The NFC North is again shaping up to be the best division in football. Let's rank the rosters of each team. Three teams in the division won double-digit games and made the playoffs in 2024. There is a path in 2025 for all four teams to at least finish with a winning record.
It is possible though for every team in a given division to make the playoffs - and if that were to happen in 2025, the NFC North would probably be the most-likely division to get it done.
Let's take on an incredibly tough task and rank the rosters for each team in the NFC North ahead of the 2025 NFL Season.
2025 NFL Season: Ranking every roster in the stacked NFC North
4. Green Bay Packers
It's not that the Green Bay Packers have a bad roster by any means - it's quite the opposite, but the Packers are missing that high-end talent on either side of the ball that their NFC North foes have. They are really on the cusp of turning into something special but did also finish third in the division in 2024.
We have to be realistic about the Packers while also recognizing that they can ascend to the top. It's really hard to rank them as the 'worst' roster in the division, but while it's deep and good overall, the true difference-makers are missing.
3. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings really invested a lot into the trenches this offseason in what was a clear indication that they are going to try and make a run with JJ McCarthy. McCarthy is a de-facto rookie and is going to take his lumps, but he's got an elite group around him.
Minnesota still has some questions in the secondary, which was a sticking point for me, but them being ranked third in the NFC North isn't an insult or anything, as they would have the first or second-best roster in most other divisions in the NFL.
2. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears and GM Ryan Poles have really done some great things with this roster in recent years, and nothing was bigger than rebuilding the interior offensive line this offseason. Chicago also added key playmakers in Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III to join an already-talented unit.
Caleb Williams, I have maintained for a while now, played a lot better than you think in 2024, and being that the Bears have a better QB situation at the moment than the Minnesota Vikings do, that is the tipping point for ranking the Bears at no. 2.
1. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions have fielded a top-tier roster for multiple years now. Offensively, they feature one of the top offensive lines in the league and flat-out elite playmakers. Jared Goff is also a borderline top-5 QB. Defensively, GM Brad Holmes has poured a ton of resources into the secondary in recent years and has finally seemed to figure out the defensive line.
From top to bottom, the Lions have the best roster in the NFC North, but it's honestly a pretty close call.