Plundo’s NFC West Division Predictions: Ceiling & Floor Analysis for Each Team

Editor's note: Michael Plundo is an incoming junior at Texas Tech studying Sports Management and spending his second semester as an intern at 600 ESPN El Paso. He is an aspiring sports journalist. Throughout the coming weeks, Michael will be diving into each NFL division to give his outlook on each team, with the ceiling and floor for each franchise. This week, Michael previews the NFC West: 

By Michael Plundo

The NFC West is shaping up to be one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL this season. With powerhouse teams and rising stars, the battle for the top spot is expected to be intense. Here is a deeper look at all four teams and where they stand. 

San Francisco 49ers   

• Record: 12-5 (2023)                           - Overall finish: Lost in Super Bowl  

• Division placement: 1st                      - Head coach: Kyle Shanahan (8th season) 

• Offense rank: 398.4 yds/G (2/32)      - Defense rank: 303.9 yds/G allowed (8/32) 

Last year's overview:  

No doubt last season that the San Francisco 49ers were up there as one of the best teams in the league. The Niners enjoyed a great regular season finding themselves finishing first in the NFC West and a trip to the Super Bowl, but fell short to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime.

Star running back Christian McCaffrey had a career season, leading the league in rushing yards (1,459), top-5 in touchdowns (14), crowning him offensive player of the year.

While the season did not end as the team and fans had hoped, there is no reason to think that the 49ers could get back to the big game. The Niners still have most of their core from last season, only major loss was on the defensive side as defensive lineman Arik Armstead left in free agency to sign with Jacksonville. However, that defense still features Nick Bosa who won defensive player of the year from the 2022-23 season, Fred Warner whom many consider as the best linebacker in the league and Talanoa Hufanga and Charvarius Ward highlighting the secondary. 

New Additions:  

The Niners made a couple of moves this offseason, signing edge rusher Leonard Floyd to a two-year contract, trading for defensive tackle Maliek Collins from Houston, inking linebacker Devondre Campbell, and adding defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos from Carolina. Transitioning to the offensive side of the ball, Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy, who enjoyed a breakout season, is leading the charge with the aforementioned McCaffrey by his side. It gets better when Purdy has weapons like Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and rookie first-round pick Ricky Pearsall out of Florida. Up front, Trent Williams is the main headline as he continues to dominate at the left tackle position even at the age of 35. 

Burning Questions for SF: 

However, there are some questions about wide receiver Aiyuk’s future with the team. Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is due for an extension with rumors stating he is looking for $30 million per year. He is coming off his best season statistically, recording 75 catches for 1,342 yards with seven touchdowns, and having averaged nearly 18 yards per catch.  

Will the Niners pay him what he wants? That is probably the biggest question surrounding the 49ers and losing him would hurt. The team also picked receiver Jacob Cowing (Arizona) in the 4th round, but the odds of him and even first-round pick Pearsall matching Aiyuk’s production are low. However, the 49ers are still a title contender and have the talent to make a run again, barring any major significant injury. They should also be competing for the division title as the last two seasons they have been crowned NFC West champions and are the team to beat.  

Will Kyle Shanahan lead his group to a Super Bowl victory? Shanahan is no stranger to the Super Bowl, appearing at the big game 3 different times, once as an offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and twice as a head coach for the 49ers, but has been on the losing side all three times. 

Ceiling/Floor: 

Ceiling: 14-3 

Floor: 10-7 

Los Angeles Rams 

• Record: 10-7 (2023)                           - Overall finish: Lost in wild card   

• Division placement: 2nd                     - Head coach: Sean Mcvay (8th season) 

• Offense rank: 359.3 yds/G (7/32)      - Defense rank: 337.9 yds/G allowed (20/32) 

Last year overview: 

Coming into the 2023 season, not many expected much from the Rams given the salary cap issues, losing key players like Jalen Ramsey via trade, quarterback Matthew Stafford coming off an injury, and a roster with young inexperienced players. The Rams put those questions to rest as they clinched a playoff berth. One of the biggest stories from the Rams was rookie Puka Nacua, a 5th-round draft pick from BYU. His rookie season was nothing short of excellent. Not only was Nacua named to the all-rookie team by Pro Writer’s Football Association, but he holds the record for most receptions by a rookie in a season with 105. Doesn’t end there however, holds the record for most receiving yards with 1,486, most receptions in a game by a rookie with 15, and has the most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game with 181. The guy is the real deal and considering it was only his rookie season, the sky is the limit for him. On the defensive side, there is room for improvement but there are players to be excited about like Byron Young, who led all rookie edge rushers with eight sacks and defensive tackle Kobie Turner who finished 3rd in voting for defensive rookie of the year.  

