One overlooked player from every NFC North team that every fan should know before becoming bigger stories at training camp

Training camp is days away from kicking off for the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings. To get fans prepared, the four NFC North writers listed one overlooked player more fans need to pay attention to during camp.

Training camp is exactly one week away for the four teams in the NFC North, which will be the unofficial start of the 2026-27 NFL season for the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings.

This upcoming season is expected to be a long and competitive one for this division to see which team will come out on top and the foundation for that long season starts at training camp.

Training camp is also an opportunity for overlooked players on the roster to stand out and make a name for themselves. Ahead of camp, the four NFC North writers at A to Z Sports came together and broke down one overlooked player on the roster that fans might not be familiar with after the offseason program. Here’s the four players we came up with.

One overlooked player to watch out for at training camp from each team in the NFC North

Chicago Bears: DT Jayden Loving

Earlier this week, I broke down four players that could be training camp darlings for the Bears with four names fans will recognize. If we really wanted to go with an overlooked name that no one is talking about, a fifth option I would throw out there is undrafted rookie defensive tackle Jayden Loving.

The Bears invested a lot on the interior of the defensive front compared to off the edge this offseason, yet the room still looks bleak, even with the two starters. Jordan van den Berg has a real shot to stand out and so does Loving. Loving was a highly athletic prospect entering the league and if he can pick up the playbook, there’s no reason why he couldn’t push for a final roster spot against veterans Kentavius Street and/or James Lynch.

– via Kole Noble, A to Z Sports Chicago

Detroit Lions: WR Jackson Meeks

Right now, the Lions are pretty well figured out. We know who is doing what at just about every position, but the guy I think is going to get a ton of attention this offseason is Jackson Meeks. He came into the league last year as a receiver, and the Lions had to use him as a tight end out of necessity. Now they’re full-on moving him there.

He’s gone from 210 pounds to 235 pounds and looks to be a tight end/wide receiver hybrid that the Lions might look to use a lot in their quest to add 12- and 13- personnel to their offense. He can make defenses second-guess what they might do with him on the field, and he can easily make a play go from 12 personnel to 11 personnel just by going in motion. The big thing the Lions have to figure out this summer is whether or not he can block.

– via Mike Payton, A to Z Sports Detroit

Green Bay Packers: IOL Jager Burton

The fifth-round rookie was drafted to be a long-term option at center. However, head coach Matt LaFleur tested him at both guard spots throughout the offseason program and said he would compete for playing time right away. Burton had reps at right guard during OTAs when Anthony Belton was tested at right tackle, and then the rookie moved to left guard in mandatory minicamp with Aaron Banks sidelined.

If Burton can have a strong first NFL training camp, the competition would be extremely important for the Packers. Last year, the offensive line performance was underwhelming. The guard play in particular was rough, and that affected the entire structure of LaFleur’s offensive philosophy. It’s hard to put as much pressure on a Day 3 rookie, but Burton’s first impressions couldn’t have been much more promising.

– via Wendell Ferreira, A to Z Sports Green Bay

Minnesota Vikings: DT Elijah Williams

The defensive line is going to see a lot of focus on the two rookies, Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, along with the best defensive tackle in the division, Jalen Redmond. However, Elijah Williams deserves a lot of attention. He only played 42 snaps as a rookie after the Vikings signed him as an undrafted free agent out of rookie minicamp, but he flashed in those reps.

One of the more impressive things about his play as a rookie is how well he handled himself physically at the point of attack. He came into the Vikings as a 6-3, 273 pound tweener out of Morgan State, and still found a way to not get washed out by offensive lineman in man-on-man and zone blocks. With an entire offseason to get stronger and put on weight, Williams looks to be around 310 pounds, and he’s set to thrive this season with a more NFL-ready body. Don’t be surprised if he gets the starting job Week 1 over Banks as he works through his foot injury development.

– via Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Minnesota

This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: One overlooked player from every NFC North team that every fan should know before becoming bigger stories at training camp

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