Ranking the NFC North Defensive Lines: Bears a Far Cry From Monsters of the Midway

The Bears are projecting confidence in their defensive line, but should they have pursued more aggressive changes to this unit?

Chicago Bears DE Montez Sweat celebrates after a sack against the Detroit Lions. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears entered the offseason this year with a defensive line that was a far cry from the "Monsters of the Midway" of years past, but they did very little to address it from a roster standpoint. Rather, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has suggested that the secret sauce to fixing the Bears' pass rush starts with him and the other coaches. In other words, the Bears have the personnel to run a fearsome defensive front; they just need to be coached better.

Bears fans will have to hope Allen is right because, as things stand now, this position group looks bleak compared to the rest of the NFC North. The trenches are the one area where you don't want to fall behind in the NFL, and while the Bears took the top spot in my NFC North offensive line rankings, I can't say the same for the defensive line.

Note: Chicago and Detroit run a 4-3 base defense, while Green Bay and Minnesota run a 3-4 base. This means there are some differences in how players are listed on depth charts, i.e., Micah Parsons is listed as an outside linebacker rather than a defensive end. For these rankings, I will include outside linebackers from 3-4 base defenses as members of the defensive line.

4. Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat takes the field before a game. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

As aforementioned, Bears fans must hope that Allen is correct in his assessment of the talent on the defensive line because, on paper, the Bears are far behind their division rivals. Montez Sweat remains their best defensive end, and while he had a strong bounce-back year in 2025, he's still not the kind of player who can carry a pass rush by himself. Austin Booker came on strong to end the season, and if he continues to ascend, then the Bears may have a pretty good defensive end duo.

That's about where the good news ends. The Bears spent big money to acquire Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett in free agency last year, and neither one made much of an impact in 2025. Barring a massive turnaround for them, both are considered top cut candidates in 2027. Gervon Dexter may yet develop into a strong defensive tackle, but this will be Year 4 for him, and he still hasn't made a convincing case to be extended.

There is one glimmer of hope for this unit, and that comes from a sixth-round rookie. The Bears' hype for Jordan van den Berg is through the roof, and for good reason. The 24-year-old from South Africa scored a perfect 10.0 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) at Georgia Tech's pro day. If he can be coached up in his techniques, van den Berg, who grew up as a Packers fan, could be the steal of the 2026 NFL draft.

3. Minnesota Vikings

Andrew van Ginkel and Dallas Turner force a fumble from Jared Goff. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Ranking the next three defensive lines in the NFC North proved difficult, but I decided to go with Minnesota at No. 3. Van Ginkel is a solid playmaker, and Dallas Turner showed major improvement from his rookie season. Between these two outside linebackers, they racked up 15 sacks in 2025. As for the defensive ends, former XFL player Jalen Redmond broke out in 2025 to the tune of six sacks, and Levi Drake Rodriguez has proven to be a steady, if unspectacular, presence on the line.

It's the interior of Minnesota's defensive front that concerns me. The Vikings selected Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks with the 18th overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, and he's either going to be an absolute monster or a frequent flyer on the Injured Reserve list. That's a vast range of outcomes, and it doesn't inspire much confidence in this unit. Aside from Banks, the Vikings will also rely on another rookie, third-rounder Domonique Orange. Last of all, sending Jonathan Greenard to the Eagles in a blockbuster trade is going to hurt this unit in 2026.

2. Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers DE Micah Parsons celebrates after a sack in a game. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Micah Parsons alone is almost enough to make the Packers the top defensive line in the division. He's the kind of elite playmaker who needs no introduction, and his name speaks for itself. Devonte Wyatt is a menacing presence in the middle of the line, and Javon Hargrave was a solid free, low-risk, low-reward signing in free agency.

The rest of Green Bay's line has its work cut out for it in 2026. Lukas van Ness, drafted 13th overall by the Packers in 2023, has been a good run defender but largely absent in the pass rush. Even after the addition of Parsons, he registered just 1.5 sacks in 2025. Rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton has the frame and athletic ability of a Pro Bowl defensive end, but can he be coached up to his potential in Green Bay?

That said, this is a terrific unit that just missed out on the top spot.

1. Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson celebrates a sack during a game at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite losing defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn last year to a head coaching job in New York, the Lions retained a fearsome defense led by two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. He commands so much attention from offensive coordinators that it opens up opportunities for the rest of the defensive line, and they've been taking advantage. They finished the 2025 season with a 79.6 PFF grade, good for the sixth spot in PFF's final defensive line rankings.

While they don't have quite the star power that is seen in Green Bay, I think the Lions' defensive line works better as a unit, frequently punching above their weight. They're a well-coached, disciplined group, and that's a massive advantage in football, especially in the trenches. If the Lions are going to compete for the NFC North crown in 2026, it will likely be because their defensive line has stymied all their opponents.

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