NFC West Offseason Grades

Seattle Seahawks (Grade: A+)


Pete Carroll wasted no time putting his stamp on the Seahawks and receives my highest offseason grade of the 32 NFL teams. He found the ideal replacement for retired LT Walter Jones in Russell Okung, the best tackle prospect in the draft. He should anchor the Seahawks left side for the next ten years. With their second pick in the first round, the Seahawks grabbed safety Earl Thomas who is one of the best prospects in the entire draft. He lacks Eric Berry’s size but makes more plays on the ball. Getting WR Golden Tate where they did was great value. Tate isn’t the best route runner but is outstanding with the ball in his hands and should immediately start in the slot where he can get favourable matchups. The Seahawks gave up very little to acquire QB Charlie Whitehurst from the Chargers. Whitehurst is a promising young quarterback and, at the very least, his presence will make sure Hasselbeck doesn’t get complacent. They also acquired Leon Washington for next to nothing and he will pair with Justin Forsett to give the Seahawks a lot of speed in the backfield. To sum up, the Seahawks were able to find their left tackle of the future, a supreme talent at free safety, an explosive receiver with big play ability, a relatively young quarterback with upside and a speed back who is dangerous in the return game. Christmas came early in the Northwest.

San Francisco 49ers (Grade: A)

If the Seahawks had the best offseason, the 49ers were a close second. I will point out that both teams had an advantage in that they had two high first round picks as assets, but hey, they made good use of them. The Niners are really molding into a Mike Singletary team and nothing made that more clear than the two first round picks of tackle Anthony Davis and guard Mike Iupati. Davis will need some work, but could eventually supplant Joe Staley on the left side (moving Staley over to the right). Iupati is a mauler in the run game and Frank Gore should be ecstatic about these guys joining the team. My prediction is that San Fran has the best O-line in football in 2 years. Singletary also picked a player that fits his mold in safety Taylor Mays out of USC. His pass defense has been called into question, but his potential is through the roof due to his rare blend of size and speed. My guess is Singletary will find a place for him that plays to his strengths. The addition of Ted Ginn Jr will immediately upgrade their return game. Utilizing him in the slot for his straight line speed could help stretch opposing defenses. Bottom Line: I see the Niners winning the NFC West this season, barely edging out the Cardinals.

St. Louis Rams (Grade: B-)

The Rams held the #1 overall pick in the draft and with it, they selected quarterback Sam Bradford who becomes the new face of the franchise. There are always question marks regarding the first overall pick in the draft, especially when it is a quarterback. Bradford is no different. Some say he will struggle converting to an NFL offence after running the spread attack at Oklahoma. Others question his durability after having serious shoulder injuries during his 2009 season. Regardless of how his career turns out, the Rams made the right decision picking him. Ignore the PR talk that they needed someone to inspire the fan base and provide hope for the future. Football clubs should not make picks to appease their fans. They made the right pick because they needed a quarterback, desperately. The Rams would be wise to sit Bradford till at least midway through the season. They are far from playoff contenders and bringing Bradford along slowly gives him a higher probability of success. I like their second round pick Roger Saffold, the OT from Indiana. Pairing him with last year’s 2nd overall pick Jason Smith should, at least on paper, give the Rams their book-end tackles for the next 10 years. These guys will be given the responsibility of protecting Bradford and the millions of dollars he is set to make. Jerome Murphy, a corner from South Florida, adds some talent to a weak secondary and receiver Mardy Gillyard will provide a spark on offence, but this offseason will be judged on Bradford. Quick, name someone that the Colts or Chargers drafted in ‘98 that aren’t named Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf!......Didn’t think so.

Arizona Cardinals (Grade: B-)
The Cardinals, not necessarily by choice, had a very active off-season. Let’s start with the departures. LB Karlos Dansby left for Miami, S Antrel Rolle moved to the big apple and Anquan Boldin was dealt to the Ravens. All three are top 10 in the NFL at their respective positions and when you throw in the retirement of future hall of famer Kurt Warner, the Cardinals seem to be in some trouble for 2010. That being said, the Cards did a good job trying to restock the cupboard (or stop the bleeding). They drafted the best player available in NT Dan Williams who, alongside Darnell Docket, gives the Cards a powerful, young defensive line. Veteran Joey Porter was brought in to provide leadership and replace some of Dansby’s production and S Kerry Rhodes is an upgrade over Antrel Rolle, in my opinion. I also like their second round pick Daryl Washington out of TCU. He is extremely athletic for his size and, under the guidance of Joey Porter, could develop into a feared edge rusher. Arizona picked up QB Derek Andersen from the Browns to add some depth following Warner’s retirement. I’m a big believer in Matt Leinart and look for 2010 to be his breakout year.