2024 NFC West season preview: Super Bowl aspirations and rebound candidates

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Reasons for optimism abound with the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and Arizona Cardinals.

The NFC West is certainly an interesting one to project, with three of the four teams within the division having finished with nine or more wins just last season. Meanwhile, the only team that didn’t meet that mark has undergone some significant improvements through the offseason with the addition of a new star wide receiver. Who will come out on top in 2024?

Kickoff for the 2024 NFL season is right around the corner. Where do each of the divisions in the NFL stand heading into the season? Here, we’ll be outlining the offseason subtractions, additions, coaching changes, reasons for optimism and reasons for pessimism for each team in the NFC West.

San Francisco 49ers

2023 Record: 12-5
2023 offense: 398.4 total yards per game (2nd)
2023 defense: 303.9 total yards allowed per game (8th)

Subtractions: DE Arik Armstead, DT Javon Kinlaw, DE Clelin Ferrell, LB Randy Gregory, EDGE Chase Young, QB Sam Darnold, S Tashaun Gipson Sr.

Additions: Defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson, DE Leonard Floyd, LB De’Vondre Campbell, CB Rock Ya-Sin, QB Josh Dobbs, DT Maliek Collins (from HOU), WR Ricky Pearsall, CB Renardo Green, OG Dominick Puni

Reasons for pessimism for the 49ers

The 49ers spent much of the offseason (yet again) riddled with distractions, between the contract negotiations of WR Brandon Aiyuk and OT Trent Williams, with each of them missing the offseason program amid their holdouts. In addition to the lack of reps that they had through the offseason, which could lead to some rust as the season starts, their absence during the contract dispute has also caused some significant distractions. The already competitive division has only become more competitive in 2024, too.

Reasons for optimism for the 49ers

One of the league’s best and most efficient offenses is back. Between Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, the 49ers remain loaded on offense coming off a season where they led the league in yards per play and second in total offense. The San Francisco 49ers have made it to the NFC Championship in four of the last five seasons, including a Super Bowl appearance in two of the last five. Coach Kyle Shanahan has the highest playoff win percentage of any head coach who hasn’t won a Super Bowl or Championship in his career at .667. The record of success speaks for itself; it only seems right to believe that the Niners are bound for a Lombardi… right?

Seattle Seahawks

2023 Record: 9-8
2023 offense: 322.9 total yards per game (21st)
2023 defense: 371.4 total yards allowed per game (30th)

Subtractions: S Jamal Adams, S Quandre Diggs, LB Bobby Wagner, LB Jordyn Brooks, LB Devin Bush, C Evan Brown, OG Damien Lewis, DL Mario Edwards, TE Will Dissly, TE Colby Parkinson

Additions: Head coach Mike Macdonald, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, defensive coordinator Aden Durde, S Rayshawn Jenkins, LBs Tyrel Dodson, LB Jerome Baker, OG Laken Tomlinson, TE Pharaoh Brown, WR Laviska Shenault Jr., QB Sam Howell, DT Byron Murphy II, OG Christian Haynes, LB Tyrice Knight

Reasons for optimism for the Seahawks

Pete Carroll exited his coaching role this offseason, now serving as an advisor with the team electing to bring in former Ravens DC Mike MacDonald as the ninth head coach in team history. He went on to hire OC Ryan Grubb coming off a stunning season under Kalen DeBoer with the Washington Huskies.

Reasons for pessimism for the Seahawks

Though change can be good, looking forward to brighter days, there are still significant challenges one has to overcome with massive organizational shifts, even with talented personnel.

After being crowned as 2022 Comeback Player of the Year, Geno Smith took a step back in terms of scoring efficiency last year, which posed a particular challenge given that they ranked 28th in rushing offense.

The Seahawks’ defense struggled in 2023, ranking bottom three in yards per game allowed (371.4), rush yards per game (138.4) first downs per game allowed (22.4) and opposing third down conversion percentage (46.3). Though they brought in Macdonald at HC and have plenty of talent on the defense, they’ll need to take a big step forward, quickly, in a division filled with high-octane offenses.

