At some point, most people thought about which division is the best. This argument has multiple avenues; it can be explored through historical teams, most championships, or current players. For this series, we’ll go with the latter. Throughout June, I’ll assemble the best team possible in every division, and at the end, we’ll discuss which division is the strongest. But we have some rules, though.
The first rule: I didn’t pick individual players, only position groups. So the NFC North team, for example, won’t have Justin Jefferson and Amon-Ra St. Brown. I tried to maintain a similar criterion when doing this, but sometimes it was hard. It involved projecting a player coming off injury, rookies, or players getting their first chance to start.
Another important thing to mention is that this could (and probably would) be different after the season. I had to project sometimes what a player will be in 2025, but I could be wrong on either side. An under-the-radar player can have a breakout season. A high-priced free agent can flop. It happens, so don’t hold it against me.
I also didn’t take into account every player from every position. There’s little reason to think about the backup QB or 5th-string defensive tackle on the roster, so the focus was on the starters. For transparency, this is what I considered in each position:
- Quarterback: 1
- Wide Receiver: 3
- Tight End: 2
- Running Back: 2
- Offensive Tackle: 2
- Guard: 2
- Center: 1
- Defensive Tackle: 3
- EDGE Rusher: 3
- Linebacker: 2
- Cornerback: 3
- Safety: 2
- Kicker: 1
- Punter: 1
- Returner: Both kick and punt returners
- Head Coach: 1
With the ground rules out of the way, let’s go to the team.
Quarterback: Detroit Lions (Jared Goff)
We start with a player that I don’t think would be here after the season. Bears’ Caleb Williams and Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy are primed for big seasons. While they don’t take the next step, the debate is between Goff and Jordan Love. I had Love here first, but Goff was in the MVP discussion for the better part of 2024. Although he doesn’t have the mobility to create much outside the pocket, his poise and accuracy make him a great QB inside the pocket. With the best possible team around him, there’s no doubt Goff would play at a high level here.
Wide Receivers: Minnesota Vikings (Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor)
Justin Jefferson is the best wide receiver in the league. Jordan Addison is arguably one of the top WR2s out there and has 19 TDs in his first two seasons. Jalen Nailor had over 400 yards and 6 TDs as the WR3. The Lions and Bears also have very good wide receivers, but they can’t compete with the Vikings’ ones.
Tight Ends: Chicago Bears (Cole Kmet, Colston Loveland)
This was one of the toughest for me. Cole Kmet had his worst season since his rookie year, and he’s probably the worst TE1 in the division. The tiebreaker here was rookie Colston Loveland. Although Sam LaPorta, T.J. Hockenson, and Tucker Kraft are better than Kmet, I expect Loveland to finish the season as the starter, and he can put up close to 800 yards and 8 TDs in his first season. Either Loveland is the TE1 and Kmet is better than the other backups, or Kmet improves and the Bears have two starting-caliber tight ends.
Running Backs: Detroit Lions (Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery)
If tight end was the hardest, running back was the easiest. Gibbs is one of the best running backs in the league and is fresh off a 1400-yard and 16 TDs season. On top of that, he had over 500 yards and 4 TDs as a receiver. The Knuckles to Jahmyr Gibbs’ Sonic, David Montgomery, has had the lowest number of attempts in his career, but he will move the chains in short-yardage and score the short touchdown. They are Sonic and Knuckles. They are also the best RB duo in the league.
Offensive Tackles: Minnesota Vikings (Christian Darrisaw, Brian O’Neill)
This was another toss-up between the Vikings and the Lions. Both teams have great offensive tackles, but the difference between Christian Darrisaw and Taylor Decker at LT is bigger than the one between Penei Sewell and Brian O’Neill at RT. Darrisaw has missed some games in his career, but when he’s on the field, he’s one of the best. O’Neill isn’t a household name, but his tape is undeniable.
Guards: Minnesota Vikings (Donovan Jackson, Will Fries)
Here is where I needed to project the most. Will Fries was playing at an extremely high level in 2024, but a broken tibia cut his season short. Donovan Jackson is a first-round rookie. He was great at Ohio State, but he’s still a rookie. If Fries returns and keeps his 2024 level, he can fight for an All-Pro candidate. Jackson won’t have the same expectations, but he was considered NFL-ready and a player with a high floor.
