We have come to the last division to look into. The NFC West has yielded some very competitive teams over the past decade, and I would expect nothing less.

NFC West Preview

San Francisco 49ers

The Real MVP of SF
  • Coaching Staff: HC Kyle Shanahan has been on the doorstep for years now. Two trips to the SB, two other trips to the NFC Title game in the last 5 years. OC Chris Foerster returns to help Shanahan (who actually calls the plays) with the Offense. On D, DC Nick Sorenson gets elevated with the firing of Steve Wilks. The DC has been a revolving door for 4 seasons, but usually with Head Coaching opportunities. So, Sorenson will be charged with getting this team back to a more elite level than last year’s playoffs where the 49ers gave up a lot of point early.
  • Key Departures: CB Isaiah Oliver (to NYJ), DE Arik Armstead (to JAC), DE Chase Young (to NO), QB Sam Darnold (to MIN), S Tashaun Gipson (to JAC), DT Javon Kinlaw (to NYJ), DE Clelin Ferrell (to WAS), LB Randy Gregory (to TB) – not a departure yet, but WR Brandon Aiyuk has been on the trade block all summer and PIT was interested. Now, he is trying to leverage the trade and contract offer to stay with SF.
  • Key Additions: In the Draft, WR Ricky Pearsall (1st Rd, Florida), CB Renardo Green (2nd Rd, FSU), OG Dominick Puni (3rd Rd, Kansas) and WR Jacob Cowing (4th Rd, Arizona). Free Agents: DE Leonard Floyd (from BUF), DE Yetur Gross-Matos (from CAR), DT Maliek Collins (via trade from HOU), LB De’Vondre Campbell (from GB), CB Isaac Yiadom (from NO), QB Joshua Dobbs (from TEN) and CB Rock Ya-Sin (from BAL)
  • Team Outlook: The team has had the best roster in the NFL over the last 4 to 5 seasons, so some would say that they have underperformed. Unfortunately, elite QB play has escaped this team, and despite QB Brock Purdy’s surprising success given his draft position, can he actually lead this team to the SB Title? That is the really the first and last question for this team. Looking at the transactions, they signed a lot of one year free agents, so this is the year they need to win. I’m not sure they can do it, but once they pay Purdy, then this team will change fundamentally. They will win the division, but still unclear on the SB.
  • Prediction: 13-4 – Win the NFC West

Los Angeles Rams

Life without Donald Will Test McVay
  • Coaching Staff: HC Sean McVay returns off what I think to be his best season as a coach. 2022 was a huge disappointment coming off of the SB win, and he seemed unmotivated, but in 2023 with a healthy QB Matthew Stafford, they played really well. His Offense will be his, but OC Mike LaFleur is back to assist. The D will be different even if DC Chris Shula employs the same system as his former boss and predecessor, Raheem Morris (who is HC in ATL). Look at the biggest departure as to why they will be different.
  • Key Departures: DT Aaron Donald (retired), S Jordan Fuller (to CAR), QB Carson Wentz (to KC), RB Royce Freeman (to DAL), and DE Jonah Williams (to MIN).
  • Key Additions: In the Draft, the Rams picked: LB Jared Verse (1st Rd, FSU), DE Braden Fiske (2nd Rd, FSU), S Kamren Kinchens (3rd Rd, Miami), LB Brennan Jackson (5th Rd, Washington State), RB Blake Corum (3rd Rd, Michigan), , DT Tyler Davis (6th Rd, Clemson), WR Jordan Whittington (6th Rd, Texas) and C Beaux Limmer (6th Rd, Arkansas). Free Agents added: TE Colby Parkinson (from ), CB Darious Williams (from ), OG Jonah Jackson (from DET), QB Jimmy Garoppolo (from LVR), S Kamren Curl (from ), CB Tre’Davious White (from BUF)
  • Team Outlook: The Aaron Donald retirement will affect this team. He was a one man wrecking crew in the middle of this defense for a decade. They picked up a couple of young guys in the Draft, but the D will not be the same. Still, the Rams O was lights out last year, and they return mostly the same unit. They should be competitive in every single game. Maybe they surprise the 49ers for the division, but I think they are still a cut below.
  • Prediction: 11-6 – NFC Wild Card

