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The NFC West could be the most talented division in the NFL. They had the most players of any division on the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-Decade team for the 2010s, and even some of those who changed teams, like Richard Sherman, stayed within the division. The NFC West also has three coaches who have been to the Super Bowl, including one win, plus an additional trip for Kyle Shanahan as the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons.
But no team gets anywhere without relatively talented NFL players. As in: relative to the supremely talented athletes that make this level, the NFC West has some of the elite.
The LA Rams are well in that conversation with players like Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, but it’s going to be an absolute battle next season between them and the other three teams in the division probably. The San Francisco 49ers just went to the Super Bowl. The Seattle Seahawks have been to the playoffs in almost every year of Pete Carroll’s 10-year tenure. The Arizona Cardinals had the number one pick in the draft last year and traded for a top-three receiver while continuing to bolster the defense.
It makes me wonder what the best strategic move would be for the Rams if they were able to pluck away one player from each roster.
San Francisco 49ers
Obvious candidate: Nick Bosa
He’s young, relatively cheap, and it wouldn’t be mind-blowing if Bosa was the best pass rusher in the NFL over the next five years. He’d be fine in a 3-4 or a 4-3. The Rams would have one of the best defensive line duos in the league — maybe in the modern era — with Aaron Donald and Bosa.
It’s not that he’s not great: George Kittle
Maybe the best weapon in the NFL last season. Kittle wouldn’t fill a direct “need” for LA, but taking him from San Francisco would be detrimental to the offense.
Others to consider: Richard Sherman, Jimmy Garoppolo (strategically, we’ve seen that the 49ers can be among the NFL’s worst without a competent QB), Arik Armstead, Joe Staley, Mike McGlinchey, Deebo Samuel, Fred Warner
Seattle Seahawks
Obvious candidate: Russell Wilson
Without Wilson, Seattle’s nowhere. The Rams wouldn’t be able to afford both him and Jared Goff, so they’d have to then ship one off for whatever they could get at that point.
But who could be a difference-maker to the defense: Bobby Wagner
After losing Cory Littleton in free agency, LA could add an All-Pro inside on the defense and cripple the Seahawks’ in the same corresponding area.
Others to consider: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Duane Brown, Quandre Diggs, Chris Carson
Arizona Cardinals
Obvious candidate: Chandler Jones
Maybe he’s not the obvious candidate, and Jones also has a prohibitive contract, forcing corresponding moves. But the players with the most sacks in the league since 2014: Chandler Jones and Aaron Donald.
Obvious candidate two: Kyler Murray
Add a really good QB prospect who isn’t very expensive, make the Cards lose two top-10 QB picks in two years.
Obvious candidate three: DeAndre Hopkins
Technically maybe they could have had Hopkins before Arizona got him, if they had made a better offer than a second round pick and an underwhelming running back. The Rams had both of those things. They could try to trade Brandin Cooks for a bag of Tim’s Cascade at that point.
Others to consider: Kenyan Drake, Patrick Peterson, Larry Fitzgerald (to steal their soul), Budda Baker (really enticing actually)
Poll
Which player would you steal from the 49ers?
This poll is closed
-
74%
Nick Bosa
(296 votes) -
1%
Richard Sherman
(5 votes) -
1%
Jimmy Garoppolo
(7 votes) -
14%
George Kittle
(57 votes) -
6%
Mike McGlinchey
(25 votes) -
2%
Other
(8 votes)
Poll
Which player would you steal from the Seahawks?
This poll is closed
-
42%
Russell Wilson
(160 votes) -
45%
Bobby Wagner
(172 votes) -
6%
DK Metcalf
(23 votes) -
2%
Chris Carson
(10 votes) -
2%
Other
(11 votes)
Poll
Which player would you steal from the Cardinals?
This poll is closed
-
10%
Kyler Murray
(40 votes) -
25%
Chandler Jones
(96 votes) -
2%
Budda Baker
(10 votes) -
4%
Larry Fitzgerald
(16 votes) -
54%
DeAndre Hopkins
(204 votes) -
1%
Other
(7 votes)