The NFC North is one of the most competitive divisions in football, with each team having a legit shot at winning the title this year. Last year, Chicago took over this division, but will that keep up in 2026? The offseason suggests otherwise, but who knows what can happen in the NFL.

Here are my predictions for the NFC North in 2026.

Detriot Lions

2026 Record: 11-6

When Ben Johnson left for Chicago, everyone wrote off the Detroit Lions offense for 2025. The unit didn’t look the same, but still operated efficiently, with Jared Goff throwing for over 4,000 yards. Now, with new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing going into 2026, he’s exactly what this unit needs to be one of the best in the NFL.

The duo of Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown seems to be one of the most underrated in the NFL, but has been one of the best in the entire league. Expect this duo to look the same and even better within the Petzing offense. Oh, and now Jahmyr Gibbs will be the workhorse back, and we all know the type of explosiveness he can have carrying the ball.

The defense should still be a fringe top-10 unit with Jack Campbell leading the pack. An edge rusher was a big need for the Lions in the offseason, and they brought in DJ Wonnum and drafted Derrick Moore to try and bring some juice in that room opposite Aidan Hutchinson.

With the explosion of Chicago last season, many have forgotten about Detroit. But with Dan Campbell leading the team, they should still be considered one of the best in the NFL and good enough to win the NFC North.

Chicago Bears

2026 Record: 10-7

The Chicago Bears absolutely exploded last year, winning the NFC North at a record of 11-6. They were the comeback kids, coming back in multiple games off the heroics of Caleb Williams. The Bears went 9-5 in one-score games and led the league in turnovers from a season ago. Those are two stats that are hard to replicate from year to year, and, looking at the Bears’ main issues last season, the rushing defense was the biggest.

Chicago didn’t really answer that need this offseason and barely touched the front seven, with the only main addition being Devin Bush in free agency. One of the biggest offseason additions, Coby Bryant, went down with a long-term injury in the preseason and will miss a chunk of time.

Looking at the Bears’ schedule, they have some tough matchups with Philadelphia, New England, Seattle, and Jacksonville. Not to mention, they have to play each NFC North team twice. This offense has the makings of being one of the best in the league, with Johnson and Williams at the helm. But the defense is a major worry and a big reason the Bears won’t win the division in 2026.

Green Bay Packers

2026 Record: 8-9

This one may be a surprise to Green Bay Packers fans, given that the team has been one of the most consistent in the NFL under Matt LaFleur. The same expectations should follow in the 2026 season, with Jordan Love and Micah Parsons leading the way. But reality is, this roster got worse and didn’t answer its major needs in the offseason.

Offensively, it’ll be efficient. Don’t get me wrong, with Love leading the way and LaFleur being the playcaller he is. Despite losing Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, this unit should be a top-10 unit in the league. Defense is where everything starts to get shaky. Green Bay won’t have Parsons for at least the first four games of the season, meaning the edge room will be led by Lukas Van Ness and Barryn Sorrell to begin the season.

The secondary still has major questions, with the only real addition being rookie Brandon Cisse, whom the Packers hope can start immediately.  With already having to play the NFC North twice, Green Bay has tough matchups against Buffalo, Dallas, New England, Houston, and the Los Angeles Rams. As much as I want to pick this team to finish above .500, some teams have to get the short end of the stick, and the Packers are one of them in 2026.

Minnesota Vikings

2026 Record: 7-10

Minnesota Vikings fans realized last season just how important a quarterback is. The team let Sam Darnold walk away in free agency and has been trying to fix that mistake for two seasons. JJ McCarthy clearly doesn’t seem like the answer, so this offseason the team hopes Kyler Murray can be that answer.

Murray enters a new scheme under Kevin O’Connell, and it’ll come with a learning curve for the veteran. Murray has the weapons to find success with this offense in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. The offensive line, if healthy, can be one of the better units in this league, and the Vikings have three options at running back: Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, and Demond Claiborne. So, if Murray can operate this scheme effectively, Minnesota should finish with over seven wins.

Defensively, this should be one of the best units in the league. Any unit being coached by Brian Flores has the scheme necessary to be one of the league’s best. So why am I low on Minnesota? Just the uncertainty about Murray being able to elevate this offense to where it needs to go. I’m lower on him, and that could look foolish in a couple of months.