The teams of the NFC West saw a lot of turnover this offseason. The division title has been passed between the Rams and the 49ers over the past several years. The 49ers are looking to make a push back to relevance after an injury riddled 2024. The rest of the teams are vying for a division title. This division is seemingly up for grabs as any of these teams can get hot and go on a run. The betting odds are on the 9ers being the top team but you can never count out McVay and the Rams. Meanwhile the Seahawks are quietly building a winning culture over in Seattle. The Cardinals are looking to get over the hump with their retooled defense. Read below to see what each team did in the offseason to improve their chances to go on a run.

Division Winner Odds

• 49ers (+155)
• Rams (+200)
• Cardinals (+380)
• Seahawks (+550)

Los Angeles Rams – 9.5

• Head Coach – Sean McVay
• OC – Mike LaFleur
• DC – Chris Shula
• 2024 Record – 10-7
• Strength of Schedule – 20th Easiest

The Rams got off to a slow start in 2024. They were 1-4 headed into their bye week. Then they started looking like the Rams that we have come to expect. They went on to go 9-3 to finish the season. Uncharacteristically, they were anchored by their defense, while their offense played to the level of their competition. A 10-7 record and a tie breaker with Seattle allowed them to win the division. They managed to blow out the Vikings in the wild card round and almost defeated the Eagles in the divisional round.

Offense

The offseason proved to be an inflection point for the Rams. There was a ton of chatter around quarterback Matthew Stafford. There were rumors that he was going to sign with either the Giants or Raiders if he did not get a new deal with the Rams. Ultimately, he rejected a bigger number from the Giants to stay in Los Angeles. However, it was not until recently that the public was confident that Stafford would be ready to play for the Rams. He was held out of practice until August 18th with concerns about his back. If he was unable to go, the Rams have Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett in reserve. With Stafford, the Rams are a Super Bowl contender. Despite an up and down year last season, Stafford is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league. At 36, he threw for 3762 yards, 20 TDs and 8 Ints. At 37, health remains a huge question mark and it will remain to be seen if he is fully ready to go.

Another big contract in the offseason went to Kyren Williams. Williams signed a 3-year, $33 million extension. He has more than earned his big payday. He has rushed for over 1000 yards in the past two seasons and totaled 26 rushing TDs. Williams has turned into a reliable back that helps the offense get going and is able to finish drives in the endzone. He will be backed up by Blake Corum who is looking to improve on a quiet rookie season where he rushed for 207 yards.

The pass offense saw a major departure when Cooper Kupp was released as a cap casualty. The emergence of Puka Nacua made the cut easier to swallow, despite the years of success with Kupp. Nacua has turned himself into one of the league’s best wide receivers. He had a historic rookie season and then got hit with the injury bug last year. He was only able to play 11 games and finished just shy of the 1000-yard mark. If he can stay healthy, we should see a return to form this year. Another reason that Kupp being released does not sting as much would be the signing of Davante Adams. Adams has been playing on poor teams for the past 4 seasons. we saw flashes of the old Adams when he joined the Jets in a midseason trade last year. Between his time on the Raiders and the Jets, he managed 1063 receiving yards and 8 TDs. He brings veteran leadership and dynamic ability to this offense. It will be fun to watch Stafford throw to both of these receivers in the McVay offense. In terms of depth at receiver, they have Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington who have contributed plenty to this offense.

The starting tight end will be Tyler Higbee. Higbee missed a lot of time last year due to injury. When healthy, he is one of Stafford’s favorite targets. His targets have increased significantly ever since Stafford arrived in LA. Behind him will be rookie Terrance Ferguson and veteran Colby Parkinson.

The offensive line will be vital to success for this team. Much of the team’s success will be determined by the health of their quarterback. There are some concerns about this unit headed into the season. Left guard Jonah Jackson was traded to Chicago. Starting left tackle, Alaric Jackson, is dealing with a blood clot issue. I his place, it looks like it will be D.J Humphries. Going down the line, he will be joined by Steve Avila at left guard, Coleman Shelton at center, Kevin Dotson at right guard, and Rob Havenstein at right tackle.

