Around the NFC North: 2022 NFL Draft Edition

Around the NFC North has generally become a part of my regular in-season column “Hello Wisconsin,” but with the NFL draft having just occurred, there’s a whole lot to talk about regarding how the Packers’ “competition” in the division made out with their picks.

So without further ado, here’s a quick look at the drafts that the Bears, Lions and Vikings all had this past weekend.

Chicago Bears

• Round 2, Pick 39: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
• Round 2, Pick 48: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State
• Round 3, Pick 71, Velus Jones, WR, Tennessee
• Round 5, Pick 168, Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah
• Round 5, Pick 174, Dominique Robinson, EDGE, Miami (OH)
• Round 6, Pick 186, Zachary Thomas, OL, San DIego State
• Round 6, Pick 203: Trestan Ebner, RB, Baylor
• Round 6, Pick 207: Doug Kramer, iOL, Illinois
• Round 7, Pick 226: Ja’Tyre Carter, OL, Southern
• Round 7, Pick 254: Elijah Hicks, S, California
• Round 7, Pick 255: Trenton Gill, P, North Carolina State

The Bears were without a first round pick in the draft, and the Packers had already taken three players by the time Chicago was on the clock. It seems like, at the very least, an interesting coincidence (if not a direct correlation) that the Bears immediately took two defensive backs after the Packers took Christian Watson.

Experts have given draft grades that were mixed to positive for the Bears. Chicago definitely needed to upgrade its secondar. But coming into the draft, there was a very good argument that the team had the worst offense in the league on paper, and that the Bears have done little to nothing to set Justin Fields up for success. This draft doesn’t really change that. 

From an outside perspective as a fan of an opposing team, there’s not a whole lot about this draft that gives me any cause for concern that the Bears are suddenly going to pose a threat. The Bears’ future depends on the development of Fields, and in both free agency and the draft the Bears seem to have been mostly content with the status quo on offense. That has to be concerning if you’re a Chicago fan.

Detroit Lions

• Round 1, Pick 2: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
• Round 1, Pick 12: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
• Round 2, Pick 46: Josh Paschal, EDGE, Kentucky
• Round 3, Pick 97: Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois
• Round 5, Pick 177: James Mitchell, TE, Virginia Tech
• Round 6, Pick 188: Malcolm Rodriguez, LB, Oklahoma State
• Round 6, Pick 217: James Houston, EDGE, Jackson State
• Round 7, Pick 237: Chase Lucas, CB, Arizona State

The first two days of the draft are really what captured the headlines for hte Lions. When the Jaguars unthinkably took Travon Walker wtih the first overall pick, it left the Lions with a no-brainer to take the local phenom Hutchinson with their first pick. Hutchinson has a chance to be a franchise-altering player if his college skill and production translates to the NFL.

After taking Hutchinson, the Lions aggressively traded up to number 12 to take Jameson Williams, a speedy wide receiver. Williams will be a major addition to a Lions passing offense that needed some extra help. Between Williams and Amon Ra St. Brown, the Lions are setting themselves up nicely with young pass catchers. 

It was a surprise when the Lions decided to go back to another EDGE with Paschal, who is a versatile player with a lot of talent. The Lions continued filling needs throughout the rest of the draft.

The Lions had so many holes on their roster that it would have been very difficult for them to take players that weren’t at positions of need. But they probably had the second-best draft in the division behind the Packers, and took some important steps toward building a competitive roster. They still have a lot of holes and are unlikely to be a real danger in 2022, but this is the first step that needed to happen for this team to build itself up.

Minnesota Vikings

• Round 1, Pick 32: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
• Round 2, Pick 42: Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson
• Round 2, Pick 59: Ed Ingram, G, LSU
• Round 3, Pick 66: Brian Asamoah, LB, Oklahoma
• Round 4, Pick 118: Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri
• Round 5, Pick 165: Esezi Otomewo, DE, Minnesota
• Round 5, Pick 165: Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina
• Round 6, Pick 184: Vederian Lowe, OT, Illinois
• Round 6, Pick 191: Jalen Nailor, WR, Michigan State
• Round 7, Pick 227: Nick Muse, TE, South Carolina

The real story of this draft is going to be the fact that the Vikings traded with the Packers and allowed them to take Watson. The Vikings got a couple extra second round picks, and immediately used one of them to take a cornerback, much like the Bears did. Several years from now, who is going to be the team that regrets this deal, if either? Will the Packers regret giving the Vikings additional ammo, or will the Vikings regret giving the Packers Watson?

Beyond that, the Vikings had a decent draft. They went heavy on the defense, which is exactly what one would have expected out of the team this year. The VIkings’ defense was simply too inconsistent to allow this team to content. Will the pieces they brought in be the answer? There were certainly plenty of Packer analysts who were hoping the team might take Cine in the late first round or with one of their second round picks. 

But again, the Vikings and Packers are going to be inextricably linked by the trade they made in this draft. Who will come out with bragging rights? It’ll be quite a while before we know.