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Free Agent Fits For The NFC North
Find out the best free-agent fits for each NFC North team.
The NFC North has two potential Super Bowl teams in the playoffs this year; the Packers and the Lions. Being one of the more interesting divisions in the NFL (Aaron Rodgers’ amazing season, Lions’ ‘dirty’ defense, Adrian Peterson’s situation and Bridgewater surprising, Bears’ firing their coach and general manager), there is bound to be many interesting moves this offseason. Let’s take a look at some of the possibilities.
Chicago Bears
- Rahim Moore (S) – The Bears were bottom three in the NFL in all of the following major defensive passing categories: passing yards, yards per attempt, touchdowns, passer rating, and passing yards per game. Rahim Moore, currently on the Denver Broncos, is arguably a top-three safety in the league having intercepted four passes, forced two fumbles, and deflected five passes this past season.
- Derek Newton (OT) – Chicago is stuck with Jay Cutler, so putting him in a more comfortable situation in the pocket should be atop their offseason priorities list. The Bears offensive line allowed Cutler to get hit 82 times this season, fifteenth most in the NFL.
- Dan Williams (DT) – The Bears’ running defense, though not as bad as their passing defense, is still in the bottom half among all NFL teams. Dan Williams, at age 27, is a very good run-stuffing defensive tackle.
Minnesota Vikings
- Jeremy Maclin (WR) – Teddy Bridgewater had a very efficient rookie year, showing he could run and throw the ball even without decent running backs or wide receivers. Maclin, a year after tearing his ACL, had a tremendous season (1,318 yards and ten touchdowns) and will most likely get a hefty contract at only 26-years-old. Having a go-to target for Bridgewater like Maclin will positively affect his production.
- Corey Hilliard (OT) – The Vikings allowed 51 sacks this season – the fifth most in the NFL. To allow Teddy to fulfill his full potential, they need to upgrade their offensive line. They could get Hilliard, who broke some bones in his foot in late September, cheap.
- Brandon Graham (LB) – In his fifth NFL season out of The University of Michigan, Graham had 46 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, four forced fumbles (second in the league), and nine stuffs. He puts a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterbacks and will solidify the Vikings core.
Detroit Lions
- Dwan Edwards (DT) – With Ndamukong Suh most likely gone, the Lions will have a huge hole to fill. Dwan Edwards is a very consistent veteran, racking up 40 tackles, four sacks, and an interception in his eleventh season.
- Chris Culliver (CB) – Though already strong, the Lions passing defense can improve. Culliver would be deadly lining up opposite of Darius Slay. Slay had two interceptions and deflected 17 passes this season as the Lions top cornerback while Culliver had four interceptions and deflected 15 passes.
- Charles Clay (TE) – The Lions rotated between Eric Ebron, Joseph Fauria, and Brandon Pettigrew, though, no one stood out as a clear number-one tight end. Clay would fit perfectly, as he is a strong receiver and blocker. The only downside to his game is red zone production, where Joseph Fauria (6-foot-7) excels. It would be a perfect duo and further help Stafford improve his game.
Green Bay Packers
- Nick Fairley (DT) – The Packers were tenth-worst against the run this year. Fairley, a prominent run blocker, would greatly improve their run-stuffing. However, Fairley is injury-prone, missing a total of 18 games over his four-year career.
- Jermaine Gresham (TE) – Gresham has always been a strong receiving tight end, having caught at least 45 passes in each of his first five years in the NFL. The Packers have been lacking strong tight end production for the last couple years. At age 26, Gresham could be a long-term option.
- Kroy Biermann (LB) – The Packers don’t need much more on defense, but another solid linebacker would help. Biermann had 4.5 sacks and eight stuffs this past season for the Atlanta Falcons. In seven seasons, he has played less than 16 games in just one season.
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