The San Francisco 49ers have an authentic face at head coach named Kyle Shanahan. His creative play designs on offense and ability to create elite players at the WR spot, TE position, and even QB have been unparallel. However, Shanny has failed to win a Super Bowl and taste the glory of being a world champion as an OC or as an HC. With that said, I honestly believe that the son of Mike Shanahan is a tad overrated.

It’s tragic that the 42-year-old Kyle Shanahan has reached the big dance twice, yet he came out on the losing side in each Super Bowl face-off. Of course, in Super Bowl LI, his offense failed to be a slight threat to Bill Belichick’s defense in the second half. It was a Cinderella story for Shanny and his offense in Super Bowl LIV — as his team only registered 20 points in the game (including zero points in the fourth quarter).

The cherry on top of criticisms against the 49ers ring leader is that he has blatantly struggled to create a consistently successful team. He has only had a mere two winning seasons in his 49ers tenure. Even if the 49ers were like the walking dead with their massive injury report in 2020, he failed to dig up motivation and juice from the squad. The 49ers were 6-10 in 2020. It should be noted that the New Orleans Saints set an NFL record of 57 different starters last season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Nonetheless, Sean Payton was able to muster out a winning record (9-8) with his squad, which even leaned on QB3 Trevor Sieman for four games.

The NFC West is gutsier than any John Wayne movie & Shanahan can’t afford to oust a losing season with the savvy veteran Jimmy Garapollo in 2022. Furthermore, he doesn’t deserve to be recognized as a mystical HC if the 49ers crumble in an NFC West division that showcases a surprising 2-2 Seattle Seahawks team. Shanahan has gifts and he has the potential to be a Super Bowl-winning coach in his lifetime, but he needs to take a page out of the ole Belichick playbook on being a persistent, dangerous NFL club.

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By: Jake Rajala

The NFC West is more competitive than a fight between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi (outside of their last-ever fight). The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers may have new faces at the quarterback position, but they should still be unpleasant teams to face. With that said, I’m going to simply rank the NFC West teams and untwine how successful the NFC West teams should be in 2022.

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams improved in the back-end of last season and I expect them to continue to wreak dominance next season. I believe Allen Robinson is an upgrade over the more popular Odell Beckham Jr. The Rams will also have a healthy Cam Akers in their offense. The Rams team with the salary cap turned off also inked the future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner — as the Rams could realistically have a Top-5 defense and the best run defense next season. It would be an understatement to say LA is well-equipped to click play on a 2022 season that yields the most difficult schedule in the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals were underrated entering the 2021 season — excluding a projection from Cynthia Frelund and my personal take on AZ entering 2021.

With that said I believe they are underestimated without DeAndre Hopkins in 2022. They may struggle to beat quality teams without D-Hop (as he has a six-game suspension), but they should still have vengeance and return to the post-season with their talented HC-QB combo, Hollywood Brown, and a healthy J.J. Watt. The Cardinals have the second-most difficult schedule next season, but I like their chances of making the playoffs as a wild-card team.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers were the biggest underdog in 2021, as they clawed their way to an NFC Championship appearance. Their Albert Einstein-like head coach still has Deebo Samuel, Nick Bosa, George Kittle, and a hulk in LT Trent Williams. Although, I don’t like their outlook with a young quarterback and a brutal schedule. I believe they won’t return to the NFC playoffs — as I believe teams like the Saints, Vikings, and Eagles are more logical wild-card destined squads.

Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner fled the Rainy City this off-season. I honestly believe that the likely Geno Smith-led Seahawks could have a Top-5 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. It should also be noted that Jamal Adams is coming off his worst season and D.K. Metcalf is a potential trade candidate at the moment. Hence, It wouldn’t be a complete surprise if their WR was out of the building by the trade block and Adams was out of the west coast in potentially the 2023 season.

If the Seahawks get Baker Mayfield, they could be more likely to retain Metcalf. If Baker is in a Seahawks uniform and he is able to return to Pro Bowl-like form, they could move above the 49ers and be a darkhorse NFC team.

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By: Girvane Bola

After a grim 2021 season that saw the Seahawks finish 7-10, they are undoubtedly the worst team in the NFC West. With star QB Russell Wilson leaving, it is evident that Pete Carroll’s team is in rebuild mode. But what must the ”˜Hawks overcome to rebuild successfully?

• Finding their franchise QB           

It is the most apparent issue that the Seahawks’ front office face. They need a quarterback that will make them competitive in the NFC West. The problem is that this is not an easy task. Unfortunately, history has shown that it is the hardest to attain. Franchise quarterbacks do not appear every year, and it might take years to find a viable option at the most prominent position.

Drew Lock is good but has been unable to revive his newcomer form over the past two seasons. There is a reason Denver selected Teddy Bridgewater over him as its starter last season. It is also hard to think that a change of environment will be enough to convert him into a star QB.

Now, Baker Mayfield could be the starting quarterback for the Seahawks. However, this is not the best option. The Cleveland Browns want no business with him and are stuck with him. Even if the Mayfield trade goes through, that could potentially see DK Metcalf go the other way and a second-round pick. It does not look valuable, and it should not be a trade the ”˜Hawks pursue.

The Seahawks may have to wait till the next draft class, where the QB class is superior to this year.

• Dead Cap Charges

Dead cap charges have crippled their ability to obtain the biggest stars in free agency. They now hold a $26 million cap charge for Wilson this year with an extra $18 million in dead cap. It has severely hampered their potential to make substantial free-agent moves this offseason outside of keeping most of their players, leaving them with less than $10 million in significant cap room to deal with.

