In recent years, roster management and top draft picks have quickly transformed the NFC North from quarterback purgatory to the gates of heaven.

Not many divisions boast the type of talent from top to bottom at the quarterback position that the NFC North does, but a lot of it is untapped. When NFL Media’s Nick Shook looked at every division’s quarterback situation and ranked them, the NFC North held back potential, but he acknowledged that they have potential.

“. . .expect the NFC North to climb to the top quickly.”

Shook talked about every situation in the division, but when it came to the Vikings, he had a hard time giving them much praise at the position because we haven’t seen much of the new starter, J.J. McCarthy. Shook wrote, “McCarthy, 22, hasn’t taken an in-game snap since Week 1 of the 2024 preseason, yet the second-year pro is climbing into the driver’s seat of a team that won 14 games last season, raising hopes for a repeat performance in 2025.”

McCarthy really will decide how much the NFC North goes up in the rankings as time goes on this year. This time next year, they could be in the top spot as Shook mentions, but it all rests on the shoulders of the former National Championship-winning quarterback.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: NFC North quarterbacks earn tough ranking ahead of 2025 season