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It's June, which means the average NFL fan is starting to feel the "Why not us" mentality and reminisce on their teams roster upgrades this spring. There are still some studs holding out in free agency like Justin Simmons & Quandre Diggs, but for the most part rosters are starting to feel assembled and locked in for training camp. Below are our teams picks for the top moves made by each team in the NFC North.
Detroit Lions
Best Addition: Revamping the CB unit (Terrion Arnold + Carlton Davis)
The Lions entered the offseason with a couple major question marks in their secondary that quickly amplified when they released Cam Sutton due to off the field issues. In most minds Detroit needed to add two corners that can start week 1; They did just that by trading a 3rd round pick for 6th year vet Carlton Davis and snagging Alabama’s Terrion Arnold at #23 overall in this year's draft. Carlton Davis had a rough go in 2023 but has been a consistent producer for the Bucs in his career with over 600 playoff snaps and ring.
In our eyes, Terrion Arnold was the top corner in the class and had no business falling outside the top 20. He’s a physically imposing DB that can play on an island and make a major impact in the run game. His 5 interceptions in 2023 suggest he has the ball skills to be a playmaker from the jump.
Most Underrated: Signing Defensive Tackle DJ Reader
It’s overused, but sometimes you just need to follow the money in the offseason to tell how these new pieces are going to fit. DJ Reader is set to join a Detroit defense that was exceptional against the run in 2023, averaging the 2nd least rush yards per game. His contract was a bit higher than we were expecting at 2 Yrs / 27+ Mil with an opt out in 2025. Reader will make an instant impact in the middle of the D-Line with his ability to clog lanes, evidenced by his 20+ run stops in each of the last 3 years.
Still Need: True Edge Rusher to compliment Aiden Hutchinson
Detroit brought in Marcus Davenport who appeared in just 4 games last season and didn’t record a sack in 15 games the year prior. The Lions made great strides in obtaining quality defenders this offseason but with the surplus of EDGE rushers that were available this offseason, Davenport being the splash has to feel a little stale to their fanbase.
Green Bay Packers
Best Addition: Signing Safety Xavier McKinney
The Packers run at the end of the year electrified Green Bay, and knowing how young they are adds fuel to that fire heading into 2024. Their offseason felt pretty simple as well, try to build the O-Line and gather major reinforcements for a thin secondary. Xavier McKinney was the first crucial domino to fall, signing a lucrative 4 Yr./ $67 Mil. deal. McKinney is a tackle machine with sideline to sideline speed and the ability to be a game changer as a ball hawk. The Packers new defensive coordinator, Jeff Hafley, immediately proclaimed how important an elite safety is to his system and went out and got one of the best available on the market.
Most Underrated: Selecting Edgerrin Cooper in the 2nd Round
I wanted to sneak in the massive Josh Jacobs addition here but the more I think about Cooper's potential in this young defensive core I had to place him in the underrated category. The first linebacker off the board in this year's draft and the consensus top ILB prospect found a home where he can make an impact from day 1 after the Packers lost De’Vondre Campbell to the 49ers in free agency. Cooper is an excellent athlete who projects to be a menace in the run game featuring strong hands and the ability to shoot gaps to wrap defenders with his length. His 6’2 / 230 lb. frame is NFL ready, giving him a great shot at starting right away in Green Bay.
Still Need: Answers at Interior Offensive Line
I debated between depth at cornerback here or improving the IOL but opted for the latter with all of the conflicting reports on who’s going to play where for Green Bay in the trenches. It appears that Zach Tom could be their starting center after a great year at right tackle, reports have surfaced recently that the Packers think he has “Hall of fame potential” at the center position. Training camp will help answer some questions here but they certainly need some help at right guard as well. Overall I think they have the pieces to be one of the better lines in football, which they’ll need if they want to establish themselves in a tough NFC North.
Minnesota Vikings
Best Addition: Signing EDGE Jonathan Greenard
The Vikings knew they needed to get younger defensively and that it would be hard to retain Danielle Hunter after a monster 16.5 sacks & 23 TFL year. Hunter got a massive 2 Yr. / $49 Mil. deal from the Texans and Minnesota replaced him with ascending stud Jonathon Greenard who came from… the Texans. Greenard had 14 sacks / 15 TFL himself last year and was heavily sought after once free agency opened. His advanced metrics suggest 2023 could potentially be a bit of an outlier but I prefer to focus on true production rather than pass rush win rate. If you're into PFF then you know he's graded pretty well his whole career on the line. Greenard has an impressive first step and a deep tool belt in the trenches, giving opposing lineman several different angles to protect against. He's also been a fan favorite among the media in his first few seasons, something that the people of Minnesota can cherish. After turning 27 this offseason, it's safe to assume he'll be the focal point of Minnesota’s pass rush for years to come.
Most Underrated: Drafted EDGE Dallas Turner
The Vikings had a great offseason, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. This left me with multiple considerations for this pick. Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel are going to be massive additions, but when I look back at their moves this spring its drafting Dallas Turner at #17 that stands out. Turner was personally my best defender available in this year’s class and fell a lot farther than expected. The Vikings might have depleted a bulk of their future resources to move up twice (set for just 1 pick in both Day 1 & 2 of the 2025 draft) but they sure made those bullets count in 2024. Dallas Turner converts his speed into power with ease as a technically sound pass rusher with an elite 10 yard split. He produced all three years at Alabama with 11 sacks in his junior season as the captain of a top tier defense
Still Need: Help in the Secondary
There are some young pieces in this secondary that Minnesota fans are high on but it would be a miss to not mention this unit as the weakest in Brian Flores’s defense. CB Khyree Jackson has a very high ceiling for a 4th round pick and Mekhi Blackmon played well in just over 300 coverage snaps last season. Cam Bynum has been great for the Vikings the past two years when healthy, but some major reinforcements are going to be needed for this secondary to hold up their end in 2024.
Chicago Bears
Best Addition: Drafting QB Caleb Williams
The Bears have been burned by incoming QB's for as long as I can remember, this is hopefully their moment. There isn’t much to say about Caleb Williams that most aren’t aware of already. Outside of his colossal expectations on the field, he’s made a tremendous impact off the field already in the windy city.
Jersey and ticket sales are one thing, but the rookie embracing the spotlight at events around the city has added an extra layer of optimism that he might be the one to truly turn the tide at what feels like a cursed pro sports position.
Most Underrated: Signing Safety Kevin Byard
Kevin Byard was expected to help save the season last year for the Eagles and to be polite.. he struggled in coverage against good QB’s. Byard, who's entering his 9th NFL season, is still a tremendous tackler with a knack for being a game changer in the secondary. He has 28 career interceptions, with 10 of those coming in the last 3 seasons. He's primed to be a key veteran starter for this young defense, specifically within the secondary that is expected to start 3 players 25 or younger.
Still Need: Pass Rushers
They paid a heavy price (2024 2nd round pick) but Montez Sweat was a massive get last season for the Bears who were surprisingly buyers at the trade deadline. They immediately signed him to a long term deal but still have plenty of work to do on their defensive line. Austin Booker out of Kansas looks like a potential Day 3 steal in the draft with 9 sacks and 27 pressures in 2023. They will need some young players to step up if they want to be a competitive defense this year.
Ryan Mobley // Upside Play
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