NFC West: Previewing 49ers division rivals ahead of 2017 season

Niner Noise examines the San Francisco 49ers’ fit in the NFC West with the 2017 NFL season just around the corner.

Not long ago, the NFC West was one of the NFL’s powerhouses, and the San Francisco 49ers were in the midst of this once-dominant division.

The NFC West isn’t quite the same anymore, and teams like the Niners and Arizona Cardinals aren’t near the level they used to be. Even the Seattle Seahawks don’t appear as imposing as they were just a couple of seasons ago.

So how does the division shape up as the 2017 season draws near?

In this slideshow, we take a look around the NFC West and see how the 49ers’ competition may fare this season. We’ll examine team schedules, strengths, weaknesses and X-factors and specifically see what the Niners will be dealing with amid the division.

We’ll also take into account each team’s offseason, paying special attention to free-agent pickups/losses and NFL Draft additions.

It’s not likely the 49ers get back to contending for a division title this year. But they may not be the laughingstock of the NFC West either.

So let’s kick things off with last year’s division winners, the Seahawks.

Seattle Seahawks

2016 Record: 10-5-1, First Place in NFC West

Despite having “somewhat” of a down year in 2016, the Seahawks still managed to lay claim to the NFC West crown in 2016. Barring anything crazy, it’s unlikely they’ll give up this hold in 2017 either.

Seattle’s strength still lies within its defense, although the once-vaunted “Legion of Boom” seems a little less intimidating with Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas III returning from a serious injury and cornerback Richard Sherman’s trade buzz.

Regardless, the Seahawks still allowed the third fewest points last year (292) and ranked fifth best in yards allowed (5,099).

Offseason Moves

Taking defensive tackle Malik McDowell (No. 35 overall) and defensive back Shaquill Griffin (No. 90) overall should help keep this defensive bunch stout over the course of 2017.

Yet the biggest concern Seattle has is up front with its offensive line. Bringing in offensive tackle Luke Joeckel and drafting center Ethan Pocic (No. 58 overall) may help a bit — especially considering this group ranked 25th in pass protection last year, according to Football Outsiders — but these aren’t exactly major upgrades.

In short, the Seahawks should completely overhaul their O-line to keep quarterback Russell Wilson upright.

Wilson may get something of a running game to support him this season, with former Green Bay Packers tailback Eddie Lacy joining the mix. Lacy’s weight concerns could be a problem this season, so keep an eye on that.

2017 Schedule

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/15/2017.

Seattle has a relatively easy schedule, based off last year’s results, heading into this season. Opponents this year posted a combined .455 winning percentage in 2016 — tied for 25th, according to CBS Sports’ John Breech.

There aren’t any arduous road trips either, as the Seahawks won’t have back-to-back road games this year. And only a handful of East Coast trips take place as well.

2017 Prognosis

The Seahawks will still rely heavily on both their defense and home-field advantage. Head coach Pete Carroll’s only major concern will be the ability to keep Wilson healthy over the course of 16 games and not under duress.

Losing Wilson to injury would be disastrous even if Seattle’s defense figures to be a top-10 unit.

So maybe there’s some good value to the thought of adding free-agent quarterbacks Robert Griffin III or Colin Kaepernick, as noted by ESPN earlier this week.

Still, the Seahawks are likely to wind up representing the NFC West in the playoffs this year, and there’s no reason to assume a change.

Arizona Cardinals

2016 Record: 7-8-1, Second Place in NFC West

The 2016 Cardinals were supposed to be a serious contender for a conference title after falling short in the previous year’s NFC Championship game to the Carolina Panthers.

Yet a 7-8-1 record and a series of underachieving, inconsistent performances over the course of last year prompted questions whether or not head coach Bruce Arians’ squad was trending in the wrong direction or merely hit one of those “hiccup” years teams can have.

Despite the record, Arizona’s defense still managed to be dominant, at least in yards allowed. The Cardinals finished with the second-best yards-against mark (4,883) in the NFL in 2016 and boasted a league-leading 48 sacks.

But the biggest wonder will be if veteran quarterback Carson Palmer, at 37 years old, stays healthy enough over the course of the season.

Offseason Moves

The Cardinals inked a few former 49ers this offseason, including kicker Phil Dawson and safety Antoine Bethea.

Bethea is intended to help the free-agent loss of safety Tony Jefferson, but the Cardinals also hope safety Budda Baker — selected No. 36 overall in the NFL Draft — emerges as the long-term solution.

Linebacker Haason Reddick also beefs up the front seven, which is already dominant enough despite the loss of veteran defensive end Calais Campbell to free agency. And keeping EDGE Chandler Jones, who had 11 of those 48 sacks last year, on the franchise tag was a wise move.

2017 Schedule

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/15/2017.

The Cardinals boast the 23rd toughest schedule this season with opponents’ 2016 winning percentages combining to .467.

Aside from a handful of two-game stretches (Weeks 10 and 11, 16 and 17), there aren’t exactly a lot of games to circle on Arizona’s schedule as being problematic.

2017 Prognosis

This year will reveal the exact direction the Cardinals are headed after a disappointing 2016 campaign.

