The NFC North might be the best division in football for 2025. Let's make one bold prediction for each team.
It's not a stretch to suggest that every NFC North team could finish with a winning record and make the playoffs in the 2025 NFL Season - with the NFL having seven playoff teams, an entire division making the postseason is something that can happen.
The rosters across the division are quite loaded, so this could end up being a bloodbath as the season goes on. We made one bold prediction for each team in the NFC North. Let's get into it!
Let's get bold in the NFC North!
Detroit Lions - Detroit wins fewer than 15 games but still win the NFC North in 2025
The Detroit Lions winning 15 games in 2024 was an outstanding coaching job, but losing both Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn will absolutely hurt them. However, the Lions still do have the best roster in the NFL and should be a heavy favorite to win the division again in 2025.
Jared Goff is the best QB in the NFC North, and the Lions have elite weapons on offense. The defense is also quite talented, and Dan Campbell clearly knows what he's doing as their head coach.
An 11 or 12-win season could be what the Lions muster for this year, but despite their drop in wins from 2024, they'll still win the division.
Green Bay Packers - Green Bay fails to get over the hump and again wins 10 or 11 games
Did the Green Bay Packers do enough to get over the hump in 2025? I really don't think they did. Sure, the Packers have a good roster, but it's not great and lacks high-end players at key positions. The other teams in the division are quite formidable, and I just do not see a path for this Packers team to vault into Super Bowl contention.
They'll remain in the same tier they've been in for multiple seasons and again win between 9-11 games.
Chicago Bears - Bears win nine or 10 games and earn an NFC Wild Card spot
Roster-wise, this could be the best Chicago Bears roster we have seen in quite some time. It's clear that GM Ryan Poles knew he had to get more serious about getting better in the trenches, and he did just that. Them hiring Ben Johnson was also a great move, and I truly believe Chicago has built something special for the 2025 NFL Season.
Much of this is going to hinge on Caleb Williams being able to take a step forward, but he wasn't bad in 2024 given the circumstances. You'd ideally love to see him get rid of the ball quicker and just avoid sacks more than he did in 2024.
It's a realistic goal for Williams to hit with a Ben Johnson offense. With Chicago likely fielding a top-12 offense and defense in 2025, this team is going to win nine or 10 games in 2025 and earn a Wild Card spot.
Minnesota Vikings - Minnesota finishes with a losing record in 2025
Guys, let's pump the brakes on the Minnesota Vikings a bit. This team is essentially starting a rookie QB in the 2025 NFL Season, and while I understand the hype with JJ McCarthy especially given recent rookie QB success, McCarthy is a different player.
He's just 22 years old and does not have the wealth of collegiate experience that Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels have. Nix and Daniels having all of that football under their belts is a huge reason why they found immediate success in the NFL.
The Vikings may largely be a decent team, but they'll finish with a losing record in the 2025 NFL Season and be on the outside looking in. That doesn't mean all is lost, as this roster is quite good and could really hit their stride in the 2026 season when McCarthy gets that crucial first year under his belt.
Minnesota will go from 14 wins to at most eight in 2025.