The NFC West is pretty easily the best division in football. Sorry AFC West, all of you look like frauds compared to these Big 3. At the top, Seattle vs LA should be even more fierce than it was last year and that season series was separated by only a single point. San Francisco does not look like a better team, but they will rack up wins. The Cardinals will not. Here’s a deeper look at what we can expect from the NFC West.
Note: Not all transactions are listed, just the most significant
Seattle Seahawks
- In: Jadarian Price (R)
- Out: Boye Mafe, Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen
- Prediction: Contender
As much as the Rams have hogged the offseason headlines, the team to beat still resides in Seattle. Why? Because the Seahawks are an incredibly young and well-built franchise. There are basically two ways for a team to gain a financial advantage over other teams, good drafting and not paying market value for QB. Well, the Seahawks utilize both. Sam Darnold hitting and becoming a competent QB1 at just $33.5m AAV is huge. Most other competing teams are paying $50m+. This has allowed Seattle to shell out extensions for their prominent draftees like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon, and Charles Cross.
For a team that lost a $20m per year EDGE, Super Bowl MVP, a former NFL INT leader, and one of the highest paid safeties, the Seahawks didn’t lose much. Other than Bryant, Seattle was ready to move on from all of these guys. Even a fan favorite like Walker will have his legs replaced by a rookie in Jadarian Price. As the young guys on the team are still moving toward their primes and Darnold gets even more familiar with the team, the Seahawks can possibly be considered even more talented than their Super Bowl winning team.
Los Angeles Rams
- In: Aaron Donald, Myles Garrett, Jaylen Watson, Trent McDuffie, Max Klare (R)
- Out: Jared Verse
- Prediction: Contender
The Rams won the off season this year. I don’t think that’s even debatable. Even just the trades for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie probably solidified that status, but then Aaron Donald unretired. Those are some imposing additions…on paper. I’m not going to try to “well, actually…” the moves, just offer a possible counterpoint to the critical orgasm going on in the media.
The Rams are not young. While there’s a good argument to be made that the Seahawks will be naturally better than last year, that can’t be said for Matthew Stafford (38), Aaron Donald (35), Davanta Adams (34), Myles Garrett (31), and Poona Ford (31). Other than Cooper Kupp (33), Leonard Williams (32), and Sam Darnold (29), everyone with Seattle is 28 and under. The Rams will try to use their depth to keep their D-Line fresh, but Seattle will still have younger legs come the end of the season.
In the end though, the Rams went toe to toe with the champs last year and lost. There’s a very good argument to be made that they were the 2nd best team in the NFL…and then they added 3 All-Pro talents. They are going to be very good.
San Francisco 49ers
- In: Osa Odighizuwa, Mike Evans, Dre Greenlaw, Deebo Samuel, Christian Kirk, De’Zhaun Stribling (R)
- Out: Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne
- Prediction: Playoff bubble
The offseason for the 49ers has been wild. One WR isn’t real, another is crazy (Aiyuk), the coach hit someone with his car, and the owner is soliciting prostitutes (with “criminal tools”) in Ohio trailer parks. Then there is the injury part of things where, electrical substation or not, the 49ers have been constantly suffering. They are also dealing with age concerns with Trent Williams leading the way at 38 and the top two WRs are 30 (Deebo Samuel) and 33 (Mike Evans). It has not been ideal.
The big problem though is that they simply did not get better from last year. While an optimistic 49er fan will point to all of last year’s injuries, that same 49er fan has the same issue year after year. Now they are older and not any better. Kyle Shanahan’s game planning and system are a great equalizer, but an overall improved NFC, early injury issues, and in division juggernauts may be too much for this team to overcome this time. They’ll be in the playoff hunt, but true contention is probably out of the question.
Arizona Cardinals
- In: Isaac Seumalo, Tyler Allgeier, Kendrick Bourne, Gardner Minshew, Jeremiyah Love (R), Carson Beck (R)
- Out: Kyler Murray, Jalen Thompson, Calais Campbell, Zay Jones
- Prediction: #1 Pick Territory
There is a very good chance that the Cardinals are the worst team in the NFL this season. Nothing has gone right for them for a long time. They have a few good building blocks in Love, Paris Johnson, and Trey McBride, but Jacoby Brissett is the QB and that isn’t ok. Carson Beck will likely take over after a few weeks, but that isn’t ok either.
The thing to watch this season is where some of their contracts will end up. Budda Baker has had chances to leave but refused. This could finally be the year at $30 years old and no more guaranteed money left on his deal. Josh Sweat looked like trade bait in the offseason but stuck around. Him moving by the deadline would not be a surprise. Then there is Marvin Harrison Jr. Him flopping in the NFL so far has to be one of the biggest draft surprises in years. It may be good for all parties involved to get him somewhere else if he gets off to a slow start.
They should be scoreboard watching the Jets and Dolphins from Week 1 for that #1 pick.
Photo: Gonzo fan2007, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
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