Looking at each NFC West team’s best newcomer and key loss
It has been a division that has made its presence felt in the postseason for just over a decade. In fact, dating back to 2012, an NFC West team has represented the conference a combined seven times in the last 12 Super Bowls.
The San Francisco 49ers have played on Super Sunday three times over that span, and both the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams have made two appearances apiece. Interesting enough, the Niners have lost all three of those games, while the ‘Hawks and Rams each split their two meetings.
Of course, the Arizona Cardinals made their lone Super Bowl appearance in 2008, reached the NFC title game in 2015, and last made the playoffs in 2021. These past two seasons have been rough for the club via back-to-back 4-13 showings.
In 2023, the 49ers won the NFC West for the second straight year, and the Rams returned to the playoffs after a forgettable 5-12 campaign in 2022. Kyle Shanahan’s club fell to the Chiefs on Super Sunday for the second time in five years, this time 25-22 in overtime at Las Vegas.
As for this offseason, all four teams have made their share of big decisions. Here is a look at each franchise’s top newcomer, as well as its biggest loss. It starts with the team that selected the most players in the 2024 NFL Draft.