With the first wave of free agency in the rear-view mirror, it's time for a new set of NFL power rankings.

Eric Edholm of NFL.com released his updated rankings Monday, and three NFC North teams remained in the top 10 from his postseason rankings. The Vikings actually stayed pat in a solid position at No. 7.

You can't say the Vikings have been passive, that's for sure. The defensive line was an issue, so they added defensive [linemen] Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. The O-line wasn't how they wanted it, so they dropped two starters and added Will Fries and Ryan Kelly. They also kept Byron Murphy, Jr., and Aaron Jones, [Sr.] — paying up to do so — and made a savvy trade with the 49ers for RB Jordan Mason. And, of course, there was the Big One: letting Sam Darnold walk. I wondered how the Vikings would approach the offseason after going 14-3, and as it turns out, they're being very aggressive. But for now, the aggression has stopped at quarterback, where most signs point to 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy taking over as the starter. Sure, there's risk in that approach, but it's always felt like their North Star, even with the Aaron Rodgers option available to them. This is a delicate situation, but so far, the Vikings haven't done anything to upset it, which is commendable.

Edholm ranked the Lions ahead of the Vikings but falling a spot from where he had them prior to the New League Year. Detroit came in at No. 5 overall, still receiving plenty of praise from Edholm.

Everyone knows how injury-depleted the defense was late last year, so it's no shock that the Lions first few volleys this offseason have been aimed at adding and shoring up depth on that side of the ball. I expect that to be the main focus over the next few months, with a young pass rusher likely the next order of business in the draft. After that, they might want to add depth at receiver and on the offensive line. The reality is that the Lions have the core of their team in place; very few starting jobs are up for grabs. They'll be considered among the top contenders for the Super Bowl, and rightfully so. Losing both coordinators is a scary reality, considering how good Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn were while helping the team get to this point in the first place. Just look at the Eagles as a prime example of how coordinator turnover can impact a team. Philly had to replace both coordinators in 2023 and started 10-1 before finishing the season with a thud. Then the Eagles replaced both again in 2024 and won it all.

Then, coming in just behind Minnesota at No. 8, are the Packers.

Edholm noted Green Bay typically doesn't make many splash moves during free agency, but making big additions in Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney last year may have had people wondering what to expect in 2025.

Though Nate Hobbs and Aaron Banks may not be headline-making signings, Edholm wrote, "they could end up being fairly important when we look back later."

Cornerback still seems like a spot where the Packers could add, and they have the flexibility to do so. And it continues to feel likely they'll move on from Jaire Alexander at some point. But the thing about this team under [General Manager] Brian Gutekunst is that it has found ways to get the roster in good shape more often than not by training camp. I suspect these Packers will do the same by the time we get to July.

The Bears may have come in last in the division on Edholm's list, but No. 16 was a six-spot jump from where he previously ranked them.

He called Chicago "offseason king for three years running."

Their additions have mostly been of the blue-collar variety, filling out the ranks on both lines of scrimmage. Did they maybe overspend on some? I think so. But what choice did the Bears have? Even coming off a 5-12 season that included 10 straight losses, their time to win is now, with Caleb Williams still playing on his affordable rookie deal. There's a reasonable line of thinking that goes something like this: Ben Johnson will make Williams better, which in turn will make an overburdened defense better, which logically should make the entire operation better. I tend to buy into that idea, even if we really have no idea how good Johnson is as a head coach. If he's as successful as he was as a coordinator, this thing might actually work.

Click here to read Edholm's full rankings.

Rand: Could Jordan Mason be best Vikings offseason addition?

The Vikings have added a number of talented players to their roster since the New League Year opened — several of them via free agency and one via trade.

While all have generated intrigue for some reason or another, and some may have larger résumés than others, Michael Rand of the Star Tribune opined that acquiring Jordan Mason may be Minnesota’s best offseason move.

The Vikings essentially swapped 2025 fifth-round picks with the 49ers and sent a 2026 sixth-round pick their way in exchange for Mason. Rand wrote:

[The Vikings] bolstered their interior offensive and defensive lines with two key pickups on each side of the ball. They've worked quickly to address a secondary that could have become a concern. And they've generally done it without sacrificing long-term flexibility.

A year after massive success in free agency fueled their surprising 14-win season, they could be primed for a repeat in 2025.

But the move that might end up being the best one and which is the leader as my favorite so far came at a relatively quiet time.

Rand believes re-signing Aaron Jones, Jr., was a smart move by the Vikings after a "very good" season in 2024, but he noted the team still seemed "vulnerable" at running back and will benefit from adding another dynamic player.

Mason will turn 26 before the season starts, and he has just 253 career carries as mostly a backup in San Francisco. But he has averaged 5.3 yards per carry in his career, with many of those yards coming after contact. And last year in his first seven games (six starts), while serving as the 49ers lead back, he ran for 667 yards.

At 223 pounds, he's more physical than Jones. Both of them running behind a revamped offensive line in 2025 should give the Vikings their best running game of [Head Coach] Kevin O'Connell's tenure.