Chicago Bears
MVP: David Montgomery
OPOY: David Montgomery
DPOY: Robert Quinn
ROY: Jaquan Brisker
MIP: Jaylon Johnson
The offense of the Chicago Bears is going to be a disaster this year. It is no secret that the front office has not done nearly enough to support Justin Fields’ development. The offensive line is abysmal, the receivers are lackluster outside Darnell Mooney, and the defense has gotten worse, losing Khalil Mack and potentially Roquan Smith in the near future. If the Bears are going to win any games this year, it will have to be behind a strong run game and solid defense. Roquan Smith would be my pick for MVP, but he has recently requested a trade and may not be on the team this year so David Montgomery gets the nod as we could see him carry this offense down the stretch. Robert Quinn had a fantastic year last year and another similar year could be very valuable to the defense, although I am not entirely convinced he will be able to replicate last year’s success. Jaquan Brisker is a very intriguing rookie who, combined with Jaylon Johnson taking the next step, could help solidify the secondary nicely.
Detroit Lions
MVP: D’Andre Swift
OPOY: Amon-Ra St. Brown
DPOY: Aiden Hutchinson
ROY: Aiden Hutchinson
MIP: Penei Sewell
Jared Goff is not the quarterback of the future for the Lions and 2022 should be the last season he is their quarterback. That is why D’Andre Swift is going to be the MVP of the Lions. He truly has the potential (if he can stay healthy) to propel himself to the status as one of the best backs in the league. Another promising weapon on offense is Amon-Ra St. Brown who flashed several times near the end of last season and could cement himself as at least a 1A/1B situation with Jameson Williams. Looking at the Lions’ defensive depth chart was not a fun activity; it still has a lot of work to do which brings us to the DPOY and ROY. Aiden Hutchinson was taken number two overall for a reason and has a real chance to make an immediate impact for that defense potentially putting up double-digit sacks in his rookie campaign. Another former top 5 pick in Penei Sewell is the pick for most improved as the Lions hope he can make a big leap from a lackluster rookie season.
Green Bay Packers
MVP: Aaron Rodgers
OPOY: A.J. Dillon
DPOY: Jaire Alexander
ROY: Devonte Wyatt
MIP: Erik Stokes
The back-to-back league MVP in Aaron Rodgers is going to be the MVP of the Packers until he retires, barring a 2010 Brett Favre-level drop-off in his play, so that is the easy pick. Davante Adams is gone and the depth left at wide receiver is questionable at best so it seems as though they are going to have to rely on one of their running backs. Aaron Jones may be the starter on paper as of now, but by the end of the year, do not be surprised if A.J. Dillion is the de facto RB1 and has the biggest impact on the Packers’ offense. There are three names that stick out on defense: Jaire Alexander, Rashad Gary, and De’Vondre Campbell. Alexander is the pick here as he is a top three corner in football when healthy, which is not true for Gary and Campbell at their respective positions. Alexander’s dominance will also help take some pressure off of Erik Stokes who is the pick for most improved at the opposite cornerback position. I am not a big fan of the Packers’ draft class personally, but Devonte Wyatt, the defensive tackle out of Georgia, has the potential to be a disruptor on the inside. Many people might pick one of the rookie wide receivers, but Rodgers has a history of not trusting rookie receivers in their first year so he will likely depend more on veterans like Allen Lazard and Sammy Watkins.
Minnesota Vikings
MVP: Kirk Cousins
OPOY: Justin Jefferson
DPOY: Danielle Hunter
ROY: Andrew Booth Jr.
MIP: Cameron Dantzler
Kevin O’Connell is coming in as a first-year head coach in large part because of his relationship with Kirk Cousins. The Minnesota Vikings are hoping that O’Connell can unlock another level within Cousins that has not been seen yet. Initial reports from training camp are indicating that Cousins is absolutely cooking and he could be in line for his best season yet. With the offense switching from run-first to a more pass-happy approach, it would also be safe to assume that the most valuable skill position player would shift from Dalvin Cook to Justin Jefferson who is looking to cement himself as the best receiver in the NFL. The defensive side of the ball has a very interesting mix of older veterans and young unproven guys. Danielle Hunter is a top five edge rusher when healthy, so if he is able to stay on the field, he seems to be the obvious choice for DPOY. The cornerback position is the hardest to predict with not many known commodities past Patrick Peterson on the depth chart. Andrew Booth Jr. has flashed in camp, as has third-year corner Cameron Dantzler, but both have been very inconsistent. If the Vikings’ defense is going to find success in 2022, Booth and Dantzler will likely have to play a large role. Another option for most improvement could be second-year left tackle Christian Darrisaw who has been very impressive in camp, but I’ll go with Dantzler here.
