INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 17: Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay shakes hands with San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan after the game at SoFi Stadium on September 17, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
NFC WEST OUTLOOK
49ers
COACH: Kyle Shanahan (8th year)
LAST SEASON: 12-5, first place; Super Bowl runner-up
ARRIVALS: QB Josh Dobbs (Vikings), DE Leonard Floyd (Bills), DL Yetur Gross-Matos (Panthers), DT Maliek Collins (Texans), DT Jordan Elliott (Browns), LB De’Vondre Campbell (Packers), CB Isaac Yiadom (Saints), TE Logan Thomas (Commanders), TE Eric Saubert (Texans), LB Zeke Turner (Cardinals), OT Brandon Parker (Raiders), OT Chris Hubbard (Titans), CB Rock Ya-Sin (Ravens), WR Trent Taylor (Bears), WR Ricky Pearsall (first round), CB Renardo Green (second round), RB Isaac Guerendo (third round)
DEPARTURES: DT Arik Armstead (Jaguars), QB Sam Darnold (Vikings), DE Clelin Ferrell (Commanders), WR Ray-Ray McCloud (Falcons), TE Charlie Woerner (Falcons), TE Ross Dwelley (Falcons), LB Oren Burks (Eagles), DE Chase Young (Saints), DT Javon Kinlaw (Jets), DE Randy Gregory (Bucs), CB Isaiah Oliver (Jets)
ANALYSIS: The 49ers are coming off another close-but-no-coronation season, and their offense returns intact after producing the franchise’s third-most points ever in a season. … Brock Purdy enters his second full season as the starting quarterback, having set the franchise record with 4,280 yards en route to the Pro Bowl. … Christian McCaffrey looks to mimic Joe “The Jet” Perry in 1953-54 and win a second straight NFL rushing crown. … Nick Sorensen takes over as coordinator of a defense still led by Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, but that unit needs newcomers such as Floyd, Gross-Matos, Collins, Campbell, Green, and Yiadom to reach championship-caliber status. … In the end, the 49ers must finish strong, hold onto a fourth-quarter (or even overtime) lead, then hoist their first Lombardi Trophy in 30 years.
PREDICTED FINISH: 14-3, Super Bowl champions (36-23 over Chargers)
Los Angeles Rams
COACH: Sean McVay (8th year)
LAST SEASON: 10-7, second place; lost in NFC wild-card game
ARRIVALS: DE Jared Verse (first round), DT Braden Fiske (second round), RB Blake Corum (third round), QB Jimmy Garoppolo (Raiders), G Jonah Jackson (Lions), S Kamren Curl (Commanders), CB Tre’Davious White (Bills), CB Darious Williams (Jaguars), TE Colby Parkinson (Seahawks)
DEPARTURES: DT Aaron Donald (retired), S Jordan Fuller (Panthers), OL Brian Allen (Browns), OL Coleman Shelton (Bears), QB Carson Wentz (Chiefs), WR Brent Skowronek (Texans), K Brett Maher (free agent), CB Ahkello Witherspoon (free agent), DT Jonah Williams (Vikings)
ANALYSIS: The Rams overcame a 3-6 start to win seven of eight before bowing out 24-23 in the wild-card round at Detroit. … Defensively, the Rams responded to Aaron Donald’s retirement by spending their top two draft picks on Florida State linemen Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. .. As valuable as Matthew Stafford is as their Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Kyren Williams ran for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns last year, and Michigan’s Corum will back him up. … The Rams’ receiving corps can be lethal with Super Bowl LVI MVP Cooper Kupp and 2023 rookie phenom Puka Nacua.
PREDICTED FINISH: 10-7, second place
Seattle
COACH: Mike Macdonald (1st year)
LAST SEASON: 9-8, third place
ARRIVALS: G Laken Tomlinson (Jets), QB Sam Howell (Commanders), LB Jerome Baker (Dolphins), S Rayshawn Jenkins (Jaguars), LT George Fant (Texans), WR Laviska Shenault (Panthers), TE Pharaoh Brown (Pats), C Nick Harris (Browns)
DEPARTURES: LB Jordyn Brooks (Dolphins), LB Bobby Wagner (Commanders), TE Colby Parkinson (Rams), TE Will Dissly (Chargers), RB DeeJay Dallas (Cardinals), G Damien Lewis (Panthers), C Evan Brown (Cardinals)
ANALYSIS: Macdonald, formerly the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, has big shoes to fill as head coach. Pete Carroll and his white sneakers presided 14 years over the Seahawks’ greatest era, with 10 playoff trips, two Super Bowl appearances, and their lone championship (2013). … Geno Smith restructured his contract to remain at quarterback, and Washington castoff Sam Howell is the backup, until a likely 2025 QB overhaul. … DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are a top-notch wide receiver trio. … Leonard Williams re-signed (three years, $65 million) to anchor a defensive front that includes Uchenna Nwosu and Boye Mafe. … The Seahawks’ biggest defensive changes are at linebacker and safety, the latter group having cut ties with Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs. Cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon face tough tests sandwiched between suspect defenders.
PREDICTED FINISH: 6-11, third place
Arizona Cardinals
COACH: Jonathan Gannon (second year)
LAST SEASON: 4-13, fourth place
ARRIVALS: WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (first round), DE Darius Robinson (first round), OT Jonah Williams (Bengals), CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (Titans), DT Justin Jones (Bears), DT Bilal Nichols (Raiders), RB DeeJay Dallas (Seahawks), WR Zay Jones (Jaguars), C Evan Brown (Seahawks), CB Max Melton (second round), RB Troy Benson (third round), QB Desmond Ridder (trade with Falcons), WR Chris Moore (Titans)
DEPARTURES: WR Marquise Brown (Chiefs), WR Rondale Moore (traded to Falcons), LT D.J. Humphries (free agent), LB Zeke Turner (49ers), DB Qwuantrezz Knight (free agent), DT Leki Fotu (Jets), CB Antonio Hamilton (Falcons)
ANALYSIS: First-round picks Harrison and Robinson headline a 12-player draft class, including seven taken in the top three rounds. It’s a perennial work-in-progress franchise with no playoff wins since the 2015 season. … Harrison went No. 4 overall and provides a scintillating target for Kyler Murray, who enters his sixth season with a 28-36-1 record and a 92.2 passer rating. The Cardinals have had a different leading receiver in each of Murray’s previous seasons (Larry Fitzgerald, DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, Marquise Brown, Trey McBride), so they hope Harrison provides the stability and production the way his father did with the Colts from 1996 to 2008. … To protect Murray and his surgically repaired ACL, Paris Johnson Jr. (2023 No. 6 pick) takes over at left tackle and Williams enters at right tackle after leaving the Bengals. … Defensively, the Cardinals spent their other first-round pick on Robinson to help Zaven Collins and B.J. Ojulari chase down Brock Purdy & Co. … The Baker-led secondary could get a boost from ex-Buccaneers corner Murphy-Bunting.
PREDICTED FINISH: 4-13, fourth place
Originally published at Cam Inman