The NFC North was one of the most hotly contested divisions in football last season and it figures to be the same in 2025. The Green Bay Packers hoped to gain ground on their rivals in free agency but GM Brian Gutekunst and his staff didn't make enough moves to make major waves.
That does not mean that Green Bay lost ground to their NFC North brethren. Several of their peers suffered significant losses on the open market. The Vikings will enter next season without the quarterback that helped them win 14 games. The Lions will head into Week 1 without a pair of highly-touted coordinators who helped them achieve victory from the sidelines.
Packers fans who want to understand just how their favorite team's free agency moves stacked up against their NFC foes need look no further.
1. Chicago Bears
The Bears might have finished last in the division last season but that forced them to enter the offseason with a point to prove. They hired arguably the best offensive coordinator in the NFL to be their head coach. Ben Johnson followed suit by overseeing a complete overhaul of the team's offensive line.
This wasn't a great free agent class of centers but Drew Dalman was the best of the punch. He'll combine with new guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to give young quarterback Caleb Williams much cleaner pockets to throw from in his sophomore campaign.
The defensive additions are a little long in the tooth but they should produce short-term gains for a team that wants to be more competitive. Grady Jarrett might have another productive season or two but the Falcons let him walk for a reason. Edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo has a chance to pop as an above average starter as he'll receive more snaps in Chicago.
The Bears didn't alter the course of their franchise in this free agency period but building a more comfortable offensive ecosystem for Williams was a big step in the right direction. That's why they get the nod as the division's top offseason.
2. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings' decision to let Sam Darnold walk away from nothing will cause a lot of observers to classify their offseason as a failure. The simple truth is that Minnesota always planned to hand over their offense to J.J. McCarthy this season. Darnold exceeded expectations in 2024 but giving him a lucrative contract was never a part of the team's plans.
There's a lot to like about the team's offseason outside of the perceived downgrade at quarterback. Adding Ryan Kelly and Will Fries up front should supercharge the team's run game. Signing Jordan Mason at running back gives them a real physicality they lacked on the ground last year.
Jonathan Allen isn't a long-term solution for the defense but he can still clog things up in the middle. Bringing back corner Byron Murphy was an unexpected surprise. This still isn't a great secondary but he gives them an above-average starter who can produce turnovers.
McCarthy's success or failure will dominate headlines in Minnesota this year but the team did a lot right to surround him in free agency.
3. Green Bay Packers
It's fair to say the Packers opted for quality over quantity this offseason. They only made three acquisitions of any note. They targeted players to address clear weaknesses and deserve some measure of credit for their efficiency.
Aaron Banks will be counted on to step right in and start at guard. His performance for a mediocre 49ers' offensive line is a bit concerning, but he possesses the natural talent to give a boost to the team's ground game.
Nate Hobbs has predominantly played as nickel corner for the last two years but projects to move back outside for Green Bay. He has the physical profile required to hold up on the perimeter but may experience some growing pains during the transition.
Mecole Hardman was the cheapest of the trio of signings but he can help the team recover from Christian Watson's injury absence. At worst, he'll give opposing defenses a speedy wideout to think about every time he steps onto the field.
The Packers have a lot of work left to do in the draft but at least they didn't waste money on luxury players in free agency.
4. Detroit Lions
Signing D.J. Reed to reinforce their secondary was a coup for the Lions but they didn't make any other needle-moving signings in free agency. Neither Roy Lopez or Grant Stuard is going to do much to strike fear int he hearts of opponents in 2025.
The aformentioned coordinators were not the only key individuals who left the Motor City. Carlton Davis and Kevin Zeitler will both be sorely missed on the Lions' depth chart. Zeitler, in particular did a lot to stabilize the middle of Detroit's offensive line in 2024.
The Lions still have the talent required to win a Super Bowl next season but they took a step back in free agency. That's no a good sign for a team with such high aspirations.