It was an incredibly interesting year in the NFC West. The reigning champion LA Rams were one of the worst teams in the league, the Arizona Cardinals were such a disappointment that their coach was canned, the Seahawks were so good that fans were saying “Russell Who?” and the 49ers made a surprising playoff run with Mr. Irrelevant at QB. The Rams are in the worst shape of all with their picks belonging to Detroit and a roster that is aging rapidly. The Hawks are maybe in the best position while Arizona and San Fran will have work to do to either sustain success or attain it. Here are the 2023 NFC West team needs.
Arizona Cardinals
Team Needs: WR, OG, CB
WR DeAndre Hopkins will likely leave the desert this offseason and if he does, the Cards have a glaring hole that needs to be filled for QB Kyler Murray. After that, new head coach Jonathan Gannon will focus on the defensive side of the ball and getting younger talent, especially pass rushers and cornerbacks as they hold a Top-four pick in the draft. One free agent to keep an eye on will be CB James Bradberry who played with Gannon in Philly.
Los Angeles Rams
Team Needs: EDGE, OT, Safety
Few teams are in worse shape than the Rams this offseason who don’t have a first-round pick and have an aging roster on their hands. If they can somehow deal DT Aaron Donald for draft capital, it might be a move worth looking into. They need to upgrade their offensive line which allowed Matthew Stafford to get hurt this past season. They also need an outside pass rusher and a true ball-hawk safety. There is also concern that Stafford is more injured than he ever let on last season, so maybe keeping Baker Mayfield is in the mix for the upcoming season.
San Francisco 49ers
Team Needs: DT, OG, DB
The Niners were legit Super Bowl contenders, even with their third-string quarterback leading them through the playoffs. Of course, a key question will be who leads the team at QB in the coming season. They have great depth at skill position, so the focus will be defense. If San Fran can go out and get a safety like Jessie Bates III and then add to their defensive line through the draft, this team should be right back in the thick of things for a third-straight year.
Seattle Seahawks
Team Needs: EDGE, DL, OL
Skill positions are locked in for the Seahawks, so they have to improve in the trenches. The offensive line took a step forward with youth this past season, but they must keep building it if they want to be serious contenders. Before they can even look at that, they must establish a pass rush and shore up their defensive line which was abysmal last season. With Geno Smith locked in for the next few years at quarterback, there won’t be pressure to add someone through the draft early on and Seattle may even be able to stockpile picks by moving back.