Free Agency Turning NFC North Upside Down

The Green Bay Packers have dominated the NFC North for two decades. The Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears have not. That could change in 2023.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
Mar 19, 2023 9:39 PM EDT
Original:
Mar 18, 2023

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The all-time NFC North standings are a runaway. The 2023 NFC North standings might be turned inside out and upside down.

Since the creation of the NFC North in 2002, the Green Bay Packers are No. 1 with 210 wins, followed by the Minnesota Vikings with 177, Chicago Bears with 156 and Detroit Lions with 120. The Packers are plus-1,340 in scoring; the Lions are minus-1,394.

Spurred by the presumptive trade of Aaron Rodgers by the Packers and a series of transactions in free agency, a changing of the guard is expected.

At BetMGM, the Lions are the early favorite to win the NFC North. Their last division title came in 1993, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were part of the five-team NFC Central. The Vikings and Bears are tied for the next-best odds. Way back in the pack, pardon the pun, are the Packers.

It’s easy to see why through the first week of NFL free agency.

The Lions, whose season sweep of the Packers served as bookends to an 8-2 finish, addressed their biggest need by signing cornerbacks Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley during the first wave of free agency. Then, on Sunday night, they struck again with safety/slot Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who led the NFL with six interceptions.

David Montgomery might be an upgrade over beloved Jamaal Williams at running back. Including the sixth and 18th picks, they own four of the first 55 selections in the draft.

“I’ve been around the league and seen what he’s done around the league, and it’s exhilarating, man,” Sutton said of Lions coach Dan Campbell. “Guys love this guy. It’s not just me speaking, but you see the spirit far spread around the league, you know what I mean? Guys want to play for him. Guys want to, they just love his energy and just everything he brings to the game. He’s passionate. He’s going to be always passionate about what he does.”

The Vikings, who ran away with NFC North title on the strength of 11 one-score victories, entered the offseason with a lot of cap troubles but managed to sign pass rusher Marcus Davenport, cornerback Byron Murphy, run-blocking tight end Josh Oliver and former Packers defensive tackle Dean Lowry.

The story of free agency – predictably, considering they had enough cap dollars available to bail out Silicon Valley Bank – has been the Bears. Chicago GM Ryan Poles has been the equivalent of Oprah handing out free cars. Looking at a studio audience of free agents, Poles has been like, “You get a contract! You get a contract! You get a contract!”

Chicago made five big splashes, starting with dealing the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina in exchange for first- and second-round picks in 2023, star receiver D.J. Moore and future first- and second-round picks.

In free agency, they added five instant starters, highlighted by linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, pass-rushing big guy DeMarcus Walker and guard Nate Davis. Plus, running back D’Onta Foreman will replace Montgomery atop the depth chart. Former Packers tight end Robert Tonyan should be a significant contributor, too.

Edwards (26), Davis (26), Moore (25) and Edmunds (24) are young building blocks.

“Big emphasis,” Poles said. “I think that’s important in free agency, is having a young team. It’s a young man’s game. Not that you can’t play and be productive as an older player either, but it was important to me to stay young, fast, explosive. And a lot of these guys do that.”

More young talent is on the way. They’ve got the ninth overall pick and four of the first 64 selections in the draft.

Unofficially, since some contract terms aren’t known, the Bears have spent $156.9 million on signings and re-signings, according to Spotrac. That’s the fourth-most in the league. The Lions, with $88.9 million, and Vikings, with $84.3 million, are toward the middle of the pack. The Packers have spent $10.7 million, fourth-fewest.

They’ve lost Allen Lazard, Jarran Reed, Lowry and Tonyan and spent their money, mostly, on special teams with All-Pro returner/cornerback Keisean Nixon, safety Rudy Ford, safety Tarvarius Moore and long snapper Matt Orzech.

It’s the great reset for the Packers, who seem prepared to take a couple steps backward this offseason – leaving them in danger of their first last-place finish since 2005 – so they can take a few steps forward next offseason.