Which Nfc North team will be the biggest challenge for the Detroit Lions in 2024?

For the first time ever, the Detroit Lions are NFC North defending champions. They will enter the year with a target on their back, and they know it.

On a recent podcast appearance, Lions quarterback Jared Goff detailed just how challenging the division is going to be for the 2024 season.

“Our division is tough, man,” Goff said. “The Bears were in fourth and they were tough. They were, and they were beating teams down the stretch and they beat us down the stretch. The Packers were second in our division and they were tough. Minnesota gave us two tough games at the end of the year. Our division is no cake walk.”

This offseason, those teams may have gotten even tougher. The Bears added another offensive weapon in Keenan Allen, and they’ll almost certainly be starting presumed No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams along with whoever they pick with the ninth overall selection. The Packers lost a couple of offensive linemen, but they added Xavier McKinney, changed defensive coordinators, and have Jordan Love entering his second year as a full-time starter. The Vikings have had the most turbulent of offseasons, but the additions of Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Blake Cashman could make their defense scary.

So today’s Question of the Day is:

Which NFC North team poses the biggest challenge to a Lions NFC North repeat?

My answer: The easy answer is the Packers, as they nearly met the Lions in the NFC Championship Game last year. I think there’s certainly a good chance the Packers return in 2024 as a serious challenger for the crown, but I do wonder if Love’s season is going to be as rosy this year given some of the offensive line issues.

Instead, I’m going to make an argument for the Bears. Obviously, there is pretty high variance for a team who is expected to start a rookie at quarterback, and I don’t have strong opinions on how Williams is going to adjust to the NFL. But I will say the Bears have done a pretty darn good job putting their rookie quarterback in a favorable position to start. He’ll have plenty of weapons at his disposal with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Cole Kmet and even D’Andre Swift. The Bears have also invested in their offensive line with a pair of strong tackles in Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright.

And most of all, that Bears defense was scary at the end of last season. From Week 10 to the end of the season, the Bears ranked third in defensive EPA (second vs. pass; 15th vs. run), and they finished eighth in weighted defensive DVOA—which reflects how well they were playing toward the end of the season. They’re a pretty balanced team that could be dangerous if Williams hits the ground running.

In other words, I think this division is going to be a three-team race in 2024, with the Lions, Packers, and Bears all having legitimate chances at the crown.