Center: Green Pay Packers (Elgton Jenkins)
Frank Ragnow’s retirement made this harder. Bears’ Drew Dalman was good but not great for the Falcons. Vikings’ Ryan Kelly was also good, but is older and missed some time last season. Jenkins will play center for the first time, but he’s the better player overall. He’s better at pass protection than run blocking, but with a less mobile QB and two great running backs, I’d rather focus on giving Goff time in the pocket.
Defensive Tackles: Detroit Lions (Alim McNeil, D.J. Reader, Levi Onwuzurike)
McNeil was having an outstanding season before having a torn ACL. Reader had a career high in sacks, while Onwuzurike, although had just 1.5 sacks, finished the season with 22 pressures. It’s not just sacks, though, as they have combined for 76 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. It may not be much, but usually their job was to hold their ground and let the linebackers do the tackles, something they were good at.
EDGE Rushers: Minnesota Vikings (Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner)
A healthy Aidan Hutchinson is the best pass rusher in the division. But no team has the depth the Vikings have. Van Ginkel was a 2nd-team All-Pro, and he and Jonathan Greenard combined for 23.5 sacks, the second-best in 2024. With Dallas Turner, a 2024 first-rounder who improved a lot throughout the year, also in the mix, they make a formidable trio. Factor in their versatility, and opposing offenses will suffer to block them.
Linebackers: Green Bay Packers (Edgerrin Cooper, Quay Walker)
Edgerrin Cooper was great as a rookie, finishing his 2024 campaign with 87 tackles, 13 for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 2 turnovers. He also allowed a sub-80.0 rating and one touchdown in coverage. Walker may not have had the most awesome start to his career, but he’s still a well-rounded player. He had a down season in 2024, but he and Cooper give this team a young and explosive linebacker duo.
Cornerbacks: Chicago Bears (Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon)
Johnson developed into one of the best cornerbacks in the league, making the Pro Bowl in the last two seasons and being elected 2nd-team All-Pro in 2023. Stevenson had an up-and-down start to his career, however, he had some good games. Kyler Gordon’s biggest problem is his tackling, as most of his yards allowed came after the catch.
Safeties: Detroit Lions (Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch)
Kerby Joseph just made the All-Pro team and became the highest-paid safety in the league. Brian Branch made his first Pro Bowl in 2024. They combined for 13 interceptions, 192 tackles, and allowed just 4 touchdowns. Joseph was used more as a deep safety, hence the 9 interceptions, while Branch is used all around the field. There are few better safety duos than this one, if any.
Kicker: Detroit Lions (Jake Bates)
Bates had a huge first season in the NFL. He hit almost 90% of his field goals and 95% of his extra points. His biggest moment came against the Texans in Week 9, hitting two 50+ field goals, one from 58 yards, to win the game.
Punter: Detroit Lions (Jack Fox)
Fox is one of the best punters in the league and was an All-Pro last season. He led the league in yards per punt with 51 last season and had almost half of his punts downed inside the 20. With the ability to flip the field when necessary, Fox is a great player to have on your roster.
Returner: Detroit Lions (Kalif Raymond, Khalil Dorsey)
If Fox led the league in yards per punt, Raymond led the league in punt return yards (413). He is a dangerous player with the ball in his hands, with 2 punt return touchdowns since 2022. Since joining the Lions in 2021, Raymond has over 1200 return yards, with 744 in the last two seasons.
Head Coach: Minnesota Vikings (Kevin O’Connell)
Who better to coach this team than the reigning Coach of the Year? The NFC North is loaded with head coaches, with O’Connell, Lions’ Dan Campbell, and Packers’ Matt LaFleur. Bears’ Ben Johnson can make this group even better in the future as well. Kevin O’Connell, besides being a great playcaller, is an excellent head coach, earning praise from virtually every player and coach who has crossed paths with him.
If you enjoyed this article please follow us here on MSN! Thank you for reading and have a great day!