Defense

The defense for the Rams was a major reason that they were able to win so many games last year. They allowed 22.7 points per game, which was 17th in the league. This was a step in the right direction for the unit, and they hit on several young players in the draft. Up front, they have a line consisting of Poona Ford at nose tackle, Braden Fiske at left end and Kobie Turner at right end. Ford is a big man who was signed in free agency. The Rams struggled against the run last year, so they hope that Ford can help solidify the middle of their defense. Fiske is coming off of a solid rookie season where he recorded 8.5 sacks and 44 tackles. Turner is coming off of back-to-back seasons where he recorded 8+ sacks.

In the linebacking corps, the Rams have Byron Young and Jared Verse coming off the edges. Young is a third-year player that recorded 7.5 sacks last year. He is looking to continue to improve and will have the chance with so much focus being placed elsewhere. Jared Verse will be the reason that opposing teams will not be making Fiske their top priority. Verse was the defensive rookie of the year last year. He showed an ability to disrupt offenses and make an impact in the pass rush. He only recorded 4.5 sacks but will be a force to reckon with moving forward. On the interior, will be Nate Landman and Omar Speights. Landman was a free agent signing after spending three years in Atlanta. Speights is entering his second year after recording 67 tackles in his rookie campaign.

The corners for this team are going to be Darious Williams, Ahkelllo Witherspoon, and Quentin Lake. Williams is the veteran presence in this group. He has played six seasons and has 11 career interceptions. Witherspoon has plenty of experience as well He has played well for the Rams the previous two years and will look to continue to assert himself. Lake will be entering his fourth year and is listed as the team’s nickel back despite being a safety. He recorded 111 tackles last year, so it shows that he is used close to the line.

The safeties on the back end will be Kam Curl and Kamren Kinchens. Curl is coming off a productive year with 79 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 forced fumbles. Kinchens is a second-year player who continue to develop.

Summary

The Rams will go as far as Matthew Stafford’s health will take them. Luckily, they have built a young and aggressive defense that will be able to take the pressure off of the offense should Stafford be hurt. Even if he does get hurt, Stafford has proven over the years to be tough as hell and should not miss too much time. The offense has enough weapons (and the brain of Sean McVay) to weather any Stafford free games. Jimmy G has had success in this league and Stetson Bennett has some hype from his Georgia days. they do have a tough schedule, but McVay is a good enough coach where that should not matter. He has won less than 10 games in only two of his eight years as the coach of the Rams. He will not get his third this year. I would take the over.

Bet – Over 9.5 (-125)

Arizona Cardinals – 8.5

• Head Coach – Johnathan Gannon
• OC – Drew Petzing
• DC – Nick Rallis
• 2024 Record – 8-9
• Strength of Schedule – 11th Easiest

The Cardinals have continued to improve under Johnathan Gannon. After a 4-13 first season, they improved to 8-9 last year. A losing season is not typically looked at as a success but this roster was definitely in a rebuild. 2025 proves to be a make-or-break year for Gannon and more specifically, quarterback Kyler Murray. Murray has been a topic of conversation about where he ranks amongst the other quarterbacks in the league. This Cardinals team had the 12th most points scored last year, averaging 23.5 points per game. Their defense allowed 22.6 points per game, which was 15th in the league. There is talent on this team. It is just a question of whether or not they can put it all together and get over the hump.

Offense

Kyler Murray is entering his 7th year in the league and the jury is still out on whether or not he is a franchise quarterback. He came back from injury last year and threw for 3851 yards, 21 Tds, and 11 Ints. He also ran for 572 yards and 5 TDs. His dual threat ability has always made him a dangerous player to defend. However, he has never reached that elite level for one reason or the other. Rumors have surrounded him about his study habits and commitment to the game. All that said, he will win a decent amount of games for the Cards and will have highlight plays that will amaze you. Consistency is where he is lacking. He has to improve that aspect of his game to lead his team back to the playoffs.

