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The NFC West is the last division to be covered by us over at Franchise Sports. The LA Rams finished first in the West last year, under the youngest head coach in modern NFL history, Sean McVay. It’s safe to say they’ll do the same this year too. As for the rest of the division, it really is all to play for. However, the 49ers have a good chance of reaching the playoffs behind the Rams.
Los Angeles Rams
McVay’s turnaround of the team in Los Angeles has been outstanding. After Jeff Fisher’s departure, McVay was able to establish a fantastic offence. More importantly, he was integral in Jared Goff’s incredible season which led to a nomination to the Pro-Bowl, a feat which appeared to be simply inconceivable under Fisher’s control.
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Similarly, McVay’s magic rubbed off on running back Todd Gurley. After scoring a league-leading 19 touchdowns, Gurley was rewarded with a four-year $60m contract. As for new additions, Brandin Cooks has arrived from New England, with his sights set on reaching the promised land in LA.
On defence, the Rams are ridiculously talented. Firstly, four-time Pro-Bowler and 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, Aaron Donald, has been signed to a four-year deal worth $134m. In addition, Ndamukong Suh has signed for the Rams, with five Pro-Bowl appearances under his belt. Finally, the Rams have added star corners Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters who will both bring veteran leadership to a young team.
This team look set to go deep in the playoffs this season, with arguably the best roster in the league out west.
San Francisco 49ers
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppolo look to have a harmonic partnership already. Couple that with a great scheme which fits every individual on the roster, the Niners look solid this year. The addition of Pierre Garçon on offence will be a huge help for Garoppolo, however, there is a lack of talent on offence.
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On defence, third overall pick of last year, Solomon Thomas, looks like he could have a breakout year in his second season in the league. Also, the youth of this defence may provide an upper hand due to many teams underestimating their talents. They also acquired Richard Sherman from divisional rivals the Seahawks.
Seattle Seahawks
Speaking of the Seahawks, there’s a completely new team over in Seattle. After a few years of downturn for this franchise, the Seahawks look set to rebuild. Unfortunately for Russell Wilson, one of the best quarterbacks in the game, the Hawks offensive-linemen are still the largest threat to their success.
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The Seahawks still have Doug Baldwin and have added speedster Brandon Marshall who will be extremely helpful for Wilson in the coming season.
On defence, hard-hitting safety Kam Chancellor’s career is in jeopardy after his unstable neck injury and he is still placed on the injury/reserve list for this season. Also, as previously noted – Richard Sherman and Michael Bennett have both left for new teams in the offseason, which spells disaster for the legendary Legion of Boom.
Conclusively, the Seahawks aren’t going to make big moves this season, however look for Shaquem Griffin to make a huge impact and prove his doubters wrong.
Arizona Cardinals
Lastly, it’s the Arizona Cardinals. Spearheaded by Sam Bradford, the Cardinals have a solid offence. With a top 10 receiver in Larry Fitzgerald and talented running back David Johnson on the books, there are plenty of options at Bradford’s disposal. In spite of that, Bradford’s injury prone nature could provide an opportunity for 10th overall pick, Josh Rosen, to compete for a starting role on the team.
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On defence, the Cardinals are relatively unchanged. The ability to retain the services of Chandler Jones and Patrick Peterson will be pivotal in remaining a top defence in the NFC this year. Although, it still won’t be enough for this team to make the playoffs this year. I believe they’ll finish bottom of the division.