The dead cap will be gone in the spring, and it could leave the Seahawks with the ability to acquire players who will transform more into a championship roster. These players could be those who strengthen the offensive line as the position needs upgrading. Whatever they decide, going with a rookie quarterback is risky but provides the best possibility of winning. If they find the perfect prospect and make the right moves to build around that guy, they will compete in the NFC West. Of course, if they falter at QB, that means back to square one. 

• The #9 Pick

Back picking in the top 10 of the draft for the first time since Schneider’s first year at the helm. Nevertheless, who do the Seahawks pick? Here are the two top prospects 

Desmond Ridder ”“ Cincinnati (QB)

Ridder is the most pro-ready quarterback in this draft. While he does not possess superb arm strength, he is a pocket quarterback with excellent footwork. Ridder has excellent awareness and can analyze coverages. In addition, he impressed the Seahawks in his pro day with an arm that looks stronger. The Seahawks may choose this route. The terrifying uncertainty of no Wilson, on the other hand, makes the brief solace of a quarterback at No. 9 appealing.

Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner ”“ Cincinnati (CB)

Gardner’s style of play suggests he could have a Richard Sherman impact in the future for a Seattle defence that has subsequently built an extra smaller corner model after becoming enamored with choosing corners with arms measuring 32 inches or longer. The youngster can move too, clocking a 40-yard sprint time of 4.41 seconds.

Gardner did not allow a single touchdown reception during his collegiate career. He barely allowed yards once the receiver did catch the ball, just 6.6 yards per reception in the 2021 college football season. While he must improve his tackling and transition footwork, the cornerback plays defence with the swagger reminiscent of Sherman. Gardner is the prototypical Seattle corner. One that Carroll could be paying attention to when pick No.9 arrives.

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By: Jake Rajala and Charlie Vakassian

The wild NFC West was the most interesting and talented NFL division last season. The Los Angeles Rams claimed NFC West prominence, but they were bullied and defeated by the San Francisco 49ers in both matchups in 2021. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals were the biggest surprise team in the NFL, as they won 11 games and dazzled opposing defenses with Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins. It’s unclear which NFC West squad will ascend in 2022 and win the ultra-competitive NFC division next season. With that said, we will pick our favorites to win the NFC West? Let’s take a look.

San Francisco 49ers (Jake): 

There’s a lot of reason to pick the recent Super Bowl Champions, also known as the Los Angeles Rams, to the NFC West favorite in 2022. I still have my utmost confidence that Kyle Shanahan will take the league by storm with Trey Lance next season. So, I’m picking the 49ers to win the wild west in 2022. Lance has a gifted skill set and I believe Shanny will utilize his ability well in an offense featuring Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. 

If the 49ers can get a boost from their QB performance and they can add a quality CB, I believe they can take a massive swing in wins next season. They lost to the division-rival Seattle Seahawks by a combined 10 points in 2021. Jimmy Garoppolo also arguably threw the game away against the Tennessee Titans, as they lost 20-17. He missed a wide-open target for an easy touchdown on one play. 

The 49ers might have had 7 losses last season, but I believe they were the best 7-loss team in the past few seasons. Shanahan’s team beat the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals, the Rams twice, and they also barely lost to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 30-28. 

Lance will not only look to improve his production in 2022 but his supporting cast will look to take positive steps. Brandon Aiyuk had a sophomore slump, but he’s shown his prominence in year one. If Aiyuk excels again, Samuel and Aiyuk will be a terrific pass-catching duo. The 49ers also have the 23-year-old Elijah Mitchell, who ousted 963 rushing yards in 11 games last season. 

The 49ers don’t only have the potential and bright play-calling to be a regular-season juggernaut in the NFC, but they have more confidence than the LA Rams in future head-to-head matchups. SF has edged out the Rams in six of the past 7 games. Sean McVay is basically Shanahan’s little brother. If the Cardinals take a step back without Kyler Murray and the 49ers face the Rams for a pivotal division game, I have faith in the 49ers to wreak havoc on the Rams and come out with the division title.

Arizona Cardinals (Charles):

In a remarkably strong NFC West, it is conceivable for just about any of the 4 teams to come away with the division title in a given year. While each team is undoubtedly strong, there are some question marks that leave a few of the teams short of a division title in 2022.

The Seahawks and Russel Wilson seem poised for a divorce, as Wilson scrubbed his social media of all Seahawks-related items, and has been rumored to want a fresh start. Murray has done a similar gesture, but I believe they will work things out as the offseason continues. I expect he’s filled with too much negative emotion due to the season eclipsing.

The Rams, while coming off of a Super Bowl title, have several of their prominent contributors facing free agency (OBJ, Von Miller, Austin Corbett, Darious Williams, Brian Allen) and are $-21M against the cap, with almost no draft picks to augment their core. The 49ers are in flux, with an inconsistent Jimmy Garoppolo on the trade block, and their first round pick in Trey Lance had limited experience in his first NFL season. This leaves the Arizona Cardinals as the team best suited to capture the NFC West division crown in 2022.

The Cardinals have faced their fair share of offseason questions already, as Kyler Murray was criticized within the organization for his lack of leadership. However, the two sides have taken steps to mend the bonds that were broken. Murray is the best two-way QB in the division, with his elite rushing ability, and his passing chops only rivaled by Matthew Stafford. He has one of the best big-play wide receivers in the NFL in DeAndre Hopkins, and a strong running game anchored by James Conner. The Cardinals defense was 9th against the Pass, anchored by CB Byron Murphy and stud safety Budda Baker. The run defense was admittedly more suspect but was due to prize acquisition JJ Watt suffering from a bad shoulder injury. 

