Editor’s note: We’ve got some time to kill entering Bears training camp, leaving plenty of time to ponder and discuss. Our summer Tuesdays will be spent looking at the NFC North overall with some divisional power rankings. They’re going to be tough considering that this division is loaded with talented and successful teams. Three franchises made the playoffs, for goodness sakes. We’ve talked head coaches, quarterbacks and pass catchers. Now we look at the last offensive category: the running game. Let’s rank ‘em. Agree or disagree, send a Bair Mail submission with your take this list of the rushing attacks in the division.

Like almost every other position grouping, the NFC North can run the ball well. That’s true of the running backs, obviously, and the offensive lines they’re working with.

There’s no arguing where the Detroit Lions stand with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, but the division also features Aaron Jones, Josh Jacobs and D’Andre Swift. The offensive lines are no joke, either, especially after the Bears invested heavily in their interior offensive line.

Detroit Lions

Feature players: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, RB David Montgomery, RT Penei Sewell, LT Taylor Decker

There’s little arguing with this one, considering how “Sonic and Knuckles” ran in tandem over the last season. The Lions averaged 4.7 yards per carry with their version of thunder and lightning, working behind a vaunted offensive line that has undergone some changes in 2025. That will impact the Lions. So will coordinator Ben Johnson’s departure for Chicago as head coach.

Gibbs proved worthy of being a true feature back while Montgomery was out with injury, with 5.6 yards per carry and 16 touchdowns all season. They clearly work better together and will pace an explosive Lions attack.

Green Bay Packers

Feature players: RB Josh Jacobs, LG Aaron Banks, C Elgton Jenkins

The Packers spent big on Josh Jacobs last offseason, a bold move considering the risk of running backs slowing way down during their second contract. Jacobs bucked that trend in a big way.

Jacobs was awesome last season while leading an attack that averaged 4.7 yards per carry in 2024, with an average of 3.49 yards per carry after contact. Adding Banks to the front could help a great deal as the Packers transition to a truly balanced attack. There’s no reason to think Jacobs will slow down this season, or that the Packers will abandon the run. In fact, they could lean into it more than ever.

Chicago Bears

Feature players: RB D’Andre Swift, LG Joe Thuney, C Drew Dalman

The Bears averaged just 4.1 yards per carry last season, so it seems wild to put them above anyone in this division. Adding Johnson’s scheme is a coup. So will the acquisitions of Thuney, Dalman and right guard Jonah Jackson up front.

Those guys give Swift the best chance to succeed. Recall that Swift’s best season came with the Philadelphia Eagles, who employed an excellent line in 2023. There’s reason for optimism that the Bears can crank things up on the group, even without adding a veteran in free agency.

Swift is supremely motivated for better in 2025, and it’s possible that Kyle Monangai and Roschon Johnson could be solid secondary contributors. If that happens, the Bears could be pretty good.

Minnesota Vikings

Feature players: RB Aaron Jones, RG Will Fries, LT Christian Darrisaw

Jones is on the wrong side of 30 but has been good for a long time. His 4.5 yards per carry average was good, but still the lowest of his career, so could all the carries could be catching up with him. The Vikings spent big on the offensive line this offseason, just as the Bears did, which should help Minnesota’s rushing attack. While the Vikings are in last place, it’s a virtual tie with Chicago that could gain separation as the season moves along. Running well is key in the cold-weather division with two outdoor stadiums, and will play a major factor in how the season shakes out.