Who Takes the NFC West Crown in 2024?

[HoboRocket]

NOW every other division has a similar topic. What do we think about the NFC West?

Do the 49ers experience a Super Bowl Hangover?

Can the Rams survive the loss of a legend?

Can the Cardinals overcome an overall lack of experience in the roster and coaching staff?

The Seahawks experienced such high highs with Pete Carroll and were consistently competitive. Are they better with Mike MacDonald?

[HoboRocket]

23 hours ago, notthatbluestuff said:

Every other division had a thread so here we are. 

Now this is true.

[notthatbluestuff]

32 minutes ago, HoboRocket said:

Now this is true.

Au contraire.

 

[DawgX]

San Francisco wins it again, IMO.

I think Arizona will be the most improved, but likely still finishes last.

Think Seattle ends up with 7-9 wins and LA 9-11, so don't see any major regression from either one.

[adamq]

I went SF, Arizona, St Louis. LA. Who cares

 

This season feels like the true make or break year for this core group. Deebo and Mooney Ward are as good as gone in '25, who knows with Trent and Hey George.  We need to see a vast improvement on the defense, everyone remembers the playoff run but that 2023 SF defense was a big step down from '22.

 

Arizona will get their QB back all year, now featuring a real WR1. McBride has shown he can take over games, and they continue investing in the OL. That defense doesn't need to do much to improve.

 

The Rams will feel the loss of Donald, so if Stafford misses any time at all they are screwed. Jimmy G will be the backup, good for handing off the ball to Kyren//Corum, but not much beyond that.

[HoboRocket]

I think it will be interesting seeing how the Cards vs Rams fare with their contrasting draft strategies this year. The Rams were incredibly aggressive in getting day 1 impact starters, where the Cardinals used their extra capital to double and triple up at problem spots with quality prospects who will provide depth and compete for snaps. Besides the MHJ pick, of course.

The Cardinals now have 5 edge rushers, 6 CBs, and 4 OL competing to start as either rookies or in year 2. It's a logjam of young prospects and feels like maybe some wasted investment. However, if a few of them emerge as stars and the rest can be cheap depth, it will prove to be a wise strategy. But if it's more of last year and the Cardinals end the season with just more maybes and no sure things at those positions, it will be time to really start scrutinizing Monti Ossenfort's team-building strategy. 

The Rams, meanwhile, made sure to add guys that can make. Difference RIGHT NOW in Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, moving around and giving up capital to make it happen. The result is a more balanced front seven on paper than really at any time in the last 5 years despite the loss of AD. However, if Fiske or Verse stumble out the gate, or last year's rookie breakout stars - Cobie Turner and Byron Young - regress, then Les Snead will have closed this team's window a season or two sooner than it would have otherwise.

[LeotheLion]

Unless the 49ers fall back, I think it's there's to win. There's some intrigue with everyone else but besides a hangover, the 49ers are definitely in a tier of their own in the division. 

[BStanRamFan]

Arizona will take their lumps this year, but theyre building in the right direction. Have to be excited for Murray's weapons in MHJ and McBride.

SF SHOULD win the division, but Im skeptical of Purdy replicating what was a MVP season essentially. All the pieces are in place though for that team.

Seattle just feels stagnant as long as Geno is the QB. They'll be a tough out every week, but I dont see any real noise made.

My opinion on the Rams is meaningless given the bias, but barring major injury I see a wildcard birth. The defense is young. Boom or Bust in every sense of the word. A healthy Matt Stafford and Cooper Kupp for 17 games is ALOT to ask for, but if we get it, thats at 9-11 win team at least.

[AFlaccoSeagulls]

I don't feel like any team in the NFCW can really regress, but not sure how people are voting for Seattle given they massively underperformed last year and had a terrible defense. There's no way they do worse than that this year with a healthy Geno.

[FrantikRam]

In the spirit of consistency:

Rams to win the division. Been saying it since the end of the draft, sticking to my guns here. I think we closed the gap in terms of talent with the Niners in FA/draft. The OL should be one of the best and from a physicality stand point, I no longer think SF has the advantage.

Most improved - from a win total perspective, Arizona. They have the most space to improve without really improving. They were in so many games last year, they could easily have been a 7 win team.

Regression - Niners. I think the Rams/Cardinals will win more than last year, and Seattle will stay in that 8-10 win range. I don't see a huge backslide for the Niners - but similar to Arizona having the most room to improve, they easily have the most room to regress. I think they win 11 games but that represents the biggest backslide in what ends up being one of the best divisions in football.

[y*so*blu]

Niners will win, but probably for the last time in a while. Their window is closing fast and I don't see Shanahan ever getting them over the hump at this point.

After this year, the Rams take over.

[JaguarCrazy2832]

I think SF wins the division and regresses the most too

[Soko]

2 hours ago, y*so*blu said:

After this year, the Rams take over.

Even with unknown at QB? Stafford will be 38 by then.

[Danger]

Given the nature of his Contract, what do you think Deebo's trade value is right now?

Looking how it breaks down from a money perspective and the rumors that were floating around in the offseason. They absolutely should look to move him before the season starts and resign Aiyuk.

[Jeezla]

Rams basically lost to every good team they played outside of their division,  minus the Joe Flacco Browns and rookie Anthony Richardson Colts. Now AD is gone, and Stafford is older.

Meanwhile, the 49ers beat the crap out of good teams outside of their division, save for Baltimore. 49ers repeat, and do it with room to spare. Probably get the NFC bye if they stay healthy as well.