Arizona Cardinals

2023 Record: 4-13
2023 offense: 324.1 total yards per game (19th)
2023 defense: 355.7 total yards allowed per game (25th)

Subtractions: OT D.J. Humphries, WR Rondale Moore, WR Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, CB Antonio Hamilton, DL Leki Fotu, Kevin Strong, Jonathan Ledbetter

Additions: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, DTs Bilal Nichols and Justin Jones, OT Jonah Williams, WR Zay Jones (five-game suspension to start the season), LB Mack Wilson Sr., WR Marvin Harrison Jr., DL Darius Robinson, CB Max Melton, RB Trey Benson

Reasons for optimism for the Cardinals

The addition of star rookie WR Marvin Harrison Jr. into an offense where Kyler Murray is another year removed from a torn ACL feels as promising as ever. Unfortunately, the team lost some depth with the departures of Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore this offseason, but MJH offers this team a ceiling at receiver that they haven’t seen since DeAndre Hopkins’ 2020 campaign, where he posted a 115-catch, 1,407-yard, 6-touchdown season in his first year with the team.

Reasons for pessimism for the Cardinals

The Cardinals find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a division with one of the most competitive offenses and defense in football, all but relegating them to a Wild Card spot in the playoffs if all things go well throughout the season. It would take a surprising turn of events for them to be in the mix for a division title, meaning any playoff run wouldn’t be likely to run through Arizona.

The defense was a particularly dreadful one last season, ranking bottom-five in scoring allowed, rushing, third-down conversion rate allowed, sacks, turnovers forced and big plays allowed. They gave up the second-highest opposing completion percentage (68.6%) and the third-most passing touchdowns (32) in 2023. Do they have the personnel to turn it around with the additions of rookie CB Max Melton and FA signing Sean Murphy-Bunting?

Los Angeles Rams

2023 Record: 10-7
2023 offense: 359.3 total yards per game (7th)
2023 defense: 337.9 total yards allowed per game (20th)

Subtractions: DT Aaron Donald, S Jordan Fuller, QB Carson Wentz, C Brian Allen, Coleman Shelton

Additions: OG Jonah Jackson, CB Darious Williams, S Kamren Curl, CB Tre’Davious White, QB Jimmy Garoppolo, TE Colby Parkinson, DE Jared Verse, DT Braden Fiske, RB Blake Corum,

Reasons for optimism for the Rams

The Rams have had a top-eight scoring offense in four of seven seasons under HC Sean McVay, which sets them up well to compete with the high-octane offense of Kyle Shanahan. Not only do the Rams have one of the best play-callers in the league with Sean McVay. They also have a wealth of talent on the offense under QB Matthew Stafford between star wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and strength and depth in the run game between Kyren Williams and rookie Blake Corum.

The Rams made some investments in the secondary this offseason, including the signing of cornerbacks Darious Williams and Tre’Davious White — both of whom could be great assets to stop some uber-talented offenses elsewhere in the division.

Reasons for pessimism for the Rams

Despite immense talent in the receiving corps, there are some question marks. Breakout WR Puka Nacua enters the year having suffered a knee injury in training camp. Meanwhile, Cooper Kupp enters his eighth season in the league returning from several injuries that hampered his 2023 campaign… but he’s also entering his age-31 season. Starting TE Tyler Higbee (ACL) has started out training camp on the PUP list, too. Can they stay healthy enough through the season?

Future Hall of Fame DT Aaron Donald retired this offense, having led the league in sacks (111), QB hits (260), tackles for a loss (175) and Defensive Player of the Year awards (3) since drafted in 2014. DT Kobie Turner led all rookies with 9.0 sacks last season, but there’s no doubt that he’ll need to continue his development in an accelerated fashion in order to make up for Donald’s new absence on the defensive line.