I didn't realize the lions drafted Peyton Manning...

We do! Being thin at OLB, WR, and barren at TE before the draft, our first four picks are going to need to contribute by necessity. The same is almost true along the DL after losing two veteran players. I'm happy to see a more accelerated version of draft and development--bring on the "yutes"!

Unless it's a QB taken early , or a stud RB, a rookie usually doesn't make that huge of a difference in a year. There were exceptions, like Randy Moss, or Lawrence Taylor, but football is the quintessential team sport and one guy just doesn't make that much of a difference unless he's a guy with the ball in his hands all the time.'

Here's another thing about rookies: They're playing against guys who are more mature physically, technically, etc. who are more experienced. They're at a disadvantage, even if they're good players like Walker and Wyatt from last year, or Gary, or even Kenny Clark.

Minnesota's selection of a superduper WR to pair with Jefferson, so that Cousins has more targets, is genius. It allows the Vikings to ride the arm of Kirk Cousins even more. Weapons for Cousins. Their defense couldn't stop a wet fart last year and they've lost ZSmith, one of their better players. But hey, they've got Cousins, and Cousins has weapons.

Chicago got Roschon Johnson and Darnell Wright, and if they can run the ball for a few yards and give Fields a rest, they'll be better. Fields is the most exciting player in the division with the ball in his hands, but ultimately people like that break, and he's going to break too.

Detroit. Jeezus. They just keep throwing me softballs. I've already detailed their long history of drafting crappy DBs, so I won't recap that, but Swift and Williams accounted for a helluva lot of snaps and yards last year and now it's all in the hands of one guy,Gibbs. If he's healthy,he'll get the ball a lot and he'll have some nice plays. He'll be in the ROY conversation, but he won't help the Lions win more games. Their defense is terrible and Goff will never be better than average, and Detroit is just destined to be crappy forever, even when they have guys like Sanders and Megatron and Suh.

Musgrave, Kraft, and Reed should all get substantial time on the field for us, but our big guns are still going to be Watson and Jones. Doubs and Dillon are the complementary weapons, and the ball is going to stay in their hands for most of our plays, probably about 45 or more. Hopefully a couple of the rookies will achieve 'complementary' status this year. I disliked the Reed pick because he's got such a small catch radius, but the more I've learned about him the more there is that I like. He's going to get his opportunities early.

We've also got Doubs and Toure who might be improved in their second season. That would stop teams from shifting too much coverage to Watson's side of the field, and he's the guy we'd really like to throw to the most.

This draft emphasizes why the Pack has dominated the NFC North.

The Bears got rid of their best running back and will replace him with a 7th Round pick. Then they traded down not once but twice before taking a … right tackle. Good luck.

The Vikings took a 125 pound non-athletic slot receiver and who else?

The Lions are most perplexing of all. Trade or release 'both' of their running backs from a fairly productive (for the Lions) backfield, let your number two receiver walk (Chark), trade your TE for a bag of doughnuts (Hockenson) then overdraft their replacements. I would say 'same old Lions' except this is even worse, even for them! Oh well they got a 'rah, rah' coach to get them to play above their heads...

Pack wins this division and it's not close.

Two questions:

Who in the North had the best D?

Who in the North has a scary O?

On paper of course at this point. Sorry Lions, I’m not impressed beyond your OL. If your rookie rusher can’t repeat, you take a step back took none forward. Chicago is almost as reliant on rookies as we are and a gifted athlete but very questionable passer at QB. The Vikings have a rookie WR whom I’m very happy we didn’t at that draft price. I prefer our pick and that surprised me. They have one great WR and a lot of questions over Cook. Their D scares no one and their rush declined.

All the makings of a bad year for the North. Amidst that we are the wild card. Raw, untested, new system most likely, unknowns abound and extend to what we really are in coaching terms on both sides of the ball. It’s going to be fun and unpredictable, but we are potential wreckers of the hopes of all 3.

Based on comments, sounds like Packers fans are still hurt by Detroit sweeping them last season and embarrassing them on National TV by keeping them out of playoffs. Lions filled positions of need. Y’all keep on being arrogant and thinking same old Lions. The new management is on point and defense is greatly improved. Lions actually had a top 10 defense the 2nd half of last season. Looking forward to sweeping the Pack again!