Arizona will need to bring back James Conner, who ran for over 700 yards and found the end zone 15 times. Zach Ertz and Christian Kirk will also be hitting free agency on the offensive side of the ball. Chandler Jones is the primary player to resign on defense, as he is a premier pass rusher. Arizona can free up $25M by cutting or restructuring the contracts of DJ Humphries and Jordan Phillips. Armed with the 23rd pick in the NFL Draft, the Cardinals can get an edge rusher to pair with Edwards, or a corner to go with Murphy. George Karlaftis or Trent McDuffie would be amazing fits to boost the defense, as I expect free agency to be devoted to helping Kyler Murray. 

The Cardinals were not the best team in the NFC West in 2021, but have the weapons, the talent, and the skill to take the division crown. Kyler Murray will have an MVP season, and the Cardinals defense will step up to another level, anchored by a strong secondary and an improved third year by Isaiah Simmons. 

The post Who will win the NFC West in 2022? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

The NFC West is the NFL’s best division. All four teams are seen as playoff contenders, with some media personalities having all four teams in the postseason according to their predictions.

Here is a preview of the most stacked NFL division.

Arizona Cardinals (2020 Record: 8-8. Missed out on playoffs)

The Cardinals struggled for consistency, going 6-3 before a 2-5 run down the stretch. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury is under some pressure this season after failing to make the playoffs in his first two seasons.

Kyler Murray is also under some pressure, albeit not a tremendous amount. He is a walking highlight reel when it comes to the ground game. However, his arm talent still needs work. With wide receiver Deandre Hopkins and Christian Kirk to throw to as well as 2021 second-round selection Rondale Moore, he is not short of options. The Cardinals acquired long-time Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, but is the aging wideout enough to transform this offense? Franchise icon Larry Fitzgerald departed in Free Agency, with a 38-year old still without a team. He has spoken of how he “doesn’t have the urge to play right now”, which is almost announcing your retirement without actually doing so. He may still join a team late into the season and the playoffs, which may give him the best chance he’s had since losing to the Steelers in Super Bowl 43.

Murray excels in the run game, but he can’t do it all by himself. Kenyan Drake departed in Free Agency, giving Chase Edmunds the chance to become the number one back. James Conner has arrived as a free agent this summer to provide depth to this running back room.

Their biggest headline offseason addition came on the defensive side of the ball, with Houston Texans great J.J. Watt arriving in Arizona. This came to the surprise of most who saw the defensive end suiting up for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers or Cleveland Browns. Linebacker Haason Reddick has left during the offseason after a brilliant 2020 season. Linebacker Zaven Collins was drafted sixteenth overall in 2021 as his replacement. Fellow linebacker Isaiah Simmons will want to improve on his anti-climatic rookie season after being seen by many as the steal of the 2020 draft. Their defensive x-factor is safety Budda Baker, who is one of the best in the entire league.

A tough opening six games sees them face the Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, and Browns. This could easily be a 2-4 or 1-5 start. They then face the Houston Texans, Packers,49ers, Carolina Panthers, and Seahawks, which will only give Arizona 2 more wins. This will leave them either 3-8 or 4-7 before a final 5 games versus the Chicago Bears, Rams, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, and Seahawks. I can only see two wins here, leaving the Cardinals finishing the 2021 season either 5-12 or 6-11.

When the two biggest headline offseason acquisitions for a team who finished 8-8 last season are two players at the end of their careers, this is never a good thing. With a head coach on the hot seat and with a tough schedule, expect Arizona to really disappoint this season.

Prediction: 4th in NFC West.

Los Angeles Rams (2020 Record: 10-6. Lost in Divisional Round)

The Rams go into this season as the NFC West team with the most hype after the trade for Matthew Stafford. This saw their first overall pick from 2016 in Jared Goff go the other way as part of the trade. Head coach Sean McVay has a new QB to work with and will be excited to work with another former first overall pick.

Stafford was drafted in 2009 and has thrown for 45,109 yards, 282 touchdowns and interceptions in the 165 games he has played. This includes eight 4,000 yard seasons, one even stretching to 5,038 along with 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. This amounts to 273.4 yards per game and with 3,898 completed passes, he has a career average of 11.6 yards per completed pass and a touchdown per every 13.8 completed passes.

Stafford has an immediate upgrade when it comes to receivers. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp represent an immediate upgrade at the receiver position. The running back room is the one area of the Rams’ offense that could let them down. Cam Akers was expected to be the lead back, before injury put a stop to his season before it even started. Darrell Henderson and offseason signing Sony Michel will be the two running backs to take Akers’ place.

The Rams will also be aided by the number one defense from last season. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is now the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers and could be a big miss. Under new defensive coordinator Joe Barry, they will still be a force, thanks to Aaron Donald who is one of the best players in the entire NFL, with 85.5 career sacks in the regular season. Using a 3-4 scheme, the defensive end is the undisputed star of the defensive line. Behind him is linebacker Leonard Floyd, who recorded 10.5 sacks in 2020. Their secondary is one of the best in the league, with shutdown corner Jalen Ramsey the best cornerback in the league. Alongside Darius Williams, this represents arguably the best cornerback tandem in the league. Jordan Fuller and Taylor Rapp are both young and exciting players. John Johnson will be a big miss in the safety position.

It remains to be seen if Matt Stafford is the difference between the Rams winning a Super Bowl or not. It also remains to be seen if the Rams can be a great defensive unit without Staley. Either way, we will soon find out.

