The NFC West, at least in its current incarnation, has never produced a Super Bowl champion, and the last team in the division to win the Big Game was the St. Louis Rams in 2000. Needless to say, the division has been fighting for respectability for nearly a decade.
At least one team, the Seahawks, is a legitimate Super Bowl threat and this year’s draft is an important one, as they may only need a player or two to get them to the next level. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are seemingly this close to breaking through into the playoffs, but a boneheaded move in the draft, like not addressing defense in the early rounds, could keep them on the outside looking in.
Meanwhile, the 49ers are on the right track, but need another solid draft to get them back to respectability after making a few good moves in free agency. And the Rams…well, the Rams will need a couple of years picking at number two to reshape their dilapidated roster.
Arizona Cardinals – Needs: CB, LB, RB, WR, FS, DT, DE, OG
The Cardinals absolutely must try to piece together a defense that can get its offense onto the field quicker. They need help at practically every defensive position, particularly in the secondary after they gave up more than 230 passing yards per game last year, among the worst in the league. Management wisely franchised linebacker Karlos Dansby, but the Cardinals have been relatively inactive in free agency.
They hold the 16th pick in the draft and would be wise to use it on a corner or safety, but the lone first round talent at safety, Kenny Phillips, would be a reach there. This may be a place for someone like DT Kentwan Balmer or OLB Keith Rivers.
The Cardinals may also use a second round or second day pick on a running back to replace the quickly aging Edgerrin James. Several mock drafts have them taking either Jonathan Stewart or Rashard Mendenhall, but they have bigger needs.
San Francisco 49ers – Needs: WR, OT, OG, OLB, CB, S
Few teams have been more active in free agency this year than the 49ers, and that’s probably a good thing now that the league has taken away San Francisco’s fifth round pick for tampering with LB Lance Briggs.
In the first round, however, the Niners won’t pick until No. 29, a spot that usually means best player available at a need position. However, the top rated offensive linemen are likely to be gone, except for perhaps Boston College’s Gosder Cherilus. This may be a spot where Kenny Phillips or Keith Rivers lands. San Francisco signed veteran Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson to add depth at the wide receiver position, so taking a first round selection on a wide out doesn’t make sense. A later round pick on one is more likely. They pick higher in the second round, and corner could be addressed their with one of the first rounders who drops.
Seattle Seahawks – Needs: TE, WR, OG, DE
The Seahawks are one of several teams who may be just a player or two away from becoming either playoff caliber, or in the Seahawks’ case, a Super Bowl contender. That player almost certainly is a wide receiver. The Seahawks lost D.J. Hackett to the Panthers in free agency, but Hackett was really nothing more than a solid number two receiver.
With the 25th pick in the first round, the Seahawks are slotted perfectly to land a top rated wide receiver, such as Devin Thomas from Michigan State, Limas Sweed from Texas or even Mario Manningham from Michigan if his stock rises just a bit higher. The grades on offensive guards slot many of them in the third round, so the Seahawks may look to upgrade the line later in the draft.
The Seahawks signed TE Jeb Putzier away from the Houston Texans, but he is more of a blocking threat than offensive force, so someone like Notre Dame’s John Carlson is a possibility in the second.
St. Louis Rams – Needs: OT, DE, WR, CB, S, C, LB
You don’t get the second pick in the draft without having holes everywhere and the Rams are no exception. Once the class of the league, at least talent wise, the Rams have fallen hard and fallen fast. But they will get a nice building block with any number of potential Pro Bowlers at number two. defensive ends Chris Long and Vernon Gholston and offensive tackle Jake Long, are all possibilities for the Rams in the first round.
Of course, it’s the later rounds that determine how well a draft grade a team receives. With their second round pick, the Rams will be in good position to take a wide receiver with first round talent who fell back. This year is also a fairly deep year for cornerbacks, so even if they wait to take one in the third round, they could land three solid starters at three critical positions.
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