Many future odds are already out for the 2023 NFL season and while the NFC South is close, the oddsmakers have the NFC North as the league’s tightest division. With a total role reversal of the last several years, the Lions have the best odds to win the division at +230 with the Packers having the worst odds at +500. Another strange twist? The Vikings won the division last season winning 13 games and they have the same betting odds (+425), as the Bears, who won three games.
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Let’s take a look at the NFC North and some questions for each team.
DETROIT LIONS
The Lions finished 9-8 last season winning eight of their last 10 games and kept the Packers out of the playoffs after beating them at Lambeau in the regular season finale. Jared Goff had a good season and Amon-Ra St. Brown had over 1,150 receiving yards. The team still ranked dead last in the NFL on defense. They drafted LB Jack Campbell with the 18th pick and brought in a slew of free agents to bolster the secondary.
Besides the defense, another issue is at the RB position. Jamaal Williams rushed 1,066 yards last season but is now with the Saints. So, can first-round pick (No. 12) Jahmyr Gibbs and free agent David Montgomery shoulder the load and take the pressure off Goff?
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
The Vikings did win 13 games but many of them were very close. They have a couple of star players on offense like Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson, but can Kirk Cousins be the quarterback that can get them over the top? He hasn’t done much in the playoffs during his time in Minnesota and there are rumblings that this could be a make-or-break season for him. That could also be the case for the team, as Cousins is one of 37 players that will be a free agent after next season.
CHICAGO BEARS
The Bears showed they are committed to Justin Fields after dealing away the No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers. The team has young talent and was hit hard by injuries last season. But, they still have some major question marks. They lack edge rushers, ranked dead last in the NFL last season in passing yards per game and opponents’ ppg (27.2 ppg), and second-leading rusher David Montgomery (801 yards) is now with the Lions.
There are questions for Chicago but the team has high hopes. Much of that relies on Fields and staying healthy, but the Bears had a good draft and picked up some solid players in the off-season in D’Onta Foreman (914 yards) and DJ Moore (888 yards).
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Do we really need to spell out the main issues for the Packers? Ok, it’s their new QB Jordan Love, who is now the man under center with legend Aaron Rodgers now with the Jets. He and the young group of receivers have to gel right away and Aaron Jones (1,121 rushing yards 395 receiving yards) needs to have a big season to take pressure off Love.