Their schedule sees five almost guaranteed wins, as they face the Bears, Lions, Giants, Texans and Jaguars. Matchups against the Vikings and Colts as well as two games against the Cardinals sees the Rams are favorites whereas their divisional home and away games against the 49ers and Seahawks represent four tough games that are very much 50/50. The Ravens, Buccaneers and Packers games are also very even affairs for the Rams. Winning those “easy games” plus winning half of the 50/50 games would have the Rams finishing 12-5. This could be enough to take them to the division title.

Prediction: 1st in NFC West.

San Francisco 49ers (2020 Record: 6-10. Missed out on playoffs)

There have been no real significant incomings or outgoings this offseason in San Francisco but they will be buoyed by the return of many starters. The 49ers reached Super Bowl 54 in the 2019 season but only managed six wins in 2020. George Kittle, Nick Bosa and Raheem Mostert were just three of the big-name players to spend last season on the sidelines.

Running back Trey Sermon was drafted in the second round, with quarterback Trey Lance taken third overall. The 49ers traded up for him, giving multiple draft picks to the Miami Dolphins in the process. This sends immediate pressure on Lance’s way. Nobody knows who will start out of Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. There is talk of head coach Kyle Shanahan using a two-quarterback system, something that has a lot of NFL fans really intrigued. With the amount of draft picks the 49ers used to trade up, Lance will eventually start. It is wise for the 49ers to slowly bring him in, especially considering the strength of the division.

With all their big names back, this will put the 49ers at full strength on both sides of the ball despite the loss of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. They will make a return to the playoffs but the quarterback situation may just prevent them from reclaiming the division title.

Prediction: 2nd in NFC West.

Seattle Seahawks (2020 Record: 12-4. Missed out on playoffs)

The Seahawks are in that group alongside the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in that they are the perfect example of consistency. Head coach Pete Carroll always has this team in contention but can they once again make the postseason despite no major additions and just three draft picks.

Safety Jamal Adams signed a new deal and quarterback Russell Wilson decided to stay after some offseason unrest. With receivers such as D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett at his disposal, he won’t be short of options. He will hope for better protection in 2021, being one of the most sacked quarterbacks in recent years.

With defensive studs such as Adams and linebacker Bobby Wagner, they have two legitimate game changers in a defensive unit that improved throughout the 2020 season.

The Seahawks should expect another appearance in the postseason but their lack of activity this offseason might hinder their chances of going far in the postseason.

Prediction: 3rd in NFC West.

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By: Andy Davies

The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most successful franchises in NFL history. Only the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers (both 6) have more Super Bowl wins than the 49ers (5). The 49ers’ five Super Bowls all came between the years of 1981 and 1994. They have lost two since, in the 2012 and 2019 seasons. The quarterbacks that led the 49ers to the Lombardi Trophy were Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young. Three of those five wins saw Montana as the starter and Young as the backup.

Young is seen by many as the best backup quarterback in history, considering the gold jacket that he earned despite many years as the backup to Montana. He would win a Super Bowl as the starter after the franchise moved on from Montana. Ever since Young decided to hang up his cleats, the 49ers have struggled to find his replacement. Have they found the guy in Trey Lance?

Perhaps, but here is why the quarterback situation involving Lance and current starter Jimmy Garoppolo could prevent the 49ers from winning the NFC West during the 2021 season.

Struggles Since Young

Jeff Garcia was the man to come in for Young. During his five seasons in the Bay, he threw for 113 touchdowns and 56 interceptions as well as 16,408 passing yards. He had a 35-36 record as a starter for the 49ers in the regular season and a 1-2 record in the postseason, meaning he never hit the heights of his predecessor.

Alex Smith was the number one overall pick in 2005, shattering Aaron Rodgers’ dreams. However, he was a good quarterback, not a great quarterback. Colin Kaepernick replaced Smith and took the 49ers to the Super Bowl. They ended up losing to the Baltimore Ravens in a game often called the ”˜Blackout Bowl’. Kaepernick failed to live up to the standards he set that season.

He would be kicked out of the league for taking the knee in a protest against police brutality in 2016. He has not played a snap in the NFL since. Jimmy Garoppolo was traded from the Patriots to the 49ers midway through the 2017 season. He gave hope to the organization after winning all five of the games he started in 2017. The fanbase had hope going into the 2018 season.

Many non-49ers fans had San Francisco down as their dark horse for the season. A season-ending injury to Garoppolo in Week 3 saw the starting role shared between Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard. However, the 49ers finished 4-12 as they went into 2019 with the second overall pick. Nick Bosa was selected and transformed the defense of San Francisco and Jimmy G had the best season of his career. He threw for 3,978 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Despite these stats, Garoppolo saw his production limited in the NFC Championship game as the coaching staff decided to use more of their running game. This led to many questions leading to the Super Bowl. The 49ers threw away a ten-point lead in the fourth quarter as they would end up losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 54.

Garoppolo was criticized heavily for an overthrown pass to Emmanuel Sanders that would have given San Francisco back the lead. His 2020 season saw a mixture of poor form and injury. During the 2021 offseason, the 49ers traded up with the Miami Dolphins to gain the number three overall pick. They took Lance with the pick, showcasing their intentions to eventually move off from Garoppolo. There is now talk of whether San Francisco and head coach Kyle Shanahan will start Lance in week one. The other scenarios discussed are either Lance coming in mid-season or sitting out the whole campaign as the backup to Garoppolo. The uncertainty will have a significant impact on the 49ers’ season.

