Is There a Super Bowl Contender in the NFC West? The Draft will Help Determine Their Fates

We are one day away from the NFL Draft. Anticipation has built to its apex, and there's nothing to do now except wait for things to unfold. That doesn't stop us from prognosticating, though, so we are here with three draft moves for the NFC West, the last of eight such articles.

Teams have different goals in the draft depending on where their roster is and how close they are to competing. A successful draft for the 49ers this year doesn't necessarily look the same as a successful draft for the Jets.

Below are three draft moves for each NFC West team. It will include specific picks, positions to focus on, trades, and anything else that makes sense for the team in question.

Check out the other divisional rundowns: AFC East, AFC North, AFC South, AFC West, NFC East, NFC North, NFC South.

Arizona Cardinals – No. 16

1. Draft a starting right guard on the first two days.

This could be a right tackle who plays guard in 2025 before moving out to right tackle when Jonah Williams' contract expires after this season. There should also be guys who are exclusively guards who will be available when Arizona is on the board at No. 47, so fixing that spot with a long-term option is also in play.

If they go with the first-round option, Kelvin Banks from Texas might be the most likely player. He is seen as a versatile lineman who could play on the inside or outside but would provide more value in the long run at tackle. If it's the second round instead, then Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona), Donovan Jackson (Ohio State), Marcus Mbow (Purdue), and Tate Ratledge (Georgia) all fit as guys who could step right into the lineup and might be available.

2. Get a defensive lineman on the first two days.

If they don't go after an O-lineman on Day 1, then the defensive line would be a place to target. The Cardinals were 28th in pass rushing and 20th in run stop last season, according to ESPN. They made one of the biggest moves of free agency in signing pass rusher Josh Sweat from Philadelphia. They also made a series of one- and two-year signings, but there aren't a lot of long-term options on the line.

Last year's first rounder, defensive end Darius Robinson, was seen as a guy with a high floor who can get on the field quickly, so maybe they would look more toward the inside of the line. No team ever had enough pass rushers, though, so Arizona could target that position if the value is right.

3. Find a receiver who can be involved as a rookie.

Second-year player Marvin Harrison Jr. still tracks as a star after a modest first year, but no one else on the roster looks like a real difference-maker at receiver. A true WR2 is a need, and it could be filled as early as the first round.

If they wait until Day 2, the Cardinals should still be able to find a guy who can be involved as a rookie and grow into a bigger role throughout the season. There's a good base of talent on the offense, but they could use another impact player out wide.

Los Angeles Rams – No. 26

1. Draft a developmental quarterback as high as the first round.

Matthew Stafford is still playing at a high level, but he will turn 38 right around the Super Bowl. Even if he wants to keep playing several more years, we should expect at least a little regression in Stafford's performance. Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett are there as backups, but neither figures to ever be a starter on a contending team again.

Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss is seen as a potential first-round pick and might go even before the 26th pick. He could be an option for the Rams if he is there, otherwise the team could try to find a guy on Day 2 or 3 if they think someone has a little upside. Alabama's Jalen Milroe is getting some buzz that he could go as high as the late first round; maybe the Rams are the team considering the move and could get a young, talented player who probably needs some time to get ready.

2. Find a pass catcher or two.

Tight end might be the easiest place to upgrade right away, as Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson are both middling veterans who are fine but lack upside. LA could look for a guy with big potential who might not be ready right away but has higher upside than the TEs in place.

Wide receiver looks good with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams leading the way and Tutu Atwell back on a one-year deal. Adams is only signed for two years, so guys will be needed soon to take over those roles. A Day 2 or 3 rookie who can play some snaps and develop would fit; the Rams have a recent track record of hitting big with guys in the middle rounds.

3. Try to find two starting linebackers.

The depth chart at inside linebacker for the Rams has just one player who was drafted: a 2021 fifth-round pick. The roster is solid in most areas, but the linebacker spot has nothing but unheralded, inexperienced, and ineffective players. This is a position to target with multiple picks.

It could come as early as Round 1, though Day 2 and 3 are more likely. UCLA's Carson Schwesinger has been a hot name as a potential rookie starter as a second rounder. LA would have to reach for him in the first, as they don't have a second-round pick, unless they are interested in packaging two third rounders to get up into the second.

Taking several shots at guys who could start or at least contribute as rookies might be the biggest need for this roster. Inside linebacker is also a position at which the team could find a veteran starter later in the offseason.

San Francisco 49ers – No. 11

1. Find instant impact players.

Some teams are able to pick the best player available in the draft because they have a full starting lineup and rotation that doesn't need a rookie to step in right away. San Francisco has been in that position in the recent past.

Things are different now, though, as the 49ers watched a ton of talent walk out the door, including receiver Deebo Samuel Sr., linebacker Dre Greenlaw, cornerback Charvarius Ward, safety Talanoa Hufanga, and more. Finding rookie contributors at each of those positions and/or on the defensive line would make true contention much more realistic for San Fran.

2. Take a cornerback in the first round.

Losing Ward might hurt most of all the offseason defections. He was their top cornerback and left the position short on both top-line talent and depth. A starter who can come in and play big snaps as a rookie, even if just in the slot, could help the defense hold up at a playoff level.

If they decide to instead go after the defensive line in the first round, corner could be targeted in Round 2 or 3. After losing so much talent, there are multiple ways for the 49ers to attack the draft depending on how things unfold in front of them.

3. Hit both lines with at least one pick.

San Francisco has 11 picks, including extras in the third, fourth, fifth, and seventh. They can spread the wealth depending on how the board develops, but the most important part of the roster is in the trenches, and the 49ers aren't quite as set there as it might seem given some of the names.

They were a hair above average as a team on the defensive line last year, but they were on the lower side on the O-line. With so many picks, they can focus on keeping the lines beefed up with depth and players who might be able to develop into starters down the line.

Seattle Seahawks – No. 18

1. Get a starting right guard by the end of Day 2.

Seattle ranked 21st in pass blocking and 28th in run blocking in 2024. They don't have a player ready to slot in at right guard who would project to be even average. Day 2 is often a good place to find interior linemen, and the Seahawks have two picks in both the second and third rounds (Nos. 50, 52, 82, and 92). That's a prime area to find one or even two guys on the offensive line to create depth and competition.

Seattle has also been linked to North Dakota State's Grey Zabel in the first round, and he could play either guard or center. That would open up more options for the team to upgrade on a below-average offensive line.

2. Find a wide receiver who can contribute in the early-to-mid rounds.

This could happen as early as Round 1. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a keeper, and the team signed Cooper Kupp in the offseason, but they also released Tyler Lockett and traded DK Metcalf, so this receiving unit is short on top-level talent.

Kupp should be expected to miss a few games, and he's only around for a few more years, so a rookie could play now and develop into a bigger role down the road. New quarterback Sam Darnold could use as many high-level targets as possible if he hopes to recreate the magic from last season.

3. Build more depth in the secondary.

Seattle has done a lot of work on the defensive line in recent years, and though they have a few high-level secondary players, they could use more guys under controllable contracts who can get into the rotation soon.

Either cornerback or safety could be targeted, though corner is the more premium position. This is another good area to target on Day 2 because anyone added doesn't necessarily have to play big snaps right away and could ease onto the field.