NFL Futures Market: The NFC West

With most impact free agents already signed, it's time to evaluate where each team stands in the divisional pecking order heading into the draft. The NFC West continues to show more separation as the Cardinals and the 49ers head toward opposite poles.

STOCK UP

Arizona Cardinals

Returning: DL Red Bryant, RB Chris Johnson, QB Drew Stanton, S Chris Clemons

New additions: DL Chandler Jones, S Tyvon Branch, G Evan Mathis, TE Jermaine Gresham

Lost: OT Bobby Massie, LB Sean Weatherspoon, LT Bradley Sowell, S Rashad Johnson, second-round pick

It's hard to escape the feeling that the Cardinals are set up for another big year in 2016. Their major weakness in 2015 was pass rush—they picked up last year's leader in sacks, Dwight Freeney, as a free agent in the middle of the season. Arizona went out and added a perfect solution in Chandler Jones. Jones picked up 30 sacks in his last three seasons with the New England Patriots despite missing nine starts.

Mathis is old and injury-prone, but a huge upgrade in playing skill and talent over incumbent Ted Larsen. I even like picking up Gresham as a nifty little outlet receiver.

While Arizona's postseason chances still mostly revolve around questions about Carson Palmer—is what happened in the playoffs injury-created noise, or something more?—they've certainly built a team that can withstand their quarterback not being a star next season.

Biggest remaining holes: Middle linebacker

This is a very stacked team from top to bottom as long as we get the 2015 Palmer vintage. If there's one weakness, it's probably middle linebacker. Deone Bucannon plays the position well as a hybrid safety and Kevin Minter is a decent run-stop linebacker, but Arizona doesn't really have a linebacker that can cover. Unless they believe in someone like LSU's Deon Jones harnessing his tools into better NFL production, that player may not be readily available at this point.

Perhaps Daryl Washington could finally work his way off the NFL's suspension list, but that ship may have already sailed in Arizona at this point.

STOCK STAGNANT

Los Angeles Rams

Returning: CB Trumaine Johnson (franchise-tagged), LB Mark Barron, DL Eugene Sims, FB Cory Harkey, C Tim Barnes, WR Brian Quick, C Brian Folkerts

New additions: DB Coty Sensabaugh, DL Quinton Coples

Lost: CB Janoris Jenkins, DB Rodney McLeod, DL Chris Long, DL Nick Fairley, LB Daren Bates

Odd fascination with reclamation player Barron aside, the Rams have kept most of their best units intact. Jenkins to Sensabaugh isn't quite a lateral move, but it may be closer than you'd think on reputation. Releasing James Laurinaitis should park Alec Ogletree in the middle, and while the Rams let go of some talented players, they were talented players who weren't performing well in the box Jeff Fisher gave them.

Biggest remaining holes: Quarterback, wideout, safety

A Nick Foles/Case Keenum quarterback battle is the least compelling Hard Knocks drama since, well, Brian Hoyer/Ryan Mallett last year. The Rams could really use some idiocy by the teams ahead of them to slide Jared Goff down the board.

There's no natural replacement for McLeod on the roster right now. T.J. McDonald is a good start at safety, but they'll need a second one.

And finally, while it doesn't actually matter given how little they figure to pass, the Rams need some real options besides gadget plays with Tavon Austin. Kenny Britt flashes the skills every couple of weeks, and Brian Quick looked good before he missed most of last year to injury, but with Stedman Bailey still recovering from gunshot wounds, there's a lot of uncertainty at this position.

STOCK DOWN

Seattle Seahawks

Returning: CB Jeremy Lane, WR Jermaine Kearse, P Jon Ryan, OLB Mike Morgan, RB Christine Michael, DL Ahtyba Rubin

New additions: OL J'Marcus Webb, DL Sealver Siliga, OL Bradley Sowell

Lost: LT Russell Okung, RB Marshawn Lynch (retired), OLB Bruce Irvin, G J.R. Sweezy, DT Brandon Mebane, OL Alvin Bailey

You expect the Seahawks to lose guys like Irvin and Sweezy— they're nice players, but luxuries for a championship contender that has handed out a lot of big contracts over the past two years. Russell Okung, however, was the one offensive lineman Seattle could expect to be good when healthy, and they let him walk.

Perhaps there's a way to reverse course and nab Ryan Clady or D'Brickashaw Ferguson before the offseason ends, but right now this position looks ugly. Bradley Sowell and J'Marcus Webb are optimal tackle solutions only if you're looking to re-live the Kwame Harris Lowlights video in HD.

Biggest remaining holes: Offensive line, offensive line, and offensive line

The Seahawks have spent the past two years papering over holes on the line; now, without Okung, their entire line is actually a hole. They might take a page from Jeff Fisher's book and just draft an entire line this year.

The good news is that Seattle hasn't traded its first-round pick for a capstone piece this year. The other good news is that Seattle still has a hell of a team.

But as good as Tom Cable may be as an offensive line coach, the Seahawks just don't have much established talent in place on the line. This is like asking the Property Brothers to work with a renovation budget of $5,000. Cable can cover up some things, but without the extra investment, this is going to turn out rough.

San Francisco 49ers

Returning: K Phil Dawson, DL Ian Williams, RB Shaun Draughn, TE Garrett Celek

New Additions: OL Zane Beadles, QB Thaddeus Lewis

Lost: OL Alex Boone

In the course of this offseason, the 49ers have:

1. Watched their one big-money re-signing, Williams, take a reduced deal because he failed a physical that puts his availability for Week 1 in question.

2. Spent two months trying to trade Colin Kaepernick with nothing to show for it but a wasteland of archive.org entries.

3. Lost their other good free agent, Alex Boone, to the Vikings.

4. Spent almost none of their huge supply of cap space because nobody good wants to come to San Francisco.

Other than that, Mr. Baalke, how was the play?

Biggest remaining holes: Wideout, cornerback

The 49ers signed Torrey Smith to be a deep threat, but they don't have a quarterback who can actually hit him. With Anquan Boldin a free agent, they've got a large volume of targets available and nobody on their roster has established himself worthy of them.

The 49ers also could use help at corner, where Tramaine Brock finds himself surrounded by recent low-round draft picks and undrafted free agents. San Francisco has spent heavily on safety, but they'll be vulnerable to quick hitting passes with this group.