Ranking the most important non-QBs in every NFC North team feat. Minnesota Vikings' Justin JeffersonÂ
Last season, the Detroit Lions won their first NFC North title since 1993. The Lions had one of their best seasons in recent years, going 12-5 and becoming NFC North champs while advancing to the NFC Championship game.
The Packers saw the emergence of Jordan Love, who shone in his first season as a starting quarterback, throwing for 32 touchdown passes and over 4,000 yards. The Packers finished second in the NFC North with a 9-8 record.
The Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears both had losing records. Minnesota lost Kirk Cousins to a torn Achilles which basically derailed their playoff hopes. Chicago went 7-10, while ending up with the first overall pick in this year's draft after a trade with the Carolina Panthers the season before.
With the Bears and Vikings heading into the season with rookie quarterbacks, they're hoping they can compete at the top of the NFC North with the Lions and Packers.
Here are the most important non-QBs on each NFC North team heading into the 2024 season:
Most important players in the NFC North that are non-QBs
#4 Minnesota Vikings - Justin Jefferson, wide receiver
There may not be a better wide receiver in football than Justin Jefferson. He signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension that includes $110 million guaranteed with the Vikings that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
Jefferson has the highest career average for yards per game (98.3) and his numbers through the first four seasons of his career are insane. He has 392 catches for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns. Even while missing seven games this season with a few injuries early on, he was able to surpass 1,000 receiving yards.
Heading into this season, he will need to continue being an elite wide recevier for rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
#3 Detroit Lions - Amon-Ra St. Brown, wide receiver
Amon-Ra St. Brown signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension with the Detroit Lions this off-season.
St. Brown was an integral part of the team's success in reaching the playoffs this past season. St. Brown posted career highs in receptions (115), receiving yards (1,515), and touchdowns (10.) He earned his second Pro Bowl and was named to his first First-Team All-Pro selection for his efforts in 2023.
St. Brown has become one of the most dynamic and explosive wide receviers and the Lions showed how important he is to their offense with the contract they awarded him this off-season.
#2 Green Bay Packers - Josh Jacobs, running back
The Green Bay Packers made a surprise cut this off-season when they released running back Aaron Jones. The team released him after he refused to take a paycut. Jones amassed 8,000 total scrimmage yards and 63 touchdowns for the Packers the last seven seasons.
The Packers then signed free agent running back Josh Jacobs to a four-year $45 million deal, $12.5 million of which is guaranteed. Jacobs was the league's leading rusher in 2022, with 1,653 yards, but rushed for just 805 yards while averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry the next season. He also missed four games.
Jordan Love and the young wide receivers need an effective run game in order to help with their development and to make the offense an overall better unit.
#1 Chicago Bears - Montez Sweat, edge rusher
As the Chicago Bears have been in rebuild mode the last few seasons, they made big move at the trade deadline last season by trading for Washington Commanders' edge rusher, Montez Sweat.
While the Bears lacked a premiere edge rusher, they sent Washington, a team that was fielding offers for their defensive linemen, a second round pick. Four days later, the Bears showed how important Sweat is to their defense by signing him to a four-year contract extension worth $98 million, including $72 million guaranteed.
Sweat had a career year in 2023, recording a career-high 12.5 sacks and 57 tackles while playing half of the season with the Bears. Head coach Matt Eberflus called it the "Tez effect," highlighting how his influence makes others around him generate more sacks, pressures and turnovers.