The Chicago Bears made the first truly splashy move ahead of this year's trade deadline adding Jeffrey Simmons in exchange for two future first-round picks. However, this isn't where the big moves ended in the NFC North as the Minnesota Vikings reunited with Kirk Cousins. After what was an ugly game from Carson Wentz, and a season of frustration from Kyler Murray, the Vikings made a desperation move in an attempt to save the season with hopes of holding onto the NFC North.
While this has caught the attention of fans and pundits there has been a bit of an overreaction when it comes to the return of Cousins. This is the same quarterback who led the Vikings to the playoffs only to lose to Daniel Jones and make the horrible mistake of throwing the ball short of the sticks on fourth-down to end the game. The quarterback is years older and has spent the last three years struggling with the Atlanta Falcons and having an up-and-down tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders.
It is understandable that Cousins has caught the attention of the league, but it doesn't change the fact the Bears remain the most complete team in the division. Chicago fans believe they have the best quarterback and head coach, and there is no arguing they have been the most consistent when healthy.
As great as Cousins was for stretches of his career the aging quarterback isn't enough to tilt the division out of Chicago's favor. If anything, it is the Green Bay Packers who remain the biggest threat and the most clear concern when it comes to the final months of the 2026 season.
Bears Have Very Little to Fear Despite Minnesota's Splashy Addition of Kirk Cousins
Cousins has dealt with injuries consistently over the last four years, and shown a tendency to turn the ball over. This is evidenced by his final start in a Raiders uniform where the quarterback threw a trio of interceptions allowing the San Francisco 49ers to stay in complete control despite the Raiders being handed chances to change this.
The Bears still have every reason to feel they have an advantage over the Vikings, even after the addition of Cousins. There simply isn't going to be a quick enough install for the veteran even if Minnesota gets the best version of the aging veteran at this stage of his career. Chicago is a young team heading upwards while the Vikings appear to only be capable of winning based on the defense of Brian Flores.
It wouldn't be at all surprising to see the Vikings fall apart down the stretch of the season and Cousins not be the answer they were hoping for. No matter how it plays out, there is no real debating when you compare rosters that the Bears should be considered the North favorites even after the splashy move.
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