During the month of August, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be breaking down every division in the league by position. This article contains a position-by-position breakdown of the NFC West offenses. The breakdown will contain “the best” at each unit followed by “the rest” in descending order.
NFC West Breakdown by Position: The Offense
Quarterback
The Best: Seattle Seahawks
The Rest: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson led the NFL in 2015 with a 110.1 passer rating and he set franchise records with 34 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. To complete his dynamic season, he also managed to rush for 553 yards. As the Seahawks move past their loss of Marshawn Lynch and the shake-ups at their offensive line, Wilson’s ability to scramble and hit deep receivers will be key to their continued success. Fortunately for them, he has shown nothing but the ability to do both week in and week out.
The only other true franchise quarterback in the NFC West is Arizona Cardinal Carson Palmer, who had an MVP-caliber season in 2015 with franchise records in touchdowns (35), passing yards (4,671), and passer rating (104.6). Surrounded by ruthless weapons, the biggest issue for the 36-year-old will be his ability to remain healthy. He is entering the final phase of his career and will thus be reaching deep to lead his team to a championship, but another injury in 2016 could slow the Cardinals down. That being said, with technically-sound backup Drew Stanton, they may be in a solid position even in that worst case scenario.
The Los Angeles Rams chose Jared Goff with their number one overall pick, but the former California Golden Bear will have a lot to adjust to in the Rob Boras offensive system. As with any rookie quarterback, he will have to learn how to find holes in coverage and read mismatches with lightning quick aplomb, all while working with a lacking receiver corps. The Rams may also start journeyman Case Keenum for the early weeks as Goff studies under him, but they will be reluctant to let their expensive draft pick sit on the bench for too long, especially if their difficulty in putting up points continues into 2016.
The San Francisco 49ers have a lot of problems at the position with their incumbent starter Colin Kaepernick initially wanting a trade out of the organization this off-season. After a measly six touchdown passes with five interceptions, he is hoping to find more success with new head coach Chip Kelly’s unconventional schemes. However, he will be competing with backup Blaine Gabbert, who also had trouble winning, but put up 10 touchdown passes in eight games. To add to the confusion, former Minnesota Vikings starter Christian Ponder recently entered the scene, looking to not only shake off his non-playing rust, but hope to contribute in some way to the competition.
Running Back
The Best: Los Angeles Rams
The Rest: Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers
Los Angeles will take the advantage in this position group with young superstar Todd Gurley leading the pack. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year can be expected to get a lot of carries early on in the year while Jared Goff gets up to speed. This will be the first year where he will have a full off-season to train after missing last year’s camp rehabilitating his knee. Benny Cunningham is a diverse backup for Gurley and a go-ahead third down runner that can make some of the best cuts in the league. Combine this with a rising offensive line and the Rams will be bringing a solid run game into the new year.
Arizona had themselves a surprising weapon last year in their rookie running back David Johnson, who established himself as a triple-threat in an already very deep Cardinals offense. He can only be expected to run even smarter this year and again be a tent pole in the reigning number one offense. Strong veteran Chris Johnson will be right behind to pick up his fair share of carries and the always explosive, though easily injured, Andre Ellington will return to the backfield as well.
One of Seattle’s biggest losses last year was Marshawn Lynch, and the team will miss his gargantuan presence on the field. As seems to be the trend in the NFC West, the Seahawks found a dependable running back in their rookie Thomas Rawls, who picked up 830 yards before suffering from a broken ankle. As he recovers, Christine Michael and a few draft picks will be working for the backup spot.
Though Carlos Hyde had an amazing debut for San Francisco, his numbers fell off immensely all the way up until his foot injury, leaving yet another hole in the 49ers roster. They have a few decent backups in the dependable Shaun Draughn and the young DuJuan Harris. As an NFC West team, they are due for a star rookie emergence. Sixth-round pick Kelvin Taylor, son of Jacksonville Jaguars star Fred Taylor, may just rise to the occasion. With a newly designed offensive line, the 49ers may only be one more star showing from a solid running system.
Wide Receiver
The Best: Arizona Cardinals
The Rest: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers
Arizona leads the receiver position with the legendary Larry Fitzgerald as their star wide out. Even in his veteran status, he still set a franchise record last year with 109 receptions, while rounding it off with 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. Fitzgerald is one of the biggest leaders on offense and he has been instrumental in bringing his fellow receivers up to his level. These include the dangerous pair of Michael Floyd and John Brown, who together scored 13 touchdowns and recorded over 1,800 yards. The depth at the position is substantial and their talent in the passing game is as elite as any in the league.
Doug Baldwin, of the Seattle Seahawks, had a league-high 14 touchdown receptions at 13.7 yards per catch in a season that saw him surpass 1,000 yards. He led the unit to becoming a strong presence for the well-rounded Seattle team with substantial help from a late-blooming Tyler Lockett and another solid performance from Jermaine Kearse. As they gain more experience and build on last year’s chemistry, the group should give a lot of trouble to defensive backs around the league.
The Rams have had little to no success at the receiver position for the past few years, although in a big part as a result of their quarterback troubles. Coach Jeff Fisher picked up a few receivers in the draft to help their young quarterback, but their influence remains to be seen. Leading man Kenny Britt did have an impressive 18.9 yards per catch, but failed to hit 700 yards on the season. Meanwhile, Tavon Austin emerged as a threat in the short pass and screen game with 52 receptions and five touchdowns, but the Rams depth essentially stops right there. After great preseason starts, the team may even be looking for answers in undrafted free agents like Nelson Spruce and Aaron Green. A lot of this will depend on who develops the right chemistry with the number one draft pick.
