NFC North is the ultimate QB Case Study
This 2024 season, front-office eyes will be on the best division in football. Which quarterback path is best to take? All four teams took four different approaches.
The 2023 season began and concluded with the same demoralizing thud. For the Chicago Bears, these weren’t mere L’s on the board. These were sad reminders of the chasm between the state of their franchise and the Green Bay Packers. Right when it appeared they’d catch their nemesis to the north, right when Aaron Rodgers — the old man screaming “I own you!” — was finally gone, here was Jordan Love doing exactly what Rodgers did before him since ‘08. And what Brett Favre did before Rodgers since 1992.
Three decades running, the Packers have enjoyed superior quarterback play.
Bouncing on his back leg before lacing a tight-window touchdown to Dontayvion Wicks on third and 1, gunning a third-and-3 slant to Wicks for another TD, throwing for more yards and more touchdowns than anyone in the Bears’ century-plus history, all while their own latest dart throw — Justin Fields — officially whiffed served as painful nightmare fuel for generations of tormented fans.
But, no. Ryan Poles does not bear the burden of quarterback flops past. When he took over as general manager in 2022, Poles’ clearly knew the gravity of his words.
Reading from a prepared statement, he made a promise:
“We’re going to take the North,” he said, “and never give it back.”
The only way to do that, he realized, was to take a big swing at quarterback, to select USC’s Caleb Williams No. 1 overall. This is a pick that could theoretically bring such bravado to life. We examined this signature moment in time for the Bears with a two-part series last week. Zoom out on the NFC North as a whole — the best division in the NFL — and you’ll see four sharply different quarterback paths taken.
How all four gameplans play out in 2024 should be inspected by all teams on the quarterback hunt.
Everyone interviewing for a GM position must sell a fresh quarterback plan to their owner. Nailing this position is everything. With respect to the “culture” Ted Talks, it’s easily No. 1 on the priority list.
How each of these four situations play out could drastically shape future plans, too.