NFC North Preview: Can Bears join the Lions, Packers, Vikings in playoff hunt?

Our division previews continue with the NFC North, a division that produced three playoff teams a year ago

and none of them really took a step back in the offseason. The question is, did the Bears improve enough to join the cool kids at the cafeteria table of Super Bowl contenders

It all starts in Detroit, where the Lions cruised through the regular season with the best record in the conference last year

only to get smacked down at home in the playoffs by the Washington Commanders

The Lions lost both coordinators to head coaching jobs and Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnall abruptly retired

Linebacker Derek Barnes said they've already adjusted. I mean, everybody that I've seen come here and play for us, we're all driven the same

All want to get better every day, always want to compete and want to win. I mean, you have those things and when adversity comes, we know how to face that and we know how to move on from it

That Lions defense will get a big boost with the return of defensive end Aiden Hutchinson

who missed all but the first six games last year with a broken leg

He's a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. The Lions will be tested right away

Their season opening game is against the hated rival Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field

The Pack are entering year three with quarterback Jordan Love at the controls. Aaron Rodgers was 27 when he won a Super Bowl

And so was Brett Favre. So guess how old Love turns this year

He's had an up and down 2024, but he's got a slew of talented wide receivers to work with

including first round pick Matthew Golden. Quarterback is the focus in Minnesota too

Sam Darnold is now in Seattle after his epic stumble in the playoffs, and it's up to second

year star J McCarthy from Michigan to keep things rolling while taking his first snaps in the NFL There have been growing pains in training camp but Thursday night he hit the field in a

preseason game for the first time since suffering a knee injury in last year's preseason

Feeling the rush and feeling a couple hits and bouncing back and having to make those smart

decisions after those hits. And, you know, I just feel like the crowd noise, even though it's at

home, it's still loud in there. All the different little things that you have to, you know, kind of

adapt to as an offense. And, you know, it's our first little test run. So we're extremely excited

for it. The Vikings will go as far as their quarterback JJ takes them. That's why he's first

on our players from the north looking to break out. The Lions will replace Frank Ragnow with

veteran Graham Glasgow. So he'll be under the microscope as well Packers receiver Jaden Reed

He's led the team in receptions each of his first two seasons, but has big competition now

And in Chicago, the Bears will look to get second-year star receiver Romadunze more involved

I want to get the ball as early and as often as I can. As a wide receiver and as a playmaker

I feel like they have the ability to make this offense move and have explosive plays

So I want the ball every play. But I play my role within the offense

and Caleb is a great quarterback who's going to be versatile with his weapons

Adunze is referring to star quarterback Caleb Williams. He and his new head coach Ben Johnson, formerly of the rival Detroit Lions, have to make the offense better

They have the weapons and improve the line over the summer. How fast they put it all together will determine if they can climb out of the basement in a division full of teams with Super Bowl aspirations

For Straight Arrow News, I'm Chris Francis