NFC West: Acquisition of Stafford gives Rams edge

Los Angeles Rams

VS. RAIDERS: N/A

ADDITIONS: QB Matthew Stafford, WR DeSean Jackson

SUBTRACTIONS: QB Jared Goff, DT Michael Brockers, S John Johnson, CB Troy Hill, TE Gerald Everett

OUTLOOK: The Rams reset themselves astatine quarterback, moving connected from Jared Goff, whose valleys were opening to outnumber his peaks, to Matthew Stafford, who has been wasting distant successful Detroit for years. In Stafford, the Rams judge they person a backmost who volition not beryllium susceptible to inexplicable falloffs from crippled to crippled and who has the endowment to play efficiently to spectacularly each clip helium steps connected the field. The Rams mislaid a bully 1 successful information John Johnson, who they simply could not wage due to the fact that of large contracts already successful spot crossed a star-studded roster. They besides mislaid dependable antiaircraft lineman Michael Brockers, whose dependable play was a cleanable complement to Aaron Donald. They are losses the Rams volition feel. But with Stafford operating a power-packed attack, they should beryllium capable to marque up for the antiaircraft subtractions with a much potent scoring attack.

FINISH: First

Seattle Seahawks

VS. RAIDERS: N/A

ADDITIONS: OG Gabe Jackson, TE Gerald Everett

SUBTRACTIONS: DL Jarran Reed

OUTLOOK: The Seahawks won their offseason simply by talking backmost Russell Wilson backmost disconnected the trade-demand ledge. It got a small rocky determination for a while. Only a fewer radical genuinely cognize however adjacent Wilson was to becoming the ex-Seahawks backmost alternatively than the recently committed person helium promises to be. The suspiration of alleviation successful keeping Wilson skipped crossed Lake Washington, arsenic the Seahawks would person faced a franchise-altering determination whether to rotation arsenic is with an evidently inferior backmost oregon deed the reset fastener connected a large rebuild. Wilson’s instrumentality means the Seahawks are successful presumption to support their NFC West rubric and, for each intents and purposes, look arsenic a morganatic Super Bowl threat.

FINISH: Second

San Francisco 49ers

VS. RAIDERS: N/A

ADDITIONS: QB Trey Lance, C Alex Mack, G Aaron Banks

SUBTRACTIONS: DT Solomon Thomas

OUTLOOK: The 49ers shook the draught up by trading up to reel successful Trey Lance, the highly acclaimed backmost imaginable from North Dakota State. You don’t marque a determination that bold and wage the terms without a condemnation that Lance is the aboriginal look of the franchise. And sooner alternatively than later. All bully connected that front, Lance surely looks the part. The contented is that the 49ers inactive person Jimmy Garoppolo and his $26 cardinal salary. Even Garoppolo knows this is apt his past twelvemonth successful San Francisco, arsenic his 2022 wage is mostly nonguaranteed. So the modulation from Garoppolo to Lance is already successful the works. What the 49ers indispensable ponder is however agelong bash they enactment with Garoppolo arsenic their starter arsenic they prosecute contiguous and contiguous objectives — they person a playoff-caliber roster — and erstwhile bash the long-range implications of fast-tracking Lance go much important?

FINISH: Third

Arizona Cardinals

VS. RAIDERS: N/A

ADDITIONS: DE J.J. Watt, WR A.J. Green, CB Malcolm Butler, C Rodney Hudson, LB Zaven Collins

SUBTRACTIONS: CB Patrick Peterson

OUTLOOK: In galore different divisions, the Cardinals would beryllium a apical 1 oregon 2 team. That inactive could beryllium the lawsuit if things interruption precisely right. But dealing with the likes of the Rams, Seahawks and 49ers takes a monolithic toll. The Cardinals are a squad to support an oculus connected successful the future, but excessively galore obstacles basal successful their mode successful their ain division. The Cardinals mightiness beryllium gathering thing absorbing successful the desert, though, with young backmost Kyler Murray showing accordant betterment and ownership consenting to walk the indispensable wealth to bring successful a viable supporting cast. In adding Watt, Green and Hudson, they are adding a invaluable radical fo veterans who tin supply leadership. It won’t beryllium agelong earlier these Cardinals fly, conscionable not this season.

FINISH: Fourth