One Bold Draft Move for Each NFC North Team
Presenting a scenario for all four teams in the NFC North that would shake up the draft.
Big moves can happen at any time, but certain parts of the calendar create more chaos than others. The beginning of free agency and trade deadline are events of their own, but nothing is quite like the draft.
The draft is a time of hope: Every team believes they are grabbing franchise cornerstones or, at worst, guys who can develop into useful players. The next great team could be built around these picks if things just break right!
I am going through each division and naming one bold move each team could make either during or around the draft. For some, this means aggressively adding a player at a position of need; others would be bold by changing their usual strategy.
The NFC North has a lot of potential but uncertainty around several big positions, with two teams potentially bringing in first-round quarterbacks. The Lions broke through last season, but they may have heavy competition if they want to repeat as division champs.
Related Bold Moves Articles: AFC North, NFC East, AFC East
Chicago Bears
Trade up for Marvin Harrison Jr.
A trade down from the top overall pick would be beyond bold, but let’s focus on Chicago’s second pick at No. 9. They would have to give up either a first or second rounder next year (and more would be involved), but Chicago would walk away from the offseason with Caleb Williams as their new quarterback, Keenan Allen and Harrison joining D.J. Moore at receiver, and a new identity.
The Bears only have two selections after that ninth pick: No. 75 in the third round and No. 122 in the fourth. Trading down makes more sense to replenish some of their missing draft capital, but this team has done so much to improve over the last two offseasons that they can walk into this season happy with their additions, even considering a light draft class.
Chicago will probably be a playoff contender unless they are unset by injuries or Williams struggles to perform consistently. If Harrison and Williams both come in firing on all cylinders? This could be your NFC North champions.
Detroit Lions
Stick to their board
This is a likely scenario, but it is bold when compared to the rest of the league. Teams mostly value positions close to the same, spending the most on quarterbacks, receivers, cornerbacks and the offensive/defensive lines.
That means running backs, tight ends, linebackers and safeties not only get paid less but also are drafted lower on average. Those positions only see players drafted early in the first round when there is a true standout prospect.
That also means the best players can found later than the best cornerbacks, for example, leaving chances to find good starters in the second round and later. Detroit over-drafted on multiple guys in last year’s draft, according to experts, but they found good-to-great players at running back, linebacker, tight end and safety all within the first two rounds.
Those guys all contributed to a team that was ahead 24-7 at halftime of the NFC Championship Game. We can look back at the future value the Lions may or may not have lost by targeting non-premium positions, but they used the draft to build their roster around needs rather than supposed positional value.
They have much less draft capital this season: In 2023, Detroit made four picks in the top 50 and six picks in the top 100. They currently own one pick in the top 50 (No. 29) and three in the top 100. It’s going to be harder to find impact talent with this year’s class.
Green Bay Packers
Draft an offensive player in the first round for the first time since 2011 (other than Jordan Love)
The Packers have regularly taken top defensive prospects on Day 1 of the draft while building the offense later. That made sense when Aaron Rodgers was quarterback, but I wonder if the team will be more likely to help Love.
That 2011 first rounder was offensive tackle Derek Sherrod. Sherrod didn’t play much in his short career and was done once his rookie contract ran out. They surely would hope for better results, but the Pack could use an offensive tackle again in 2024.
This is seen as a deep class at tackle, so the team could probably find a good option in the second round, but there will be potential Day 1 starters on the board when Green Bay picks at 25.
The Packers had a good offensive line last year, ranking second in pass blocking win rate and 16th in run blocking win rate according to ESPN. David Bakhtiari has finally been released after several seasons dealing with injury. Every tackle currently on the depth chart was drafted in the fourth round or later (or undrafted).
A high-end player will be available who could start as soon as this year and protect one of the edges for Love for years to come.
Minnesota Vikings
Trade up to the second or third pick
It seems more likely that Minnesota will trade up for a quarterback than any other team after they acquired Houston’s No. 23 overall selection well before the draft. There’s been plenty of projection that the Vikes will trade up as high as the fourth pick, but why stop there?
It’s possible that picks two and three aren’t available, in which case it’s a moot point. If the Vikings are willing to trade the 11th and 23rd picks along with next year’s first rounder (the price many suspect it would take to get to No. 4 or No. 5), how much more would it take to get to the Patriots' third spot?
The draft value charts are out the window here because they see the two first rounders this year as close to equal for the third pick. When trading up for a quarterback, the price inflates greatly.
Giving up a fourth first-round pick is too much, but Minnesota shouldn’t balk at throwing in another third rounder to climb one more spot and secure one of the top three passers. Nothing is guaranteed by getting the third quarterback instead of fourth off the board, but the top three are seen on a different level than everyone else by most experts.
The Vikings are likely to make a bold move during this draft; it’s just a matter of how brave they are willing to be.
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