The NFL All Divisional Teams & Squads Part Six – NFC North

We are now at part six of our eight part series looking at hypothetical divisional squads and teams for all eight of the NFL divisions.

In previous articles we have looked at the AFC North, AFC West, AFC East And AFC South.

Plus, yesterday we focused on the very strong NFC East.

So now we move on to one of the weaker divisions in the NFC, if you believe the bookies, and that is the NFC North.

The NFC North teams don’t rank too highly with bet365 Sport when it comes to chances of winning the Super Bowl in 2023/24, but even so, it will be interesting to see how their divisional squad and team shapes up.

Let’s now take a look at the NFC North teams supplying players to our 53-man NFC North squad.

NFC North

• Chicago Bears
• Detroit Lions
• Green Bay Packers
• Minnesota Vikings

Who’s winning the NFC North? pic.twitter.com/EFx8ka6Qya

— Barstool Sportsbook (@BSSportsbook) June 16, 2023

A Recap Of The Rules For Squad Selection

• All players must play at one of the four teams in the division stated.
• All squads will be comprised of 53 players.
• All squads will have their 53 players distributed across all positions with the same number of players picked in each position.
• In addition to the 53 squad players, a starting Offense, Special Teams and Defense will be picked, as will a home stadium and head coach from the four teams in the division.

Each squad will comprise of 53 players distributed as follows:-

Offense (24 players)

• Quarterback – 3
• Running Back – 2
• Full Back – 1
• Wide Receiver – 6
• Tight End – 2
• Left Tackle – 2
• Left Guard – 2
• Center – 2
• Right Guard – 2
• Right Tackle – 2

Defense (25 players)

• Defensive Tackle – 4
• Defensive Ends – 5
• Inside Linebacker – 2
• Outside Linebacker / Edge Rusher – 4
• Strong Safety – 2
• Free Safety – 2
• Cornerbacks – 6

Special Teams (4 players)

• Kicker – 1
• Punter – 1
• Specialist Punt/Kick Off Returner – 1
• Long Snapper – 1

That’s the rules recapped so now let us continue and select our 53-man squad to represent the AFC North!

Justin Fields really RAN a screen play for a TD. The man is a menace to society!! #Bears #BearDown #ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/KM1vl2DEfZ

— Ryan Givens (@TheSiXTraining) June 19, 2023

NFC North – Squad Selection

Pos	Name	Team	Rating		Pos	Name	Team		Rating
Offense					Defense
QB	Justin Fields	Chicago Bears	A-		DT	Harrisn Phillips	Min. Vikings		B+
QB	Jared Goff	Detroit Lions	B-		DT	Kenny Clark	Green Bay P.		A-
QB	Kirk Cousins	Min. Vikings	A-		DT	Isaiah Buggs	Detroit Li.		B
RB	Aaron Jones	Green Bay P.	B+		DT	TJ Slayton	Green Bay P.		B+
RB	D. Montgomery	Detroit Lions	B+		DE	Aidan Hutchisn	Detroit Li.		A-
FB	Khari Blasingme	Chicago Bears	A-		DE	Trevis Gipson	Chic. Bears		B-
WR	Justin Jefferson	Min. Vikings	A+		DE	Dean Lowry	Min. Vikings		B+
WR	Amn-Ra St Brwn	Detroit Lions	A		DE	Demrcs Walker	Chic. Bears		B+
WR	D.J.Moore	Chicago Bears	A-		DE	John Cominsky	Detroit Li.		B
WR	KJ Osborne	Min. Vikings	B		ILB	Trm. Edmunds	Chic. Bears		A-
WR	Marv. Jones	Detroit Lions	B		ILB	Jordan Hicks	Min. Vikings		B+
WR	Christian Watsn	Green Bay P.	B+		L/E	Rashan Gary	Green Bay P.		B
TE	TJ Hockenson	Min. Vikings	A		L/E	Mal. Rodriguez	Detroit Li.		B+
TE	Shane Zylstra	Detroit Lions	B-		L/E	Preston Smith	Green Bay P.		B+
LT	Chris. Darrishaw	Min. Vikings	A		L/E	T.J.Edwards	Chic. Bears		B
LT	David Bakhtiari	Green Bay P.	A		SS	Harrison Smith	Min. Vikings		A-
LG	Cody Whitehair	Chicago Bears	B		SS	Jaq. Brisker	Chic. Bears		B+
LG	Ed Ingram	Min. Vikings	B+		FS	Darnell Savage	Green Bay P.		B+
C	Josh Myers	Green Bay P.	B+		FS	Ed. Jackson	Chic. Bears		B
C	Frank Ragnow	Detroit Lions	A-		CO	Jaire Alexander	Green Bay P.		A+
RG	Ezra Cleveland	Min. Vikings	B+		CO	CJ Gar.Johnsn	Detroit Li.		A+
RG	Jonah Jackson	Detroit Lions	A-		CO	Cam Sutton	Detroit Li.		A-
RT	Elgton Jenkins	Green Bay P.	A-		CO	Byron Murphy	Min. Vikings		B+
RT	Penei Sewell	Detroit Lions	A-		CO	Rasul Douglas	Green Bay P.		B
Special Teams					CO	Eric Stokes	Green Bay P.		A-
K	Riley Patterson	Detroit Lions	B		Head Coach
P	Pat O’Donnell	Green Bay P.	B		HC	Dan Campbell	Detroit Lions		A
KR	Kalif Raymond	Detroit Lions	B-		Nominated Home Stadium (Capacity)
LS	Patrick Scales	Chicago Bears	B		ST	US Bank Stadium (Vikings)		(66,860)

