Projecting NFC West Standings
49ers: 12-5
After a lackluster 6–11 campaign last season, the Niners have a chip on their shoulder. They benefit from the league’s easiest schedule, facing only four playoff teams from a year ago. While the salary cap finally caught up to them with the departures of Talanoa Hufanga, Charvarius Ward, Dre Greenlaw, and more, the roster is still talented enough to push for the postseason.
Their Super Bowl window may be narrowing with Brock Purdy’s looming extension, but the star-studded core of Christian McCaffrey, Fred Warner, George Kittle, and Nick Bosa keeps them in contention. San Francisco should cruise through the regular season, though injuries and age remain the biggest threats to another deep run.
Rams: 10-7
Coming off a heartbreaking 28–22 loss to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional Round, the Rams’ future is hazy. Concerns around Matthew Stafford’s back continue as he’s been sidelined from practice, and his status for Week 1 remains unclear. While Stetson Bennet IV has looked good in preseason, his lack of real NFL minutes is worrisome.
With a schedule that includes road games at Baltimore, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, along with home matchups against Detroit and Houston, the ceiling on this season is very limited. Meanwhile, the floor is concerning. QB uncertainty and a rapidly improving division make this season highly unpredictable for L.A. I'm confident in Sean McVay's coaching acumen and ability to navigate challenges, so I'm giving them a generous projected record for this year.
Seahawks: 8-9
Ever since the departures of longtime head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson, the Seahawks have struggled to find a new identity. Their last playoff win came in the 2019 season, and there aren’t many signs of that changing soon. Trading Geno Smith to the Raiders doesn’t inspire much confidence either, as Sam Darnold looks like another stopgap option at best.
The defense remains solid, especially in the secondary, and the wide receiver room gets a boost with the addition of Cooper Kupp. Still, a shaky offensive line and questions at quarterback leave Seattle in a tough spot. Without a major improvement in the trenches or a massive jump from Darnold, it’s hard to see this team making serious noise in the NFC.
Cardinals: 7-10
The Cardinals lack one major thing: direction. In Kyler Murray’s first full 17-game season, he looked average at best and careless at worst, leaving real questions about whether he’s the quarterback to build around long-term. Next year, he carries a $55 million cap hit, which puts the franchise in a tough spot if he doesn’t take a step forward. While he’s still capable of creating highlight plays, his inconsistency has become the new consistency, and patience in Arizona must be wearing thin
There are reasons for optimism, though. Marvin Harrison Jr. still has the tools to be a future superstar. The offensive line is showing progress, and the defense has young talent. Yet in a division full of contenders, Arizona still feels a step behind. Until Murray proves he can elevate the roster, the Cardinals look destined to remain stuck in no man’s land, good enough to avoid the top of the draft, but nowhere close to true playoff contention.
