NFC North Safety Rankings for 2026

It’s time for my final NFC North position rankings for the 2026 season, and we finish with the safety position. To review the previous position rankings, click the following links: QB, RB, WR, TE, OL, iDL, EDGE, LB, and CB.

NFC North Safety Rankings for 2026

There has been some change in the NFC North at safety since I did my rankings last year. Some big names have left, new signings have been made, and some intriguing rookies have joined the division.

1. Green Bay Packers

Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Kitan Oladapo

Since switching the Big Apple for Wisconsin, Xavier McKinney has been very good. He earned first-team All-Pro honors in his first season in Green Bay and followed that up with second-team All-Pro last season. The switch from the Giants to the Packers has been a great success for both the player and the team and is the main reason Green Bay tops this list.

However, McKinney isn’t a one-man show and receives particularly good support from Evan Williams and Javon Bullard, while Kitan Oladapo rounds out the depth chart. Top-end talent and good depth is a recipe for first place in the rankings.

2. Detroit Lions

Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph, Christian Izien, Chuck Clark

Brian Branch has been an excellent addition to the Detroit Lions defense since he was drafted in the second round of the 2023 draft. His hard-hitting tackling sets the tone in Detroit, where his run defense is elite and his coverage is pretty good, too.

Branch and fellow safety Kerby Joseph have started training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, which is something to monitor as Branch recovers from an Achilles injury and Joseph a knee injury that occurred last season. It leaves veteran Chuck Clark and Christian Izien holding down the fort in Detroit for now. The return to health for Branch will be vital for the whole of the Lions defense.

3. Chicago Bears

Dillon Thieneman, Coby Bryant, Elijah Hicks, Cam Lewis

The Bears turned to safety with their first-round pick this year, so the success of Dillon Thieneman is going to be crucial. They need him to come on and be an immediate starter who can lead the unit with the backup coming in the form of Coby Bryant, Elijah Hicks, and Cam Lewis.

If the Thieneman pick doesn’t work, the Bears could have a problem. Although Bryant gives them a solid veteran presence, Hicks played very little on defense last season, and Lewis was a depth player in Buffalo before joining Chicago. There’s a lot of pressure on Thieneman to deliver early in his career.

4. Minnesota Vikings

Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, Jakobe Thomas

Often a position of strength during the long career of Harrison Smith, the Vikings come into the 2026 season with safety possibly the biggest area of concern on the roster.

Josh Metellus is a good player, but his best football has come playing a hybrid role in Brian Flores’ defense. Now he is the team’s standout safety and needs to perform as such. Theo Jackson gives the Vikings a solid veteran who has performed well as a depth player the last couple of seasons. Then there is Jay Ward, a fourth-round pick from 2023 who has done a good job as a depth player but might be required more this season.

Finally, the Vikings drafted Jakobe Thomas in the third round this year, and he could be the joker in the pack in Minnesota. There has already been talk of him being ready to start immediately.

Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.