Aaron Rodgers may be playing his last season in Green Bay and Devante Adams is on the last year of his contract. This is their big chance. However, will the Vikings have something to say about that? Will Fields end up putting the Bears over the edge? Will the Lions be relegated to the NCAA?
Detroit Lions
Offense Overview: *Vacant* Just kidding. Maybe I’m not though. Anyways, the new quarterback in town is Jared Goff after Stafford was sent to the Los Angeles Rams. Goff has been to the Super bowl but has fallen off a bit since then. He has been able to put up good numbers but made some questionable decisions in Los Angeles. It will be interesting to see how Goff adapts in Detroit. D’Andre Swift is the main running back behind a decent offensive line, he may put up big numbers. The receiving core might be the worst in the league. I do like Amon-Ra St Brown to be the standout man. Thankfully, they have TJ Hockenson for Jared Goff to throw to. The offensive line is their best unit. Frank Ragnow is probably the best Center in the league and Penei Sewell looks to be a generational tackle.
Defense Overview: The trenches on the defensive side are not too bad. They drafted Alim McNeil, Levi Onwuzurike and traded for Michael Brockers. Romeo Okwara and Trey Flowers should be able to rush the passer as well. Their interior linebackers are very poor but Derrick Barnes should have room to develop. The secondary is pretty bad but has potential. Jeff Okaduh needs a breakout year desperately.
Overall Assessment: This team isn’t good. Plain and simple. However, they have pieces to work with. The offensive line and defensive line are being put together really well so far. Next, the Lions need to get more skill position players and get a franchise quarterback if Jared Goff doesn’t work out. As a Lions fan, you get the feeling that if Campbell and Holmes can’t get the job done now, it will never get done. Projected Finish: 3-14, 4th in the NFC North (potential relegation to the BIG10, even that’s generous).
Chicago Bears
Offense Overview: They have drafted Justin Fields but Andy Dalton is starting quarterback as of now. I would assume it would be so Fields could gain some experience under Dalton first but, I would not be shocked in Fields plays by the halfway point. David Montgomery will be the primary back but with the addition of Damien Williams, Montgomery will probably lose some passing-down snaps. Allen Robinson highlights the receiving core alongside Darnell Mooney. I expect Mooney to have a breakout year. The offensive line is alright. Tevan Jenkins was drafted to be the left tackle of the future but will have to wait until he comes off the IL after having back surgery.
Defense Overview: Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman highlight the defensive line with Robert Quinn and Khalil Mack the big-name pass rushers in the 3-4 defense. Roquan Smith is establishing himself as a top-five MLB if not the best in the game. The secondary took a hit with the loss of Kyle Fuller but Eddie Jackson and Tashaun Gipson are a nice safety tandem to have.
Overall Assessment: This team was able to get to the postseason last year thanks to the Bear’s defense. I think this year will be tougher. Matt Nagy has taken back play-calling duties which have gone too well for the Bears as of late and they lost Kyle Fuller. I think this team can be good but as of now, they are a middle-of-the-pack team. Projected Finish: 7-10, 3rd in the NFC North
Minnesota Vikings
Offense Overview: Kirk Cousins is at the helm yet again for the Vikings this year. I think he is a serviceable quarterback who can get the job done. The Vikings were fourth in yards per game last year and that was largely thanks to Dalvin Cook who put up 1,557 rushing yards last year. The emerging Justin Jefferson leads the receiving core after putting up 1,400 yards. Adam Theilen had a quiet year with 925 yards and 14 touchdowns as he looks to continue his run with the Vikings. The tight end takes a hit after Irv Smith was ruled out for an extended period of time. They drafted Christian Darrisaw in the first round to bolster the offensive line which should be an improvement if he can stay healthy.
Defense Overview: Daniele Hunter is becoming an elite pass rusher. He had 14.5 sacks in 2018 and 2019 before missing all of 2020. If he can get back to form alongside Dalvin Tomlinson and the returning Everson Griffin, this defensive line will be a force. Eric Kendricks is also establishing himself as a top talent alongside Anthony Barr. These two make up a scary tandem. The secondary has Harrison Smith who has been the leader for a long time. Patrick Peterson and Bashuad Breeland are CB1 and CB2 and should serve the Vikings secondary well.
Overall Assessment: I like this Vikings team. They had a rough 2020 with COVID and various injuries including Daniele Hunter. A full-strength Vikings team is threatening. I am still not crazy about the offensive line but overall this is a good football team and I expect them to contend for a playoff spot and possibly rival the Packers. Projected Finish: 11-6, 2nd in the NFC North.
