NFL 2025: NFC West Breakdown

San Francisco 49ers

Vibe Check

This team entered this season somehow as the defending NFC Champions, and ended 6-11. I mean it makes sense when you have a burning vengeance from losing the prior championship and then you add a star running back in Christian McCaffrey.

Ultimately, they kind of got a Super Bowl hangover. Injuries plagued the team so it makes sense they couldn’t get momentum going.

One of the biggest offseason moves is the 49ers trading Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders (the defending NFC Champions, mind you.)

The 49ers are also navigating losing him and other players, but Ricky Pearsall has stepped up big in camp. Brock Purdy, who’d more recently dealt with some injuries, signed a $265 million extension. He’s also showing a great performance.

A handful of players return from injury, and though they should be set for Week 1, the team is prioritizing keeping them healthy.

Verdict: Green Flag

The 49ers are making a comeback this season. It might not be anything flashy, but they’ll definitely rebound from the season before and make the playoffs again.

Los Angeles Rams

Vibe Check

The Rams are consistently starting their seasons poorly and clearly not digging themselves out of the holes they were in. On the bright side, however, the Rams are the first franchise in NFL history to accomplish making the playoffs after sitting three games below .500 for two seasons.

So despite being four years removed from a Super Bowl, at least that’s going for them.

I’ll give it to them though because this is their first season since 2013 without Aaron Donald, so it makes sense that they’d continue to struggle, right? The team matched their 10-7 record from the previous season, finishing their last nine of twelve games after the bye week.

The Rams are really honing in on some weak spots this offseason. They’re focusing on shoring up their young defense, especially in their secondary and linebacker groups.

They’re also working on run defense with Poona Ford’s signing hopefully providing a boost.

Verdict: Green Flag

I don’t think they struggle to start the season, but they will face a struggle at some point. That being said, I do see them rising from the past few seasons’ worth of issues.

Seattle Seahawks

Vibe Check

Despite the Seahawks actually improving from their past few seasons, they did not make the playoffs, so are they really moving in the right direction? They finished 10-7, tied with the Rams, but the Rams won the strength of schedule tiebreaker. This doesn’t take away from the Seahawks success, just needs to make them work harder in training camp.

Camp right now is revamping the offense with new faces like Kupp and Arroyo, not to mention a defense looking to build on late-2024 momentum.

After a fantastic 2024 season with 100 receptions for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was a standout player for the rebuilding Seahawks. After trading DK Metcalf and losing Tyler Lockett to Tennessee, Smith-Njigba became the focal point of the receiver room in camp.

The key position battles right now are with the offensive line and running back rooms.

Verdict: Beige Flag

I just don’t really believe in this team right now, but I also don’t see them getting much success in the next two seasons. Then again, I also think the Seahawks will get 1% better this season, so it really is a toss-up.

Arizona Cardinals

Vibe Check

In the second season of the Jonathan Gannon-Monti Ossenfort era, the Cardinals managed to get an 8-9 record, which is not too bad considering Gannon’s lack of head coaching ability. Nonetheless, the Cardinals faced their fourth late-season collapse in five years, which, as Gannon would know, puts the Cardinals in “Giants in NFC East” energy (meaning the Giants almost always get fourth in the division).

The Cardinals are focusing on their revamped defense, adding six draft picks and key free agents to their roster. The camp is testing their ability to really work together.

While injuries plagued the Cardinals, they should be happy that defensive end Darius Robinson and left tackle Paris Johnson return.

I don’t think this Cardinals team should be slept on yet (though I’m going to go ahead and do just that) as big names like Josh Sweat, Calais Campbell, Trey McBride and Hjalte Froholdt will hold down key parts of the team.