NFC West Primer: Are 49ers still a threat?

The San Francisco 49ers were ravaged by injuries last season and went 6-11 just one year after reaching the Super Bowl.

It's not hard to forecast that a healthy Christian McCaffrey is the big ingredient needed for a turnaround. But the 49ers did shake up the roster a bit and that also can reignite the fire of veteran holdovers.

There is very little chance of San Francisco winning just 35 percent of its games for consecutive seasons after owning the division for multiple seasons. But it will be tough sledding for Brock Purdy and company as the NFC West is shaping up to be one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL.

The Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks are both coming off 10-win campaigns and the Arizona Cardinals were strongly in the playoff mix before fading down the stretch. The Rams were the division's lone playoff participant last season and will again contend for the division title.

The Seahawks are betting that Sam Darnold has turned the corner in his career and will again be one of the top quarterbacks in the league. He signed a three-year contract as an upgrade from departed Geno Smith.

The Cardinals lost five of their last seven games last season in an untimely slump. Star safety Budda Baker has played in just one playoff game in eight seasons - nothing explains the state of Arizona Cardinals football better than that.

Here's how we envision the NFC West shaking out in 2025:

1. San Francisco 49ers (11-6 predicted record)

Schedule

W1 Sun Sep 7 at Seattle Seahawks

W2 Sun Sep 14 at New Orleans Saints

W3 Sun Sep 21 vs Arizona Cardinals

W4 Sun Sep 28 vs Jacksonville Jaguars

W5 Thu Oct 2 at Los Angeles Rams

W6 Sun Oct 12 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

W7 Sun Oct 19 vs Atlanta Falcons

W8 Sun Oct 26 at Houston Texans

W9 Sun Nov 2 at New York Giants

W10 Sun Nov 9 vs Los Angeles Rams

W11 Sun Nov 16 at Arizona Cardinals

W12 Sun Nov 23 vs Carolina Panthers

W13 Sun Nov 30 at Cleveland Browns

W14 Bye

W15 Sun Dec 14 vs Tennessee Titans

W16 Sun Dec 21 at Indianapolis Colts

W17 Sun Dec 28 vs Chicago Bears

W18 Sun Jan 3/4 vs Seattle Seahawks

Punching in: You can't be a difference-making force if you only suit for up four of 17 games as Christian McCaffrey did last season. The star running back dealt with calf, Achilles and knee injuries and he's already been bothered by a calf injury leading up to the 2025 season opener. McCaffrey rushed for a career-best 1,459 and scored a career-high 21 total touchdowns in 2023 and San Francisco needs production close to that this season.

Old face, same place: It's an interesting notion that Robert Saleh returning as defensive coordinator might be the unit's top addition of the offseason. Saleh was defensive coordinator under coach Kyle Shanahan from 2017-20 and the club ranked in the top five in total defense in each of his last two seasons and a stellar 2019 season ended in the Super Bowl. It doesn't hurt that stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are happy to have him back.

2. Seattle Seahawks (10-7)

Schedule

W1 Sun Sep 7 vs San Francisco 49ers

W2 Sun Sep 14 at Pittsburgh Steelers

W3 Sun Sep 21 vs New Orleans Saints

W4 Sun Sep 28 at Arizona Cardinals

W5 Sun Oct 5 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

W6 Sun Oct 12 at Jacksonville Jaguars

W7 Mon Oct 20 vs Houston Texans

W8 Bye

W9 Sun Nov 2 at Washington Commanders

W10 Sun Nov 9 vs Arizona Cardinals

W11 Sun Nov 16 at Los Angeles Rams

W12 Sun Nov 23 at Tennessee Titans

W13 Sun Nov 30 vs Minnesota Vikings

W14 Sun Dec 7 at Atlanta Falcons

W15 Sun Dec 14 vs Indianapolis Colts

W16 Dec 20 or Dec 21 vs Los Angeles Rams

W17 Dec 28 at Carolina Panthers

W18 Sun Jan 4 at San Francisco 49ers

Travelin' Man Sam: Darnold is with his fifth team in eight seasons since being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 draft by the New York Jets. Last season was the first time Darnold played like a high pick as he excelled in the Minnesota Vikings' system and passed for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns to go with 12 interceptions. The Seahawks have bet $55 million in guaranteed money that Darnold can be a force in their system.

