This team has had holes on D since 2010 Season, although the 2014 defense was really pretty good.
But Rodgers greatness has camouflaged a lot.

I like adding Mo W, and focusing on building a great pass rush.

The Bears & Lions won't be a threat to us.
Vikings are the favorites. But I like our chances. That is, with a healthy #12.

The Packers made the biggest impact move of the NFC North off season so far when they fired Capers. Even without any player additions on defense, they are playing with 11 new guys.

This team has had holes on D since 2010 Season, although the 2014 defense was really pretty good.

Call me crazy, but I'm not as concerned about the Vikings as others appear to be.

Don't get me wrong they are not a push over team or anything, but the only reason why they beat us and won the north was because Rodgers got hurt.

Yeah the Vikings will be getting Cook back. But lets remember its still coming off an ACL injury. While those injuries are getting better and players come back from them he may not be the same player right away.
Yeah, they went and signed Cousins to a huge contract. But how good is Cousins in reality? His career record as a starting QB is 26-30-1. If he is that great shouldn't he at least be .500 as a starting QB? I know wins aren't a QB stat, but he should have more then that. I have heard people calling him a top 10 QB. But is he really? I saw a great quote on twitter the other day. 'Cousins in free agency is a top 10 QB. Until you start naming the QB's then he isn't a top 10 QB anymore.'

The Vikings have a good defense and added Sheldon Richardson. They will be tough again. But lets not forget the same defense that 'was so great' got absolutely shredded by the Eagles in the championship game. The Vikings had almost a perfect year last year. Does not mean they will repeat that.

Packers will be better IMO. While the Vikings have Cook at RB. Packers had 2 rookie RB's. Cook averaged 4.8 yards per carry. Which was really good. Aaron Jones averaged 5.5 yards per carry. And that was mostly without Rodgers as the QB. Jamaal Williams averaged 3.6. Again with no threat at QB.

Packers just added a real threat at TE. They added a huge piece to the DL. But 2 of the pieces that they added IMO will help more then any players. Adding Philbin and Pettine. Changing Defensive Coordinators was huge. They now have a guy that will take what players he has and build the defense around them. Vs Capers who built players around his defense.

Ohh... And Rodgers is coming back.

"I do like the addition of Jimmy Graham, but since his best work has been done when lined up as a receiver, that may take production away from Davante Adams or Randall Cobb."

There's a crap-ton of production being shed by the loss of Nelson (think w/ #12 as opposed to w/ #7) to be spread out among the guys who will take the field this fall. Who knows who that third WR or in-line TE is going to be and what they'll add. As long as the sum of production increases, I don't care whose catches Graham cuts into.

"NFC North titles have been nearly automatic with Aaron Rodgers in control. The Packers have won five division crowns since 2008,"

So what you're saying is that the Packers have missed on the division title over that span about as often as they've won it?...and that qualifies as nearly automatic?

Rick Spielman keeps making good moves and seems to improve that team year-in-year-out. Cousins is good - not great but he will manage the offense if he gets enough weapons. I think he sets the ceiling on that team, but then again, so did Nick Foles.

The defense was good and adding Sheldon Richardson made it even tougher. Only injury will make them suspect. If we don't find a fix at RT, the Packers will have trouble against this defense. With our secondary, I still think the Vikings are the team to beat for the title. The schedule will probably reflect this.

I would also not count the Lions out of this race. Matt Stafford is a very good QB and he picked us clean last year. This year's secondary shouldn't present a problem for his skills. If they add a serious RB and continue to draft well, they will be right there. If Matt Pratrica is any good, he will have solid team.

That said, we are only a RT, 1-2 CBs and some speed away from being a Super Bowl contender.

Well, Cory actually put out an article that I don't think is completely off the wall and gave some factual reasons for his article title. That said it's way too early to examine this because the teams should look considerably different after the draft and team cuts/pick ups and TC (not to mention training camp injuries -throws salt over shoulder- for each team ). I'd revisit this closer to the season as it's too soon to really see where the team rosters will end up.

My reasoning for any div is, if your not getting better player wise and your comp is, something will change.
The vikes have this div in bag. The fight is over number 2 and wins to get to the plaoffs.
Lions improved some, bears a lot and us, not sure yet. We have a lot of holes to fill and not just plugging bodies in aka Ted t

PS the Vikes have one huge advantage over the div: they are so deep, they can just take the BPA whomever that is. Thus, a play maker over just a body. In the long run that does make a diff. Could be another pro bowler?

I like Cory's articles, but I think this might qualify as "Duh." Not to be Debbie Downer, but I think we are in a hell of a fight for 2nd @ this point. The Vikings have the superior roster right now, w/o factoring in Cousins, who may or may not make them better. And they've been drafting well. We are playing from behind at this point. On top of that, they just acquired Sheldon Richardson, who is on a one year deal and could make up his mind to be a nightmare next to Linval Joseph. Not to mention Chicago has made some bold moves and looks like a team that will be able to throw the ball down the field this year, at least on paper.

The Packers are not and should not be the current favorites to win the NFCN. But I like our chances. What has not been discussed much is the addition of a "new" OC. The Packers often looked predictable on offense for the last few years with other teams seemingly knowing our plays even before we ran them. This years playoffs and SuperBowl has shown that a great and unpredictable offense can win it all. It also has shown the value of an interior pass rush. Heck, we recently went to the playoffs with Gunter as our main CB. A couple of veteran additions there (Williams, House) can be just enough to keep Aaron in the game long enough to win in the 4th quarter. Thats all it takes. Besides, this years defense cannot be any worse than it has been in the past.
AND we have a buttload of draft picks higher in the picking order than we have had in quite some time.

As awful as our defense was last year. I'd hope it would mostly have to do with the scheme itself.

You have to play to the players strengths and weaknesses. I don't think Capers did that. He was stuck in his ways, up until he started toying with Burnett.

A fresh set of eyes/coaching will do wonders for this team. The Packers don't need to be a top 5 defense to win it all. A middle of the "Pack", average defense, will be suffice.

The tape dosen't lie, the vikqueens are overrated, with a healthy ARod they are also ran's in the North. Imo.

Bears and Lions, lol.......

Let's get through the off season before we declare who will or won't the division. Gute still has a lot of work to do. But he also has plenty of time to field a solid team. We will be better on offense with Rodgers back and better on defense with Pettine. We need a few vet FAs and we have 12 draft picks. We may not get there this season but if we can add some solid pieces this season we will have plenty of cap space to complete the team for 2019. Thanks, Since '61

Who cares who is the favorite? Play the games.

Blah blah blah nothing but vikings talk. Last year they showed that they are in no league of playing with playoff teams. They had an easy ass schedule in an NFCN down year and they still blew it. Now adding a notorious stat padding choker and theyre a top team? Give me a break. This year they have the toughest schedule in the league and the packers will be taking a HUGE step forward on both offense and defense. Their ceiling is 10 wins next year.

Is this the best we can hope for in CB's? I'm with the Jimmy Johnson mindset, you can't coach speed, you have to draft it and speed kills in the NFL