An aging Palmer and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald are two of the more pressing concerns, and the former’s health will be a main topic over the course of this year. It isn’t as if backup quarterbacks Drew Stanton and/or Blaine Gabbert inspire a lot of confidence.

But look for running back David Johnson to be a larger focal point for the offense this season. He’s already shown he’s the real deal, and using him should take a lot of pressure off Palmer.

Los Angeles Rams

2016 Record: 4-12, Third Place in NFC West

If the 49ers played the Los Angeles Rams each week of 2016, the Niners would have had a perfect 16-0 record.

Los Angeles has the unfortunate distinction of being the only team San Francisco could beat last year, and this happened for a number of key reasons.

One could argue the chief reason was former head coach Jeff Fisher. He’s gone now, replaced by former Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay. How the rookie head coach handles his new gig, especially considering the lack of offensive talent, will be an interesting point of note in 2017.

Indeed, the Rams offense was paltry last season — even worse than the 49ers. L.A. finished dead last in both points scored (224) and yards gained (4,203).

Running back Todd Gurley was a disappointment, and quarterback Jared Goff never found his rhythm after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2016 draft.

Offseason Moves

One of the bigger moves the Rams made in free agency was to sign former Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth. This should shore up L.A.’s offensive line a bit and provide an improvement over incumbent tackle Greg Robinson.

Tight end Lance Kendricks and defensive end Eugene Sims were both released, although the Rams reunited outside linebacker Connor Barwin with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

Giving up all those draft picks for Goff last year hurts, but the Rams were able to find weapons for their quarterback in the form of tight end Gerald Everett (No. 44 overall) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (No. 69 overall).

2017 Schedule

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/15/2017.

The Rams have a few tough stretches on their 2017 calendar, including back-to-back road games against the 49ers and Dallas Cowboys in Weeks 3 and 4, respectively. This is followed by a home contest against Seattle, which isn’t easy either.

In total, Rams opponents posted a .482 winning percentage in 2016, making their schedule the toughest in the NFC West.

2017 Prognosis

McVay could be the key in getting L.A.’s offense back on track. But it’s going to take some time and the growth/development of two key players — Goff and Gurley.

Gurley’s chances may be running thin, so this season may wind up being a prove-it year. Goff, on the other hand, probably has a bit more time. But with the added weapons on offense, his excuses will be fewer as well.

Despite a good defense, the Rams could still be the lone team San Francisco usurps in the standings when 16 games are in the books in 2017.

San Francisco 49ers

2016 Record: 2-14, Fourth Place in NFC West

The Niners gutted everything this offseason, following a 2-14 record and historically bad numbers on the defensive side of the ball.

With head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch in place, San Francisco’s rebuild is going to take some time. But a number of key moves have already meant the 2017 49ers will look vastly different than last year’s bunch.

Lynch was more active in free agency than his predecessor, former GM Trent Baalke, was over the previous two offseasons combined.

And while the Niners still lack elite-level talent on either side of the ball, sings are at least pointing to the red and gold finally beginning to trend in the right direction.

Offseason Moves

The 49ers didn’t hesitate to cut, or let walk, a number of underachievers from last year’s crop. Gone are quarterback Colin Kaepernick, wide receiver Torrey Smith, safety Antoine Bethea and a slew of others.

In came quarterback Brian Hoyer, who will start in 2017, and offensive additions like wideouts Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk should be an interesting component, and the Niners’ underachieving offensive line should see improvement with Pro Bowl center Jeremy Zuttah in the mix.

The 49ers also had one of the better NFL Draft classes, capped off by selections of Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas (No. 3 overall) and linebacker Reuben Foster (No. 31 overall) in Round 1. But don’t sleep on cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (No. 66 overall) and tight end George Kittle (No. 146 overall) either.

San Francisco did draft a quarterback, C.J. Beathard (No. 104 overall), but he won’t see the field this season, in all likelihood.

2017 Schedule

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/15/2017.

Unlike last season, in which the 49ers were tied for the league’s toughest schedule, the Niners have the 20th toughest calendar in 2017.

That said, this year won’t be easy. This season kicks off with five road games over the first seven weeks, including three trips to the Eastern Time zone. And those midseason home games against the Cowboys, Cardinals and New York Giants don’t figure to be easy wins at all.

The schedule gets slightly easier towards the end of the season, but not by much.

2017 Prognosis

Even with the plethora of new faces in Santa Clara, the Niners are still going to have a tough time winning five or six games this year, let alone getting back to 8-8 or better.

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It is possible, however, the 49ers post a .500 record within the NFC West though. Winning two games over the Rams is a real possibility, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see San Francisco take the home contest against Arizona.

Just don’t expect the Niners to end their losing streak against the Seahawks this season. Maybe next year. Just not 2017.

The most plausible best-case scenario would be a third-place finish this season. And the 49ers manage to stay in games and remain competitive over the course of 60 minutes each contest.

Next: Previewing NFL teams' strengths, weaknesses and X-factors in 2017

If that happens, the Niners surely are trending in the right direction.