Green Bay Packers
Offense Overview: Aaron Rodgers is a bad man but this may be his last rodeo in Green Bay. For now, let’s talk about what we can expect for this upcoming season. He is coming off an MVP year with 48 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and 4,299 yards in the air. Around him is elite running back Aaron Jones, who had 1,104 yards, and elite receiver Devante Adams, who had 1,374 receiving yards. Robert Tonyan had 11 touchdowns at tight end last year and I expect him to play well again but 11 touchdowns again may be too much. The offensive line is great but they are without David Bakhtiari for at least six weeks as he recovers from an ACL tear. They lost Corey Linsley to free agency but drafted Josh Myers to fill his spot.
Defense Overview: Kenny Clark is the only notable defensive lineman right now but he is dominant in the trenches. Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith provide good pressure off the edge. Smith had 12.5 sacks last year and could be looking from this year. In the secondary, they have Jaire Alexander and the newly drafted Eric Stokes. The safety tandem is Darnell Savage and Adrian Amos. They makeup one of the better secondaries in the league and are sure to make some noise.
Overall Assessment: This year, this team is very good. Down the road, maybe a different story. They have a very sticky cap situation with Devante Adams and Jaire Alexander, who are both due up for contracts after this year. One of them will end up walking and a rebuild may begin if Rodgers does not return. This year is the year that matters for this review. This team has what it takes to win the division and I think they will. Projected Finish: 12-5, 1st in the NFC North.
CloudZeroSports Team Prediction:
Stephen’s Pick: Packers The success that the Packers have in this division when at full force is unmatched in the last decade. This could be Rodger’s last dance and I don’t think anyone on the team has any intentions of letting this potential last opportunity go to waste. It pains me to say this but I am used to it anyway.
Dante’s Pick: Packers Aaron Rodgers potential last ride, will result in them winning the NFC North for the second consecutive year. Despite all the off-season talk, LaFleur and Rodgers will have this offense rolling. Aaron Jones is back and Davante Adams will look to continue his dominance from last year. The defense got better with the addition of Eric Stokes and I believe they learn from last year’s mistakes and make another run at the NFC crown.
Puggy’s Pick: Packers Without a doubt, I believe the Packers will win the NFC North. Don’t get me wrong, anyone in this division (except for the Lions) can make an argument to win, but there’s one person Green Bay has that no one else does. That person is Aaron Rodgers. While this may be the last season of Rodgers in Green Bay, I expect him to put up MVP caliber numbers again this season. Even if you take Rodgers out of the picture, the Packers have both a solid offense and defense with the likes of Davante Adams, Aaron Jones, Jaire Alexander, etc. While I don’t think this will be an easy season for the packers, I expect them to out play everyone else in this division.
Zach’s Pick: Packers Honestly, I can see any of these teams winning this division besides the Lions, sorry Stephen. I can see the Bears making Justin Fields the starter, making them go off on offense. The Vikings have major weapons on both offense and defense, but I see Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, and Davante Adams just pulling it out, winning the division for the Packers. Rodgers is angry, yet motivated, a terrible combo for all of the NFL, let alone the NFC North.
Ryan’s Pick: Packers The Green Bay Packers have this division. It was questionable as there was chaos about the Packers possibly losing their quarterback. The Packers also are having issues with salary caps for the players. They lost Jamaal Williams to the Detroit Lions but they still have Aaron Jones to rely on for most of the carries. They also lost Corey Linsley as well which is another huge blow to the offensive line but, they still have enough talent to protect Rodgers. The defense of the Packers is strong but could be improved. The primary threat would be the Minnesota Vikings. Either of these two teams can really take the division however, the Packers are a well-rounded team.
Micky’s Pick: Vikings The NFC North consists of two teams ready to compete (the Packers and the Vikings) and two teams that are not ready to compete for a division title (the Bears and the Lions). However, I think that Aaron Rodgers’ lack of desire to play for Green Bay will reflect throughout the season and the team will drop a crucial game or two, or in an extreme case, Rodgers might just decide to leave the team forcing them to rely on Jordan Love. The Vikings are also a solid team that does not need to rely on drama to win the division and could run away with it regardless.
Dustin’s Pick: Vikings Going against the grain, I like what this Vikings team has to offer. Dalvin Cook is elite and Justin Jefferson is fantastic, young, and productive. They were hurt by injuries last year and I think at full strength, they could steal the division from the dysfunctional Packers.
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