This season, the Minnesota Vikings will face 14 opponents. Arguably, the most important games are the intra-division matchups among the four teams that comprise the NFC North. In what is always one of the league’s most competitive divisions, I will be writing a series of articles looking at how the Vikings stack up against their division rivals at each position. We start with some NFC North QB rankings.
The Vikings’ New QB Reality Starts at the Bottom of the Division
I did these rankings last year for each position, coaches, and the overall team. You can look at my NFC North QB rankings for 2025 here. In truth, not much has changed across the division other than the Vikings bringing in Kyler Murray to “compete” with J.J. McCarthy. The other three teams bring back the same three starting quarterbacks as last season.
1. Jared Goff | Detroit Lions
He ranked number one last year, and Goff keeps the spot again despite there being young talent in the division trying to chase him down. It wasn’t a successful season for the Lions as a team, as they went from back-to-back division titles to the bottom of the pile. However, the veteran of the division cleared 4500 passing yards and 30 touchdowns for the third season in a row.
Goff’s completion percentage was down 4% to 68%, but so were his interceptions thrown, from 12 to 8. He was sacked more times last season than in any other season of his career, as the Lions’ offensive line wasn’t as dominant as it had been in previous years. That is an issue for Detroit to solve, but at 32, Goff should have plenty of tread left on the tires for a few more good seasons and remains the division’s best QB for now.
2. Jordan Love | Green Bay Packers
Love landed in a good spot when Green Bay drafted him. He was able to sit and learn behind a Hall of Fame quarterback for two years before eventually taking over the reins. In three years as a starter, Love has helped lead the Packers to the playoffs three times; however, there has only been one playoff win – against the Dallas Cowboys back in 2023.
Love is a good QB, but I have my doubts about whether he can be the guy who pushes the Packers any further than they have been. His career stats average out over a 17-game season at just shy of 3500 passing yards and 25 touchdowns — good but not great, which goes some way to explaining why the Packers put big money into signing Josh Jacobs two years ago.
Big money signings at the running back position have become unusual in the NFL. That said, right now, Love is the second-best QB in the division.
3. Caleb Williams | Chicago Bears
There was excitement to see what new Bears head coach Ben Johnson could do with Williams. The man who has masterminded the Lions offense on its rise from regular whipping boys to division winners had a former first overall pick in his second season to work with. The pairing took the team from worst to first as Chicago won the division for the first time since 2018.
Williams’ completion percentage actually dropped from 62.5% to 58.1%, but his passing yards were up by 400 yards as Johnson brought his explosive offense to the Windy City. Most importantly, Williams’ sacks taken dropped from 68 in 2024 to 24 in 2025.
Helped by an improved Chicago offensive line, Johnson’s play-calling, and the game slowing down for Williams as he gains more experience, there is every chance he continues to get better as a passer while maintaining his creativity and remaining a constant threat as a rusher.
4. Kyler Murray | Minnesota Vikings
I fully expect Murray to be the Vikings’ starting QB this season. Kevin O’Connell has shown he can get the best out of quarterbacks, and Murray has already proven he can play at a high level. He is a two-time Pro Bowler, but they came back in 2020/21.
After a foot injury in Week 5’s game against the Tennessee Titans put Murray on the shelf for a while, it turned out to be his last game for Arizona. A Cardinals team that was lagging behind the other three teams in the NFC West decided it was time to step away from an expensive QB contract and start again.
Murray will be hoping for a Sam Darnold-esque resurgence in Minnesota, which starts by remaining healthy. Injuries have been an issue — with 2024 as the only time he has played every game since 2020. Murray brings with him a dynamism and threat as a rusher that the Vikings haven’t had in a while from a permanent starter.
O’Connell’s ability to tap into that side of Murray’s game and give his QB the freedom to go off-script will be key to his success in Minnesota.
Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.