NFC North Squad Gradings

Offense

• Quarterbacks – B+
• Running/Full Backs –  B+
• Wide Receivers – B+
• Tight Ends – A-
• Offensive Line – A-
• Overall Offense – B+

Defense

• Defensive Line – B
• Edge Rushers – B-
• Linebackers – B
• Safeties – B
• Corners – A-

Special Teams

• Kicker – B
• Punter – B
• Kick Returner – B-
• Long Snapper – B

Team Intangibles

• Experience – B
• Pace – B-
• Physicality – B
• Mental Toughness – B-
• HC Effectiveness – A-

82 days left until the Green Bay Packers kickoff.

While we all wait, enjoy greatness. pic.twitter.com/77yQHbpX6I https://t.co/ycyslrOeps

— RELAX 🧀 (@itzzSKL) June 20, 2023

NFC North Starters

Offense					Defense
Pos	Name	Team	Rat		Pos	Name	Team	Rat
QB	Justin Fields	Bears	A-		DE	Aidan Hutchison	Lions	A-
RB	Aaron Jones	Packers	B+		DT	Harisn Philips	Vikings	B+
WR1	Just. Jefferson	Vikings	A+		DT	Kenny Clark	Packers	A-
WR2	A.Ra St Brown	Lions	A		DE	Demar. Walker	Bears	B+
WR3	DJ Moore	Bears	A-		OLB	Preston Smith	Packers	B+
TE	TJ Hockenson	Vikings	A		ILB	Trm Edwards	Bears	A-
LT	C.Darrishaw	Vikings	A		OLB	Mal Rodriguez	Lions	B+
LG	Ed Ingram	Vikings	A-		FS	Darn. Savage	Packers	B+
C	Frank Ragnow	Lions	A-		SS	Harrison Smith	Vikings	A-
RG	Jonah Jacksn	Lions	A-		CB1	C.Gard.Johnsn	Lions	A+
RT	Penei Sewell	Lions	A-		CB2	Jaire Alexander	Packers	A+
Special Teams
K	Riley Pattersn	Lions	B		P	Pat O’Donnell	Bears	B
LS	Patrick Scales	Bears	B		PR	Kalif Raymond	Lions	B-

REPORT: The Minnesota #Vikings are in “no major rush” to extend superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, per @JFowlerESPN, via @vikingzfanpage.

“He’s only three years into a rookie deal that has two years left with a fifth-year option, so not in a major rush to do it right… pic.twitter.com/3OsX2YA9kp

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) June 20, 2023

NFC North Starting XI Analysis

• Chicago Bears – 6 starters
• Detroit Lions – 9 starters
• Green Bay Packers – 5 starters
• Minnesota Vikings – 6 starters

Strengths

• Outstanding at cornerback
• Very solid across the offensive line, with good back up depth too
• One of the fastest quarterbacks in the league with huge potential to develop
• Hugely talented trio of first choice wide receivers.
• Excellent full back

Weaknesses

• Running back options not the best.
• The NFC North team is markedly weaker in defense, notably on the line and at linebacker.
• Special teams is a bit so-so.

“The 2023 Detroit Lions are the team that can. And will.”
-Dan Campbell https://t.co/9IfdSaO4jb pic.twitter.com/XGzx58XIMe

— 😈Detroit_Slime_SZN😈 (@DetroitSlimeSZN) June 16, 2023

Key Player – Offense

Justin Jefferson (Vikings) WR – Without doubt the most productive WR in the league and looks set to. break new ground in the position. Jefferson’s agility, speed and ability to catch almost any ball will make him a vital outlet for his QB.

Key Player – Defense

Aidan Hutchison (Lions) DE – With the pass rush looking a bit sparse for the NFC North, the Lions star pick from 2022 Aidan Hutchison needs to be the most effective pass rusher on the team to keep the pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Conclusion

The NFC North has a very talented team as a group of starters, but at certain positions, such as WR and in defense, the strength in depth is not quite there of other divisions. Fields and Cousins give this unit a solid run/pass QB combo that would be interesting to see, but there are a few weaknesses on that defense compared to other teams.

Overall Team Rating – B

There are some outstanding players in this group, including at corner and wide receiver. However,  there is a lack of star quality in other areas of the team. The defense is especially a worry ahead of the secondary in particular, but the offense does have the quality to put up plenty of points.