RADIO
Dan looks at each NFL team in the NFC North and what kind of offseason assets they have, financially and draft capital wise. Each team's top three positional needs are identified.
It is hard to argue that the NFC North was the best division in football during the 2024 regular season. Six weeks into the season, all four teams were in a position to make the playoffs. While the Bears ultimately fell off, the Lions, Vikings, and Packers still finished the season with 11 or more wins.
Unfortunately, that success did not translate into the playoffs. All three teams lost their first game and now face an offseason of figuring out how to upgrade their rosters to take another step. Chicago, on the other hand, is looking forward with optimism after securing the crown jewel of the coaching cycle (Ben Johnson) to pair with 2024 first-round pick Caleb Williams.
All four teams in the NFC North have roster needs heading into the 2025 offseason and enough salary-cap space to address them. It will be interesting to see how this division shakes out again once the dust of the 2025 offseason settles. Check out each team’s biggest needs below.
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Chicago Bears
Season Review and Offseason Assets
Things were supposed to be better for the Chicago Bears in 2024. The team drafted Caleb Williams with the first overall pick and surrounded him with upgrades in the skill-position groups (Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, D'Andre Swift, and Gerald Everett).
The Bears were 4-2 heading into their bye week, but the success was short-lived. Chicago dropped 10 straight games after the bye in such embarrassing fashion that the team cleaned house on the coaching staff. A Week 18 victory against the Packers offered a glimmer of hope.
Hope springs eternal again heading into 2025 after Chicago hired the most coveted offensive coordinator in the NFL, Detroit’s Ben Johnson, to be its head coach. Johnson turned down plenty of other opportunities for a chance to coach Williams, so he could reach the promise that led him to be the top pick in the 2024 draft.
Chicago also heads into the offseason with ample amounts of cap space ($79 million) and eight draft picks, including three in the top 50 selections. Chicago could also open up even more cap space by cutting key veterans like Kevin Byard ($7 million), T.J. Edwards ($5.5 million), and Ryan Bates ($4 million).
The Bears have an outstanding defense and have found a way to pair an innovative offensive mind with a young, talented quarterback. The roster has some significant holes, but by and large, this is a team that could take a step forward next season with a purposeful offseason.
Biggest Needs
1. Interior Offensive Line
Chicago can afford to stand pat at tackle with 2023 first-round pick Darnell Wright at right tackle and a solid starter (Braxton Jones) at left tackle. However, its interior offensive line is a mess. Both guards (Teven Jenkins and Matt Pryor) are set to hit free agency along with center Coleman Shelton.
Those players combined to allow 14 of the 41 sacks credited to the offensive line and 67 of its 204 pressures. Jenkins has been an objectively good player when he’s on the field, but he’s never logged more than 738 snaps in a season and it would be hard to blame Chicago if it was ready for a fresh start.
At the very least, Chicago needs to add three players to the interior offensive line between free agency and the draft to replace the subpar starters who are leaving the team this offseason.
2. Pass-Rusher
Chicago certainly bolstered its defensive line during the 2023 season when it traded a second-round pick for Montez Sweat. Sweat rewarded the team with 6.0 sacks in nine games. Unfortunately, he followed up with just 5.5 sacks in 2024 because he was the only player worth game-planning for along the defensive line.
#Bears Montez Sweat pic.twitter.com/qckLkA6cUX
— ImBearingDown (@ImBearingDown) September 11, 2024
The Bears were 16th in the NFL in team sacks in 2024 (40.0) despite having just one player (Sweat) accrue more than 5.0 sacks. Chicago also didn’t have a single player surpassing 50 individual pressures in 2024.
Finding a true complement to Sweat after cobbling together snaps from journeymen like Darnell Taylor and Jacob Martin in 2024 would be the final piece to helping turn a very good defense into a great one.
3. Wide Receiver
The Bears have invested a significant contract into one receiver (DJ Moore) and a 2024 top-10 pick into another (Rome Odunze). However, Chicago has just one other receiver on the roster heading into 2025 (2023 fourth-round pick Tyler Scott).
Keenan Allen performed admirably throughout the season (121 targets, 70 targets, 744 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns), but seemed to lack explosiveness and struggled with drops in his lone season with the Bears. It is unlikely that he will return. Chicago could use either of its receivers as a slot replacement for Allen or could pour its resources into finding a deep threat.
Regardless, the Bears need to add at least three receivers to this group in 2025. Don’t be surprised if they wield their considerable resources to find a third option for the passing attack.
Other Needs: Safety, Interior defensive line
Detroit Lions
Season Review and Offseason Assets
This was supposed to be the year the Lions put it all together and made a push for a Super Bowl. Detroit secured the top seed in the NFC thanks to an explosive offense helmed by Jared Goff (4,629 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions), Amon-Ra St. Brown (115 receptions for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns), and a two-headed backfield led by electric running back Jahmyr Gibbs (250 carries for 1,412 yards and 16 touchdowns).
