3 NFC North players the Packers would love to steal from division rivals as roster needs come into focus
It’s an interesting discussion about top players on rival rosters, but also about what Green Bay currently needs.
The Green Bay Packers enter the 2026 offseason with a strong roster, but the NFC North is loaded with elite talent. The division features several players who could transform what Green Bay is building. This hypothetical exercise reveals as much about the Packers’ current roster needs as it does about the caliber of players across the NFC North, and that’s why this is so cool to think about.
So, let’s discuss one player from each division rival the Packers would love to add to their roster.
Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson
The most obvious choice in this exercise is Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, one of the most electric and reliable offensive weapons in the entire NFL. Jefferson has been extraordinary since the Vikings selected him in the first round back in 2020. The Packers had significant interest in Jefferson at draft time, but Minnesota made the pick, and Green Bay landed Jordan Love in the same class. Not a bad outcome after all.
The Packers have a solid and intriguing receiver group with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Matthew Golden at the top. But Jefferson operates at a completely different caliber than anyone on the current roster. His combination of route precision and big-play ability would be a perfect fit in Matt LaFleur’s offensive scheme alongside Love at quarterback.
Bears guard Joe Thuney
The Chicago Bears present a trickier discussion because the roster doesn’t feature as many elite players, and the ones who do have star potential don’t necessarily fit what Green Bay needs. Caleb Williams, for example, doesn’t make sense when the Packers already have a better quarterback in Love.
The pick here is left guard Joe Thuney, whom the Bears acquired via trade for a fourth-round pick before signing him to a two-year extension last offseason. Thuney earned All-Pro honors and the new Protector of the Year award in 2025 in his first year with Chicago, and his presence up front would be a massive upgrade over what the Packers currently have at guard with Aaron Banks on the left side.
The curious part of this discussion is that Green Bay could have made the same trade the Bears did. The cost wasn’t prohibitive. But the Packers don’t tend to trade picks for veterans unless the player is truly transformative, like Micah Parsons. The combination of draft capital and a new contract was likely too much for the front office. In hindsight, that would have been a better move. The Packers ended up signing Banks to a fairly expensive contract, and the production gap compared to Thuney is significant.
Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell
The Detroit Lions have several impactful players worth considering. Edge defender Aidan Hutchinson, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, and linebacker Jack Campbell all stand out. But tackle Penei Sewell is the player the Packers would want most from Detroit, and if the exercise expanded to the entire NFC North, he would be the top selection overall.
Sewell is one of the premier young tackles in football. He started his career on the right side and earned All-Pro honors in multiple seasons, excelling both in pass protection and especially as a run blocker. Now he’s moving to the left side for the Lions, and that transition makes this discussion particularly relevant for Green Bay.
The Packers already have an established right tackle in Zach Tom. Even though Sewell is a better player, if the two shared a roster, it would make sense to keep Tom on the right side and let Sewell take over at left tackle. That’s exactly what Detroit is doing this season, so it creates a useful case study for how Sewell would fit in Green Bay’s offensive line. The left tackle spot remains an open question for the Packers, even though the front office believes Jordan Morgan can develop into the long-term answer there.
What this reveals about Green Bay’s roster
The Packers have an intriguing roster with strong depth across multiple positions. But this exercise highlights some lingering question marks, particularly along the offensive line.
Moreover, the low number of blue-chip talent pieces is a concern. Green Bay has players at that level in Love, Parsons, and tight end Tucker Kraft. However, the NFC North remains full of stars, and understanding where the gaps exist helps frame how general manager Brian Gutekunst might approach the next wave of roster construction.