The Chicago Bears are clearly the standard the rest of the NFC North is chasing heading into the 2026 season. Defending their division title is going to be far from easy, with both the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions having a clear path to being potential challengers. With that said, if there is one clear comfort, it is the fact that the Minnesota Vikings season is two months away, and already the franchise can be counted out as a serious threat in the North.
Minnesota is coming off a frustrating season watching former quarterback Sam Darnold win a Super Bowl, while J.J. McCarthy was in the discussion as the league's worst starter. Still, the Vikings are refusing to punt on the young signal-caller, bringing in Kyler Murray and holding a true quarterback competition. One where McCarthy holds the hilarious honor of being the only starting QB in the 2025 season to get called for a taunting penalty.
NFL pundit Warren Sharp noted this, with it being a clear shot at McCarthy's youth and lack of leadership. Even if the young quarterback loses the competition, it remains likely he will get another chance in the lineup based on Murray's underwhelming resume and injury history.
No question, the Bears have zero reason to fear the Vikings and should be able to pencil in two wins in each of the team's divisional matchups. Having such a poor decision-maker at quarterback simply cannot be overcome.
Bears Can Already Write Vikings Off List of 2026 NFC North Threats
Chicago has the league's most talented starting quarterback, and it really isn't terribly close. Minnesota is a distant fourth with Jared Goff and Jordan Love both presenting threats that must be respected. No question, the Vikings have authored their own demise over the last two offseasons, and Chicago fans can't help but enjoy it.
While it would be better to see Green Bay in this position as Chicago's most hated rival, it is still an undeniable advantage to be able to count out one team in a division that, in recent history, has been arguably the league's best. It still remains incredibly deep, with three teams having realistic playoff expectations.
The Bears still need to approach the Vikings with their best attack due to the familiarity, but barring injuries or a complete coaching failure, Minnesota simply isn't a threat. This is evidenced by a series of quarterback decisions that doomed a once-productive rival offense.
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