What are the biggest issues still facing the four teams in the NFC North?
In a 2020 NFL offseason that has been unlike any other, the 32 teams around the league are perhaps facing more uncertainty than in a normal year. With no offseason workouts and, thus, limited time to prepare for the season, there is more left to the imagination. But while that may be true for all teams, the four teams in the NFC North may be the most intriguing of the bunch.
After looking at the questions for the teams in the AFC East, NFC East and AFC North, the always-interesting NFC North is on tap in a series identifying the big questions that every NFL team needs to answer for the 2020 season.
A year ago, the division was won by the Green Bay Packers, who under first-time NFL head coach Matt LaFleur finished 13-3 and reached the NFC title game. Mike Zimmer returns for his seventh season as leader of the Minnesota Vikings.
Meanwhile, both Matt Nagy and Matt Patricia begin their third years with the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, respectively. The latter was the only team in the division to finish with a losing record this past season.
So what are the biggest issues for each of the four clubs in the NFC North? There’s now less than three months before the start of NFL 2020 and lots of work to be done by each organization.
NOTE: Teams are listed in order of finish in 2019.
Green Bay Packers: Can the Pack match up with the power teams in the NFL?
Lost in all the speculation about the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers was the fact that the Green Bay Packers utilized the 2020 NFL draft on adding a different kind of element to the team.
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While the onus was on the franchise moving up a few spots in the first round to draft Utah State quarterback Jordan Love and once again securing the future of the quarterback position (via Zach Kruse of PackersWire.com), the remainder of the team’s eight selections put an onus on power football. And it’s an aspect that the defending NFC North champions failed miserably at in 2019.
Including a playoff split with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers, Matt LaFleur’s club won 14 out of 18 contests. The four losses were to the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Chargers and twice to the Niners. In those games, the Packers surrendered a disappointing 134 points (33.5 average), compared to only 239 points in their 14 victories – a mere 17.1 points per outing.
More significantly, it was the two losses to the San Francisco in which the Pack allowed 37 points and frankly were physically pushed around by Kyle Shanahan’s team. So why not try beating the 49ers at their own game?
Hence, LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst added a running back (A.J. Dillon), a blocking tight end (Josiah Deguara) and three offensive linemen (6 Jon Runyan, Jake Hanson and Simon Stepaniak) – the latter three in the sixth round – in April’s draft.
Minnesota Vikings: Will a revamped defensive unit be stout once again?
Back in 2017, the team from the Twin Cities led the league in total defense while allowing the fewest points in the league. The Minnesota Vikings finished 13-3, primarily with Case Keenum at quarterback. But the club’s heralded defensive unit stubbed its toes a bit in the miraculous 29-24 playoff win over New Orleans. And then a week later at Philadelphia, Zimmer’s club was taken apart in the NFC title game by the eventual Super Bowl champions, 38-7.
The Vikings haven’t really been the same team since and slowly but surely, there’s been some slippage on the defensive side of the ball. This past season, the club was back in the playoffs but in many ways was carried by quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Dalvin Cook and the Minnesota offense.
This offseason, the club saw massive changes to Zimmer’s defense. Interior presence Linval Joseph and cornerback Xavier Rhodes were released and latched on with the Chargers and Colts, respectively. Cornerbacks Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander both signed with the Bengals. End Stephen Weatherly (Panthers) and safeties Jayron Kearse (Lions) and Andrew Sendejo (Browns) are elsewhere as well.
General manager Rick Spielman and the team selected 15 players in April, the most ever in a seven-round draft. Nine of those choices were on defense. Let the retooling begin.
Chicago Bears: Has the team solved its inconsistencies at quarterback?
In 2017, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace moved up in the draft to take North Carolina signal-caller Mitchell Trubisky. It’s been a decision that has been discussed ad nauseam for the past three seasons, especially given the success of two quarterbacks — Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson — who were selected after the Tar Heel.
The former was the league’s MVP in 2018 and a Super Bowl champion this past year. Watson has transformed below Bill O’Brien’s offense and given the franchise stability at the position for the first time under the current head coach.
The third year did not prove to be the charm for Trubisky. After connecting on 66.6 percent of his throws and serving up twice as many touchdown passes (24) as interceptions, the young performers saw that former number slip (63.2) percent), good for only 17 scores compared to 10 picks in 15 outings.
So it is actually little wonder that Pace gave up a fourth-round draft choice to secure the services of veteran Nick Foles. The Super Bowl LII MVP with the Philadelphia Eagles suffered through an injury- and problem-plagued year in Jacksonville. But the well-traveled quarterback is well acquainted with Matt Nagy’s system.
So who will open behind center in Week 1 for this team? It’s worth noting that Foles has excelled as both a starter and a backup. Can either step to the forefront and take command of Nagy’s offense?
Detroit Lions: Have the Men from Motown finally found a ground attack?
It has not been an easy time for the one-time defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. Matt Patricia owns a 9-23-1 record in two seasons at the helm of the Detroit Lions. A year ago, the team opened the year 2-0-1 but Patricia’s club would win just one more game the remainder of the season. Granted, losing quarterback Matthew Stafford for the final eight contests didn’t help. But this club enters 2020 riding a nine-game losing streak.
One of the Lions’ biggest issues for far too long has been the lack of a consistent ground attack. Talented Kerryon Johnson, a second-round pick in 2018, has shown flashes but has struggled to stay healthy. In April, general manager Bob Quinn once again invested a second-round selection on the position and grabbed Georgia’s D’Andre Swift.
"“We’re super excited to have him,” explained offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell recently (via Zoom and courtesy of Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press). “We feel like he’s a really talented, well-rounded running back. A guy you feel like could handle the run but as well as that he has ability in the pass game, where you could do some things with him there. So really just a complete guy.”"
Patricia could have quite the 1-2 punch if Swift lives up to billing and Johnson can stay healthy. The last time the Lions didn’t finish 20th or lower in the NFL in rushing was back in 2013 (17th).