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With ESPNU dropping some of the most sensational games of the 2011-12 college football season, I'll be talking some NFL Draft issues later today or tomorrow AM. While I'll try to keep the focus on those limited to the NFC West, I thought it might be useful to take stock of the division as of this evening.
We're all aware that the NFC West has hardly been the class of the NFL, let alone the Western Conference. Ironic it is then that some of the best SB Nation football communities support the NFC West's four members.
Yes, TST is mind-blowingly awesome (you should be nodding in agreement as you read that sentence). But the other three communities are pretty swell as well, despite making it more difficult to believe that fans of the Niners, Seahawks and Cardinals are evil brain-eating drones whose allegiance to the three worst teams in the NFL can only be explained by the collusion between Roger Goodell and the Illuminati who dissolve bath salts in the water supplies of those teams' three respective homes.
That being said, Niners Nation, Field Gulls and Revenge of the Birds are classy, informative operations, and I'm proud to be part of the same network as them. Ok, now I just feel kind of gross.
After the jump, your mid-July NFC West wrap-up.
49ers
- Randy Moss and LaMichael James could well become San Fran's best two redzone threats.
- Starting in 2006, the Niners' rushing attack started and ended with Frank Gore. Last year, though, Kendall Hunter proved to be the best backup that San Francisco has had since drafting Gore. And just a few months ago, they added LaMichael James to the team through the draft. With that in mind, what in the hay ho are they going to do with Anthony Dixon?
- Preseason strength of schedule isn't the best metric, but it's always worth spending time looking ahead. Fooch, aka David Fucillo (and no, if you've been around SBN as long as I have, it's not the other way around), takes up the matter properly.
Cardinals
- The Cardinals' 2012 fortunes likely revolve entirely around what they get out of the QB position. Of course the question is Kevin Kolb or John Skelton? Kurt Warner (insert heavenly choir audio here) gives the early nod to Kolb. Rich Gannon, thus, thinks that puts Kolb under the most pressure of anyone in the league. It may mean that it depends on who feeds the ball to Larry Fitzgerald best.
- Just how good will Patrick Peterson be?
- Some 2013 NFL Draft talk focusing on wide receivers.
Seahawks
- Is Chris Clemons the NFL's most underrated player? No really, is he?
- Mike Williams. He got drafted. He got big. He made some big plays for the Seahawks. He got cut. Life.
- Kenneth Arthur goes around the NFL and offers his thoughts on all 32 teams. Ken's a funny guy. We had him on Turf Show Radio recently, and you should give it a listen.