The Strength of the NFC West

This is a problem that will affect all four teams in the best division in the NFL. There is a chance that all four teams can make the playoffs. Los Angeles has an exciting new quarterback in 2009 first overall pick Matthew Stafford. Both the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals have quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray that they would never dream of trading away. Meanwhile, the 49ers’ starting quarterback is largely unpopular by fans, due to a mixture of the overthrown pass in the Super Bowl, his poor 2020 campaign and his injury record.

San Francisco has the least trusted quarterback in the division. With the position being one of the most crucial in all sports, it does not bode well for a team when there is uncertainty in the position. Garoppolo may be benched at some point during the season for Lance. However, the 49ers would be putting a rookie that will still be learning the system into the toughest division in the NFL.

Learning From Mahomes, Jackson, Tua and Burrow

If San Francisco are to help Lance succeed, they will need to take some lessons from recent draft classes. Patrick Mahomes, widely seen as the best quarterback in the league, spent all but one game of his 2017 rookie season as a backup to Alex Smith. The Chiefs then traded Smith the following offseason and Mahomes has never looked back. In his first three full seasons as a starter in the NFL, he has reached two Super Bowls, winning one. He has also been crowned MVP and Super Bowl MVP and reached three successive AFC Championship games. All three have been at home. On the flip side, 2020 first overall pick Joe Burrow started in week one of his rookie year. He wouldn’t last the season, only playing ten games before injury curtailed his first NFL campaign. He was impressive before his injury but there are no guarantees he will be the same player when he returns.

Lamar Jackson was a backup to Joe Flacco during his 2018 rookie year but won the starting role midseason. He has since gone on to win an MVP award and is the future of the franchise. Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins brought Tua Tagovailoa in mid-season but he struggled in his rookie season. He is seen to already be on the hot seat, with many feeling the Dolphins rushed him in. These examples all show there are reasons for the 49ers to be hasty when it comes to choosing when to bring Lance into the starting role.

Lance Or Garoppolo In 2021?

The 49ers will have to decide soon who their starter will be in 2021. Considering Lance has only played one full season (2019), he is likely to start the season as the backup. He only threw for a combined total of 31 passing attempts, two touchdowns and 1 interception across the 2018 and 2020 seasons, albeit the latter campaign being disrupted by the pandemic. He is likely to be a work in progress but his 28 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in 2019 mean that he is one for the future.

Garoppolo will likely start in week one but it was clear from the NFC Championship game that Shanahan doesn’t completely trust him.

Jimmy G is a capable quarterback but his health is a concern. Expect Garoppolo to remain as the starter provided the 49ers are winning games but for Lance to come in should Garoppolo either be injured or start the season poorly.

Should this happen, this will be the end of Garoppolo’s time in San Francisco. Depending on timing, he will then be traded either before the deadline or in the 2022 offseason.

Can The 49ers Returning Players Avoid A Repeat Of 2020?

This is key if the 49ers are to challenge for both the NFC West and the NFC. After earning the number one seed and reaching Super Bowl 54 during the 2019 campaign, San Francisco finished 6-10 in 2020 and bottom of the division. A ”˜Super Bowl Hangover’ played its part but the main cause of such a decline was down to a colossal amount of injuries the team suffered. Along with the aforementioned Garoppolo, the 49ers also saw Bosa, Dee Ford, George Kittle, Raheem Mostert, Deebo Samuel and Solomon Thomas miss large chunks of the 2020 season due to injury.

San Francisco had 33 players reported questionable and there were 186 occasions when the 49ers reported a player on injured reserve. They had the second-most injuries of any team in the NFL over the past twenty years. Should all these players come back, then this 49ers roster will be one of the best in the league. This will make life much easier for whoever the San Francisco starting quarterback is.

However, from the strength of the division to the uncertainty at quarterback, San Francisco will find it tough to win the NFC West.

The post Why the QB situation may prevent the 49ers from winning the NFC West appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jeremy Trottier

The Los Angeles Rams are widely being considered a playoff contender at the very least, if not a contender for the Super Bowl.  With the addition of Matthew Stafford this offseason among other weapons such as DeSean Jackson and Tutu Atwell, they seem to be in a good place in terms of their offense.  With Aaron Donald on the defense and Jalen Ramsey, they have assets on the defensive side of the ball as well.  However, they also have some glaring hurdles to overcome in the 2021-2022 season if they want to make a title push.  In this article, I will go over the main three of these challenges, and why they change the Rams odds at a title run.

New Defensive Scheming

One of the biggest changes this offseason for the Los Angeles Rams came in the form of coaching.  Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who spent the 2020 season as the Rams defensive coordinator, will be moving on to be the head coach of the other Los Angeles team in the Chargers.  This move left the Rams in somewhat of a scramble to find a new DC, which ended up being Raheem Morris, who spent his last seven seasons with the Atlanta Falcons as a DC, interim head coach, and assistant coach of many positions at times. 

This scheme change could be a huge one, as Raheem comes from the Jon Gruden coaching tree, focusing on hard-nosed football on both sides of the ball and pure power.  Morris also worked under Mike Shanahan, Jay Gruden, and Dan Quinn during his career, which somewhat factors in the unknown of what defensive scheme he will utilize with his new team.

Division Strength

The only word to come even remotely close to describing the NFC West is Elite.  All four teams in this division are truly high-powered on both sides of the ball, and we could see some huge competition from these teams fighting for the top seed.  The Seattle Seahawks still have Russell Wilson, which basically lands them a playoff spot regardless of what happens.  However, with DK Metcalf only improving for the last two seasons, Tyler Lockett locked into an extension, Gerald Everett to improve the TE room, and D’Wayne Eskridge potentially for the slot.  

