The Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys just struck the wildest trade for a defensive player you will likely ever see in the NFL, sending superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons to Green Bay.
The trade is obviously going to have a massive ripple effect for the entire NFL, but every NFC North team is dreading the idea of having to play against Parsons twice a year now. The Packers, already with one of the best rosters in the NFL (and youngest) look poised to potentially take over the NFC North in the very near future.
Are they already the best team in the division even after finishing in 3rd place last year? We're going to update our NFC North power rankings now that Parsons is in the division.
NFL Power Rankings: Micah Parsons shakes up NFC North in 2025
4. Chicago Bears
Objectively speaking, the Bears simultaneously have the worst roster in the NFC North and could still be a breakthrough 10-win team. The NFC North is loaded right now.
But the Bears now had really better hope that Caleb Williams is the game changer they used the #1 overall pick in the draft on last year. Williams taking the next step this year under Ben Johnson is mission critical for this team, and he showed some signs in the preseason of growth in his game. If Williams is making his layups, the Bears are going to be a threat, even as the 4th-best roster in the division.
Their defense is underrated but question marks remain over whether or not Williams can take that step and if their offensive line can hold up.
3. Minnesota Vikings
This is a really tough one, because the Minnesota Vikings obviously won a whopping 14 games last year. And by most accounts, they got better in the 2025 offseason.
However, there are some big "ifs" for the Vikings right now, starting with quarterback JJ McCarthy. McCarthy is talented, poised, charismatic, and athletic, but is he going to be able to quickly adapt to the NFL when the regular season gets going? McCarthy was a gamer for Michigan and showed he's got ice in his veins in clutch moments, but that was already two years ago. He missed all of last season due to injury, which further complicates the projection for this season.
I still believe the Vikings have a good enough roster to win 11 or more games, but if McCarthy is turning the ball over or struggling, the Vikings will take one step back before they can take two forward.