The NFC North may be the best division in the NFL in 2026.
While the division is known for its high-octane offenses that are full of star power, there are plenty of terrific NFC North defensive backs tasked with stopping them. With wide receivers like Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Christian Watson, Rome Odunze, and others, the NFC North defensive backs will have to be at the top of their games in 2026.
Of course, to be a great defensive back, you have to do more than only cover wide receivers. Both cornerbacks and safeties must be active tacklers against the run, have a knack for creating turnovers, and occasionally get to the quarterback on a well-timed blitz.
Several NFC North defensive backs check all of those boxes, and we should all get to see some intense battles this season.
Let’s see which NFC North defensive backs are the best of the best.
The Best NFC North Defensive Backs For 2026
5. Byron Murphy Jr., CB, Minnesota Vikings
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Arizona Cardinals, Murphy’s career really took off when he joined the Vikings in 2023. In his three years in Minnesota, he has notched 11 interceptions and 34 PBUs, showcasing an impressive ability to make big plays.
PFF credited him with 61 solo tackles in 2025, ranking 14th out of 114 qualified cornerbacks. Murphy’s 1,045 snaps played were 6th among CBs, making him one of the most dependable NFC North defensive backs.
Murphy gives defensive coordinator Brian Flores a versatile DB who can play outside or line up in the slot to cover tight ends. He is extremely comfortable in Flores’ system, telling Brian Baldinger of NFL.com that it is the best defensive scheme he has ever played in.
The Vikings gave Murphy a three-year, $66 million contract extension before the 2025 season, making him one of the highest-paid CBs in the NFL. As long as he continues to be one of the top NFC North defensive backs, he will be worth every penny.
4. Kerby Joseph, Safety, Detroit Lions
Only a knee injury prevents Joseph from being higher on the list. Unfortunately, that knee injury is a serious one, costing Joseph 11 games in 2025 and may affect the rest of his career, or even worse, end it.
When he’s healthy, Joseph is one of the best safeties in the entire NFL. He has a whopping 20 interceptions, including a league-leading nine in 2024, and 35 pass break-ups in only 55 career games. He also has 265 total tackles, which included three straight seasons of over 80 before his fourth year was cut short with the knee injury.
Joseph is one of the most talented ballhawks in the NFL and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2024. Hopefully, his knee can fully recover in time for 2026. As long as Joseph is on the field, he is one of the best NFC North defensive backs.
3. Jaylon Johnson, CB, Chicago Bears
Jaylon Johnson is another terrific NFC North defensive back looking to rebound after an injury-marred 2025 season. Johnson missed 10 games with serious groin injuries before returning in November and was able to stay healthy for the rest of the season.
Johnson came into last season on the heels of two consecutive Pro-Bowl campaigns and was widely considered one of the top cornerbacks in the league. Still only 27 years old, he is already entering his seventh season with the Bears. With Chicago ascending to one of the best teams in the NFC and the defending NFC North champions, Johnson’s star around the NFL should be on the rise as the Bears continue getting more attention from the national media.
He has a knack for making plays on the ball, accruing 49 PBUs in his first five years and recording six interceptions across his two Pro Bowl seasons. Johnson is great in zone coverage, and his fluid hips and exceptional footwork allow him to mirror wide receivers on their routes.
Now that he is healthy again, Johnson should easily reclaim his spot as one of the top NFC North defensive backs for 2026. If he stays healthy, he could finish the season even higher on the list.
2. Brian Branch, Safety, Detroit Lions
Until an Achilles tear ended his 2025 season, Branch could have been called the best of the NFC North defensive backs. Even with the injury, ESPN still has him ranked as its fourth-best safety heading into the upcoming year. While we don’t know how much of the 2026 season he is going to miss, even potentially starting the year on the PUP list, Branch will return to being one of the best safeties in the league the minute he returns.
Branch announced himself to the rest of the NFL during his very first game, where his pick-six off of Patrick Mahomes helped propel the Lions to a season-opening victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. He never looked back, quickly becoming one of Detroit’s best players, even getting better after switching from nickel corner to safety before his second season.
The Lions boast the best safety tandem in the NFL when Branch and Joseph are healthy. However, neither is as healthy as the 2026 season approaches. Branch is also entering the final year of his rookie contract and could become the highest-paid safety in the league if he returns to being the player he was before the injury.
Only the Achilles injury prevents Branch from being number one on my list of best NFC North defensive backs. Until Branch returns, that honor goes to…
1. Xavier McKinney, Safety, Green Bay Packers
McKinney has been in the division for only two years, but has already proven to be one of its best players. After starting his career with the New York Giants, McKinney came to the Packers and was an instant star, notching eight INTs in his first season in Green Bay in 2024. His first year as a Packer ended with him being named a Pro Bowl starter and First-Team All-Pro.
He followed that up by making the Second-Team All-Pro squad last year, becoming the first Packers DB to make consecutive All-Pro teams since Hall of Famer Charles Woodson.
McKinney came in third in ESPN’s top 10 list, one spot ahead of Branch, after a season in which he earned an 81.2 overall defensive grade from PFF. His seven PBUs last season were the second-most among NFL safeties as well. He has had to make up for an otherwise lackluster Packers’ secondary. Cornerback Nate Hobbs was released only one year after being given a big four-year, $48 million contract in free agency. Former Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander was also released before the start of the 2025 season, leaving McKinney as the secondary’s lone star.
His big-play capabilities, coverage skills, and versatility make McKinney one of the most complete NFC North defensive backs.
For the 2026 season, he is the best.
There you have it. Leave your own top NFC North defensive backs in the comments below. If you’d like, you can also check out my rankings of the division’s best linebackers and best defensive linemen.