San Francisco’s Torrey Smith led the league with 20.1 yards per catch last season, but he only recorded 33 catches. Like Los Angeles, the 49ers suffer from plaguing quarterback issues that may not go away anytime soon. They lost number one target Anquan Boldin in the off-season, but at under 800 yards, his influence was minimal. All their hope lies in a group of unproven receivers and shaky quarterbacks to enable them, making for a very uncertain passing game in 2016.
Tight End
The Best: Seattle Seahawks
The Rest: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams
The tight end position is easily the weakest among the NFC West with no team having a truly dependable and elite franchise player. Seattle tops the weak group as they hope former star Jimmy Graham can get his play back up to the level of his New Orleans Saints tenure. As he comes back from his knee injury, they will need him to be ready to make plays as they move a bit from their run game into a more pass-heavy style. If Graham is able to resurrect himself (which may be later rather than sooner), their passing offense could dethrone rival Arizona.
Arizona does not have a lacking tight end role as much as they have an excess in receivers. When Fitzgerald, Floyd, and Brown are on the field, it can seem impractical to look for a fourth option. However, the veteran Jermaine Gresham will continue to be their leader in the role and perhaps spend more time blocking than receiving, which will be crucial in the dynamic offense under coach Bruce Arians. Arizona also has talented players like Darren Fells and Ifeanyi Momah, who are set to contribute substantially to the position, as well.
San Francisco has not seen the production at the tight end position since trading away star Vernon Davis, but they saw a brief glimpse of talent in Garrett Celek before he suffered an ankle injury. Though his ability to stay healthy will be its own issue, it’s being reported that he may be losing the starting job to Vance McDonald, who came off career highs in catches and touchdowns. Either way, the 49ers have not seen notable production in either player and the team will need one to step up if they want to have any kind of intimidating offense this year.
The Rams released starting tight end Jared Cook in their off-season purge, leaving a massive hole in their already thin passing game. The team has Lance Kendricks currently occupying the starting spot, who is excellent in their run game and not a bad receiver in his own right. The well-rounded Cory Harkey will also see some substantial playing time, but the team is already putting a lot of faith in rookie Tyler Higbee, who is rooming with Jared Goff at camp and has been showing some serious chemistry with the new quarterback. After an outstanding preseason debut, Jeff Fisher may be leaning toward a game plan with the young player getting the lion’s share of tight end targets in 2016.
Offensive Line
The Best: Arizona Cardinals
The Rest: Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
No team in the division has a dominant offensive line, but nearly every club has previously found success in their run game, nonetheless. Arizona will be putting their league-leading offense on the shoulders of three new starters this year. Fortunately, their left side stays intact with the dependable tackle Jared Veldheer and last year’s Pro Bowl guard Mike Iupati teaming up to form one of the most impenetrable blind sides in the NFL. Arizona acquired fierce right guard Evan Mathis from the Denver Broncos this off-season, who will be expected to bring his power play to their run game. Right tackle D.J. Humphries will be leading the competition for the starting spot after being picked in last year’s first round, then being listed as inactive for the entire season that followed. All signs point to success on the right side, but in-game chemistry will need to be seen. Rookie Evan Boehm will take the reins at center for the Cardinals, with an excellent preseason game already under his belt.
The Los Angeles offensive line is one of the most interesting in the NFL right now. The group is very young and very much developing, but they have been producing, despite criticism. Last year, they allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL and opened up lanes for Todd Gurley to hit 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns. Rob Havenstein at right tackle is a major key to their success. The big, mobile lineman has speed, size, and phenomenal blocking ability. Jamon Brown will start next to him, coming off a short year due to a broken leg. If he can continue his solid play, Los Angeles will have a powerful right side to build their run game around. Tim Barnes will hold down the center spot, and though he has developed a reputation for mediocre play, he is coming off a solid 2015 and has had a great preseason showing. The blind side will consist of Rodger Saffold and Greg Robinson, who are both progressing nicely in their roles and putting in a lot of off-season time to strengthen their game. Alternates like the versatile Cody Wichmann and Garret Reynolds give the line some cushion, which is a necessity with their history of injuries.
San Francisco’s group has been a revolving disaster over the past few years with the team seeing four starting offensive linemen leave since 2014, with guard Alex Boone being the most recent. The good news is that they are finally turning their attention to the problem. They picked up the solid veteran Zane Beadles in free agency to replace Boone and then traded up in the draft to bring in the dynamic run blocking specialist Joshua Garnett. The colossal Trent Brown will return as their right tackle, and he could have a big year if he can utilize his imposing stature in the run game. The reliable Daniel Kilgore will return as center, fully capable at the position as long as he can avoid his recurrent leg issues, and Joe Staley will anchor the blind side at tackle. The athletic Staley is the longest tenured 49er, being the exception to the revolving door that has been their offensive line. San Francisco has put a lot of work into their offensive line this year and the talent they have assembled are primed to give them a strong running scheme.
Seattle’s line took a major hit this off-season with the loss of top men Russell Okung and J.R. Sweezy. Even with the outstanding pair, Russell Wilson was sacked 31 times last season before the team shifted to a quick pass game. The line does have a lot of talent, but without star running back Marshawn Lynch to carry defenders, they are going to need to create clean and effective blocks with every play. Center Patrick Lewis will be the only returning starter in the same position, although former guard Justin Britt will compete for the position as well. Garry Gilliam will move over from right tackle to the left side, replacing Okung. After a solid rookie year at right guard, Mark Glowinski will transition to the left side. J’Marcus Webb comes over from the Oakland Raiders this year and will move from guard to right tackle, while rookie Germain Ifedi will complete the right side at guard. With so much experimentation and lack of stability, one can assume there will be a certain period of adjustment for the line. All have shown great ability in the past, but Seattle will have to wait and see if this talent can thrive in the new system.
Check out the NFC West defensive breakdown.
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