The run game is what makes this offense go. James Connor has turned himself into an incredibly reliable running back ever since landing in Arizona. He has rushed for over 100 yards in the past two seasons. He scored 8 TDs last year and added 414 yards and 1 TD through the air. His efforts helped this rush offense become the 5th ranked rush offense in the league. He is a physical running back that has become the work horse as part of Gannons team. He is backed up by Trey Benson who is entering his second year. Benson has some hype around him as being the next lead back in Arizona. For now, he is a solid second option.

The receivers are led by second year player Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison was touted as one of the best receiver prospects in years and was taken with the 4th pick in last years draft. His rookie year got off to a slow start as he worked on building chemistry with Kyler Murray. There were several games where he had a low target amount and was essentially a non factor in the game. He ultimately ended the year with 885 yards and 8 TDs. This would be a decent rookie year but given where he was picked and the success of other rookies like Brian Thomas Jr and Malik Nabers, he will be compared to his contemporaries. Hopefully for the Cardinals, another year and a full offseason together will have improved the chemistry between Harrison and Murray. Next to him will be Michael Wilson who accounted for 548 yards and 4 TDs last year. The third wide receiver listed on the depth chart is Zay Jones who is entering his 9th season and has been able to contribute everywhere that he has played.

The main receiving threat may not actually be a wide receiver. Tight end Trey McBride has emerged as a top tight end in the game. He led the team in receiving yards last year with 1,146 yards. The odd thing was that those yards did not translate to scoring as he ended with only 2 receiving TDs and 1 rush TD. Either way, he is a monster in the receiving game and will be used more as a receiver than as a blocker. He presents a matchup nightmare for defenses since he lines up all over the field. Look for McBride to continue his dominance this year.

The offensive line is built to run the ball which sets up the play action for the offense. At left tackle they have Paris Johnson Jr. Going down the line from him, they have Evan Brown at left guard, Hjate Fordoldt at center, Isiah Adams at right guard, and Jonah Williams at right tackle. This group will be tasked with repeating the success of last year by establishing the run to set up the pass.

Defense

Defense is Gannon’s specialty. The moves made in the past couple of seasons have reflected the emphasis on creating a dominant defense. It begins up front where a couple of big moves were made in the offseason. Starting at left end, they signed Josh Sweat, who played for Gannon in Philly. Sweat has been a consistent pass rusher for the past six seasons. He recorded 8 sacks last year and 41 total tackles. He will be setting the edge for this defense. On the other end of the line will be Darius Robinson. Robinson is a second year player who only played in six games last year. He was picked in the first round in the 2024 draft and had high hopes of being a disruptive player. He is fully healthy this year and will look to start producing at a high level. The interior of the line got two huge signings in the offseason. They signed Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson. Campbell is finishing his career where he started. The 39-year-old big man will bring his veteran leadership and huge frame to the center of this line. Tomlinson is an established run stuffer when put on the field. These two will prove difficult to run the ball on, which bodes well for how their division is structured.

The linebacking corps will be made up of Akeem Davis-Gaither, Mack Wilson Sr., and Zaven Collins. Davis-Gaither comes in from Cincinatti after recording career high of 82 tackle last year. Mack Wilson Sr will play in the middle of the defense. He brings speed and veteran leadership to the room. Collins is regarded as a great young talent. He is a few years removed from a 100-tackle season. Last year, he recorded 5 sacks and 57 tackles.

The secondary might be a point of concern for this team. They are incredibly young at corner, which is always one of the more difficult positions to play as a young player. They drafted Will Johnson in the second round this year and he is slated to start. Johnson was once touted as a potential draft pick before injuries hurt his draft stock. Then they have Max Melton, who is entering his second year and Garrett Williams who is entering his third year. Youth can be a double-edged sword and we will just have to see how this young group is able to perform.

Luckily, they have one of the best veteran safeties in the game to help learn the system. Budda Baker earned a spot on the Second-team All-Pro last year. He has been the model of consistency throughout his career. Last year, he had a career high 164 tackles. He continues to improve with age. His versatility, speed, and tenacity is a huge problem for opposing offenses. He will line up next to Jalen Thompson who is entering his 7th year in the league. He finished the season with 98 combined tackles, three pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries in 15 games and 15 starts.

