Crystal Ball Predictions: NFC North

The NFC North has quietly been one of the most entertaining divisions in football. It’s also become one of the most competitive. Yes, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have ruled this division for a long time but last year the Vikings stepped up to take the crown. Not to be outdone, the Bears have assembled an interesting roster and should compete. Detroit, on the other hand, seems to be on the downhill slide after watching Calvin Johnson retire. How will the division unfold this year? Will Jordy Nelson‘s return put Green Bay back at the top?

We need answers. Luckily, the crystal ball has them. Let’s get to it.

Best Draft Class: Minnesota Vikings. Not only did the Vikings add the best receiver in Laquon Treadwell but they also added a potential star in Mackensie Alexander. Now they have a legitimate number one receiver and a corner to pair with Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes. The team also took a flyer on international superstar Moritz Boehringer. The speedster will have time to develop and possibly become a lethal weapon. The Vikings have slowly built an NFC juggernaut through the draft and this only adds to the billing.

Best Unit: Chicago’s Receiving Corp. Kevin White didn’t play one snap last season but the Bears still have the best receiving group in the division. Jordy Nelson and DeVante Adams are a great tandem but the combination of White, Alshon Jeffery, Eddie Royal, and Zach Miller is just too good to pass up. The Bears will be able to stretch the field and work the middle. If Jay Cutler can make good decisions this team will score a lot of points.

Best Free Agency Pickup: Danny Trevathan, Chicago Bears. After winning a Super Bowl with the Broncos Trevathan followed his former head coach to Chicago. It seems like the Bears are going back to their roots as a hard hitting, defensive team. That has to be a site for sore eyes if you’re a fan.  

Best Player: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers. No disrespect to Adrian Peterson but Rodgers is the best in the game. He’s consistent and, as I like to call him, the ultimate equalizer.

Breakout Player: Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota Vikings. Teddy has caught a lot of flak during his short career. A lot of criticism stems from the fact that he doesn’t have a huge arm. As we’ve seen many times having a huge arm doesn’t equate to success. What does matter is that Teddy has the intellect and an accuracy that a lot of his peers have yet to develop. Bridgewater is entering his third year as the Vikings starter and has enough experience to make “the leap.”

Best Rookie: Taylor Decker, Detroit Lions. Matthew Stafford was sacked 44 times last season, that tied for sixth in the NFL. Decker will immediately start at left tackle and boost a line that ranked 24th according to Pro Football Focus. The former Buckeye will keep Stafford upright which will hopefully lead to more success for a Lions offense that needs to replace Megatron.

Best Coach: Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers. McCarthy is entering his tenth season as head coach of the Packers and his offense is still prolific. Having Aaron Rodgers helps a lot but you still need to put him in the right position. In a league where coaches come and go at rapid speed the consistency Mike brings is a vital reason to the Packers’ success.

Interesting Storyline: The Wide Receiver Effect. A lot changed in regards to receivers in the NFC North. Jordy Nelson and Kevin White are returning from injuries, Laquon Treadwell enters as a legit number one, and Calvin Johnson called it a career. Each team will have to tweak their offense in order to replace, sorry Detroit, or add a wide receiver. Watching how this affects offenses, especially in cold weather, will be fun to watch.

 Biggest X-Factor: Kevin White, Chicago Bears. Last year White was injured for the entire season. He, alongside Alshon Jeffery, and Eddie Royal can create a hell of a one-two-three punch for the Bears’ offense. After letting Matt Forte walk in free agency Jay Cutler is going to need some extra help replacing that production.  

MVP Candidates: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers. Alshon Jeffrey, Chicago Bears. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings.  

Division Winner: Green Bay Packers. It won’t be a cake walk like other seasons but we found out how valuable Jordy Nelson really is. As long as Aaron Rodgers is standing the Packers have the best chance to win the division and make a deep run in the playoffs. Don’t be surprised if this division put two teams in the playoffs, though.

Since I speak on behalf of the crystal ball feel free to drop your thoughts @mattgarrett41.

Check out other division: AFC South, AFC West, AFC North, AFC East, NFC South, NFC West, NFC East

As always, thanks for reading.

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