The last time an NFC North team played on Super Sunday, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers were holding off the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25, at Arlington in Super Bowl XLV. Meanwhile, the other three divisions in the conference have each made at least three appearances in the “Big Game.” Over the past 13 seasons, the NFC West clearly leads the way (7), while both the NFC East and NFC South have sent three teams to the Super Bowl since 2011.
Of course, the Detroit Lions remain the only franchise in the National Football Conference not to play on Super Sunday. However, the team is making progress. Dan Campbell’s club won 12 games and the NFC North in 2023, the club’s first division title since 1993. The Men from Motown won a postseason game for the first time since 1991.
Elsewhere, the Minnesota Vikings have gone nearly five decades (1976) since playing in a Super Bowl. The Chicago Bears’ last “Big Game” appearance came in 2006.
So much for history. As for the present, there are reasons to be very excited. Along with the Lions, the Green Bay Packers come off a postseason appearance and a playoff win. The Bears and Vikings will each have new starting quarterbacks.
Each of these franchises has made at least one big-name acquisition, while these four clubs all lost some major talent. A look at top pickups and biggest losses for each of these clubs.
Top addition, biggest departure for the 4 NFC North teams
Chicago Bears
Best addition: QB Caleb Williams
The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner was the first overall pick in April’s draft. It’s also the second time in four years that the Chicago Bears used a first-round pick on a quarterback. Former Southern Cal standout Caleb Williams expects to help for a franchise that has been mediocre on offense for too many seasons.
Under Matt Eberflus, the team finished dead last in passing yards per game in 2022 and was 27th in the league in this category this past season. In a combined three seasons with the Sooners (2021) and Trojans (2022-23), Williams threw for a combined 10,082 yards, an impressive 93 scores and just 14 interceptions.
Biggest loss: S Eddie Jackson
He was one of the early offseason cuts by the Bears in order to open up salary-cap room. However, it’s still surprising that former Pro Bowl safety Eddie Jackson has not found a home in 2024. Yes, he comes off a season where he missed five of the club’s first eight games and managed a career-low 37 tackles.
Jackson was a bigger ball hawk early in his career. In his first four seasons, he totaled 16 takeaways and returned six of those pickups for touchdowns. It was that kind of play that earned him a pair of Pro Bowl berths and All-Pro honors in 2018. In 2022, he did pick off four passes and finished two forced fumbles.
Detroit Lions
Best addition: G Kevin Zeitler
Via Pro Football Focus’ final offensive line rankings for 2023, only the Philadelphia Eagles graded out higher than the Detroit Lions. Led by talented right tackle Penei Sewell and three-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow, Dan Campbell’s team ranked fifth in the league in rushing and allowed only 31 sacks.
With veteran left guard Jonah Jackson moving onto the Rams, general manager Brad Holmes would add reliable Kevin Zeitler, late of the Ravens. The 12-year pro has started 181 of 182 regular-season games with four clubs. The 2023 Pro Bowler takes over at right guard, with Graham Glasgow moving to the left.
Biggest loss: WR Josh Reynolds
The reigning NFC North champions have a solid receiving corps led by wide receiver Amron St. Brown (who just reupped for big money) and tight end Sam LaPorta. Both reached the end zone 10 times in 2023. Add in wideouts Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond and Jared Goff has plenty of quality targets.
Fourth on the team this past season with 40 receptions was Josh Reynolds. He was also third on the team with five TD grabs and caught a scoring pass in the playoff win over the Buccaneers. Reynolds is now a member of the Denver Broncos. The Lions may miss the experienced Reynolds come the postseason.
Green Bay Packers
Best addition: RB Josh Jacobs
The bizarre circumstances in terms of running back Josh Jacobs’ five-year stay with the Silver and Black are somewhat hard to explain. He was one of three first-round picks by the Raiders in 2019, and was a Pro Bowler in his second season. The club did not pick up his fifth-year option following three solid campaigns.
Jacobs would go on to lead the NFL in rushing in 2022, and Las Vegas “rewarded” him with the “franchise” tag, and he played on the tenure. The Packers welcomed him with open arms, via a four-year $48 million deal (via Spotrac). The former University of Alabama standout should pick up where Aaron Jones left off.
Biggest loss: G Jon Runyan
The Green Bay Packers have always found a way to keep their offensive line among the best-such units in the league. Even with some injury issues last season, Pro Football Focus’ Zoltán Buday ranked this group the 11th-best in the league in 2023. The offensive front played well down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Guards Jon Runyan did not miss a game in his three seasons with the Packers, and started his final 50 regular-season contests with the franchise. He was also a member of three playoff teams with Green Bay. The four-year pro is with the New York Giants, and Matt LaFleur’s club will surely miss his dependability.
Minnesota Vikings
Best addition: RB Aaron Jones
This past season, the Packers were one of the NFL’s hottest teams in the second half. They won six of their final eight games and grabbed a wild card berth. A big reason was Aaron Jones. Including the playoff split with the Cowboys and 49ers, he closed the year with five consecutive 100-yards rushing performances.
In 11 games vs. the Vikings, Jones totaled 149 carries for 847 yards and five TDs. In Week 17 of 2023, he totaled 20 attempts for 120 yards and a score in Green Bay’s 33-10 Sunday night win at Minnesota. No doubt head coach Kevin O’Connell is more than happy to have the former Packers’ standout on his side.
Biggest loss: QB Kirk Cousins
The Vikings were in the tough position when it came to the quarterback spot. Kirk Cousins was slated to become an unrestricted free agent and he wound up moving on, signing a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons. Conversely, Minnesota signed Sam Darnold and used a first-round pick on J.J. McCarthy.
Cousins spent six years in the Twin Cities, although his 2023 campaign was cut short by an Achilles injury. During his stay with the Vikings, he threw for 23,265 yards (third-most in team history) and more than three times as many TD passes (171) as picks (55). The club found out he was tough to replace in 2023.