Summary

The Cardinals have been trending in the right over the past couple of years. They have a mix of young and veteran players all over their roster. Their offense should improve with a fully healthy Kyler Murray and some solid weapons. Their defense has the potential to be dominant up front but has some concerns in their secondary with some inexperience. Overall, this is the year that this team needs to put it all together. They have the talent. they have the coaching staff. They have a schedule that is on the favorable side in terms of projections. Ultimately, it all comes down to whether or not you are a believer in Kyer Murray. I am not. Last year, they struggled to win against teams with winning records. That is not a recipe for success. I would take the under for this team.

Bet – Under 8.5 (+105)

Seattle Seahawks – 8.5

• Head Coach – Mike Macdonald
• OC – Klint Kubiak
• DC – Aden Durde
• 2024 Record – 10-7
• Strength of Schedule – 13th Easiest

The Seahawks had a fairly surprising season last year. It was the first year of the Mike Macdonald era and they were able to go 10-7 and just missed the cut for the playoffs. Typically, you expect a new head coach to struggle in their first season when replacing a legend (see Jerod Mayo) and it looked like that was the case early on. The Seahawks were a streaky team. They started 3-0, then loss 5 of their next 6 games. Then went into the bye week with a 4-5 record and came swinging. They were able to finish the season on a 6-2 run that narrowly missed the playoffs. The Macdonald led team was anchored by their defense, which was 11th in the NFL in terms of points allowed, allowing 21.6 points per game. The offense struggled to find their footing, averaging 22.1 points per game, which was 18th in the league. There were a lot of moves made in the offseason to address the deficiencies of the team and has continued the shift from the Pete Carrol era.

Offense

Some major moves to the offense starts with the offensive coordinator. Ryan Grubb was let go and they brought in Klint Kubiak. Kubiak is the son of NFL head coach Gary Kubiak and runs an offense similar to his fathers, which was the Mike Shanahan offense. This style puts an emphasis on the stretch run plays and then uses play action, timing passes, and plenty of pre snap motion.

The play caller is not the only major change for this offense. They allowed quarterback Geno Smith to go to Las Vegas to reunite with Pete Carrol. The Seahawks brought in Sam Darnold, who was fresh off of his best season with the Vikings. He was signed to a 3-year, $100.5 million deal to become the guy for the Seahawks. It was a big leap for the organization to sign someone who has really only been successful in one year. However, there is probably going to be some similarities between Kevin O’Connell’s offense and Klint Kubiaks. Darnold will not necessarily have the talent around him that he did in Minnesota but there are plenty of options on this team for him to mesh with.

In any Kubiak/Shanahan offense, the running backs are going to be heavily used. Kubiaks scheme is going to feature two running backs that will be set up for success. The lead back is going to be Kenneth Walker. Walker has shown the ability to be an explosive running back but he has dealt with injuries. He only played 12 games last year and saw his yards per carry drop. He ran for 573 and averaged 3.7 yards per carry. If he is able to stay healthy, he could really flourish in this system. Paired with him is Zach Charbonnet. Charbonnet ran for 569 yards and 8 Tds last year. After showing that he could fill in as the lead back, he should see an increase in his work load in this running back friendly scheme.

The receiving room got a makeover this offseason. Long time Seahawks DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are now on other teams. Jaxson Smith had his breakout season last year and earned the wide receiver one spot. He caught 100 balls for 1130 yards and 6 TDs. He will be the main focus for defenses so it will be interesting to see how he continues to grow in his role as the top target. They gave him some help with the signing of Cooper Kupp. Kupp is looking to prove that the Rams made a mistake in allowing him to sign elsewhere, especially in the same division. When healthy, Kupp is a top receiver in the game. The issue is that he has rarely been healthy through his career. He has only ever played 1 full season in his 8 year career. While that does not bode well for him making it through this season, he can still be a solid wide receiver 2 for Darnold. The remaining receivers will be rookie Tory Holton, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Jake Bobo. They have a developmental player at tight end with AJ Barner trying to make a name for himself.

