lions are one of the teams to look out for in 2023. The Lions finished last season as one of the hottest teams in the league. Detroit is looking to capitalize on that momentum to have a great season. They lost Jamaal Williams and D.J. Chark on the offensive side. Detroit brought in David Montgomery and Marvin Jones Jr. to replace them. Jared Goff continues to look more comfortable running the offense. The place where the Lions struggled a year ago was on the defensive side of the ball. They boosted their secondary by adding Cameron Sutton, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, and Emmanuel Moseley. If the Lions can get pressure on the opposing signal callers, they could be looking at a division crown.

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers enter the season for the first time without Aaron Rodgers in 19 years. Rodgers was finally dealt, and he ended up with the New York Jets. We now enter the Jordan Love era for the Packers. Despite having a new quarterback at the helm, Green Bay opted to let a lot of talent go elsewhere. Green Bay lost Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis. Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson are two good, young receivers who will need to step up big time. They still have Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon in the backfield. On defense, Jaire Alexander is one of the best cornerbacks in the league. Outside of Rasaul Butler, Green Bay is thin in the secondary and that could be trouble. I’m not seeing Green Bay contending for the NFC North crown this season.

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are the defending NFC North champions. Kirk Cousins is entering the final season of his current contract. This could be a make-or-break year for the veteran signal caller. Justin Jefferson is still the best WR in the league. Minnesota will be without their veteran possession receiver in Adam Theilen. The Vikings also decided not to bring back Dalvin Cook as he signed with the New York Jets. Minnesota drafted Jordan Addison out of the USC to line up on the other side of Jefferson. The secondary was a weak spot for Minnesota a year ago. They signed Byron Murphy to help in the secondary. Minnesota still has a great defensive line and will need to come up huge if the Vikings are to repeat in the NFC North. Will the Vikings repeat as NFC North champions?

My 2023 NFC North Standings

1. Minnesota Vikings
2. Detroit Lions
3. Chicago Bears
4. Green Bay Packers