The Chicago Bears are building around Justin Fields, the Detroit Lions are entering the season as betting favorites to win the division, the Green Bay Packers are transitioning from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love and the Minnesota Vikings are attempting to repeat as division champs for the first time since 2008-09.
There’s a lot going on in the NFC North this season.
In the latest of a series of posts previewing the division ahead of the 2023 season, Alyssa Barbieri of Bears Wire, Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire, Zach Kruse of Packers Wire and Tyler Forness of Vikings Wire answered the question: Which offseason move made by a division rival was your favorite?
NFC North roundtable: Realistic expectations for each team in 2023
NFC North roundtable: Biggest impact rookie for each team in 2023
NFC North roundtable: Biggest offseason addition for each team in 2023
NFC North roundtable: Who will be division’s most valuable player in 2023?
NFC North roundtable: Who is the division favorite entering 2023?
NFC North roundtable: Players on the hot seat entering 2023
NFC North roundtable: Biggest misconception about each team entering 2023
Chicago Bears: Vikings hiring Brian Flores
It’s impressive the Vikings were able to win 13 games last season despite having one of the division’s worst defenses. Minnesota allowed 388.7 yards per game (31st in NFL) and 25.1 points per game (28th) under Ed Donatell. While the Vikings are likely to experience some regression after their impressive 2022 season, the addition of Brian Flores as defensive coordinator could help transform their defense and keep them as contenders in a wide-open NFC North. Look no further than when Flores took the Dolphins from worst to top-five on defense in his short stint with Miami. The Vikings are going to need Flores to work his defensive magic given the losses of some key players this offseason – and with Danielle Hunter’s status uncertain amid a contract dispute. But Flores’ track record certainly speaks for itself.
Detroit Lions: Bears adding WR D.J. Moore
When the Lions and Bears played in Week 17, there wasn’t a single Bears wide receiver on the field who would have been on Detroit’s 53-man roster. For a team desperately trying to make it work with young Justin Fields at quarterback, the Bears had to upgrade his receiving weaponry to make a fair evaluation. They did just that in acquiring D.J. Moore in the draft trade with the Carolina Panthers.
Moore is a viable top target, a reliable weapon at attacking all levels of a defense. He’s thrived in Carolina despite playing with a varying degree of inadequacy at quarterback since he spent his rookie campaign (2018) with Cam Newton. Moore was a better option than anyone the Bears could have drafted or signed in terms of fit and value added.
Green Bay Packers: Lions draft Brian Branch in second round
This pick isn’t only about taking Branch, a versatile and reliable defensive back who excelled in the slot and is projected to play some safety at the NFL level. It’s about Branch being the final piece of a greater rebuild in the Lions secondary. Detroit signed cornerbacks Emmanuel Moseley and Cam Sutton and safety Chancey Gardner-Johnson before drafting Branch, helping completely revamp a secondary that was among the NFL’s worst last season. Expect Branch to be on the field a lot as a rookie. If the Lions get better defending the pass in 2023, they could be a formidable foe in the division and NFC alike.
Minnesota Vikings: Bears trading first overall pick for a haul
The Bears are in a position where they are still firmly in their rebuild, but they didn’t need a quarterback with Justin Fields on the roster. Considering three of the top four picks ended up benign quarterbacks, they made the right call by trading the pick, but the haul they got from the Carolina Panthers is what became the best move. Getting the 9th and 61st overall picks while also getting a 2024 first and 2025 second is a good enough haul, but adding a top-end wide receiver D.J. Moore took it to another level. They made Fields’ life a lot easier and he has a much better chance to succeed this year and beyond.