The offensive line is a promising group for the Seahawks. They have drafted well over the years and have a young promising group up front. They are excited about rookie guard, Grey Zabel being added to a line consisting of Charles Cross at left tackle, Olu Olwatimi at enter, Anthony Bradford at right guard and Abraham Lucas at right tackle.

Defense

Mike Macdonald’s specialty is defense. This was apparent in the way that this defense performed last year. They were a solid group against the pass. They struggled against the run and made moves to address this issue. Up front, the starting down lineman are listed as Jarran Reed as the left end, Byron Murphy as the nose tackle, and Leonard Williams at right end. Reed is an experienced player who had 4.5 sacks last year. Murphy is entering his second year and is looking to improve on a quiet rookie year. Williams would be the star of this group. He had 11 sacks last year and showed his athleticism on a pick six.

The pass rush got a boost with the signing of Demarcus Lawrence from the Cowboys. Lawrence is a 4-time pro bowler and brings a dominating presence off the edge. He has dealt with injuries recently, which is why Dallas was okay with letting him walk. He will need to stay healthy in order to return to form. The other edge rusher will be Boye Mafe. Mafe is entering his fourth year with Seattle. He had 6 sacks last year and 1 forced fumble.

The interior linebackers are Tyrice Knight and Ernest Jones IV. Knight is entering his second year after having 88 total tackles and 1.5 sacks in his rookie year. Jones signed a 3-year extension in the offseason which maintains continuity for this defense. Jones was brought in via trade to solidify the run defense and clearly made his mark on this defense.

The strength of this defense may be the secondary. Led by elite corners Devin Witherspoon and Riq Woolen. Witherspoon is a seedy corner that is not afraid to be physical. He recorded 98 total tackles last year. Woolen elite length and speed, though he regressed a bit last year. If he bounces back, Seattle could have one of the most dangerous CB tandems in the league. Josh Jobe is slotted to be their nickel corner.

The safeties consist of Julian Love and Coby Bryant. Love is a versatile defensive back that can play any position in the secondary. He has been a solid contributor ever since signing out of New York. Bryant is entering his fourth year in Seattle. He recorded 73 total tackles last year and is looking to continue to contribute to this defense.

Summary

The Seahawks made some serious changes to their offense in the offseason. They have a new quarterback and offensive coordinator. They shipped off some of the remaining pillars of the Pete Carrol era. It remains to be seen how these changes will impact their overall record. This team will be successful due to the play of their defense. I think the moves that they made to shore up the run defense and add some talented edge rushers will prove to be key moves. Overall, I think 8.5 wins is too low of a target for this team. Macdonald showed that he is able to lead a team last year. They were able to show up after going through some adversity early in the year and finished strong. I believe that they will carry that momentum over to this year and be in contention for a division title.

Bet – Over 8.5 (+125)

San Francisco 49ers – 10.5

• Head Coach – Kyle Shanahan
• OC – Klay Kubiak
• DC – Robert Saleh
• 2024 Record – 6-11
• Strength of Schedule – 1st easiest

The 2024 offseason was tumultuous for the 49ers. Several players were involved in contract negotiations. They lost Christian McCaffery to an unexpected injury just days before the season started. This all carried over to the season. Injuries continued to pile up for them and they were never able to put it all together. The defense was one of the worst in the NFL leading to the firing of defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen. Kyle Shanahan is a great coach but he can only coach those who are on the field. The 9ers are still dealing with a bunch of injuries headed into 2025.

Offense

The play calling may no longer be the responsibility of Kyle Shanahan. He promoted Klay Kubiak to offensive coordinator. See the Seattle section on his brother Klint Kubiak. there are obviously long-standing ties between the Kubiak and Shanahan family. IT will be the first time that Kyle is not calling plays for this offense.

The quarterback for the 49ers was secured in the offseason. Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant, signed a 5-year, $265 million extension. Purdy has done everything that was asked of him ever since taking over the starting role. He brought the 49ers to the cusp of a Super Bowl win a few years back. Last year, he battled through injury and a revolving door of supporting cast members. He still managed 3864 yards, 20 TDs and 12 Ints. He was sacked 31 times, which was the most so far in his career. With a contract as big as he earned, a team will not be able to pay everyone, so the 9ers will have to start developing young talent on rookie deals in order to return to their winning ways.

