NFL West: Team-by-Team Season Preview
Adam Martin 
The NFL is less than a month away from returning, with training camps in full swing and all the off-season moves bedding in.
The Baltimore Ravens are the early favourites with betting sites to win the Super Bowl in 2026, but we're a long way away from that.
Free Bets NFL expert, Adam Martin, has had a look at the Western Division and what to expect from each team before the start of the season.
LA Rams
The LA Rams had a tough start to the season last year but managed to turn things around. Finishing with a 10-7 record they won the division and then got into the playoffs. Unfortunately for them they were beaten away at the Eagles in a weather hit game that saw their run come to an end.
Suffering from injuries to the offensive line caused them to have a poor start, losing Steve Avila was a major blow. Fortunately, once they got back to full health, we saw the real Rams and they went on a big run to finish off the season.
Looking ahead to this season you must think of the Rams as a potential Superbowl contender. Sean McVey is still the head coach of the team and Mike Lefleur and Chris Shula remain as offensive and defensive coordinators respectively. Keeping this continuity is only positive for the Rams.
If you look at the main people, they lost in free agency then you will see they kept all their main guys. Edge rusher Michael Hoecht and defensive lineman Bobby Brown are not massive losses. On the offence both receivers, Cooper Kupp and Demarcus Robinson moved on. Kupp is a loss but not massive given he is no longer at the peak of his powers.
The Rams managed to re-sign some of their big names, none bigger than veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. Keeping Stafford is a sign that they believe the team is a strong contender. On top of that they re-signed Tutu Atwell, Ahkello Witherspoon and Alaric Jackson.
They also added to this already exciting team with some big names. Davante Adams has come over from the Jets to provide an exciting one-two receiver core with Puka Nacua. Under ratted defensive lineman, Poona Ford is also a big upgrade. Also, Coleman Shelton and Nate Landman have been bought in to add depth.
In the draft the Rams traded away their first-round pick but now have two in 2026. Obviously, this does not help the team to win now but will make them stronger in the long run. Highlights of their draft included Round two pick Terrence Ferguson and Round four pick Jarquez Hunter. Both guys might take most of the season to settle in, but they could be big names for the future.
Overall
The Rams were already a playoff-calibre team, and they have only got better. Their defence has got a great front seven to it, with the likes of Jared Verse and Kobbie Turner as standouts. The offence has improved with Davante Adams now in LA and veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford still has enough in the tank to win again. They might not be favourites with NFL betting sites to win the Superbowl, but they shouldn’t be discounted.
San Francisco 49ers
2024 was an odd season for a team that has been to a couple of Superbowl’s in the last few years. They only managed to finish with a 6-11 record, largely due to injuries to some big-name players. This season will all be about keeping players like Christian McCaffery fit if they have any chance.
The offence performed to an average standard last season, but it was the defence that struggled, especially against the run. If they want to get back into the playoffs, then their run defence will need to improve.
Kyle Shanahan is back for another year as head coach and if anyone can turn things around then it is him. Klay Kubiak has been promoted to become the offensive coordinator, and Robert Saleh is back, after his head coach stint in New York, to run the defense.
In free agency the 49ers lost some huge names which were always going to be difficult to replace. Three big names left from the defensive side of the ball. Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufunga have both gone to the Broncos and star cornerback, Charvarius Ward will be playing for the Colts.
They have also lost some big names on the offence. Star wide receiver, Deebo Samuel has moved on to the Commanders and left guard, Aaron Banks was signed by the Packers. Elijah Mitchell, who has suffered with multiple injuries has also moved on.
The 49ers did manage to re-sign some of their stars. Quarterback Brock Purdy was the main guy they needed to sign and star tight end; George Kittle is back for three more years. Veteran linebacker, Fred Warner is also an important piece to keep.
Although the 49ers didn’t have a ton of money to spend, they did manage to bring in a few decent pieces. Bryce Huff came in from the Eagles to play edge rusher and they got a couple of defensive secondary pieces in Richie Grant and Jason Pinnock to help.
