Rosters are set in the NFC North, and the core of the four franchises are set in stone. Adjustments will be made as the season proceeds due to injury and inefficiency, but the Vikings, Bears, Lions and Packers fully understand what their strengths and weaknesses are when the season kicks off next week.

Coaches Kevin O’Connell, Matt Eberflus, Dan Campbell and Matt LaFleur and their respective staffs will attempt to come up with game plans that lead to winning performances on a consistent basis, but it really comes down to the talent and ability of the players. In this piece we look at the greatest strength and weakness of all four teams.

Strength: The Vikings have an impressive group of wide receivers, and that is the strongest position group within the division. Start off with Justin Jefferson, who is regarded as the top Fantasy Football player in the league and has a stated goal of exceeding the 2,000-yard mark in receiving yards.

Rookie Jordan Addison is a talented, speedy and gifted receiver who will complement Jefferson and K.J. Osborn has the hands and toughness to make key plays on third downs. As long as Kirk Cousins keeps pressing his foot down on the gas pedal, the Vikings will be able to dictate the pace most weeks – at least from an offensive perspective.

Weakness: Can the Vikings cover opposing wide receivers? Do their cornerbacks have enough ability to cover the game-changing wide receivers they will see? Former Cardinal Byron Murphy appears to be the real deal and has the resume to do just that, but Akayleb Evans and rookie Mekhi Blackmon are completely unproven. The addition of Brian Flores is viewed as a positive, but there may be a steep learning curve in the first month of the season.

Strength: When Justin Fields is forced out of the pocket and he has to tuck the ball and run, good things happen for the Chicago Bears. While a quarterback who has to run is not the usual formula for a successful team, Fields will not be caught once he turns the corner and gets into the open field. He rushed for 1,143 yards and averaged 7.1 yards per carry, and that remains his strength. If he develops a sharp working relationship with wideout D.J. Moore, the Bears passing offense will rise above the No. 32 ranking it had last year.

Weakness: What kind of pass rush will the Bears generate in 2023? They had a league-low 20 sacks a year ago, and they only reason to believe there will be some improvement is the late-summer addition of Yannick Ngakoue. He had 9.5 sacks with the Colts last year, but his adjustment period should be significant.

Strength: The Lions are being touted as the best team in the NFC North by many observers, and that’s clearly a difficult concept to accept based on their long history of failure. They haven’t won the division since 1993, but head coach Dan Campbell has an offensive line that gives this team a legitimate chance to reach those expectations. Center Frank Ragnow and right tackle Penei Sewell are among the best players at their positions in the NFL and left tackle Taylor Decker is solid. If the Lions are going to reach expectations, this until will lead the way.

Weakness: The numbers told a lot of the story last year as the Lions had the 32^nd-ranked defense in the NFL, and the pass defense ranked 30^th. The Lions have made multiple moves to improve at cornerback, including the signing of C.J. Gardner-Johnson. However, the Lions need safeties Kerby Joseph and Tracy Walker to become decisive playmakers. They are not at that level yet.

Strength: The Packers may be going into the season with untested players at the quarterback position and with their special teams, but they are far superior on defense than the other teams in the division. Green Bay ranked 17^th in yards allowed and were an impressive 6^th in pass coverage. The linebacker crew led by Rashan Gary and Quay Walker will give Green Bay defensive coordinator Joe Barry a chance to shut opponents down.

Weakness: The obvious answer is that the Packers are rolling the dice by handing the ball to Jordan Love at quarterback, but there is a breath of fresh air around the team now that their diva Aaron Rodgers has moved on to the Jets. But another problem may be with their special teams. The Packers have parted company with PK Mason Crosby and P Pat O’Donnell, and they are turning the jobs over to untested PK Anders Carlson and P Daniel Whelan. Neither Carlson nor Whelan has played in an NFL game, and this could be nightmarish for the Packers.