New Additions:  

During the 2024 offseason, Rams were quite active in improving the team. Re-signing key players like guard Kevin Dotson to a three-year contract worth $48 million, who was a staple on that offensive line. Adding guard Jonah Jackson to further bolsters the trenches to a three-year $51 million deal, which will allow second-year player Steve Avila to move to center. The secondary, which was an Achilles heel for the Rams last season, agreed to a two-year contract with ex-commander safety Kamren Curl worth up to $8.75 million, one of the most underrated moves of the 2024 offseason, added ex-bills cornerback Tre’Davious White to a one-year contract, and brought back a familiar face in Darious Williams to a 3-year contract who won a Super Bowl with the team in 2022. However, the biggest loss for Los Angeles came up front when superstar Aaron Donald announced his retirement from the league. To “replace” him, the team drafted edge rusher Jared Verse in the 1st round from Florida State, which felt unusual since this is the Rams’ first time having a 1st round pick since 2016, the team also drafted defensive tackle Braden Fiske from Florida State in the 2nd round. Good to add two players who already have chemistry together to help the front seven, however, they have big shoes to fill. 

Burning Questions for LA: 

Rams made improvements on the team, just like any other team, there are questions that need to be answered. Do Matthew Stafford and Mcvay have one final Super Bowl? Stafford is getting older and while he put up solid numbers last season, rumors surround the team that the quarterback is looking for a new deal. In 2022, we saw how important it is for Stafford to stay healthy as when he went down with injury, the Rams struggled mightily. Probably the biggest question for the Rams is how they replace Donald? With what Donald was able to do in his career and being able to help the team win a title back in 2022, not an easy guy to replace. Not to mention, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris left for the Falcons’ head coaching job and took assistant coach Zac Robinson to handle offensive play-calling duties in Atlanta. Will the new additions to the defense help improve the group that finished 20th overall last season? The signings of Kamren Curl, Tre’Davious White, and Darious Williams are a start, however, White has had trouble staying on the field as he has only played in 10 games the last two seasons. Curl is a solid signing and should slot in nicely, and Williams, who has familiarity with Mcvay helps a secondary that gave up 11.3 yards per reception last season. The Rams have a shot to make the playoffs and do not be shocked if they make a push for the NFC West title, the dynamic duo of Cooper Kupp and Nacua should terrify opposing defenses, rising star in running back Kyren Williams in the backfield and if Stafford can stay healthy, the league saw how great that offense can be. If the defense can generate more stops and create turnovers, this is a dark horse team.  

Ceiling/Floor:  

Ceiling: 12-5 

Floor: 7-10 

Seattle Seahawks 

• Record: 9-8                                           Overall finish: did not qualify for playoffs 
• Division placement: 3rd                        Head Coach: Mike Macdonald (1st season) 
• Offense rank: 322.9 yds/G (21/32)       Defense rank: 371.4 yds/G allowed (30/32) 

Last year's overview:  

After a shocking 2022-23 season, the Seahawks came into 2023 feeling encouraged as quarterback Geno Smith won comeback player of the year and helped sneak the team to the playoffs, the team had a lot to look forward to. However, the Seahawks did not build off that and instead missed the playoffs, regression certainly hit Seattle. Defense was a major issue for Seattle last season, finishing 30th in total defense, including a 31st ranking against the run. Rookie corner Devon Witherspoon was a bright spot, he proved to be worth the 5th overall pick as he had a solid rookie season finishing with an 84.1 grade by Pro Football Focus. The Seahawks offense was also filled with inconsistency, one game they looked like they could be a top offense, and other games they looked like a bottom-tier offense.  

New additions:  

Seattle is now entering a different era, as longtime head coach Pete Carroll and the team agreed that he would step down from his head coaching role but will remain with the team as an advisor. The team hired Mike Macdonald, who previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Ravens and helped lead a defense that finished in the top 10. He will now be tasked with helping revamp a defense that has had its struggles in recent memory. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron left for the same role in Chicago, the team hired Ryan Grubb in his place and the team let go of defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt and replaced him with Aden Durde. During the free agency period, Seattle made a couple of moves such as re-signing defensive end Leonard Williams to a 3-year deal, $64.5 million and added linebacker Jerome Baker to a 1-year deal, worth $7 million to hopefully fill the void left there as Jordyn Brooks left to sign with Miami and legend Bobby Wagner signing with the commanders. More on the defensive side, Tyrel Dodson was brought in from Buffalo on a 1-year deal, defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins was signed from Dallas to a 1-year deal and some new faces were added to the secondary, signing safeties Rayshawn Jenkins (Jaguars) and K’von Wallace (Eagles).

Transitioning to the offensive side, the team re-signed tight end Noah Fant to a 2-year contract who has been a solid player since being a part of the Russell Wilson trade. As far as adding new players, the team traded for ex-commander quarterback Sam Howell which raised some eyebrows, they also signed wide receiver Laviska Shenault and offensive tackle George Fant. Howell was the starter for Washington last season and showed flashes but was very inconsistent. Many wonder if Seattle should have made more significant moves considering that the team has gone 9-8 the past 2 seasons. Fast forward to the draft, General manager John Schneider hit a home run with his first-round draft choice in defensive lineman Byron Murphy who should have a major impact in fixing an abysmal run defense. 

