THREE OFFSEASON
MOVES FOR EACH NFC WEST TEAM
Now that the
offseason is in full swing, front offices of all 32 NFL teams have begun to
assess priorities for the coming months. What areas should each team address? I
try my hand at general manager and identifies three areas each team should
tackle this offseason. Today, I examine
the NFC West.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Like the New York Jets,
the Cardinals should
follow the blueprints of the Los Angeles
Rams and Chicago Bears when
it comes to developing a quarterback. This offseason is all about putting the
necessary pieces around Josh Rosen to
help him succeed and adding more talent to the roster.
1) Improve the O-line. The Cardinals couldn't
get a consistent run or pass game going last season, and a poor offensive line
played a big part in their struggles. Sign proven free agents and draft
promising prospects to give this unit a major boost. David Johnson and Josh Rosen need
help.
2) Bulk up D-line. The best way to do this is to
select the most talented player with the No. 1 overall draft pick. Welcome to
Arizona, Nick Bosa.
3) Address receiving needs. It's no secret that
the offense lacks playmakers, so Arizona must be willing to make big moves this
offseason. It must be open to trades, pay decent money for free agents and hit
on draft picks.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Defense, defense, defense. Wade Phillips' group played well
but there are definitely some adjustments and additions that could make
it consistently dominant.
1) Find an edge rusher. The Rams had
one of the best interior pass rushes in the league, but they struggled coming
off the edge. They tried to address the need by acquiring Dante Fowler in
October and he did play well for L.A. I don't think he will be back in 2019,
though. That said there are plenty of edge rushers available in free agency. Or
go draft one on Day 1 or 2.
2) Draft a safety. The Rams lose Lamarcus
Joyner to free agency if they don't tag or re-sign him, so they
must find someone to fill the void. They are looking for a middle-of-the-field
roamer, perhaps Washington's Taylor Rapp late in the first round.
3) Replace Ndamukong Suh. Suh's
one-year deal is up, and I don't see L.A. bringing him back. Les Snead needs to
find a big space eater to help with the run.
SAN FRANCISCO
49ERS
The Niners must bolster their front seven -- they cut their
2017 first-rounder Reuben Foster in
November after several off-the-field incidents -- and add to the back end, as
well. Plus, a major need must be addressed in Kyle Shanahan's offense.
1) Find a dominant edge rusher. This is a huge
need for the 49ers,
and I expect that they'll devote quite a bit of money and draft picks to
shoring up the pass rush. Whether it's in free agency or the draft, they must
find a dominant force off the edge.
2) Get a No. 1 wideout. TRADE ALERT! I'm going
to go strike a deal with Pittsburgh for Antonio Brown.
He would elevate this offense by leaps and bounds. Plus, with Jimmy
Garoppolo coming back healthy for 2019, this offense could be scary
with Shanahan leading the charge.
3) Bulk up DB room. Other than nickel Jimmie Ward,
the 49ers'
secondary returns all of its starters. Still, this draft has a ton of talent on
the back end and there's opportunity for San Francisco to find some diamonds in
the rough to add depth and competition.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Pete Carroll did a phenomenal job coaching up a squad
without big names last season. Imagine what the Seahawks could
be with high-profile players -- oh wait ... The Seahawks will
turn the corner if they address key needs this offseason.
1) Re-sign Frank Clark. Clark
is coming off his best season since he was drafted in 2015, with 13 sacks, 27
quarterback hits and 10 tackles for loss. This is a guy you want to keep
around, but the 'Hawks shouldn't stop there. Edge rushers aren't hard to come
by this offseason, so why not give Clark some help.
2) Provide better protection. The Seahawks ran
the ball extremely well in 2018, but they have to allow Russell
Wilson to be comfortable. This has been an uphill battle for
several seasons. Guards D.J. Fluker
and J.R. Sweezy could
be lost in free agency so upgrading at guard and adding competition across the
O-line are major priorities.
3) Add offensive weapons. The Seahawks won't
lose any of their skill-position players -- barring injury this offseason --
but adding studs in free agency always helps. I'd look to add a tight end and
another receiver.
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