In 2024, the Detroit Lions were the NFC’s top seed with a 15-2 record. Dan Campbell’s club was followed by the 14-3 Minnesota Vikings and the 11-6 Green Bay Packers, who joined the Lions in the playoffs. The 5-12 Chicago Bears brought up the rear in the NFC North.
This past season, the Bears went from worst to first and won their first division title since 2018. It wound up being a complete reversal of fortune in the division as the Packers (a playoff team), Vikings, and Lions finished second, third, and fourth, respectively.
Of course, some of these teams made more changes than others. So what can be expected from four clubs that all finished with winning records this past season?
Top addition, biggest departure for the 4 NFC North teams
Chicago Bears
Best addition: S Dillon Thieneman
It was a bit of a surprise that the 2025 defensive standout for the Oregon Ducks, who was rising up draft boards in April, lasted until the 25th overall selection in this year’s draft. Thieneman began his career at Purdue but regardless of who he has suited up for, he’s been a difference maker. In three collegiate campaigns, he’s totaled eight interceptions, two sacks, a pair of forced fumbles, and 14 passes defensed.
Biggest loss: LB Tremaine Edmunds
The veteran defender was a salary-cap casualty this offseason and wound up signing with John Harbaugh and the new-look New York Giants. General manager Ryan Poles scooped up Bush, a former Top 10 pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers who enjoyed a successful two-year run with the Cleveland Browns. It remains to be seen if the seven-year pro can fill the cleats of Edmunds, who is one of the league’s better run-stopping linebackers.
Detroit Lions
Best addition: C Cade Mays
Versatile 10-year veteran Graham Glasgow was the Lions’ primary center this past season but was released in March. Hence, the Lions gave the promising former Carolina Panthers’ sixth-round draft choice in 2022 a three-year, $25 million deal (via Spotrac). The 6’6”, 325-pound pivot made a career-best 12 starts this past season for Dave Canales’s club. Mays was Pro Football Focus’ 25th-ranked center in 2025.
Biggest loss: T Taylor Decker
He made played in 140 regular-season contests and five postseason games, all starts, for the franchise that made him the 16th overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. The former Ohio State Buckeye asked the Lions to release him before the start of free agency, however Decker has yet to find a new home. The 6’7”, 324-pound blocker started 14 games each of the past two seasons, and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2024.
Green Bay Packers
Best addition: LB Zaire Franklin
General manager Brian Gutekunst sent defensive tackle Colby Wooden to Indianapolis for the Colts’ leading tackler each of the past four seasons. The 2018 seventh-round draft choice from Syracuse should fill the void left by the free-agent departure of 2022 first-rounder Quay Walker (Raiders). Franklin has totaled at least 125 tackles four consecutive years and was a Pro Bowler for Matt LaFleur’s club in 2024.
Biggest loss: DE Rashan Gary
The team gave up a lot for Micah Parsons, and he delivered big time when healthy. In 14 games, he totaled 12.5 sacks and two forced fumbles while earning Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honors. But the Packers will certainly miss Gary, who ironically was dealt to Dallas for a fourth-round pick in 2027. Since 2023, he’s amassed 24.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and a Pro Bowl invite in 2024.
Minnesota Vikings
Best addition: LB Jake Golday
This was a heady pick by the Purple Gang, who slipped to 21st against the run this past season after giving up the second-fewest rushing yards in the league in 2024. A former defensive end who spent the past two seasons as a linebacker for the Cincinnati Bearcats, the 6’4 1/2”, 239-pound defender amassed a combined 163 tackles (105 in 2025, five sacks, three forced fumbles, and five passes defensed over the past two years.
Biggest loss: S Harrison Smith
One of two first-round picks by the Vikings in 2012, the former Golden Domer was released by the club after 14 seasons. There were 207 regular-season outings, 39 picks (4 returned for touchdowns), 21.5 sacks, six Pro Bowl invitations, and First Team All-Pro honors in 2017. Smith has not announced his retirement, and comes off a season in which he totaled 54 tackles and three takeaways in 15 games.
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