Know Thy Enemy: The Rest of the West
How is the rest of the Division stacking up?
For every team, the primary goal, and best possible path to the postseason, is to take care of your divisional opponents. With training camp starting, the primary focus of the Faithful will be to watch the positional battles play out on the practice field to ensure that the San Francisco 49ers put together the best possible 53-man roster for the 2025 season, but how will that roster match up to the rest of the division?
Winning the NFC West will be the goal for all four rivals as every team has added pieces this offseason to achieve that, but by season's end, which team will have done enough to claim the crown in the NFC West? While we know in great detail the state of the 49ers offseason, how did the rest of the NFC West pan out since February?
Arizona Cardinals
2024 Record: 8-9 (3-3 Division)
Key Additions: Walter Nolen, Will Johnson, Josh Sweat, Calais Campbell, Zac Jones, Dalton Tomlinson
Key Losses: Kyzir White, Jackson Barton
Since arriving in Arizona, head coach Jonathan Gannon has been looking to strengthen a defense that has ranked at the bottom of the league since his arrival. The Cardinals made strides in free agency to do just that with the signings of edge rusher Josh Sweat and aging, but effective, defensive tackle Calais Campbell. Maintaining that focus in the draft, they selected DT Walter Nolen out of Ole Miss to further fortify the defensive trenches. In the second round, the Cardinals took CB Will Johnson from Michigan with the 47th pick. Johnson had been projected by most draft experts as a top 15 pick, but slid due to injury concerns that hampered his pre-draft process.
The Cardinals have big expectations for second-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. after an up-and-down rookie campaign, finishing with 62 catches for 885 yards and 8 touchdowns. With Harrison’s emergence and a punishing run game from James Connor, will this be the year that Kyler Murray ascends to the top tier of quarterback play? That alone will be the difference between the Cardinals having a legitimate shot at a division title versus just another mediocre season.
Los Angeles Rams
2024 Record: 10-7 (4-2 Division)
Key Additions: Davante Adams, Poona Ford
Key Losses: Cooper Kupp, Jonah Jackson, DeMarcus Robinson, Joe Noteboom
The Rams started the 2024 season at 1-4, but went 9-3 the rest of the way, finishing at 10-7 in a tie with the Seahawks, but winning the division based on a strength of victory tiebreaker. The Rams would advance to the divisional round, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles 28-22 in blizzard-like conditions at Lincoln Financial Field, giving the eventual Super Bowl champs their only real challenge in the postseason.
As their offseason began, the Rams allowed quarterback Matthew Stafford to negotiate with other teams before renegotiating his contract for a hefty pay raise in 2025, earning $44 million for this upcoming season. As Puka Nacua firmly established himself as the number one receiving option in Sean McVay’s offense, Cooper Kupp and his contract became expendable as his production dropped off in 2024. With Kupp’s release, as well as Demarcus Robinson departing in free agency, the Rams took a huge swing by signing Devante Adams to a two-year $46 million contract to give Stafford a very credible receiving threat alongside Nacua.
The Rams also added Poona Ford to their defensive line, strengthening a unit that was inspired in 2024 by the stellar play of Jared Verse. A situation to watch entering training camp is, Stafford, 37, is dealing with back soreness that could linger into the regular season. Could Stafford’s back eventually cause the Rams to turn to former 49er Jimmy Garoppolo?
Seattle Seahawks
2024 Record: 10-7 (4-2 Division)
Key Additions: Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp, DeMarcus Lawrence, Marquez Valdez-Scantling, Klint Kubiak (OC)
Key Losses: D.K. Metcalf, Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett, Laken Tomlinson, Rayshawn Jenkins
The Seahawks finished the 2024 season at 10-7, losing out on a division title to the Rams due to tiebreaking procedures. Immediately in the offseason, Seattle would begin a wholesale makeover of their roster by trading quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third round pick,. Star wide receiver D.K. Metcalf was also dealt, heading to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a second and seventh round pick. The Seahawks struck early in free agency, agreeing to a three-year, $100 million deal with quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold, fresh off of a career resurrection in Minnesota with head coach and play-caller Kevin O’Connell, will be paired with newly hired offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to reinvigorate a Seattle offense that will lean heavily on RB Kenneth Walker. Wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdez-Scantling were brought in to fill the void left by the departures of Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. DeMarcus Lawrence was signed away from the Dallas Cowboys to team with Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy to strengthen the defensive line. The biggest question for the Seahawks will be which version of Sam Darnold they will get: the Vikings Pro Bowler or the Jets ghost hunter?
Every team has their pieces in place having made significant changes in the offseason, whether by addition or subtraction, but which team has made the most necessary changes to take home the division crown and the hopes to make a run at Super Bowl 60? Each team has made the seemingly necessary changes to gear up to make a run through the west this season, but which one will stand out as more than just offseason champs? The 49ers have the most top-tier talent on paper, and will look for that to translate to on-field success against a division that has widely made a youth movement infused with aging stars.