The Arizona Cardinals have made improvements as well, the most notable being the addition of JJ Watt to the defense, as well as Zaven Collins to bulk up the linebacker core, and Isaiah Simmons getting a true shot at starting at LB as well.  Finally, the 49ers, who have returned to a fully healthy form that was in the Super Bowl only a season ago in 2019-2020, and now Brandon Aiyuk, Trey Sermon, and Trey Lance added on top of that previous roster, as well as the return of 2019-2020 DROY Nick Bosa along the defensive line.

Matthew Stafford Conforming to Scheme

Now, this is in no way ragging on Matthew Stafford, as he is an absolutely phenomenal QB, and really has done well with a team that gave him not much to work with lately.  With that said, Stafford is going from a relatively base level offense with not a lot of flashy plays and trick plays, to the team with the highest rate of Play Action from 2017-2021.  

This wildly different type of offense could be very good for Stafford, there is no doubt about that, and he will have some amazing weapons around him in Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, DeSean Jackson, Tutu Atwell, and Tyler Higbee.  With that said, subtracting Cam Akers from the mix due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, this offense is going to rely very heavily on the passing game and play action/redirections, which could definitely take time for Stafford to get used to. 

The post Three biggest obstacles for the Los Angeles Rams next season appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Seattle Seahawks have been very underlooked this offseason. The Seahawks boast arguably a Top 3 quarterback in the league, an elite wideout in D.K. Metcalf, and two players near the top of their position on the defensive side of the ball (Bobby Wagner, Jamal Adams). 

Pete Carroll’s Seahawks are clearly coming off a successful 2020 season with 12 victories, they are holding together an elite QB and high-end roster, and vengeance is on the horizon. Yet, many reputable analysts and outlets are placing the Seahawks Super Bowl chances and team ranking behind other elite teams in the AFC and NFC. 

Odds Shark just placed the 12th man at number 12 in odds of winning the Super Bowl. In front of the Hawks were the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, and multiple NFC West squads (LA Rams, SF 49ers). 

CBS Sports just put out an NFL Super Bowl odds that also places the Hawks at number 12. There were many questionable choices ahead of the Seahawks, including the Brees-less Saints in the NFC. 

I believe the outlook on Seattle’s Super Bowl chances is whacky and blatantly false. The Seahawks didn’t only win the division by two games in 2020, but only six other teams had 12+ wins last year. 

In the second half of the Seahawks season, the defense also turned the tide and evolved into an above average unit. Over the past ten weeks of the regular season, the Seahawks defense led the NFL in sacks. Carlos Dunlap, who was the pass rusher that helped turn things around, reached a two year contract to return to the Seahawks. Jamal Adams, who was an absolute star in his first year in Seattle last season, will be aiming to take the next step in year two of the system.

I also believe it’s fair to say that the reigning, still elite NFC West champions won’t drop easily to the likes of the LA Rams and SF 49ers. The 49ers will either run out the shaky Jimmy G or they will be holding a rookie QB against the fiery Seahawks pass rush in their early Week 4 matchup. It will be a huge task for the regressed Garopollo or the rookie Lance, who has been viewed as a product QB, to come out and light up the scoreboard against SEA and fellow NFC West defenses.

The 49ers are largely getting so much praise because a couple stars at TE and DE are returning healthy, combined with a hyped up rookie QB (despite being a surprise pick). The 49ers should take a step up from last season, but they still don’t have the same defense as the team that reached the SB in 2020. 

The Rams appear to be a very serious threat to the Seahawks in the NFC West and playoff seed race, but Matthew Stafford has had his own durability issues and poor turnover habits. He could pose a problem to the Seahawks secondary, but the Hawks have the pass rush to force Stafford into erratic mistakes. Outside of Stafford, there isn’t a huge makeover on the Rams roster. The Seahawks and Rams should be tight down the wire for NFC West gold in my opinion, but I don’t see a sizable difference between the Rams and Hawks. 

Seahawks should at least be a step ahead of the 49ers in their divisional pre-season rankings until Lance shows a spark or Jimmy G shows something not seen in training camp/or pre-season. If Lance proves to be a difference maker and capable of running the offense early, the 49ers should deserve the praise that a talented roster with a talented QB carry. 

I don’t foresee the likes of the Colts, Patriots, Saints, or Broncos ahead of the Seahawks in the overall pursuit of Lombardi. The Saints team has sputtered in the past few years, but now they will have to be elite in the long season without the HOF QB and their best defensive player Trey Hendrickson (left in FA) from a season ago.

It will be hard to envision an “above average” QB performance from Cam Newton or the rookie Mac Jones amid a Patriots team that lost its historic defensive unit from years ago. The Colts QB situation is the biggest gamble in the league, while the Broncos still don’t have a quality signal caller running out of the tunnel next season. 

The Seahawks deserve to be recognized as a Top 6 team. They hold an MVP QB in Russell Wilson on a hungry, proven roster. Not to mention that the Hawks possess the most lethal home field advantage: The 12th man.

The post Why the Seahawks are really underlooked in the NFL appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The San Francisco 49ers offense was a shell of it’s ritual Top 5 self in 2020. The 49ers offense was ranked fourth in the league in 2019 and then fell back to 15th in 2020. Headed into the 2021 season, expectations loom for Kyle Shanahan to reignite the offense into a lethal machine. 

What exactly will be the hurdles for Kyle Shanahn to lift off the 49ers offense? Let’s dive into the three biggest questions for Shanny’s west coast offense. 