A player that will play a big role in the road back to relevance will be Christian McCaffery. CMC barely saw the field last year and only appeared in 4 games. He was dealing with lower leg issues in both legs. Prior to that injury, he was the perfect running back for this Shanahan offense. He accounted for over 2000 all-purpose yards just 1 year ago. He is supposedly back to full health. If that is the case, this offense will once again be unlocked. If he is not healthy or if he is rusty, this team will struggle. They do not have much depth behind him on the depth chart. Isaac Guerendo is listed as RB2 and has been dealing with an injury during camp. That being said, the Shanahan offense can use pretty much any running back and make them effectve.

The receiving room for the 9ers is looking very thin. They lost Deebo Samuel to the Commanders this offseason. WR1 Brandon Aiyuk is going to miss time due to injury. Jauan Jennings is dealing with a contract situation as well as being listed on the injury report. that leaves Ricky Pearsall as the main receiver for this team. Pearsall spent the first half of his rookie year recovering from a gunshot wound. When he was recovered, he caught 31 balls for 400 yards and 3 TDs. He will most likely play a much larger role in the offense this year due to everyone else being hurt. The other receivers listed are Demarcus Robinson, Russell Gage, and Jordan Watkins. Tight end George Kittle may as well be listed as a receiver. He will continue to be Brock Purdy’s favorite target out there.

The offensive line gets their main guy back with Trent Williams returning from injury. However, Williams is 37 years old and could potentially struggle to stay on the field this year. Other injuries on the line are present as well. Both starting guards are listed on the injury report. That does not inspire much confidence headed into the season.

Defense

There was a reunion of sorts in the offseason for this defense. Robert Saleh has returned as defensive coordinator after being fired by the Jets last year. Saleh made a name for himself in San Fran as their defensive coordinator. However, this defense is much different than the one that he coached in his previous stint here.

Up front, they will have Mykel Williams and Nick Bosa coming off the ends. Williams was a first round pick in this year’s draft. He is competing for the starting position opposite Nick bosa. Bosa is an elite pass rusher when healthy. The issue is that he is currently listed as questionable on the injury report. He missed time last year due to injury. He still managed 9 sacks, but it was not up to his normal standards when he has put up double digits. If he can get healthy, he should be able to get back to disrupting the pass and run game. The interior of the line will be made up by Kevin Givens and Jordan Elliot. Givens was injured last year but has been on the 9ers since 2019. Elliot is currently dealing with a back injury and is questionable. Depth and health is a major concern for this front.

The linebackers lost Dre Greenlaw in the offseason. The starting three linebackers will be Dee Winters, Fred Warner, and Luke Gifford. Warner is all-pro who sets the tone for this defense. He has been consistent over the course of his career. He has not missed any games, which is impressive. He recorded 131 total tackles last year. Winters is a third year player who is confining to develop. Gifford is a veteran who has been around the league but has not had too much production.

The secondary is also dealing with veteran leadership leaving and some injury. The starting corners will be Renardo Green, Upton Stout, and Demmodore Lenoir. Green is a young player who is looking to improve on his rookie year. Stout is a rookie and may have the typical rookie struggles that are seen at corner. Lenoir will be the veteran in this group as he is entering his fifth year on the team.

The safeties are thin as well. Ji’Ayir Brown is the only healthy starter. Brown is entering his third year after posting 77 tackles last year. Starter Malik Mustapha was placed on PUP with a knee injury. That means that recently signed Jason Pinnock will most likely get the nod. Pinnock is currently dealing with a heel injury. There is not much to be optimistic about this secondary group.

Summary

The 49ers have potential to be one of the better teams in the NFL. They have one of the best coaching staffs out there. They have superstars on both sides of the ball. They have the easiest projected schedule this year. However, they are littered with injuries to key positions. 11 wins is too steep for this team that struggled with injuries just last year. Take the under for the 49ers.

Bet – Under 10.5 (-110)

*Odds taken from Fanduel

*Strength of Schedule from Sharp Analysis