2022 All-NFC North Defense: Packers Dominate, Vikings Land Three Selections

The NFC North's best players at every defensive position, as chosen by four beat writers.

For most of the back half of the 2010s, the Mike Zimmer-led Vikings would have filled up the All-NFC North defense with a bunch of their players. From 2015 to 2019, the Vikings were consistently among the league's best defenses, led both by Zimmer's coaching and a core group of star players at all three levels.

The tide has turned in recent years.

This summer, Fan Nation's four NFC North publishers — myself, Packer Central's Bill Huber, All Lions' John Maakaron, and Bear Digest's Gene Chamberlain — are running a 12-part roundtable series breaking down the state of the NFC North heading into the 2022 season. In the final two installments, we're introducing our All-NFC North team. Each of us submitted a ballot with our choices for the best players in the division at every position: 11 offensive players, 11 defensive players, and 2 specialists. Situations where two players each received two votes were left as ties.

Here's the All-NFC North offense. Now we're onto the defense.

The Packers led the way in voting on this side of the ball, showing off the impressive stable of defensive talent they've built up. The Vikings and Bears also earned some representation, while the Lions still have a ways to go on defense.

Here's our All-NFC North defense, which uses nickel personnel (five defensive backs) because that's the base in the NFL these days. We also included a punter for field position purposes.

Edge: Rashan Gary, Packers

Gary proved the Packers right for picking him at No. 12 overall in 2019. Last season, he had 9.5 sacks but ranked second in pressures and pass-rush win rate and third in pass-rushing productivity at Pro Football Focus. Gary is so big and explosive. There isn’t a bit of finesse to his game. The key will be turning more of those 81 pressures into sacks. — Bill Huber, Packer Central

Also receiving a vote: Preston Smith, Packers

Defensive tackle: Kenny Clark, Packers (unanimous)

A Pro Bowler in 2019 and 2021, Clark is one of the few NFL defensive linemen capable of dominating a game on first down as well as third down. While he had only four sacks, he ranked fourth among interior defensive linemen with 67 pressures, according to PFF. Drafted in the first round in 2016, he is only 26. The Packers have some rookies who are 26. — Huber

Defensive tackle: Dalvin Tomlinson, Vikings (unanimous)

Tomlinson was the Vikings' big free agent splash in 2021 after turning into a major contributor with the Giants. He's not a spectacular player or a particularly prolific pass rusher, but he does the dirty work of plugging holes in the run game and taking on double teams so his teammates can make plays. Tomlinson is a key piece of the Vikings' front. — Will Ragatz, Inside the Vikings

Edge: Robert Quinn, Bears; Danielle Hunter, Vikings (tie)

By recording 18.5 sacks last year to break Richard Dent's single-season franchise record, Quinn erased memories of his two-sack 2020 season. Quinn has 101 career sacks and has forced 32 fumbles, including seven with the Bears. Now 32, he is playing in a 4-3 scheme where he has been most effective throughout his career. — Gene Chamberlain, Bear Digest

Hunter may well have been a unanimous choice for this team if he had stayed healthy over the last two seasons. Once the youngest player in NFL history to reach 50 career sacks, Hunter has missed 25 of 33 games since 2020 due to separate major injuries. He's back healthy this year and will look to remind the world what he's capable of. — Ragatz

Linebacker: Roquan Smith, Bears (unanimous)

Smith has joined elite company, as he and Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis are the only two at the position ever to have 300-plus tackles and 30-plus tackles for loss in a two-season stretch. Smith has 302 tackles, 30 of them for loss. Although he hasn’t made a Pro Bowl, Smith has been second-team All-Pro two straight years and now plays weak side linebacker. — Chamberlain

Linebacker: De’Vondre Campbell, Packers

In 2021, the first several waves of free agency had come and gone. Finally, during the June minicamp, the Packers signed Campbell to a one-year deal worth merely $2 million. The reward? An All-Pro season — the first by a Packers off-the-ball linebacker since Hall of Famer Ray Nitschke. He was the only linebacker in the NFL with 100-plus tackles and at least two sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. — Huber

Also receiving a vote: Eric Kendricks, Vikings

Cornerback: Jaire Alexander, Packers (unanimous)

Alexander earned All-Pro honors in 2020 but missed most of last season with a shoulder injury. The Packers recently made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. And for good reason. While he has only five interceptions in four seasons, Alexander gave up completion rates of 48.5 percent in 2019, 42.3 percent in 2020 and 46.7 percent during his injury-shortened 2021, according to Sports Info Solutions. — Huber

Cornerback: Amani Oruwariye, Lions (unanimous)

The talented defensive back has cemented himself as being one of Detroit’s best players on defense, racking up six interceptions last year. The expectation from the coaching staff is now for Oruwariye to evolve into a true shutdown cornerback. With Jeff Okudah being a huge question mark, Detroit needs to count on Oruwariye as its No. 1 corner. — John Maakaron, All Lions

Cornerback: Rasul Douglas, Packers; Jaylon Johnson, Bears (tie)

What a year for Douglas. He wasn’t re-signed by the Panthers in free agency, was released by the Raiders and Texans in training camp, and had to settle for a spot on the Cardinals’ practice squad. That’s where the Packers found a real X-factor. In 12 games, he tied for fourth with five interceptions – including two pick-sixes- and ranked No. 1 in passer rating allowed, according to PFF. — Huber

The first rookie to start at cornerback on opening day for the Bears since 1996, Johnson's 24 career pass defenses are the most for any NFC North player over the past two seasons. Johnson was given the task of covering a team's top receiver all over the field last year. He has given up a completion percentage of 58 when targeted, according to Sportradar. — Chamberlain

Safety: Harrison Smith, Vikings (unanimous)

Smith's game has aged quite well, in large part because of his instincts and intelligence. The 2012 first-rounder has been one of the best safeties in the league for a decade now, and a few more strong seasons could help his case for Canton. It'll be fun to watch the Vikings' longest-tenured player play alongside talented rookie Lewis Cine in the secondary this year. — Ragatz

Safety: Adrian Amos, Packers

Amos is one of the most underrated players in the NFL. Perhaps that’s due to a lack of big plays. He has four consecutive seasons of two interceptions. A big thing at safety is preventing big plays, and that’s where Amos is incredible. He’s in the right place at the right time every time, and he’s one of the best open-field tacklers in the business. — Huber

Also receiving a vote: Tracy Walker, Lions

Punter: Jack Fox, Lions

A bright spot from last season, Fox has quickly burst on to the scene with his booming leg. Detroit’s special teams unit is well coached, as coordinator Dave Fipp has maximized the potential of the players on the roster. Nobody likes having to punt, but having Fox gives the defense hopes of being able to pin opponents deep in their own territory with high frequency. — Maakaron

Also receiving a vote: Jordan Berry, Vikings

The complete NFC North roundtable series:

• Part 1: Offensive and defensive MVPs for each team
• Part 2: Each team's biggest offseason addition and loss
• Part 3: The most overrated player on each team
• Part 4: The must underrated player on each team
• Part 5: The best-case scenario for each team in 2022
• Part 6: The worst-case scenario for each team in 2022
• Part 7: One player from each team who will surprise this season
• Part 8: One player from each team who will disappoint
• Part 9: The biggest remaining question for each team
• Part 10: The most important rookies on each team
• Part 11: All-NFC North offense
• Part 12: All-NFC North defense

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