Seattle Seahawks

It’s A New Era in SEA
  • Coaching Staff: The Pete Carroll era is over in SEA. So, the team turned to rookie HC Mike Macdonald (former BAL DC) to take over. The Offense will be called by OC Ryan Grubb who stays local, as he called the O for the Washington Huskies – they ran a pro style attack spreading the ball to the edges of the field the last couple of years. On D, DC Arden Durde was on the DAL staff the last couple of years under Dan Campbell. I would think that Macdonald would want his D installed, which is aggressive, but not overly dependent on the blitz. I’m curious to see the end scheme here.
  • Key Departures: S Quandre Diggs (to TEN), TE Will Dissley (to LAC), S Jamal Adams (to TEN), LB Devin Bush (to CLE), LB Jordyn Brooks (to MIA), LB Bobby Wagner (to WAS) and QB Drew Lock (to NYG).
  • Key Additions: Through the Draft, they added: DE Byron Murphy (1st Rd, ), OG Christian Haynes (3rd Rd, ), LB Tyrice Knight (4th Rd, ) and CB Nehemiah Pritchett (5th Rd, ). In Free Agency, SEA was active: QB Sam Howell (via trade with WAS), CB Rayshawn Jenkins (from JAC), OG Laken Tomlinson (from NYJ), OT George Fant (from HOU), DT Johnathan Hankins (from DAL), WR Laviska Shenault (from CAR) and S K’Von Wallace (from TEN).
  • Team Outlook: SEA is not a total rebuild, as the Offense is pretty exciting with the WR corps of DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jackson Smith-Njigba, but is Geno Smith going to continue to be good. Will Sam Howell sneak in there? They will score points, but the D was not great in 2023, that will need to be where they improve to get back in the playoffs. I have them falling short yet again.
  • Prediction: 8-9 – Miss the playoffs

Arizona Cardinals

Can Harrison Make an Immediate Impact?
  • Coaching Staff: HC Jonathan Gannon returns in Year 2, and it was a rough rookie campaign. With QB Kyler Murray healthy, AZ will be more competitive. OC Drew Petzing returns to call the Offense. On D, DC Nick Rallis is also back running Gannon’s D. So, nothing really changes here.
  • Key Departures: DT Leki Fotu (to NYJ), CB Antonio Hamilton (to ATL), WR Marquise Brown (to KC) and C Pat Elflein (to SF).
  • Key Additions: In the Draft, the Cards attempted to make a splash with WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (1st Rd, Ohio State), DE Darius Robinson (1st Rd, Missouri), CB Max Melton (2nd Rd, Rutgers), RB Trey Benson (3rd Rd., FSU), OG Isaiah Adams (3rd Rd, Illinois), CB Elijah Jones (3rd Rd., Boston College) and S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (4th Rd., Texas Tech). Free Agents: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (from TEN), DE Bilal Nichols (from LVR), DT Justin Jones (from CHI), LB Mack Wilson (from NE), QB Desmond Ridder (via trade with ATL), OT Jonah Williams (from CIN) and OG Evan Brown (from SEA).
  • Team Outlook: I think they will improve off of 2023, but SF and LAR are much better teams. I would not be surprised to flip SEA and AZ this season in the standings, so I’m hedging now with just under the SEA total at this point. I think Harrison will be a Pro Day 1. Murray’s health is the key to the team yet again, and the additions to the D should help boost that unit quite a bit.
  • Prediction: 6-11 – will re-evaluate in the final predictions.

We have gone through all divisions now. I’ll flip to Fantasy Football next week, and then return to the final predictions, records, playoffs and best future bets the week before the season.

Wegs

About the author

I'm a 49 year old, twice divorced guy with a 20 year old. The blog has morphed a bit lately. Not just sports or dating, social commentary and now some stories from my past experience.