NFL Free Agency: The Most Impactful Signing for Every NFC North Team
The first wave of NFL free agency is in the books, and every NFC North team made moves. None were franchise-altering splashes, but several additions could still shape the division race in 2026.
Video Transcript
What is up Lions Nation?
Shout out to Michigan despite losing the Big Ten tourney, but we got March Madness on the way.
Just had to mention that because that is one of the most exciting times of the season.
Also, another exciting time, NFL free agency.
First week is officially in the books.
It's gonna go on until like July, I believe July twenty-something is the deadline.
So Lions, NFC North, everyone else can still make signings, it's just the pool is much more thin.
So let's talk about who the biggest signings were for each NFC North team- teams, because all in all, I don't think the Lions, Vikings, Bears or Packers went crazy.
You know, we had the Lions who I think it's clear-cut that Kaden Mays, our new center, is the biggest signing.
He was the biggest contract, at least three years, twenty-five million, fourteen guaranteed.
So for the Lions we, you know, filled our center position that was very, very questionable last year and overall, we finally seem to have put a legit patch on the Frank Ragnow retirement.
Next up, you have the Chicago Bears, where the Bears didn't really do a whole lot either.
They went out and signed, Kobe Bryant.
Shout out Kobe Bryant, the real Kobe Bryant from the Lakers.
but they signed Kobe Bryant from the Seattle Seahawks to a three-year, forty million dollar deal.
Pretty much their only big signing.
They only signed one other guy to over four point five million dollars per year, per season.
So they didn't do much except for that, and that is because they lost both safeties, Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard left their team, joined I believe the Patriots and somewhere else.
Anyways, Kobe Bryant was the Bears' biggest signing.
the Packers' biggest signing was really Javon Hargrave.
It's interesting because the Packers didn't do a whole lot either, despite losing a whole lot.
I think the Packers are one of the biggest teams that got hurt in free agency so far.
they lost numerous starters.
They lost an elite backup quarterback, and overall, they only went out and got a solid defensive lineman that was cut from the Vikings.
So obviously if he's not good enough for the Vikings, what will he be for the Packers?
Granted, this does have to tie in with a lot of contract talk, how much money they were making, that's why the Vikings cut him, et cetera, et cetera.
So the Packers, didn't really do anything that scared me.
The most intriguing, I'm not gonna say the best because I don't believe it was the best.
I think it's just the most intriguing move in the NFC North was none other than Kyler Murray joining the Vikings.
And as you guys know, the nine experiment burned, it failed.
It did not work.
JJ McCarthy was not it.
I do wish him a good career and, you know, hopefully he can bounce back.
As a Michigan fan, I'm rooting for him still, just not when he's on the Vikings or playing the Lions or has an impact on the Lions' season.
But regardless, Kyler Murray has been in the league for seven years.
He's been banged up quite a bit, but the Cardinals just finally had enough and cut ties with him.
He's a former number one overall pick.
He has a hundred and sixty touchdowns through the air, thirty-two, through the ground rushing, mobile quarterback.
It'll be interesting to see what Kevin O'Connell can do with him, considering Kevin O'Connell helped turn around Sam Darnold, and he got the most out of Kirk Cousins when he joined the Vikings from, the Washington Redskins at the time.
So I think it was an interesting but quiet free agency for the NFC North.
No one really wowed me, but I do believe the biggest winner was, I'm biased, the Detroit Lions.
They fulfilled their biggest p- offensive positional need, while the Vikings did get the most intriguing prospect with a quarterback in Kyler Murray.
