NFC West
Los Angeles Rams: No impact additions to secondary
The Los Angeles Rams have done a better job than most teams the last few years at reloading their roster, especially in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Once you’ve reloaded in the trenches, however, you’ve got to make some impact additions to upgrade your secondary. For whatever reason, the Rams decided in 2025 that they were not going to do that. The cornerback position was one of the primary weaknesses on paper, and maybe they’re just hoping that Emmanuel Forbes can be a steal off the waiver wire last year.
San Francisco 49ers: Too many losses all at once (especially defensively)
The 49ers have simply lost too much all at once. Deebo Samuel, Talanoa Hufanga, Dre Greenlaw, Javon Hargrave, Charvarius Ward, Aaron Banks…so many players departed the Bay area this offseason and it’ll be a coaching masterclass by Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh. It just feels like the 49ers are going to be fighting an uphill battle all year long and I’m not sure if they’re going to be any better than 8 or 9 wins if they are able to stay healthy. And based on last year, that’s a big “if”.
Seattle Seahawks: Trading DK Metcalf and Geno Smith
I don’t understand the overhaul the Seahawks decided to take on in 2025. I can understand bringing in a young quarterback to develop, but why would you move off of Geno Smith to go to Sam Darnold? Just keep continuity with Smith for one more year and take Jalen Milroe just like you did. And trading DK Metcalf only to replace him with Cooper Kupp? I just don’t get the process here by Seattle and hopefully it works out for them, but I’m not confident.
Arizona Cardinals: Whiffing on Milton Williams in free agency
The Arizona Cardinals are rightly banking on the offensive weapons they already have in place developing and taking steps forward in 2025. I can’t fault them for not messing with that side of the ball too much but on the defensive side of the ball, this team desperately needed to make impact additions. And they did, but they missed out on doing even more. Arizona was one of the top teams to get outbid by the Patriots for defensive lineman Milton Williams, one of the top prizes in free agency this year. Williams plus Josh Sweat and Walter Nolen would have set this defense off in 2025.