Fun Fact: this rush by Jahmyr Gibbs was the fastest rushing attempt recorded by any player from the 2024-25 NFL season, 22.03 MPH ⚡️#OnePride pic.twitter.com/VINrLFhInh
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) February 16, 2025
Unfortunately, injuries decimated Detroit’s defense in the later phases of the season and it couldn’t utilize its playoff bye week to recover. The Lions lost their first playoff game to a red-hot Washington Commanders offense in a 45-31 shootout. In the end, Detroit won 15 games, led the NFL in scoring (564 points), and finished second in yards per game (409.5). Ultimately, none of it mattered.
Now, Detroit enters the offense with most of its player core in place but without its stellar offensive (Ben Johnson) and defensive (Aaron Glenn) coordinator. Detroit does enter the offseason with a surprising amount of cap space ($51.8 million) given how talented its roster is. There aren’t many cuts on the roster to free up more space and the team has just six draft picks.
Detroit still possesses its first- and second-round picks. However, it doesn't have a third- or fifth-round pick and possesses other teams' picks in the fourth (Philadelphia), sixth (Tampa Bay), and seventh rounds (Dallas).
The Lions are still in their competitive window, but need to upgrade several key spots on their roster and hope that their new coordinators can meet the lofty goals of their predecessors.
Biggest Needs
1. Edge-Rusher
We knew what to expect from Aidan Hutchinson and yet he found a way to exceed expectations before suffering a brutal leg injury. Hutchinson led the team in sacks (7.5) and finished second on the team in pressures (45) despite playing in just five games.
The Marcus Davenport experience was a colossal failure (1.0 sacks in two games played) and a midseason trade for Za’Darius Smith (40 pressures and five sacks in nine games) to mitigate the loss of Hutchinson didn’t move the needle.
Smith will return to the team in 2025, but time will tell how quickly Hutchinson can regain his form after snapping his leg. Don’t be shocked to see Detroit use its cap space to make a move for one of the top veteran options on the market.
2. Guard
Detroit will enter 2025 with arguably the best center (Frank Ragnow) and right tackle (Penei Sewell) in the NFL. Left tackle Taylor Decker isn’t to that level, but he can play like a top-10 left tackle on his best days. However, the team could stand to upgrade the guard position.
Kevin Zeitler has lost a step at this point in his career, but he fit in just fine with the Lions in his lone season (86.8 PFF grade) with them. Graham Glasgow didn’t fare nearly as well in his first season as the starter at left guard (five sacks and 45 pressures allowed).
Zeitler is set to hit free agency and Glasgow showed he is probably a good sixth lineman who can back up all three interior positions. 2024 sixth-round pick Christian Mahogany showed flashes on a very limited sample size (91.5 PFF grade on 144 snaps).
The Lions need to upgrade their guard positions this offseason to make sure that the interior of the offensive line can best support an immobile quarterback like Goff.
3. Cornerback
Terrion Arnold and Carlton Davis III formed a great tandem in 2024, but Davis is set to hit free agency this offseason. The team is also losing depth pieces like Kindle Vildor, Emmanuel Moseley, and Khalil Dorsey. The Lions led the NFL in man coverage rate (60.7 percent), which allowed the team to utilize blitzes to make up for its decimated defensive front.
The Lions need to grab at least one outside corner this offseason along with several depth pieces to ensure that their secondary can support an aggressive defensive line.
Other Needs: Defensive depth, Wide receiver
Green Bay Packers
Season Review and Offseason Assets
The Packers were viewed by many as a dark-horse Super Bowl team thanks to the addition of Josh Jacobs and the belief that Jordan Love would take a major step with a deep, talented receiving corps. Green Bay secured a playoff spot with 11 regular-season wins but was outmatched against the Eagles in the playoffs.
Green Bay got a fantastic season from Jacobs (301 carries for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns), but its passing attack failed to take a significant developmental step. Love missed two games but showed dramatic drop-offs in his counting stats (3,389 passing yards and 25 touchdowns). Unfortunately, he matched his 2023 interception total. Green Bay still managed to finish fifth in yardage per game (370.8) and eighth in scoring offense (27.2 PPG).
The Packers were once again solid, but unspectacular across the board. The team still struggles to get a consistent pass rush from the defensive line out of Rashan Gary (7.5 sacks), but it seemingly found gems in rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (85.7 PFF grade) and safety Evan Williams (72.5 PFF grade).
Green Bay has several significant needs despite one of the youngest rosters in the NFL. It has a significant amount of cap space ($49.1 million) to fill gaps on the roster along with seven draft picks to try to upgrade its roster.
Biggest Needs
1. Cornerback
Green Bay is set to let 2021 first-round pick Eric Stokes walk in free agency after four inconsistent seasons as a rotational outside cornerback. He has just one career season with more than 600 snaps played and a PFF grade above 62.0 (his rookie season). Jaire Alexander is still an above-average cornerback, but the Packers seem content moving on from him this offseason due to his struggles to stay on the field.
The Packers do have options in the slot with Keisean Nixon and Javon Bullard but need to upgrade their outside corners if Stokes and Alexander are no longer part of the team’s plan.
2. Edge-Rusher
Green Bay could also help out its secondary by investing in another defensive position of need, edge-rusher. The Packers tried to address the position in the first round of the 2023 draft with Lukas Van Ness, but the results have been underwhelming. Van Ness has been a rotational edge-rusher who has 42 pressures and 7.0 sacks on 494 pass-rushing snaps.