Still a lot of tread: Seattle added receiver Cooper Kupp (age 32) and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (age 33) in the offseason while feeling both veterans have a lot in the tank. Kupp once had one of the top receiving seasons of all-time -- 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns for Los Angeles -- but he has seldom been healthy since and the Rams moved on. Lawrence spent 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and was a star last decade before production decreased in recent seasons.

3. Los Angeles Rams (9-8)

Schedule

W1 Sun Sep 7 vs Houston Texans

W2 Sun Sep 14 at Tennessee Titans

W3 Sun Sep 21 at Philadelphia Eagles

W4 Sun Sep 28 vs Indianapolis Colts

W5 Thu Oct 2 vs San Francisco 49ers

W6 Sun Oct 12 at Baltimore Ravens

W7 Sun Oct 19 at Jacksonville Jaguars (London)

W8 Bye

W9 Sun Nov 2 vs New Orleans Saints

W10 Sun Nov 9 at San Francisco 49ers

W11 Sun Nov 16 vs Seattle Seahawks

W12 Sun Nov 23 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

W13 Sun Nov 30 at Carolina Panthers

W14 Sun Dec 7 at Arizona Cardinals

W15 Sun Dec 14 vs Detroit Lions

W16 Thu Dec 18 at Seattle Seahawks

W17 Sun Dec 28 vs Atlanta Falcons

W18 Sun Jan 4 vs Arizona Cardinals

Durability in question: That ailing back Matthew Stafford has been dealing with could be the thing that derails the Rams. Stafford is saying he's ready for the season and looking forward to physical play but he's 37 and not the Ironman he was earlier in his career. Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is the backup and he's surely a capable player but the Los Angeles offense relies on the skills of Stafford

Quite a catch?: The Rams added 32-year-old receiver Davante Adams and he figures to want to prove there's a lot left in his tank. He split last season with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets and caught 85 passes for 1,063 yards and eight TDs despite not having the impact he did over the previous four seasons. The duo of Adams and Puka Nacua (184 catches in two season) certainly will cause sleepless nights for defensive coordinators.

4. Arizona Cardinals (9-8)

Schedule

W1 Sun Sep 7 at New Orleans Saints

W2 Sun Sep 14 vs Carolina Panthers

W3 Sun Sep 21 at San Francisco 49ers

W4 Thu Sep 25 vs Seattle Seahawks

W5 Sun Oct 5 vs Tennessee Titans

W6 Sun Oct 12 at Indianapolis Colts

W7 Sun Oct 19 vs Green Bay Packers

W8 Bye

W9 Mon Nov 3 at Dallas Cowboys

W10 Sun Nov 9 at Seattle Seahawks

W11 Sun Nov 16 vs San Francisco 49ers

W12 Sun Nov 23 vs Jacksonville Jaguars

W13 Sun Nov 30 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

W14 Sun Dec 7 vs Los Angeles Rams

W15 Sun Dec 14 at Houston Texans

W16 Sun Dec 21 vs Atlanta Falcons

W17 Sat Dec 27 at Cincinnati Bengals

W18 Sun Jan 4 at Los Angeles Rams

Breakout campaign department: There was a time when a rookie catching 62 passes for 885 yards and eight touchdowns was serenaded over his stellar first-year performance. But in the case of wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., there were many pundits feeling he didn't perform up to his lofty label as the No. 4 overall choice. Harrison topped 100 yards just twice and totaled under 50 on 10 occasions.

Sweat in the desert: Adding defensive end Josh Sweat to pump up the pass rush was a stellar idea even if it costs $76.4 million over four years. But that's one of the perks that come with recording 2.5 sacks in a Super Bowl victory as Sweat did for the Philadelphia Eagles last season. Sweat had a career-best 11 sacks in 2022 when Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon was Philadelphia's defensive coordinator.