1. How ready will Trey Lance be?

The biggest question on the offense is unequivocally the QB spot. The 49ers drafted Trey Lance third overall with expectations that he will be a future All Pro. Lance carries sky high potential, but can he hit the ground running in 2020? 

If Lance is in sync with the offense and even slightly more efficient than Jimmy G, I believe it’s a no-brainer that Lance starts in the fierce NFC West. We witnessed Justin Herbert get thrown under the fire early and walk out with the offensive rookie of the year award. Lance has similar ability to Herbert, but he will unveil more victories due to the fact that he has a better team. 

2. How much will Trey Sermon be involved

I believe it’s vital that rookie RB Trey Sermon becomes a weapon early in the season. All too often fans view a year one RB blossom later in the season. Jonathan Taylor and D’Andre Swift didn’t become a true impact player until several weeks into the 2020 campaign. It will be especially beneficial if Lance and Sermon develop a strong trust in each other before the most important matchups later in the season arrive.

Jerick McKinnon and Tevin Coleman are no longer in the building. Sermon will need to a productive piece in the RB group, but he truly will need to be special if they want to return to winning the NFC West. 

3. The health of Trent Williams

The health of Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle is very important. Although, all star weapons are returning healthy and coming off unusual injuries. The “star player with repeated injuries” is none other than the All Pro LT Trent Williams.

The last time that Williams logged more than 14 games was all the way in 2014. If Williams missed three to four games, it could spell disaster for the potential starting rookie QB. Williams’ health is even more valuable with the divisional opponents beefing up their pass rushing units.

It’s clear Aaron Donald rests in Los Angeles, but now the 49ers have to prepare for J.J. Watt and a healthy Chandler Jones in Arizona. If the 49ers also want to win games against the likes of the Buccaneers and Saints pass rush in the postseason, they will need their prominent LT on the field. 

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By: Brady Akins

April 29, 2021. The first round of the most recent iteration of the NFL Draft, and the night that the San Francisco 49ers made the franchise-altering decision to select Trey Lance, the 21-year-old quarterback out of North Dakota State, third overall.

This, when just four seasons prior, the 49ers made what was seen at the time as another high-stakes quarterback acquisition, when San Francisco managed to lure the perceived heir apparent to the impossible throne of Tom Brady in Jimmy Garoppolo to the Bay Area. 

And in the four seasons that followed, the 49ers have received a mixed bag from the quarterback they gave up a second-round pick to add to the roster. From being a wealth of untapped potential with an unbeaten record in 2017 to an injury-prone player with a limited skillset under center in 2020 and everywhere in between.

Even with an NFC Championship victory and a near Super Bowl victory under the belt of Jimmy G, one franchise-altering decision has led to another. And with OTA’s now well underway league-wide, Garoppolo has come face-to-face with the man set to become the future of the San Francisco offense in Lance. 

It’s a football tale as old as football time. One young, unproven but talented hotshot quarterback steps into the fray to take over for an established starter. When that switch happens, however, always varies. It took three years for the reigning league MVP Aaron Rodgers to get the starting nod in Green Bay over Brett Favre, one year for another MVP Patrick Mahomes to take over for Alex Smith in Kansas City, and just a handful of games for yet another MVP in Lamar Jackson to take over in Baltimore for Joe Flacco. But it always happens. The new guy will always get a shot, one way or another.

So the question of Garoppolo’s future in San Francisco is settled. Sooner or later, he will be out and Lance will be in. And that, folks, is the ecosystem of the NFL. 

But just because Garoppolo’s long-term fate was sealed with that April 29 decision to draft Lance, nothing has been determined for the immediate present of the 49er’s quarterback job. Rather, Garoppolo has entered a battle to be San Francisco’s Week One starter for the 49ers. A battle of two contenders, where each party has a compelling case.

But between Lance and Garoppolo, who deserves it more?

Who is Jimmy Garoppolo?

No longer is Garoppolo the exciting unknown quantity he once was. He’s not the undefeated starter on pace to be the next Tom Brady anymore. His weaknesses have been documented and used against him, as have his strengths.

The 49ers, along with the rest of the football world, know exactly what they’re getting when Jimmy Garoppolo takes the field, for better and for worse. They’re getting a guy who is accurate, can deliver the ball well and quickly in short to intermediate areas on the field. They’re also getting a guy who has struggled in the past with injuries, has shown a penchant for turning the ball over, and is limited as an athlete.

If you need to win a game, you can count on Garoppolo, just don’t expect it to be pretty. Through seven years in the league, Garoppolo has started in 32 games– all but two of which have come in a 49ers uniform. In that time, he’s gone 24-8.

It’s difficult to argue with a win rate that high. In fact, among active quarterbacks with 10 or more starts, Garoppolo ranks fourth overall in winning percentage– behind three former MVPs in Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson. 

But the knock against Garoppolo as a player that has seen great success in his time under center, is that, more often than you would hope from a franchise quarterback,  his teams have succeeded in spite of his play rather than because of it. 

Take the 2019 season for example, far and away Garoppolo’s most successful year– by more than a few metrics as well. Not only did he experience career highs in touchdowns, passing yards and completion percentage, but he did so while being able to stay on the field, starting all 16 games for the first time in his career. 2019 still remains as the only time Garoppolo has started more than six games in a season.

With that ability to stay healthy came team success. The 49ers won the NFC for the first time since 2012, won 13 games for the first time since 1997, and all was well in the world. Sure, maybe their quarterback finished with one of the 10 highest interception percentages despite finishing 19th in pass attempts, but it didn’t really matter. San Francisco had the coaching to elevate the weaknesses on the depth chart, and the defensive talent to compensate for whatever deficiencies Garoppolo was bringing to the table.

