As we enter the second straight exciting off-season where the Packers are expected to actually make a few big free agent acquisitions, you have to expect that the other three NFC North teams will make some splashes as well. Let's talk about who each team could gain and lose next week when free agency begins. 

Bears

Chicago is already Bears deep in player acquisition. This week they made two trades to bolster their offensive line, acquiring Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney with a sixth and fourth (2026) round pick respectively. Jackson missed most of last year hurt for the Rams but was a reliable guard for the Lions before that. Thuney is one of the best players at his position in the league but is 32. 

Reports are that the Bears will look to add Falcons center Drew Dalman in free agency. This would potentially solidify their interior o-line with three plus veterans to go along with bookends Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright who both had good not great seasons last year. 

It begs the question what will happen with Teven Jenkins, former high draft pick by a previous regime, who has been a plus guard for the Bears. It's likely that they'll let him leave in free agency. Jenkins has better draft pedigree, higher PFF grades and could very well cost less than Jackson without even considering the draft pick it took to acquire Jackson. Obviously we don't know about the personalities and Ben Johnson has history with Jonah Jackson but this move is definitely a head scratcher if it goes this way. 

Other free agents the Bears could lose include Keenan Allen, Gerald Everett and DeMarcus Walker. The Bears have $43mm in cap space and could free up about $30mm more by restructuring Jaylon Johnson, DJ Moore and Montez Sweat. I would expect them to make some big moves. 

Lions

The Lions actually have more cap space than the Bears while paying their QB far more. It's one of those weird NFL things where you can have a top four or five team in the league and it costs less than the mess the Bears threw out onto the field last year. 

My prediction for the Lions big free agency acquisition this year is Paulson Adebo, beloved of many Packers fans. Adebo has excelled in the Saints defense for the last four years - the same scheme that the Lions should be running this year. Meanwhile, the Lions struck out on their three corner acquisitions last year and need a reliable boundary corner. Adebo should be targeted by each of the teams in the North but the Lions probably have the best combo of need, fit and straight cash homey. 

The Lions also need to bring in an edge rusher. Not only to hold the line (get it?) until Aidan Hutchinson gets back but to take some pressure off of him when he does play. Chase Young and Dayo Odeyingbo might be too expensive if they pull off an Adebo signing but someone like Khalil Mack or Matthew Judon could fit perfectly. 

The Lions probably won't bring back Carlton Davis or Marcus Davenport, neither of whom made the impact they wanted last year. The bigger potential losses would be Kevin Zeitler and Levi Onwuzurike.

Vikings

Somehow, the Vikings have the most cap space in the division. They also have more needs than you may think. The offense needs interior o-line and running back and the defense needs everything except edge rusher.   

Expect the Vikings to attempt to keep corner Byron Murphy and running back Aaron Jones ( :( ) as they almost certainly wouldn't be able to improve on those choices in either free agency or the draft. 

The team also seems to have decided to move on from Sam Darnold which could put them in a precarious position for a few reasons. The first is obvious - second year QB JJ McCarthy isn't healthy right now and wasn't great to begin with. Which veteran will they sign up to potentially start? The second is not so obvious but also important - Darnold could sign a deal big enough to get the Vikings a compensatory third round pick in the 2026 draft, but only if they don't sign big name free agents who will cancel him out in the formula. Remember, the Giants aren't getting a good compensatory pick for Saquon Barkley because they signed Drew Lock. 

Outside of Jones, Darnold and Murphy, the Vikings don't have many available free agents who move the needle. Stephon Gilmore and Shaquil Griffin are old. Cam Robinson was a rental. Jerry Tillery is just ok. The Vikings will survive losing basically any or all of those players.