The NFC North’s quarterback picture still doesn’t look anything like settled heading into Week 5. If anything, the more data this division gives us, the stranger it gets.
Kyler Murray is still searching for rhythm in Minnesota, Jordan Love finally showed real progress in Green Bay, the Bears keep rolling out a different answer under center, and Jared Goff remains the steadiest name in the group even while Detroit’s defense keeps dragging the whole operation into the mud.
Start with the Vikings, because the disconnect there is impossible to ignore. As Adam Levitan put it on October 5, 2026:
"Vikings are 32nd in Yards Per Play. Kyler Murray is 30th among 30 qualifiers in QBR. They haven't scored a TD in two of their games.
Vikings are 4-0."
That’s the whole story in miniature. Minnesota keeps winning because the defense is carrying the load, and Murray has the cushion to survive some rough stretches. He’s getting a wide margin for error, and he hasn’t exactly turned that into a convincing case for a long-term commitment.
That matters because Murray is clearly auditioning for another payday, whether that ends up being in Minnesota or somewhere else. Since the Vikings traded JJ McCarthy, their 2027 plans are still open-ended, and Murray isn’t locking anything down with the way he’s played so far. There are cheaper and more appealing paths they could take in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Still, it’s early, and context matters. Murray didn’t have Justin Jefferson last week, and the Vikings head to New Orleans in Week 5. Jefferson could have a little extra juice in that road game against the Saints, especially with the homecoming angle.
Chicago, meanwhile, got a major boost from the way Tyson Bagent handled the workload in Week 4. The Bears were last week’s No. 1 quarterback group because of what Caleb Williams and Case Keenum had already shown in Ben Johnson’s offense, but Bagent had his own strong showing against the Jets.
He benefitted from penalties that erased potential interceptions by the other team, and the run game did a ton of the heavy lifting, but Bagent also played with real aggression. He attacked tight windows, stayed on schedule, and helped Chicago control the game in time of possession in a way that was almost hard to believe. The Bears were on third down, the offense was hard to stop, and Bagent did enough to keep the whole thing moving.
The bigger question is what that looks like against Green Bay in Week 5. One thing is clear, though: if Bagent threw 34 passes in Week 4, Ben Johnson clearly trusts whoever is back there.
Jordan Love took a meaningful step forward against the Bucs. Pressure has been a problem for him all season, but that was the easiest he’s looked against it so far. He completed 73.2 percent of his throws, which was a season high, and he added a pair of touchdowns while looking much cleaner and more efficient than he had in the previous three games.
It still wasn’t perfect. Love threw a rough interception in the fourth quarter on a ball he’ll want back, and those are the kinds of mistakes that sting when a team has a chance to put things away on the road. Even against a backup quarterback making his NFL debut, the Packers never fully put the game away.
The bigger issue is that Love’s supporting cast has left a lot to be desired. Whether it’s protection or drops, his teammates have made things harder than they need to be.
But Love’s ceiling is still the reason he’s such a big part of this conversation. When he gets rolling, he can play at an MVP level, and Green Bay needs that now more than ever with Chicago coming up next.
Jared Goff lands at No. 1 this week, though “by default” is the key phrase here. This isn’t about disrespecting him. It’s about what he’s established: a dependable baseline that rarely changes.
Goff is going to throw accurately. He’s going to rack up yards.
He’s usually going to keep the ball out of danger and avoid the kind of sacks that wreck drives. That’s the player he was again in the Lions’ Week 4 loss to Carolina, even as Detroit’s defense turned in another ugly performance.
And that’s the strange part. This is a quarterback ranking, not a team ranking, but Detroit’s defensive issues keep making Goff’s steadiness stand out even more. He had his worst completion rate of the season at 61.5 percent, and the offense went just 4-of-12 on third down, so this wasn’t one of Detroit’s cleaner days.
Even so, Goff remains the most predictable quarterback in the division in the best possible way. The Lions head to Arizona in Week 5, and maybe that gives the defense a chance to get right. If that happens, we might finally see Goff with a little more support around him.
In Other News...
Packers Fans May Need To Reassess MarShawn Lloyd Fast
MarShawn Lloyd has gotten a real look in Green Bay this season, and for stretches he has flashed the kind of versatility that made him an intriguing part of the backfield plan. He has appeared in multiple games, helped as a pass-catcher with nine receptions and a touchdown, and even earned more playing time as injuries and ball-security issues opened the door around him.
The challenge for Lloyd is what has happened when the ball has been in his hands as a runner. His 2.7 yards per carry is the lowest among the Packers running backs, and two recent fumbles have only sharpened the scrutiny. For a team trying to sort out its backfield hierarchy, that leaves Lloyd in a spot where the upside is still visible, but the margin for error feels awfully thin. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Still Searching For Depth At One Spot Fans Are Watching
The Packers kept working the edges of the roster this week with a set of tryouts that underscored how much the front office is still scanning for help. Green Bay looked at linebackers Deion Jones and Chris Paul, along with cornerbacks Cobee Bryant and Dwight McGlothern, in another reminder that the post-cutdown period is as much about staying ready as it is about finding a surprise fit.
With a full 53-man roster and practice squad already in place, any move would require Green Bay to clear space somewhere else, which is why these workouts matter even if nothing follows immediately. The team has been active with visits and tryouts since the deadline passed, and the pattern suggests the Packers are keeping a close eye on a few areas while leaving the door open for a roster shuffle if the right player becomes available. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have One Big Linebacker Decision To Make
Edgerrin Coopers season-ending Achilles injury left the Packers with an immediate opening in the middle of their defense, and it comes at a time when Green Bay has to decide whether to trust what it already has or look outside the building for help. The internal route would keep the answer simple, but the injury also exposes how much the defense was relying on Coopers presence in that spot.
One name worth watching is Matt Milano, a free agent with prior ties to the Packers coaching staff and the kind of background that fits the role Green Bay suddenly needs filled. His recent production has dipped some, but he still brings experience as both a pass rusher and a run defender, which is why he could surface as a real option if the Packers decide they need a more proven solution. [Read more 🡒]