How each division rival made life easier on the Vikings this offseason

A few weeks removed from the 2024 NFL Draft, and Minnesota Vikings fans are still riding the buzz.

Coming home with both J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner did wonders for Vikings fans, as this team was able to address two glaring needs, and in the first round.

The NFC North should be more competitive than ever, this season, with Minnesota's rivals getting even better via free agency and the draft. But, what if Chicago, Green Bay and Detroit didn't do everything they could have? Let's talk about some of the misses from each rival, this offseason.

How each NFC North rival made life easier on the Minnesota Vikings in the 2024 offseason

The Packers didn't do enough to add cornerback depth

If you ask a Packer fan about one of the positions they're worried about at this point in the offseason, an honest one would tell you, without hesitation, cornerback. Jaire Alexander is one of the best. But, opposite Alexander, the Packers are banking on a former first-round pick in Eric Stokes, who hasn't been able to stay healthy early on in his career.

Behind Stokes is Carrington Valentine, a seventh-round selection from last year's draft. Neither one of them are close to a sure thing, and with the passing weapons featured in this division, Green Bay could have done far more in the secondary to build their depth.

Detroit might end up leaning too heavily on a guy approaching "bust" status

For the past two and a half seasons, Josh Reynolds has been a reliable WR2 for the Lions. His chemistry with Jared Goff has come into play on several occasions. Reynolds is one of the more underrated wideouts in the game, and now the Lions are going to move into trusting Jameson Williams to take on a heavier role with Reynolds having signed in Denver this offseason.

Williams has missed a good chunk of time over his first two seasons, whether it be due to recovering from injury or having been suspended from violating the league's policy on gambling. Williams didn't catch on as quickly as he should have after entering the league, either, and to be frank, he hasn't done anything yet.

Year 3 is going to be a big year for him, and if Williams doesn't take a step forward, the Lions are going to really miss Reynolds.

The Bears forgot about their pass rush

Chicago added Montez Sweat at the trade deadline last year, which addressed the league's biggest roster hole. However, the Bears still needed more in addition to Sweat. All they did this offseason was draft Austin Booker in the fifth round.

Bears fans wanted much more to be done up front, but the organization didn't address the position as well as was hoped. The past two seasons, the Bears have finished toward the bottom of the league in sacks, and with Minnesota having a rookie quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, that bodes well.

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