Where Do Vikings Start 2024 in NFC North?
Ted Schwerzler
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When the Minnesota Vikings kicked off their 2023 NFL season, it was expected that they would compete with the Detroit Lions for the NFC North title. Unfortunately, the injury to Kirk Cousins all but took that off the table, but how far back do they get shuffled in the pack when 2024 comes around?
Where Do Vikings Start 2024 in NFC North?
Despite a collapse of colossal proportions in the NFC Championship game, the Detroit Lions are well-positioned to compete again in 2024. They should be viewed as the clear favorites among NFC North competition, and a repeat divisional title should be expected. Behind them, the landscape gets murky, and it’s even more questionable if the Vikings are breaking in a new quarterback.
Green Bay went on a late-season run, and development for Jordan Love had them looking like an entirely new team down the stretch. Finishing 9-8, they made the playoffs and surprised the Dallas Cowboys in an upset. Looking ahead to next season, their arrow should be pointing straight up, and it seems as though they’ll again go on a run of having an established signal caller.
The Chicago Bears were expected to be in the doldrums across the NFL, but Justin Fields also excelled down the stretch, and a 7-10 record showed significant growth. It remains to be seen if they will keep him as their quarterback or pivot to Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. Regardless of their ultimate decision, the amount of draft capital they have to infuse the team with difference makers is substantial, and they can immediately build off of 2023.
Even if Cousins is back, Minnesota may be looking at a reality where they are the fourth-best team in the NFC North when the season kicks off. That’s an unfortunate scenario, just two years removed from a division title, but the rebuilding process is not an enviable one. The Vikings have problems that span well beyond the quarterback position, and their direct competition is all on an upswing at the same time.
We saw the unpredictability of the NFC on a weekly basis this past year. Even if the Vikings aren’t the favorites within the division or are expected to take their lumps, there will still be plenty of opportunity for them to surprise each game. That said, this is a pivotal offseason for Minnesota in that they must set up the future while avoiding a scenario in which they fall too far behind during the present.
Kevin O’Connell had a losing record in year two while dealing with suboptimal circumstances. The hope would be that a cleaner bill of health can be accomplished and the team can reflect positive results on the field.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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