Burning Questions for SEA:  

With Seattle entering a new era, is Geno Smith’s time ending? As mentioned earlier, the team acquired quarterback Sam Howell who is only 23 years old and saw significant playing time with the Commanders last season. He put up a TD/INT ratio of 21:21 with a 63% completion percentage, 42.4 quarterback rating (24th) and 3,946 passing yards (12th). While there is room for improvement, there is some belief Howell could get an eventual start with Seattle given how young he is and if the team decides to part ways with Geno. Not a knock on Geno Smith, as he has put up solid numbers with Seattle the last two seasons, but they have only been to the playoffs once in which they lost 41-23 to the 49ers and have gone 9-8 in those two seasons. With a new coaching staff, who knows what could happen, Seattle certainly has got the talent on offense to make Geno’s life easy with a good receiver trio of D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Tyler Lockett, tight end Noah Fant who has been a solid contributor, and running back Kenneth Walker who ranked top 10 league-wide in several statistical categories.

What will the Seattle interior offensive line look like and how will they perform? With the departures of former starters Damien Lewis (Carolina), Evan Brown (Arizona), and Phil Haynes (free agent) the Seahawks have questions to answer to fill those positions. Training camp will be a big test for rookies Christian Haynes and Sataoa Laumea as they will battle for both guard spots. At center, second-year player Olu Oluwatimi will look to solidify the position, having an impressive collegiate career, could he have a breakout season? The Seahawks have the talent to make the playoffs, but with a couple of rising teams in the NFC also gunning for a wild card spot, it will be a dogfight. However, Seattle is no strangers to surprising people and the 2022-23 season is a prime example of that, the first year without longtime quarterback Russell Wilson and they managed to sneak into the playoffs. Will Seattle have some of that magic this season? 

Ceiling/Floor:  

Ceiling: 11-6 

Floor: 7-10 

Arizona Cardinals 

• Record: 4-13                                             Overall finish: did not qualify for playoffs 
• Division placement: 4th                             Head coach: Jonathan Gannon (2nd season) 
• Offense rank: 324.1 yds/G (19/32)            Defense rank: 355.7 yds/G allowed (25/32) 

Last year overview:  

Given the situation the Cardinals were in coming into last season, from quarterback Kyler Murray recovering from a torn ACL, losing Deandre Hopkins in free agency, a new head coach, a roster filled with young players with most veterans departing, Arizona was in for a long season. Must give credit where credit is due, three of the Cardinals wins came against playoff teams (Cowboys, Steelers, and Eagles) there were a lot of games where they were competitive and gave teams a run for their money. Arizona trotted out three starting quarterbacks last season from Joshua Dobbs, rookie Clayton Tune, and Kyler Murray, returning later. Running back James Conner was the best player, racking up 5 yards per attempt, and rushing for over 1,000 yards with seven rushing touchdowns. The defense struggled throughout the season; the run defense gave up 143.2 yards per game, while the secondary was not the worst, and still needs improvement. While the team and fan base didn’t have the season they wanted, Jonathan Gannon got the best out of his guys and he and General Manager Monti Ossenfort seem to have a vision of what this team can be in the future.  

New additions:  

The Arizona Cardinals made several free-agent acquisitions in 2024. On the offensive side, the team signed offensive tackle Jonah Williams to a 2-year contract, center Evan Brown to a one-year deal, running back Deejay Dallas from rival Seattle to a three-year contract who can also help with special teams, and wide receiver Chris Moore for depth. For the defense, the team inked cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting to a three-year deal, defensive lineman L.J. Collier for 1 year, furthering building the trenches by adding Bilal Nichols to a three-year contract from Vegas and Justin Jones from Chicago also for three years. The team also added to the linebacker core by signing Mack Wilson and Krys Barnes to 1-year contracts, both have starting experience. The draft was key for Arizona, owning 11 picks Monti Ossenfort wasted no time in fixing the team’s holes. The Cardinals selected Marvin Harrison Jr. (son of Marvin Harrison, ex-wide receiver) with the 4th overall pick, giving Kyler Murray a weapon and a potential superstar. The team also added another receiver in Tehjuan Palmer, a speedster from UAB. The Cardinals also had another first-round pick at #27 selecting Darius Robinson, defensive lineman from Missouri, a player with versatility who finished with 8.5 sacks last season. Monti got himself a steal in the second round following a trade back, grabbing cornerback Max Melton who had eight interceptions with Rutgers and is known as the “takeaway king.” 

Burning questions for AZ: 

The Cardinals are still rebuilding, and some questions must be answered. Can this team win more games? This current Cardinals roster is an upgrade over last years, but there are still some holes that are unproven and it’s a wait and see type of deal. With rookie Marvin Harrison catching balls from a healthy Kyler Murray, this team can steal some games and surprise some teams league-wide. Will the acquisitions made on the defensive side improve a sluggish defense? Sean Murphy-Bunting was a solid add to the secondary and could pair nicely with rookie Max Melton but giving Bilal Nichols 3 years with $7 million annually who had 1.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 quarterback hits is a bit questionable. Darius Robinson plays a violent style of football the Cardinals are looking for upfront and he could make a big impact on day 1. Playoffs seem unlikely for this Arizona Cardinals squad, but this team is on the right track and Jonathan Gannon and Monti Ossenfort look like the right guys to steer the ship and get this team back to the postseason.  

Ceiling/Floor:  

Ceiling: 8-9 

Floor: 4-13