But team success at that level could have been an anomaly. San Francisco, despite not having a big-name talent at running back, finished with the second-most volume heavy rushing attack in 2019, and the eighth-most efficient, all while having a defense that was top ten in points allowed, yards allowed, takeaways and sacks.

With a smothering defense and role players performing above expectation, everything in San Francisco was perfect. What came of it, however, was a step short of the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl victory. Arguably, the one element missing from their potential storybook season was elite quarterback play.

Not that Garoppolo played poorly in 2019– he didn’t. As he’s been his whole career, Garoppolo proved to be an accurate passer, but a poor decision-maker. A winner, but more of a game manager in the passing game– which was on full display in the team’s NFC Championship victory, one where Garoppolo threw just eight passes in a 37-20 win. 

But he’s still a player that, with the right circumstances, can get a team right on the doorstep of the promised land. The 49ers have lost some talent on defense since that 2019 run, including defensive coordinator Robert Salah in this past offseason. But recent additions on the opposite side of the ball, ones like wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, give San Francisco’s offensive coaching staff more weapons to play with.

Last season was a down year, but one plagued by injuries to key players. With those contributors returning, San Francisco could have the talent to be one of the league’s better teams. If that is the case, they might not need a high-risk, high-reward quarterback more than one who can quietly get the job done.

Who is Trey Lance

If Jimmy Garoppolo is the living, breathing definition of a known quantity– Trey Lance is the exact opposite. If Jimmy Garoppolo is high floor/low ceiling, Trey Lance is a rollercoaster. If Jimmy Garoppolo is the breakfast food equivalent to plain yogurt, Trey Lance is somewhere in the range of the special at a greasy spoon diner that you’ve never heard of but your friend swears by.

Point being– we know Jimmy G. He’s solid. Decent. Able to win and look solid when he does it, but that’s about it. Lance is, well, we don’t really know. He could very well be the best parts of Lamar Jackson with his immense scrambling ability and Tom Brady with his high football IQ and ability to keep the ball safe. Or, he could be a bust. A lot of raw talent but without the ability to put it all together.

And let’s not get it twisted– Trey Lance is talented. One look at the stat sheet from his final full season of college football will tell you as much. 28 passing touchdowns, 67% completion percentage, and zero, ZERO, interceptions. And that’s just through the air. Lance added another 14 touchdowns on the ground, putting up 1,100 rushing yards on 169 attempts.

But even with the immaculate stat sheets– Lance comes with a laundry list of concerns as a player. One of which being, that year of insane production in college was his only year of production in college. In 2018, Lance attempted just one pass in the role of backup. In 2019, he blew up. In 2020– his team played just one game, in what boiled down to essentially a showcase for his NFL potential, and it didn’t go so well.

The one and only interception of Lance’s college career came in North Dakota State’s one 2020 game against Central Arkansas. Granted, Lance made up for the missed opportunity with some truly special production on the ground with 166 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns, but against an FCS opponent that isn’t necessarily on the level that Lance will face in the NFL, he struggled mightily as a passer, even beyond the interception.

On 30 passing attempts, Lance completed just 15 for just 149 yards. Lance did enough in 2019 to show that he at least has the potential to be an accurate passer. The sample size is small, however, and Lance did little to put any concerns about his ability to throw the football accurately to rest.

But the player that Lance could be in the NFL is enough to justify drafting him in the first round, even as high as third overall. Particularly when you have a coach on the sidelines in Kyle Shanahan who has made a living on finding the ways to make the most out of his players.

In 2016, one year before Shanahan’s promotion to head coach of the 49ers, he served the role of offensive coordinator in Atlanta, where he helped Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan win league MVP and hit career highs in, well, everything. His 38 touchdown passes were a career-high, his 4,944 yards were a career-high, his seven interceptions were a career-low, and the list went on. Completion percentage, yards per attempt, passer rating and quarterback rating, all as high as they’ve ever been under the watchful eye of Shanahan.

Similarly, Shanahan has helped his cast of running backs reach new heights in San Francisco. Raheem Mostert was an NFL journeyman before joining the 49ers, with quick stops in Cleveland, Miami, Baltimore and Chicago that all resulted in not a single carry. With San Francisco, Mostert has blossomed to produce three seasons of efficient carrying, without a season below five yards per carry.

Shanahan might be able to work his magic once more with Lance. But concerns still remain. Lance is an inexperienced player from an FCS school. A perfect 2019 season? Sure. All the potential in the world? No question. Lance has the tools to be one of the all-time greats. But can he do it in year one?

Lance vs Garoppolo: The Final Verdict

The one and only time that Jimmy Garoppolo started 16 games in a season– he won 13 of them. 

Yes, he had the help of a transcendent defense. Yes, looking at his numbers in a box score isn’t as exciting as it would be for a player like Aaron Rodgers. And, yes, in the future, Trey Lance can and likely will be a better player than Garoppolo.

But Lance doesn’t need to be that player immediately.  Garoppolo isn’t going to make highlights like a rookie Lance would, but he can be exactly what the 49ers need in the short term. A player who can distribute the ball with ease to talented pass catchers like Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle. A player who can run Shanahan’s offense well enough to win, with years of familiarity with the scheme.

Most of all, he can be a smart guiding hand for the 49ers quarterback of the future. A veteran to show Lance the ropes, the same way that Alex Smith taught Mahomes before him. The future lives with Trey Lance, but the present of the 49ers franchise can still be Jimmy Garoppolo.

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