10 players from the NFC North who have the most to prove in 2025

The NFC North has emerged as one of the NFL’s strongest divisions. In 2024, the Lions, Packers and Vikings all clinched playoff spots, combining for a 40–11 record.

While another competitive year is ahead, several players face pressure to elevate their game. Here are 10 NFC North players who have the most to prove heading into the 2025 season.

Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams | Quarterback

Williams enters Year 2 with high expectations after an up-and-down rookie season. While he set a franchise rookie passing record, he also took 68 sacks and struggled with consistency. With a new offensive-minded head coach in Ben Johnson, he must prove he’s the true answer for the future of the franchise.

Montez Sweat | Defensive end

After signing a major contract extension, Sweat entered the 2024 season with high expectations on the defensive line, but his performance fell short. He finished with just 5.5 sacks and 32 total tackles over 16 games — both career lows for a full season and his least productive campaign since 2021, when he appeared in only 10 games.

Detroit Lions

Jared Goff | Quarterback

Goff has delivered one of the most successful three-year stretches in Lions history, going 36–15 since 2022. Despite the regular-season dominance, he’s just 2–2 in the playoffs and still searching for a Super Bowl appearance. With former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson now leading the division-rival Bears, Goff faces the test of proving he can maintain Detroit’s high-level offense under new play-caller John Morton.

Jameson Williams | Wide receiver

With two injury-plagued seasons in 2023 and 2024 — appearing in just 27 games — Williams enters a critical season, holding the Lions’ clear-cut No. 2 receiver spot alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown. In 2024, Williams played in 15 games and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his NFL career, but his catch rate stood at just 63.7 percent, trailing St. Brown (81.6 percent) by a notable 17.9 percent. Signing a three-year, $83 million extension on Saturday, expectations are high for Williams to deliver his first healthy season.

Green Bay Packers

Keisean Nixon | Cornerback/Kick returner

After earning All-Pro honors as a return specialist in 2022 and 2023, Nixon is still looking to establish himself as a consistent playmaker in the Packers secondary. With the departure of Jaire Alexander, Nixon is listed as Green Bay's No. 1 cornerback. A more well-rounded impact in the secondary on top of his return production will be critical for Green Bay's success against the pass.

Nate Hobbs | Cornerback

Signed in the offseason, Hobbs joins the Packers defense listed as the No. 2 cornerback. While he showed potential in Las Vegas, injuries have kept him from taking the next step up — he played in just 35 games over the last three seasons. Hobbs has a chance to thrive in a new system, but he’ll need to prove he can stay healthy.

Lukas Van Ness | Defensive end

A 2023 first-round pick, Van Ness showed flashes in his sophomore season but has yet to truly break out as a dominant edge presence. With Rashan Gary and newly acquired Micah Parsons ahead of him, Van Ness has the benefit of learning from the veterans, but he needs to translate his physical tools into consistent production on the field.

Minnesota Vikings

J.J. McCarthy | Quarterback

McCarthy enters 2025 as the Vikings starting quarterback, stepping in after Sam Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season due to a knee injury but now takes over the starting role on a Vikings team that went 14-3 in 2024 — the second-most wins in franchise history. Surrounded by elite talent like Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones, he must prove he’s more than a game manager, but a true first-round-level quarterback.

Dallas Turner | Linebacker

Coming off his rookie season in which he was selected 17th overall, Turner enters his second year with the Vikings. He recorded three sacks and 20 tackles in limited snaps as a rookie, showing his potential, but not yet consistent play. With Danielle Hunter gone, Turner must prove he can be a reliable edge presence week in and week out. 

Byron Murphy | Cornerback

Murphy is coming off a breakout 2024 season that earned him his first Pro Bowl selection, where he collected six interceptions. Now viewed as the Vikings’ top cornerback, he faces the task of proving last year wasn’t a fluke.