The Rest of the NFC North Made Some Notable Moves This Offseason
It has been a relatively quiet free agency for the Minnesota Vikings this year. In a change of pace, today I want to look at how free agency has gone for the Vikings’ NFC North rivals.
As for Minnesota, it has not been especially busy across the rest of the NFC North either. The Chicago Bears are the only team in the division that is in the top 20 of FA spending across the league — and they sit 20th.
CHI, DET, and GB All Took Different Paths This Spring
Each team has made one biggish signing, while some notable players have left the division. All four teams have good rosters and are looking at tweaks to improve their competitiveness rather than tearing it down and starting again — and that’s what we are going to look at. Has each team done enough to gain the edge in a closely fought division?
Chicago Bears
Notable free agent additions.
- Coby Bryant (S) – three-year, $40 million
- Neville Gallimore (DT) – 2 years, $10 million
- Braxton Jones (OT) – one year, $5 million
Notable Departures — Tremaine Edmunds, Nahshon Wright, Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Jonathan Owens, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
On the back of winning the NFC North for the first time since 2018, in the first season under head coach Ben Johnson. The Bears have splashed the cash on the biggest money signing in the division this year. On the back of winning the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, Coby Bryant comes in as the Bears look to revamp their safety room with four veteran safeties leaving. Nahshon Wright had a breakthrough season in 2025 with five interceptions, but he has also left.
Turnovers were key to the Bears’ defense’s success last season, and with Kevin Byard (7) and Tremaine Edmunds (4) also leaving, that’s 16 interceptions lost from the team. The other notable addition to the roster is veteran DT Neville Gallimore, while OT Braxton Jones is back for a fifth season in Chicago. Bryant is a good signing, but there is nothing here to strike fear into the hearts of Vikings fans.
Detroit Lions
- Cade Mays (C) – three years, $25 million
- Larry Borom (OT) – one year, $5 million
Notable Departures — Taylor Decker, Alex Anzalone, Graham Glasgow, Amik Robertson, Roy Lopez, DJ Reader, Marcus Davenport, Josh Paschal
The offensive line was the foundation of the Lions’ rise, but with the retirement of Frank Ragnow and the departure of Taylor Decker — a yet unsigned free agent, cracks have started to appear in that OL. Cade Mays has been a good signing that I’d have liked the Vikings to make to solve their center problem.
Larry Borom brings some competition at tackle, but the big story here is the length of that notable departures list. Alex Anzalone’s presence as a veteran leader will be a big miss.
After losing both of the coordinators who helped bring the team success, the Lions went from back-to-back division titles to the bottom of the division. It’s a big season for Dan Campbell; another poor one while Johnson enjoys more success in Chicago will make it look like Johnson was the mastermind of Detroit’s success and Campbell was just along for the ride.
Other than the disappointment of being beaten to the signature of Mays, there’s not a whole lot here to concern the Vikings.
Green Bay Packers
- Javon Hargrave (DT) – two years, $23 million
- Benjamin St-Juste (CB) – two years, $9.8 million
Notable Departures — Romeo Doubs, Elgton Jenkins, Quay Walker, Malik Willis, Kingsley Enagbare, Trevon Diggs
Players swapping Green Bay for Minnesota has been a well-trodden path in recent years, but the Packers’ big FA acquisition sees a player go the other way. Javon Hargrave swaps purple for green after just one season in Minnesota. He did okay last season, but just wasn’t worth the contract he was given by departed Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
The 33-year-old can still play and can be a solid signing for the Packers. Their other notable addition is adding Benjamin St-Juste for CB depth.
There’s a lot said about the Vikings’ 2022 draft, but the Packers have cut loose three from that draft this offseason, including first-rounder Quay Walker. After impressing while deputizing for Jordan Love, Malik Willis has earned himself a starting opportunity in Miami. Once again, there’s not a whole lot here for those who follow the Vikings to worry about.
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