Gary (49 pressures and 7.5 sacks on 432 pass-rush snaps) is still a very good player but has just one career season with over 700 snaps played. Green Bay would do well to add another talented edge-rusher (in a deep class) who can play in Jeff Hafley’s 4-3 defensive front.
People won't wanna hear it, but Rashan Gary has been elite against the run
Been setting the edge all year pic.twitter.com/whaR2nzTtg
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) December 31, 2024
2024 was a transition year from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3 defense, so expect Green Bay to actively search for defensive ends who thrive with their hand in the dirt.
3. Offensive Line
This need will remain somewhat vague given the options Green Bay has this offseason. Veteran center Josh Myers is set to hit free agency and he didn’t play enough to warrant a big extension. The Packers were toying with the idea of moving talented right tackle Zach Tom to center before the 2024 season and that option could be on the table in 2025.
If Tom moves inside, then Green Bay would need a right tackle. The team used a 2024 first-round pick on Arizona’s Jordan Morgan but immediately moved him to right guard, where he served as depth behind Sean Rhyan. Rhyan was solid last season (four sacks and 28 pressures surrendered), but benefited from Morgan’s injury woes. Even so, Morgan’s NFL home is likely on the interior due to a lack of length and measurables.
Green Bay could also explore upgrading left tackle Rasheed Walker, who was solid in pass protection (three sacks and 37 pressures on 603 pass-protection snaps) but struggled as a run blocker.
Ultimately, Green Bay has an offensive line that features one great piece (Zach Tom), two good pieces (Elgton Jenkins and Rasheed Walker), and two question marks (center and right guard). Expect upgrades in free agency or the draft this offseason.
Other Needs: A No. 1-caliber receiver and pass-rushing defensive tackle
Minnesota Vikings
Season Review and Offseason Assets
Most expected the Vikings to have a down year after replacing Kirk Cousins with Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy. Minnesota also spent most of the offseason pouring free-agent money into veterans on short-term deals to fill out the roster.
Instead, we got a chance to see the Vikings finish with the second-best record in the NFC (14-3) behind a career year from Darnold and a stellar season from their defense. Unfortunately, the Vikings' hot streak wasn’t able to carry over into the playoffs where they were beaten by the Rams, 27-9.
The Vikings would have loved to get a chance to see McCarthy run the offense but instead had a front-row seat to Darnold’s resurgence (4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns with 12 interceptions). The Vikings were sixth in the NFL in passing yards (4,043) and ninth in points per game (25.4).
The NFL instagram has ranked Sam Darnold’s bomb to Justin Jefferson as the top throw of the 2024 NFL Season pic.twitter.com/03iLJlfWhB
— Jason Harmon (@_jason_777) February 21, 2025
Darnold (and many other key contributors) are set to hit free agency in 2025, leaving the team with questionable depth on both sides of the ball. Complicating matters is the fact that the Vikings have just three draft picks (a first and two fifths) after trading up for Dallas Turner in the 2024 draft. Thankfully, the Vikings have $63.3 million in cap space to retool the roster.
Biggest Needs
1. Cornerback
The biggest need for the Vikings is by far the cornerback position. The Vikings are set to lose four cornerbacks to free agency, including their top three outside corners (Byron Murphy Jr., Stephon Gilmore, and Shaquill Griffin). All three players logged at least 450 snaps and finished with a PFF grade above 62.0 and a coverage grade above 59.0. Having good cornerbacks is crucial for the Vikings since they had the second-highest blitz rate in 2024 (42.3 percent).
Minnesota will need to aggressively work to replace and upgrade several key contributors at cornerback in free agency or the draft.
2. Running back
Aaron Jones was awesome in his lone season with the Vikings, carrying the ball 255 times for 1,138 yards and five touchdowns while catching 51 passes for 408 yards and two additional scores. The team also brought back Cam Akers during the season to serve as depth behind him. He logged 64 carries for 297 yards and a rushing touchdown while adding 10 receptions for 52 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Both are hitting free agency with the lone holdover being Ty Chandler. Chandler fell out of favor in 2024 given his limited workload (56 carries for 182 yards and six receptions for 42 yards).
This free-agent class isn’t the best (Jones, Najee Harris, Javonte Williams, and Raheem Mostert are the headliners), but the draft class is absurdly deep. It would be wise for the Vikings to use their limited draft assets on one of the young, explosive options in this class.
3. Interior Offensive Line
The Vikings interior offensive line struggled throughout the season in pass protection, a characteristic that led to their loss in the playoffs as Darnold flailed under pressure.
Their best option was right guard Dalton Risner (68.1 PFF grade) and he’s set to hit free agency. The team would do well to also consider upgrading left guard Blake Brandel (nine sacks and 46 pressures surrendered) and center Garrett Bradbury (four sacks and 38 pressures surrendered).
Minnesota needs to shore up its interior offensive line, especially since pressure is the worst thing a young quarterback like McCarthy should face in his first healthy season.
Other Needs: Safety, Defensive line, Wide receiver depth
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