[2025] Division Preview: NFC North

[Piercewise1]

NFC NORTH

 

Team: Green Bay Packers
Last Year: 12-5 (1^st place)
Alexfall ranking: 6 / 32

Key Progressions:
SS Manish Watson +5 (83/7)
C Richard Campos +6 (79/7)
DE Roy Cali +5 (78/5)
WR Junior Ogbah +5 (69/4)
TE Ramik Phelps +4 (72/3)

Rookie to Watch:
DT Terry Kalis (64/C-)

Overview:
Joseph Garibay got paid this offseason, but the real strength of this team is the defense. Did you know they allowed the fewest total yards in the conference last season? They were also 1^st in run defense and 4^th in both pass defense and points allowed. A big part of that is the play of safeties Watson and Timothy Sulton (79/9), with Cali providing pressure off the edge. The addition of Cody Casspi at running back could provide a spark in the run game.

Strengths:
Offensive line
Safety

Weaknesses:
Outside linebacker
Cornerback

Prediction:
1^st place

The Packers have gone from worst to first in the division over three seasons, and now they’ve got a chance to be the first repeat winners in NFC North history. If the young skill players on offense can grow to match the prowess of their defensive teammates, I think that goal is well within reach.

 

Team: Chicago Bears
Last Year: 9-8 (3^rd place)
Alexfall ranking: 13 / 32

Key Progressions:
OT Jon Mendenhall +5 (83/5)
ILB Jehu Ginn +5 (78/4)
C Orlando Deberry +4 (86/9)
TE Jamie Ramirez +4 (83/7)
OLB Jason Gregory +4 (82/7)

Rookie to Watch:
SS Brandon Ioannidis (62/B)

Overview:
On paper I love the Bears’ offense, with a great Pocket passer in Gerald Lewis (91/91 THP/THA) and top-tier targets like Ramirez and WR Richard Maguire (83/5). But this same offense managed only 19 passing touchdowns last year, while Lewis led the team with over 1,000 rushing yards (Pat Flexen added 16 rushing TDs despite only averaging 2.85 ypc). I think there’s a solid core of talent here that has yet to be fully realized.

Strengths:
Tight end
Offensive line
Safety

Weaknesses:
Defensive line
Running back

Prediction:
2^nd place

The Bears have been one of the most consistent teams in the league, putting together 8-10 win seasons each year. The defense is full of young talent (with Calvin Preston the entrenched starter at SS, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ioannidis get some snaps at FS), like Ginn and Gregory at linebacker, and the offense has a lot of big stars already. If they can translate that talent into on-field performance, I think they’ll get back to the playoffs in 2025.

 

Team: Minnesota Vikings
Last Year: 5-12 (4^th place)
Alexfall ranking: 25 / 32

Key Progressions:
OT Herman Knott +5 (86/5)
OG Kyle Schneider +5 (83/6)
DT Neil Henry +5 (81/6)
OG Mark Killough +5 (76/5)
QB Christian Sinnock +4 (79/5)

Rookie to Watch:
CB Randy Tuioti-Mariner (A/A+)

Overview:
The Vikings have built an exceptional offensive line to protect Sinnock and give him time to throw. Sadly his best weapons are regressing, so hopefully either 2^nd round pick Chase Brown or one of the 3 UDFAs the team added at WR can blossom into a future superstar. On the defensive side, RTM joins a rapidly-improving CB room that includes Barry Taylor (71/5) and Adam Ijalana (69/4).

Strengths:
Offensive line
Defensive tackle

Weaknesses:
Wide receiver
Defensive end

Prediction:
3^rd place

If the Vikings can find a steady RB to help balance their offense, I think they could surprise some people this year. They split their final 8 games last season, so 7-8 wins isn’t out of the question with a 4^th-place schedule. Admittedly I’ve been a Sinnock believer since the pro sim began, so maybe I’m just clinging to the hope that my optimism will be rewarded at some point.

 

Team: Detroit Lions
Last Year: 9-8 (2^nd place)
Alexfall ranking: 23 / 32

Key Progressions:
WR Matt Brown +6 (70/4)
DT Bradley Crook +5 (81/6)
QB Randall Hansen +5 (75/5)
OT Young Pascual +4 (81/6)
CB Robert Smith -5 (75/11)

Rookie to Watch:
ILB Travis Cravens (64/D+)

Overview:
Half of the Lions’ ten best players have been in the league 10+ years, so we’re seeing a transition as the team moves on from its veterans and hands the reigns to the next generation. Case in point: Victor Villamar is a 73/11, while Thomas Bullock is a 71/6 and Matt Brown a 70/4. It will be on Hansen to unlock their potential, but I worry about the offensive line giving him enough time to do so. The defense is in a similar situation, particularly in coverage.

Strengths:
Tight end
Defensive end

Weaknesses:
Offensive guard
Outside linebacker
Safety

Prediction:
4^th place

I don’t think the Lions are a bad team, they just started as an older team everywhere except QB and are now dealing with the rigors of time. They have a lot of young players in the high 60s and low 70s, so I predict they’ll have a short valley and then be back to contending for the division in a year or two. 

[Kirby]

@JC. doing gods work at GB AND James Madison. Who is this guy

[alexfall862]

18 minutes ago, Kirby said:

@JC. doing gods work at GB AND James Madison. Who is this guy

He's doing his job as Packer's coach to inspire hope so he can expertly dash it away - as is tradition.

[Bundy]

Not mentioned is @Bellwood is the coach in Minnesota now, so we're hoping to see some improvement over the previous coach's ~ .401 win% in his 51 game stretch as head coach, whoever that might have been who was clearly not competent 👀 But I think 3rd with a good push for 2nd in the division would be fair for expectations this year.