How did the rest of the NFC North fare in the NFL Draft?
Like the other 31 teams in the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings are thrilled with what they got in this year's draft. With an influx of talent, the landscape of the NFL has changed, and arguably nowhere is that more true than in the NFC North.
The Vikings ran away with the division last year, using an 8-1 start to build a massive lead and cruise to a 13-win season, but the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions took a big step in closing that gap this weekend, adding talent and acquiring draft capital that could go a long way in deciding the division.
Here's a look at where each team has strengthened:
The Vikings
The Vikings could have shaken up the division had they opted to take a quarterback with the 23rd overall pick but while some fans were clamoring for a cornerback, the Vikings filled an immediate need with USC wide receiver Jordan Addison.
The hope is that Addison's route-running can fill Adam Thielen's role in the offense and that his pedigree can draw attention away from Justin Jefferson, who racked up a franchise record 1,809 receiving yards even as teams were utilizing double and triple teams to stop him.
The Vikings' second-round pick was used to acquire tight end (and hockey enthusiast) T.J. Hockenson last November, so Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had to work with what he had.
In USC cornerback Mekhi Blackmon, the Vikings got a cornerback that had PFF's fourth-highest defensive grade and allowed a 0.0 passer rating and two interceptions on 18 targets in man coverage. The Vikings got a Swiss Army knife in the secondary with the fourth-round selection of Jay Ward and a potential replacement for Dalvin Tomlinson in Jaquelin Roy.
Jaren Hall is a toolsy developmental prospect at quarterback and DeWayne McBride could be the final signal that Dalvin Cook is on his way out.
The Vikings' defense is still a work in progress, but the hiring of Brian Flores should help and Minnesota should still be considered the favorite to win the division. But they weren't the only team to make progress.
The Lions
Detroit entered the draft as Vegas's favorite to win the NFC North but had a draft that raised a few eyebrows. Taking Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th overall pick was shocking not only because it was a running back but the Lions had the chance to take Bijan Robinson at pick No. 6 before trading down with Arizona.
The Lions doubled down on Hawkeyes taking Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell 18th overall and Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta 34th overall but then added to the secondary by trading up for Brian Branch.
The most interesting pick for the Lions came in the third round when they traded up to take Hendon Hooker 68th overall. The Vikings had been strongly linked to Hooker coming into the draft and Hooker may be stepping into a strong infrastructure that now has Gibbs, free-agent acquisition David Montgomery, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams (once he returns from a six-game suspension for gambling.
At 25 years old, it's unclear whether Hooker will become the successor to Jared Goff in Detroit, but they have enough weapons – especially on offense – to make a run at a division title.
Da Bears
The Bears came into the draft with the most draft capital thanks to trading the No. 1 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers and gained even more when they traded down with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Ryan Poles went to work from there, adding depth in the trenches with Tennesee offensive tackle Darnell Wright, Florida defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr and South Carolina defensive tackle Zacch Pickens.
In between, Poles added to the skill positions adding Miami cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, Texas running back Roschon Johnson and Gophers cornerback Terell Smith.
While Chicago went on to make 10 selections in this year's draft, the biggest move for the future was stockpiling picks for next year's draft. The Bears have Carolina's first-round pick and an extra fourth-rounder from the Eagles as a result of this year's trades and now have 8 picks in next year's draft.
The situation puts Justin Fields in the same situation that Jalen Hurts was in with the Eagles last year. If he has a good season, the Bears have a franchise quarterback to build around with a boatload of picks. If he falters, the Bears have the ammunition to trade up for USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye or any of the top prospects in next year's draft.
The Packers
Of course, the biggest change of to the NFC North came in Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers' reign in Titletown has come to a close and the Packers entered the Jordan Love era in the same way they operated toward the end of Rodgers' tenure – making 13 selections over the weekend.
Lukas Van Ness is the latest addition to a defense that has been built with plenty of early-round draft picks, but the interesting selections were made in the second and third round when the Packers doubled up on a strong tight end class by taking Oregon State's Luke Musgrave and South Dakota State's Tucker Kraft.
The Packers may be looking to shore up the running game to ease Love's transition into the starting role, which is why they took two tight ends in their first four picks, but they could be in a similar position to the Bears looking for Love to show he's the long-term answer.
With the Packers holding the New York Jets' conditional first-round pick from the Rodgers trade, Green Bay also has the capital to get a quarterback if needed in next year's draft. All of these may not lead to a division title this year but could alter the landscape again in 2024.