Given the loss of some big names, the draft was important for the 49ers. They had 11 picks and what they came away with was hit and miss. Mykell Williams was who they took in round one and the edge rusher should get involved quickly. They picked up two good defensive tackles in Alfred Collins and CJ West.
However, their two third round picks felt a little off and a bit of a reach for the talent they got. After that most of their picks were just depth pieces who probably wont do much this season.
Overall
Despite being favorites for this division, it will be tough for the 49ers to get back to their old ways. A lot will depend on the fitness of star running back Christian McCaffery. If they can stop his arthritis from coming back, then the offence will always have a chance. Main wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will miss the start of the season as well.
The big worry for this team is just the lack of depth though. If they can't keep all their main guys fit, then they don’t have adequate replacements. Getting into the playoffs is possible but getting back to the Superbowl might be a step too far.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals have been struggling for a while now but 2024 did show some hope. Finishing 8-9 meant that the playoffs were not far away. Statistically the offence was decent, but the defense ended up in the lower third of the league.
Head coach Johnathon Gannon is back, and he has kept both his offensive and defensive coordinators. Drew Petzig will be hoping to make his offence more explosive while Nick Rallis wants to see a much more attacking defense.
Free agency was quiet for the Cardinals compared to other teams. They lost a few guys on the defense that are solid pros, but they needed to improve that area of their team. Roy Lopez, Kyzir White and Dennis Gardech have all been around the NFL for a while now but have moved on.
They did re-sign some of their bigger names in Trey McBride and Baron Browning, which was good news for Cardinal fans. They also went out and spent big on Eagles edge rusher, Josh Sweat. Veteran defensive lineman, Calais Campbell is also a great pick-up.
In the draft the Cardinals went defense heavy and managed to acquire some exciting talent. Walter Nolen and Will Johnson were both considered top targets for many teams in the first round. The Cardinals got them both. Also, Ohio State cornerback, Denzel Burke, could be a steal in round five.
Overall
Cardinals’ fans should be excited for this season. Kyler Murray looked good last season and with Marvin Harrison Jr entering his second year the offence should be better. The defense still has some way to go but it has some exciting pieces on it now.
The playoffs are a genuine possibility for the Cardinals, but it is for every team in this division.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks had a decent season under rookie head coach Mike MacDonald finishing 10-7. They were solid in all aspects of the game other than running the ball offensively. It’s an area that needs to improve and should do with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Defensively they had a solid season, and Aden Durde is back for another year as defensive coordinator. With both him and Mike MacDonald in their second year in Seattle you would expect improvement.
Free agency brought about some big changes in Seattle. Both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett have moved on along with quarterback Geno Smith. Also, Dre’Mont Jones and Roy Robertson Harris have both left the defensive line.
The Seahawks focused on re-signing some key pieces for their defense. Jarren Reed and Johnathon Hankins will be on the defensive line along with edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu. Also, linebacker Ernest Jones is back again.
With Metcalf, Lockett and Smith all gone, the Seahawks had to bring in some names and Sam Darnold will be hoping to form a great partnership with Cooper Kupp. Also, Demarcus Lawrence came in from the Cowboys to help at edge rusher.
The Seahawks had a good draft bringing in some key pieces. Grey Zabel was picked in round one to help a massive area of need, the offensive line. They then picked up Nick Emmanwori in round two, who will be a leader on the defense.
Elijah Arroyo could have an instant impact at tight end, especially with Noah Fant now not being in Seattle. Jalen Milroe could be an exciting quarterback for the Seahawks in time as well. They also picked up some attacking options that will make solid depth pieces in Tory Horton, Damien Martinez and Ricky White.
Overall
Big changes in the offence may cause this team to start slower than they would like. Under Klint Kubiak you would expect them to run the ball a lot. Can Sam Darnold gel with Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and the running backs quickly? Keeping Ken Walker fit is a must for them to be successful.
The defense was good last year and should still be good this year but there are question marks over the offence. The playoffs is what they should be looking for but not much more than that.
NFL Betting Tips
Adam Martin will be here to preview and provide betting tips ahead of every round of NFL action this season with his NFL betting tips.
Everything you need to know, along with the latest betting offers and enhanced odds, will be there to keep you informed ahead of each round.
