Chicago Bears running back Jordan Howard and Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker tied for NFC North rookie of the year honors, as voted on by the four reporters covering the division for ESPN.com.
Jeff Dickerson, Chicago Bears reporter: I think it’s fair to say that for a fifth-round pick, Howard exceeded all expectations. He began the year third on the depth chart, but still rushed for 1,313 yards and six touchdowns. Howard is a physical runner who got stronger as the season wore on. He not only broke Matt Forte’s franchise rookie rushing record, he had seven games of 100 rushing yards or more. Howard will spend an entire offseason in the Bears’ voluntary workout program, and his second season could be even better.
Michael Rothstein, Detroit Lions reporter: Left tackle is one of the hardest positions to transition to as a rookie in the NFL. It’s not a glamour spot, and typically the only time someone gains recognition there is when he is having a bad season. And yet after the first few games of the year, Decker’s name was barely mentioned -- and that was a very good thing. He continually improved throughout the year and protected Matthew Stafford’s blind side well. He adjusted to switches at left guard next to him with ease and looks like he could be a solution on Detroit’s offensive line for the foreseeable future. Linemen rarely get noticed, but he had a really good season for Detroit.
Rob Demovsky, Green Bay Packers reporter: When it came to rookie running backs, all the hype was around Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliott, and rightly so, but the Packers likened Howard to their own running back, Eddie Lacy, for his size and power. Packers linebacker Clay Matthews called Howard “a big, powerful back who can break tackles, and I think once he puts his foot in the dirt, turns downhill, it’s tough for the smaller guys or even the linebackers that are on the same level. I don’t think he got a lot of hype coming in this year, and he’s definitely backing up his play.”
Ben Goessling, Minnesota Vikings reporter: There's a case to be made here for the Bears' Leonard Floyd, but given how much the Lions had struggled to protect Matthew Stafford in recent years -- and how much they improved in that area this year -- I'm going with Decker. He did a fine job as the Lions' left tackle, despite being thrown into a division in which he had to face the Vikings' legion of pass-rushers and the Packers' frequent blitz packages. If Decker can hold down that spot for the next seven to 10 years, the Lions will have a much better framework for Stafford's success.