Will there be anyone in the division more valuable than Aaron Rodgers in 2018? Our division reporters give their picks for NFC North MVP:
Courtney Cronin, Vikings reporter: Aaron Rodgers, Packers QB. Coming off his last collarbone break in 2013, Rodgers earned his second MVP honor the following season after leading the Packers to the NFC Championship Game. Will history repeat itself in 2018? With Green Bay bringing in a dominant red zone target in tight end Jimmy Graham and re-signing Davante Adams for the next four seasons, Rodgers has the pieces in place to make several runs toward a second Super Bowl ring in the coming years. The NFC North is stacked with quarterback talent, but Rodgers remains in a class of his own with the highest career passer rating in NFL history (103.8).
Rob Demovsky, Packers reporter: Rodgers. Forget division MVP. Don't be surprised if Rodgers wins the NFL MVP for a third time. Rodgers is coming off the broken collarbone that ruined his -- and the Packers' -- 2017 season. But the last time Rodgers broke his collarbone, he came back the next season (2014) to win the NFL MVP for the second time and led the Packers to the NFC Championship Game. Rodgers has looked especially sharp in offseason practices and says he's not going to change the way he plays just to try to avoid injuries. That's a good thing -- as long as he stays healthy.
Jeff Dickerson, Bears reporter: Rodgers. I've learned over the years that you never bet against LeBron James in the NBA's Eastern Conference, and you never bet against Rodgers in the NFC North. When Rodgers is healthy, there is no one else close to him in the division. I assume Rodgers will be extra motived for this season after he missed nine games last year due to injury. Rodgers is a future Hall of Famer. He's the king of the NFC North until proven otherwise. I'll take the safe choice here.
Michael Rothstein, Lions reporter: Everson Griffen, Vikings DE. The 6-foot-3, 273-pound 30-year-old is one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. In a division full of potent offenses, it would be a defensive player who could make the true difference. Griffen has posted double-digit sacks in three of the past four seasons and has been a big part of the reason Minnesota has one of the NFL's top defensive units. He's good against the run and the pass, is fast and causes havoc routinely for opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks. While an offensive player would be the popular pick here, Griffen is the type of player who could post big enough numbers at a premier position that he should be in the conversation for the award if the Vikings win the NFC North.