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4. Arizona Cardinals
2023 Record: 4-13
The Cardinals currently find themselves in an interesting position. All signs have pointed to them sticking with quarterback Kyler Murray, who’s been their starter for the past five seasons and possesses 28-36-1 record as a starter. If they do in fact stay the course and stick with Murray, they might very well be in position to draft the best non-quarterback in the 2024 draft.
With the first three picks expected to all be spent on quarterbacks, the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr. would likely fall into Arizona’s lap at number four. The Cardinals could also trade the pick with a number of quarterback-needy teams picking behind them and a loaded overall quarterback pool which should see as many as five or six of them taken in round one alone.
The Cardinals are almost certainly building for 2025 and beyond, with this roster being quite a way off from respectable. The rest of the division is still too good for them to be able to compete.
3. Seattle Seahawks
2023 Record: 9-8
It’s a new era for the Seattle Seahawks. 2024 will be their first season since 2009 without the legendary Pete Carroll on the sidelines, and with that comes many pressing questions. Carroll’s replacement, 36-year-old Mike Macdonald, is now the youngest head coach in the NFL. Macdonald was previously the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens and the Michigan Wolverines before that. This hire makes it quite clear that the Seahawks are fully focused on maintaining the strong defensive culture that was built under Carroll.
The days of the Legion of Boom are now long into the past. In spite of being a defensive-minded organization, Seattle finished 2023 ranked 25th in points allowed and 30th in yards allowed, leaving room for a potentially significant improvement under Macdonald’s reign. On the opposite side of the ball, there are just as many questions, starting with determining who will be their long-term signal caller. Geno Smith was good in 2022 but seemed to regress if only slightly, last year. Smith is also turning 34 later this year and has never been confused for a star quarterback in his 11-year career.
The fact that the Seahawks currently hold the 16th pick in the 2024 draft eliminates them from selecting any of the top three or four quarterbacks in the class, barring a trade-up. However, drafting someone like Oregon’s Bo Nix or Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. could potentially be in play if the Seahawks are seriously interested in drafting a quarterback. It would be a rather short trip to Seattle for either man if it were to happen.
2. Los Angeles Rams
2023 Record: 10-7
I was higher on the Rams before they lost the greatest defensive tackle in NFL history to retirement. A loss of this size will lead to the inevitable growing pains that go along with attempting to fill a void that ultimately cannot be filled. While the LA defense will likely be a question mark, their offense should remain reliable as a consistent producer.
The Rams are one of the few teams in the league that can boast having two legitimate number-one receivers in Cooper Kupp and one of last year’s breakout stars, Puka Nacua. They also possess another one of last year’s breakout stars in running back Kyren Williams. The Rams have always maintained a heavy focus on the offensive side of the ball ever since hiring Sean McVay in 2017, even though they have frequently had good defenses during that time span. With that being said, 2024’s team might be more reliant on the offense than any of McVay’s previous teams.
Overall, there is still no reason to think that a Super Bowl-winning quarterback/head coach combo paired with three superstar offensive weapons shouldn’t be enough to make for a playoff team in the weaker of the two conferences. One could even argue that this team might be able to challenge the Niners for the division crown.
1. San Francisco 49ers
2023 Record: 12-5
Vegas’ current favorite to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in 2025 still remains the best roster in the division and likely in the NFC. After three straight NFC Championship Game appearances and four in the past five years, the 49ers have surpassed the point of being overly concerned about the regular season. If they aren’t able to win a Super Bowl within the next few seasons, there will be big decisions that have to be made, particularly surrounding the future of quarterback Brock Purdy.
Purdy is still on his rookie deal, a contract that pays him less than $1 million a season. 2024 might be the last season before Purdy gets his big extension. That means that this upcoming season could very well be the Niner’s best chance at ending their three-decade drought without a Lombardi Trophy, with the looming possibility of certain key players having to be let go in 2025 to make cap space for Purdy’s extension. However, I wouldn’t say that the 49ers extending Purdy is a forgone conclusion at this point. Yes, he’s proven himself to be a good to really good caliber player in his 27 career starts (including the postseason), but is he the kind of player that can lead the Niners to the promised land?
Perhaps Purdy has been overly scrutinized during his still-short career, but most of it is warranted, seeing how he’s been gifted an ideal situation with elite weapons, an elite defense, and an elite head coach. San Fran had an active offseason, adding 11 new players into the fold, the most notable of whom is defensive end Leonard Floyd. Floyd, who played the 2023 season with the Buffalo Bills, is coming off a career-high in sacks with 10.5. Here, he will form one-half of what should be a lethal pass-rush duo with Nick Bosa.
The Niners look locked and loaded as NFC front runners with the likes of the Packers, Lions, and Eagles as seemingly their closest challengers. In the division, they remain heavy favorites, holding the best odds of any team in the NFL to win their division (-230), according to FanDuel. However, maybe the Rams can make things interesting.
