As NFL offseason training workouts start this week, the NFC North is set with their current rosters. Now that will change come training camp, but as things stand teams seem to be set with what they have heading into the summer months. Looking at the NFC North, it’s fair to say this could be a more competitive division this year. This is an early power ranking of all four teams in the NFC North.
NFC North 2024 Early Power Rankings
1.) Detroit Lions
![2024 NFC North Early Power Rankings 1 Detroit Lions, Jared Goff](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Jared-Goff.webp)
Detroit Lions had their best season in decades in 2023 as they lost in the NFC championship to the San Francisco 49ers. Coming off the stellar season, the Lions knew they had to do a few things to try to get over the hump this time around. Pro Football Focus gave the Lions an A+ grade for the offseason. No other team received that from them. PFF’s Trevor Sikkema wrote, “It was a stellar offseason for the Lions, as they made major additions with minimal subtractions,”
Looking at those “stellar” off-season additions, the Lions added to their offensive line, arguably their strongest unit. Kevin Zeitler, former Baltimore Raven, was a key addition for them at the guard spot replacing Jonah Jackson along with DJ Reader replacing Benito Jones.
A couple more moves were added with a couple defensive pairings in Marcus Davenport and Carlton Davis from the Tampa Buccaneers via trade. The Lions were universally thought of having had one of the better draft classes this offseason. Trading up in the first round to select Alabama corner, Terrion Arnold was a homerun hit for the Lions, only adding more strength to a solid secondary.
The Lions are sitting in a spot of a very well-balanced team again on both sides of the ball. From quarterback to a young back in Jahmyr Gibbs and a strong receiving core led by Amon- Ra St. Brown. Defensively, they added some very needed pieces to their front seven and got better in the back end. The Super Bowl window for the Detroit Lions is very much open.
2.) Green Bay Packers
![2024 NFC North Early Power Rankings 2 green bay packers jordan love](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Jordan-Love-stranded-fan-011524-tout-c2e3a0f80d0a42179356ac0777a41ef5.webp)
A team that found themselves overachieving this year was the Green Bay Packers. The team was sitting under .500 midway through the season and finished 6-2 the rest of the way to end up at 9-8 and winning a playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys. Green Bay was heading into 2023 with a very questionable future.
With the departure of former quarterback Aaron Rodgers, it left Green Bay in a position of having to see what young quarterback Jordan Love had to offer. Love not only exceeded expectations but ended the 2023 campaign as one of the better quarterbacks across the league with 32 touchdowns and a QBR of 62.1.
🟢 32 TDs
🟢 4,159 passing yards
🟢 Led the Packers to the Divisional RoundWhat a showing from Jordan Love in his first year as the starter 👏 pic.twitter.com/Wvu9BWcFgf
— NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2024
Green Bay, heading into the offseason, had to find themselves in a spot where they could unseat the reigning NFC North champions, the Detroit Lions. The Packers took a huge swing at the start of free agency this year and added running back, Josh Jacobs. Shockingly after that move, they traded long-time back Aaron Jones to the Minnesota Vikings. Adding Josh Jacobs to their current offense was a shock of a move but is one that could very well pay off in the backfield as Jacobs has been in the upper tier of backs statistically the last three seasons. The Packers made another big splash adding former New York Giants safety Xavier Mckinney on a multi-year deal.
Green Bay coming off some big swings in free agency is sitting in a similar spot as last year with a lot of similar faces returning are looking to take the next leap forward not skipping a beat.
3.) Chicago Bears
![2024 NFC North Early Power Rankings 3 Chicago Bears, Rome Odunze](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/USATSI_23120748_168400517_lowres-e1715450797506.jpg)
The Chicago Bears had a huge offseason and NFL draft this offseason. After coming off another losing season in 2023, the Bears were ready to take a new direction. It was no secret they were going to draft quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. Following that was where the secrets were. The board fell and they selected Washington wide receiver, Rome Odunze. With those two picks to start the draft the Bears felt like an early winner.
Aside from the 2024 draft, The Chicago Bears were aggressive this free agency adding running back, D’Andre Swift and trading for top wide receiver Keenan Allen. The Bears have as much firepower on offense as anyone in the NFL today. Defensively, the Bears don’t slack much either. They traded for defensive end, Montez Sweat and signed Kevin Byard to add to the secondary this offseason. If Caleb Williams comes along quicker than not this year, this could be a fun team to watch.
4.) Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are in an interesting spot in the NFC North. It doesn’t seem like they’re rebuilding but reloading. Though they lost Kirk Cousins to free agency they drafted their hopeful quarterback of the future in former Michigan player JJ Mcarthy in the first round of the draft.
Minnesota’s 2023 season derailed last year after losing Cousins to injury, but now they’ve gone in a new direction. realizing they are going to need to start fresh and young, aside from McCarthy, they signed former first-round pick Sam Darnold to presumably start this season as a bridge guy to give McCarthy time to develop. They traded for former NFC North rival Aaron Jones from the Green Bay Packers this offseason to bring a better level of play at the running back spot.
The Vikings, like Chicago, could be a team to pique others’ interest this year just given their new young quarterback and still have a dynamic set of playmakers such as Justin Jefferson, second-year wide out, Jordan Addison, and TJ Hockenson. There’s still plenty of holes with this roster and areas of improvement but it’s not going to happen in one year. This could be a short-term reload for the Vikings in a very fascinating NFC North.
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