The NFC North could be a bear in 2026, but Minnesota may have the cleanest path to the top for one simple reason: its defense looks like the one unit in the division that can be trusted.
That’s the case NFL writer Ben Solak made in a recent ESPN piece, where he went out on a limb and picked the Vikings to win the division. His logic centered on a part of the roster that often gets overshadowed by the quarterback conversation.
While Minnesota’s hopes are tied to the ceiling of Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy, Solak argued the defense could be the factor that actually decides the NFC North.
He pointed to issues elsewhere in the division. Green Bay will be without Micah Parsons for the first half of the season and is also adjusting to a new defensive coordinator.
Chicago’s defense, Solak wrote, lived off takeaways. Detroit, meanwhile, is dealing with major turnover in the secondary.
That leaves a division loaded with offenses but carrying real questions on defense.
Minnesota’s edge, Solak said, starts with Brian Flores, whom he described as the best defensive coordinator in the league. If Flores keeps the unit playing at a high level, the Vikings may not need much more than a functional offense to separate themselves from the pack.
That sounds ambitious, but the 2025 season offered at least some proof of concept. Even with all the quarterback problems, Minnesota still finished 9-8.
The defense did a lot of the heavy lifting. The Vikings allowed 282.6 yards per game, which ranked third in the NFL, and 19.6 points per game, good for seventh.
If Minnesota gets better quarterback play in 2026, a division title is on the table. If the quarterback play becomes truly strong, the Vikings should be in the Super Bowl conversation.
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