NFC North Round-Up: Ranking the IDL Rooms for All 4 Teams
Josh Frey
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We’ve already gone through every position group on the offensive side for each NFC North team, and now, we switch over to the defensive side throughout the training camp period.
To get things started, here is a look at how the IDL rooms for all four teams stack up heading into the 2023 season.
1. Minnesota Vikings
It may be a bit surprising to see Minnesota at the top of this list, especially after the loss of Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency. However, with their veteran leadership in the trenches, it’s tough to put anyone in the division above them at this point.
The Vikings still have Harrison Phillips, who was a consistent producer for them in his first season with the team. Additionally, they stole Dean Lowry from the Packers in free agency, boosting their depth in the trenches while shortening that of their division rival.
Minnesota has a few intriguing young pieces in the trenches as well. Khyiris Tonga was a training camp cut of the Chicago Bears that landed in Minnesota mid-season in 2022, and he surprised many by providing some of the best run defense on the team last year. Keep an eye on fourth-round pick Jaquelin Roy as an interior pass-rusher as well.
2. Green Bay Packers
The Packers are headlined by one of the better defensive tackles in the league, Kenny Clark. Clark has terrorized the NFC North for much of his first seven seasons in the NFL after being selected in the first round of the 2016 Draft. He has a total of 38 tackles for loss and 26.5 sacks in his first seven seasons.
Outside of Clark, though, questions remain on Green Bay’s defensive line. Devonte Wyatt was a promising prospect coming into the 2022 Draft, but he had a very limited impact for the Packers during the season, starting zero games and recording 1.5 sacks. The Packers need to give Clark some more support if they want to have an improved run defense in 2023.
3. Detroit Lions
The Lions have a bunch of young talent on their defensive line, but unfortunately, they haven’t amounted to much yet. Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeil were selected early in the 2021 Draft, but Onwuzurike missed the entire 2022 season, and McNeil was given a run defense grade of 59.8 by PFF last year.
Isaiah Buggs started 13 games for the Lions during his first season in Detroit, but he leaves much to be desired in terms of run defense as well. Ultimately, the key to Detroit rising up these ranks will be their two 2021 Draft picks taking big steps forward in 2023.
4. Chicago Bears
The Bears may have punted on the idea of drafting Jalen Carter with the ninth overall pick, opting to trade down to No. 10, but they did make a few intriguing selections that should give them a future on the interior of their defensive line.
Gervon Dexter is the most notable of the selections, who had at least 4 tackles for loss and 2 sacks in each of his final two seasons with the Florida Gators. He should immediately compete for a starting spot. Meanwhile, Zacch Pickens was taken in the third round out of South Carolina, who should be a rotational pass-rushing presence in the middle of the defense.
The veterans on the roster include former Tennessee Titan DeMarcus Walker as well as Andrew Billings, but they need to go a long ways to improve upon what was one of the worst run defenses in the league, allowing 2674 yards.
