Bullet point summary by AI
- Each NFC North team has a player emerging as a potential breakout star during OTAs, signaling a competitive division race for the 2026 playoffs.
- The Bears, Packers, and Vikings are all counting on young talents to fill critical roles left open by departures and injuries this offseason.
- Detroit’s returning defensive end and Green Bay’s rookie cornerback are already drawing attention with their performance in training camp reps.
The NFL offseason is quickly ramping up into the NFL preseason, as OTAs are now in full swing. Rookies and veterans alike are getting up to speed and displaying their abilities, attempting to prove to coaches why they belong on the 53-man roster.
Nowhere are these training camp preparations more scrutinized than in the NFC North, where each team finished with a record above .500 in 2025 — and each could make a case to have playoff hopes again in 2026. However, this offseason has seen a significant number of playmakers throughout the division depart for new homes and front offices attempt to replace them, whether through the draft, free agency, trades or internal development.
Let’s take a look at one player from each NFC North squad who has positioned themselves to be breakout candidates during the 2026 season.
WR Zavion Thomas, Chicago Bears
The third-round product out of LSU reportedly has the Bears coaching staff already reconsidering the depth chart order during camp. Thomas, who recorded a humble 488 yards and four touchdowns for the Tigers in 2025, displayed blistering speed — making good on his 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the Combine — while working with starting QB Caleb Williams. Head coach Ben Johnson sounded eager to “harness all of this energy” for the regular season.
Chicago is going to need a dark-horse pass catcher like Thomas, especially after it shipped previous WR1 DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills. Rome Odunze will still receive the bulk of Williams’ targets, but Thomas is going to seriously threaten to unseat Kalif Raymond as WR3 and make 2025 second-round pick Luther Burden sweat for his No. 2 role. If you’re preparing for a fantasy football draft later this summer, keep Thomas in your queue as a late-round steal for your bench.
CB Brandon Cisse, Green Bay Packers
The first pick of Green Bay’s 2026 draft is reportedly getting a healthy dose of first-team reps during practices, which doesn’t just happen for rookies that often. Those have to be earned, and local press indicates Cisse is doing the necessary work off the field to get those opportunities on it. The Packers’ desperation to shore up the cornerback position could arguably factor into that early chance, but head coach Matt LaFleur doesn’t typically operate that way.
The South Carolina product clearly is poised to secure the No. 2 position on the depth chart, and if he continues to get first-team reps through the summer, he’s going to start at least a handful of games. Cisse was rated as shutdown corner in college, defending five passes and forcing two turnovers last season for the Gamecocks. He’s a promising, youthful addition to a Packers’ defense that needs elite playmakers to keep up with the rest of this surging division.
EDGE Dallas Turner, Minnesota Vikings
While not a rookie, Turner is looking to finally emerge as Minnesota’s next star pass rusher. The departure of Jonathan Greenard gives him the best opportunity he’s ever going to get to step into the spotlight in year three under defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Turner recorded eight sacks and forced four fumbles last year in what could easily be labeled a breakout season for any player. That being said, Turner was drafted with the assessment that he has a much higher ceiling.
Minnesota’s coaching staff is reportedly giving the Alabama product full first-team reps in practices, which indicates he’s now going to lead the charge against opposing passers. Fellow veterans have noticed significant growth in his game which, with the leadership role that comes with that recognition, is going to make him the guy to watch throughout training camp and the early weeks of the regular season.
EDGE Payton Turner, Detroit Lions
After missing the 2025 season due to injury, Turner is clearly hungry to re-establish himself as a top defensive playmaker. He recorded a total of five sacks in four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, but when you insert him into head coach Dan Campbell’s system, there’s a lot of potential to be unlocked.
At six-foot-six, Turner’s length makes him a unique asset in the Detroit pass rush. Lined up alongside Aidan Hutchinson, he’s going to frustrate opposing offensive lines and open up opportunities for other defenders to reach the quarterback. Do not be surprised if Turner has a resurgent year as he returns to full health and is developed under Campbell and Co.
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