Some NFL divisions are ruled by one team; others are a nonstop fight. The NFC North falls into the second category. Every fan in this division is already holding their breath, and the season hasn’t even started yet. In this NFL Preview series, we’re asking one burning question for every team. It’s time for the NFC North.
The Vikings let Sam Darnold walk in free agency last season, and that proved to be a mistake. The Seattle Seahawks signed him and won Super Bowl LX, while Minnesota has a carousel of quarterbacks.
J.J. McCarthy was drafted 10th overall in 2024, but missed his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus. After McCarthy’s underwhelming 2025, the Vikings are pivoting to Kyler Murray. The former Arizona Cardinal signed a one-year, $1.3 million prove-it deal and is now competing for the starting job.
At his best, Murray is an efficient passer and a great runner, but consistency is key in the NFL. In 2024, he started all 17 games, throwing for 3,851 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. In 2023 and 2025, he only appeared in a total of 13 games.
If Murray can stay healthy, the Vikings might just move on from McCarthy. Everything rides on this QB competition in 2026, but the veteran seems to be the right move so far.
Everyone is hopping aboard the Caleb Williams hype train, and it’s hard not to. The first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has quickly become one of the most exciting players in the league.
Williams’ first year was marred by poor coaching and a bad offensive line. He was sacked a league-leading 68 times that season, and still threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
In 2025, the Bears hired the Detroit Lions’ former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach. Chicago won five games in 2024, then won 11 games in 2025. In his second year, Williams threw for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He was only sacked 24 times.
Williams’ accuracy is questionable at times, but he led the NFL in fourth-quarter comebacks last year. If he can improve, even slightly, he’ll be Chicago’s first-ever 4,000-yard passer.
Chicago won the NFC North and made it to the divisional round of last year’s playoffs. They’re going into Johnson’s second year and will likely only get better. The Williams hype train isn’t slowing down any time soon.
After being drafted 26th overall by the Packers in 2020, Jordan Love sat behind Aaron Rodgers for two full seasons. By the time he took the reins, he immediately wowed fans across the league.
In three years as Green Bay’s starter, Love has thrown for 10,929 yards, 80 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions. He’s supremely talented, but why hasn’t that translated to more success?
Love has never won more than nine games in a season. His numbers have stagnated, and he hasn’t made it past the wild card round since 2023. He’s lacking a true WR1 but has a deeper arsenal than most QBs.
The problem could lie in coaching. Matt LaFleur has been Green Bay’s coach since 2019, and he’s becoming more polarizing every year. If the Pack can’t get over the hump this year, will it be Love’s fault or his coach’s?
The Lions were on a Super Bowl trajectory in 2023. They made it to the NFC Championship for the first time since 1991, and the future seemed bright. They lost Ben Johnson in 2025, and the offense quickly fell apart.
Detroit went from a 15-2 record in 2024 to 9-8 and missing the playoffs in 2025. Despite Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Amon-Ra St. Brown all playing the full season, the game plan was uninspired, to say the least.
The Lions ranked 20th in the NFL in third-down success rate (38.8%). They made questionable decisions all year, and the offensive line was riddled with injuries. They’ve moved on from OC John Morton and hired Drew Petzing, who previously served as the Arizona Cardinals’ OC.
If Detroit can get the offense back on track, they’ll be right back in the Super Bowl hunt. Dan Campbell is their winningest head coach since Wayne Fontes in the late 80’s and early 90’s. He’s not letting this team fall apart that easily.
The NFC North was the only division to have all four teams end with a winning record last year. The Bears are on the rise, the Vikings succeed even without a true QB1, and the Packers and Lions have been knocking on the Super Bowl’s door. This may be the most entertaining division in the entire NFL.
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