Around the NFC North: More Free Agency News
Not much happening with the inferior teams.
By Mike Price
Going to be a short one today, which is fine because I know the real news you want is a Josh Sweat trade. We'll get into the fun stuff like needs list, coaching changes and mock drafts in the coming weeks.
Bears
The Bears are mostly watching their "just OK" free agents sign with other teams. Devin Duvernay (not great at WR but a great returner) signed with the Cardinals and former Packer Jonathan Owens signed with the Colts. They added veterans Kentavius Street and Cam Lewis and re-signed Jaylon Jones. None of those really move the needle.
Can't really grade the Bears' offseason as anything other than bad so far. They lost Tremaine Edmunds, DJ Moore, Kevin Byard, Nashon Wright, Jaquan Brisker and Declan Doyle and added...Devin Bush and Garret Bradberry. Not great!
Vikings
The Vikings' big move this week was officially signing Kyler Murray for the league minimum. Kyler is a strange case. He had some of the worst stats in the league last year while, admittedly, playing on a bad offense. He's had some Pro Bowl-level play over the years, but his play famously drops off in October every year - whether because the new Call of Duty is out or whether he's just too small to take a whole NFL season, we don't know.
I think the signing will be good for the Vikings - it's hard for it not to when they obviously feel like they have a playoff roster and a bad QB in JJ McCarthy - but I doubt it's going to push them back to first place in the division.
The Vikings also re-signed their 38-year-old long snapper to a one-year deal.
Lions
The Lions actually did a few things this week. Starting by signing Isiah Pacheco as their second running back. Pacheco leaves a little to be desired as a team's number one back, but as a change-up to Jahmyr Gibbs, he's a perfect player. Sadly, I liked this signing for the Lions. The question is whether Dan Campbell will use him. When he stated calling plays last season, the calls for David Montgomery went away.
They re-signed Rock Ya-Sin, signed Teddy Bridgewater and Tyler Conklin, and signed a slew of other JAGs.
The NFC North is not where you go for excitement this offseason.
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Mike Price is a lifelong Packers fan who recently moved from Utah to Stoughton (a Madison suberb). You can follow him on twitter at @themikeprice.
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Comments (10)
jont
March 17, 2026 at 10:44 am
The Bears got screwed on the Max Crosby thing. They were ready with a legit trade offer, and now it's too late. News today has Crosby settling back into the Raiders.
The big news in the division is the news that didn't happen.
golfpacker61
March 17, 2026 at 11:19 am
The Bears are pretty much the same as last year, and they still have the draft. Although now they are picking toward the rear as we usually are.
The Vikings signing of Murray doesn't move the needle, but it also starts to drive a big wedge between the team and JJ McCarthy. He will be gone in 2027 or sooner.
The Lions weakened themselves big time in losing Montgomery just like the Bears did when they chose not to resign him. I would love to have him on the Packers right now. They need a pass rusher badly.
The Pack, unlike last year has made some solid, reasonable free agents moves to strengthen 4 different position groups, CB, DL, and KR/WR. The best move they could make now, and it would cost a late comp pick, would be to sign either Clowney or Epenesa and fortify the Edge group before the draft. Clowney would cost more but is a slightly better pass rusher, and it would be a 1-year deal. Epenesa is almost as good, is younger so he could be signed to a 3 year deal and would be cheaper @ projected $4 million per year.
It would be worth losing the 7th round comp we will get for Rasheed to take Edge off the "Big Need" list before the draft. Either guy would work and would probably have career years playing across from Parsons. Just get it done.
Starrbrite
March 17, 2026 at 07:58 pm
Right Golf—with you. A 7th rndr is very reasonable to an add and edge with their pedigree.
I believe Guty will yet add an another CB and/or DL.
dobber
March 18, 2026 at 10:25 am
"The Vikings signing of Murray doesn't move the needle,"
Murray's not the same guy since he blew out his knee. He's not really a pocket passer, struggled to get the ball to his playmakers when healthy, and he's become indecisive running the ball. He's all checkdowns...maybe that gets better if the Vikings' OL holds up. O'Connell's reputation that he built behind Cousins' and Darnold's resurgence will be at stake, here. Wentz had a couple decent games before he got hurt, but if they resign him, too, they'll have a quagmire at QB.
"The Lions weakened themselves big time in losing Montgomery"
I liked Montgomery, but Pacheco runs angry, too. It won't matter if they can't get the OL figured out. I think he'll be a good complement for Gibbs, who Campbell wants to play all the time. They didn't want to pay that backup Montgomery money.
I liked Tyler Conklin as a signing. They missed LaPorta both as a blocker and a receiver after he got hurt. Conklin can at least be that receiver.
CanPackFan
March 17, 2026 at 03:40 pm
I'm wondering if the recent release of Christian Wilkens is someone GB should consider? He'll likely not make anything near the money he has in the past. Still, does he have too much baggage to take a chance on him and his questionable, unoperated foot? Comments anyone?
golfpacker61
March 17, 2026 at 08:51 pm
Wilkins is a gamechanger when healthy. It's sketchy why he didn't want to have surgery to fix his foot, and that made his season/career grind to a halt. If he is healthy GB would be crazy not to sign him if the price is right. If he is cleared medically, he is as good or better than Kenny Clark was in his prime.
Starrbrite
March 17, 2026 at 08:00 pm
He’s an option. I like a few others better but he could help.
dobber
March 18, 2026 at 10:28 am
It's hard for the FA period to be dynamic when all four teams head into the process needing to clear cap to get into the black...or in Minnesota's case, clearing a LOT of cap. We'll all miss Kwesi.
Stinky Cheese
March 19, 2026 at 12:28 am
😂😂Love this guy. We have the next great QB in the NFL!” 🐻⬇️
No bears fan is afraid of JNO and MLF —Get used to it Packers fans 😃
JNO chocked on that final drive
caftanslip
March 29, 2026 at 10:42 pm
I like how the article highlights the different directions each team is taking. The Green Bay Packers seem focused on building around youth and continuity, while the Detroit Lions are clearly in “win-now” mode after last season’s momentum. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings both feel a bit more unpredictable, which honestly makes things even more exciting.