The Detroit Lions will more than likely be a heavy favorite to win the NFC North for a third straight season in 2025. However, it doesn’t mean they won’t face stiff competition along the way from their divisional foes.
Just last year, the Lions, the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers each won at least 11 games. And each team has a chance to be a playoff squad once again in 2025.
Then there are the Chicago Bears, the only NFC North team that did not qualify for the postseason in 2024. They finished a measly 5-12 last season, but should be vastly more competitive this upcoming season.
This offseason, Chicago has revamped its roster, most notably bringing in a new head coach (former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson) and overhauling its offensive line. It acquired offensive linemen Joe Thuney (trade), Jonah Jackson (trade) and Drew Dalman (free agency), all in an effort to beef up its protection for signal-caller Caleb Williams. Williams, as a rookie, was sacked a league-high 68 times, 16 more times than the second-most sacked QB in 2024 (Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud).
Chicago is hoping that these additions will lead to a boost in productivity for Williams, who threw for just 20 touchdowns in ‘24, and the offense as a whole. The Bears averaged just 18.2 points per game last season, the fifth-fewest points per game in the NFL.
Then, on the opposite side of the ball, the Bears strengthened their defensive line, acquiring EDGE rusher Dayo Odeyingbo and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. Odeyingbo is expected to provide Johnson’s squad with a solid EDGE counterpart for Montez Sweat. Meanwhile, Jarrett, a two-time Pro Bowler, should aid the Bears’ pass-rushing efforts along the interior of the defensive line. Chicago, as a whole, accounted for 40 sacks in 2024.
Along with these offseason acquisitions, the Bears do return several reliable contributors on both sides of the ball. This includes a trio of receivers – D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze – that each recorded north of 700 receiving yards last season. Defensively, Chicago also possesses multiple high-impact performers, including Sweat and Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
However, I’m still not convinced that the Bears have enough talent to catapult both the Packers and the Vikings in the NFC North.
At the present moment, I believe that Green Bay – equipped with Jordan Love under center and both a top-10 offense and defense – is the second-best team in the division. And Minnesota, which also finished with a top-10 offense and defense in 2024, isn’t too far behind.
Consequently, although the Bears might be a team on the rise, they still aren’t the biggest current threat to the Lions within the division.
