The NFC North has been dominated by the Green Bay Packers over the last few decades, and despite flashes of brilliance from all the other teams in the division, it's mainly been led by the team with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers at Quarterback. Despite the clear gap between No. 1 and 2-4, there's plenty of talent within this division, and with some young teams, it's only going to get better over the next few seasons. People are definitely sleeping on teams like the Lions and Vikings, and if they can get off to a good start, some of the bigger names on these teams will start getting attention, and from there, you'll no doubt be seeing some Pro Bowl level play.
Ultimately, the Pro Bowl is just a nice accolade for a player to receive, as the game itself means basically nothing, but for teams like this, Pro Bowl talents will certainly help them into the future as they look to build and add young talent. So here are the names from each NFC North team that may find themselves with the honour of a Pro Bowl selection in 2022.
Green Bay Packers - Aaron Rodgers
The Green Bay Packers have been one of the NFL's most dominant regular season teams over the past 15 years, but unfortunately, even with one of the greatest Quarterback's of all-time, they've struggled to turn that into playoff success in all but one season. Despite this, that QB, Aaron Rodgers is still on the roster, and even with a glaring lack of weapons on the outside as we head into the 2022 season, he's still got the talent and the leadership to make the most out of the upcoming campaign.
The back-to-back MVP has to be considered a favourite to make the Pro Bowl, and after losing Davante Adams in the off-season to the Las Vegas Raiders, Rodgers has the ability to help their young guys step up and make it to the next level. It't not clear how long Rodgers will remain in the league or with the Packers, but in 2022, he'll be in Green Bay, and with an NFC North division that seems to be theirs for the taking, No. 12 should be dominant again in 2022.
Chicago Bears - Roquan Smith
The Chicago Bears are going to have a rough season, as young QB Justin Fields has one of the worst supporting casts in the NFL, but even if they're going to be a top-5 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, there's still some individuals on this team who may be able to shine this season. One of those is Roquan Smith, who recently requested a trade from the Bears, but after nothing materialized, he retuned to training camp and has told the team that he will play out the rest of his contract in Chicago.
Despite back-to-back Second Team All-Pro selections in 2020 and 2021, Smith has yet to be nominated for the Pro Bowl, and with the lack of elite level talent on this team, he's the obvious choice in 2022. The Bears may end up moving Smith throughout the year, but if he ends his fifth NFL season in the Windy City, it's safe to say that there's no one else on the squad at his level, meaning he should finally get his first Pro Bowl nod.
Minnesota Vikings - Justin Jefferson
The Minnesota Vikings are one of the most underrated teams in the NFL, with arguably the most overlooked player in the league in Kirk Cousins, but one name who hasn't been overlooked is Justin Jefferson, who's been an absolute star since arriving in the NFL. In just two NFL seasons, Jefferson has tallied up over 3,000 yards with 17 Touchdown's, resulting in two Pro Bowl appearances, and two Second Team All-Pro nominations.
With Adam Theilen and Dalvin Cook also on this offence, the Vikings could be a dark horse in the NFC, but one thing that won't surprise people is Jefferson's performance, as he could be one of, if not the best receivers in the league after this year. Jefferson missed out on the First Team All-Pro in 2021 by a single vote, and with another season under his belt, that's likely not going to happen again, as he has the ability, both physical and mental to be the best in the entire NFL.
Detroit Lions - Amon-Ra St. Brown
Contrary to popular belief, the Detroit Lions are going to be a very competitive team in 2022, and even though Jared Goff isn't the QB that's going to eventually help them return to the postseason and make a deep run, he's a very good player that's going to help this team grow. They've gotten some good young talents over the past few years, highlighted by Jameson Williams and Aidan Hutchinson, and one name that flies well under the radar is former USC wide receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Despite a slow start to his career, St. Brown has shown a great ability all over the field, ending his rookie season with 912 yards and 5 Touchdown's, and now that the team also added Williams, he's going to have less attention, and improve in every way in 2022. There are some incredible receivers in the NFC, but in due time, St. Brown is going to show that he belongs in that class, and 2022 is the perfect time to begin showing just how good he can be.
Photo Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Photo Credit: Samantha Madar/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK
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