Category: NFC West news

PODCAST: 2024 offensive player, position rankings in NFC West

Jess Root and Seth Cox rank the NFC West’s offensive players by position and also rank each team’s position groups comparatively. Have a listen!

As we have done every offseason for several years in the summer, podcast cohost Seth Cox and I began our shows about ranking the NFC West. Rather than one extremely long show, we have divided it up into two.

In this edition of the show Cox and I go over the players and position groups on offense in the division, ranking not only the individuals at different positions in the NFC West but also the position units of each team.

Where do the Cardinals and the Cardinals players rank?

Listen to the show to find out!

Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!

Times and topics:

(1:00) Starting and backup QB rankings

(23:14) Running backs and receivers

(39:42) Tight ends and offensive linemen

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NFC West apparently out of the top safety business

No current NFC West safety makes Touchdown Wire’s list of the top 11 safeties in 2024.

The NFC West has been known for good safety play over recent years. The Arizona Cardinals have a pair of good safeties in Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson. Baker is a six-time Pro Bowler who has been selected each of the last five seasons.

The Seattle Seahawks have had good safety play, as have the San Francisco 49ers.

However, in Doug Farrar’s rankings of the top 11 safeties in the NFL, no current NFC West safeties make the cut.

Seattle’s Julian Love gets honorable mention. He was a Pro Bowler for the first time in his career last season after picking off four passes, breaking up 10, forcing two fumbles and collecting 123 total tackles.

Two former NFC West safeties make the list. Tashaun Gipson, a free agent who played the last two seasons for the 49ers, is ninth, and Quandre Diggs, released this offseason after three and a half seasons with Seattle and remains unsigned, received honorable mention. Both are in their 30s.

We shall see if anyone can emerge or re-emerge in 2024 to appear in next years’ list.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

49ers’ Christian McCaffrey to remain problem for Cardinals after 2-year, $38M extension

McCaffrey, who has averaged over 140 yards per game against the Cardinals, is under contract with the Niners through 2027.

The Arizona Cardinals have struggled against San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. After he received a two-year, $38 million extension, making him again the highest-paid running back in the NFL, the Cardinals will have to deal with him twice a season for a few more years.

He is now under contract with the Niners through 2027. That means, there are at least eight more scheduled games against him.

In two games last season against the Cardinals, McCaffrey rushed for 221 yards and four touchdowns on 38 attempts (5.8 yards per carry) and caught 12 passes for 173 yards and three scores — a sum of 394 total yards and seven scores in two games.

In seven career games against the Cardinals between his time with the Niners and the Carolina Panthers, McCaffrey’s teams have won six of those games and he has rushed for 580 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 5.8 yards per carry, and had 44 receptions for 426 yards and five touchdowns.

He has averaged 143.7 total yards and 1.4 touchdowns per game in his career against Arizona.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

NFC West has top interior pass rushers and promising hopefuls to add to them

The NFC West has three of the top eight interior pass rushers in the league and have added three very talented interior defender rookies.

The NFC has some of the best interior pass rushers in the NFL. They also have three new, young players who hope to be added to that list.

As the offseason goes, late spring and summer is the time of lists and rankings and Doug Farrar and Greg Cosell give us the top eight interior pass rushers in the league.

Of those eight, three are in the NFC West, and it doesn’t even include Aaron Donald, as the future Hall of Famer retired from the NFL this offseason.

They include Javon Hargrave of the San Francisco 49ers, Kobie Turner of the Los Angeles Rams and Jarran Reed of the Seattle Seahawks.

That makes the NFC West a very tough division to play against. They have true disruptors in the passing game.

But it doesn’t stop there. The division added three talented rookies who have the potential to find their way on future lists.

The Seahawks drafted Byron Murphy II in the first round. The Arizona Cardinals selected Darius Robinson in the first round. The Rams added Braden Fiske in the second round.

Between the top pass rushers already in the division and the ones who have been added, the NFC West should continue to be one of the toughest ones to face for their physicality up front.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Cardinals and NFC West might be ticketed for Saturday/Christmas Day quick turnaround games

The NFL will have games on Sat. Dec 21 and then on Christmas Day, a Wednesday. They likely will feature two sets of divisional games.

The full 2024 NFL schedule will be announced at 5 p.m. Arizona time Wednesday and one of the looming questions is which of the same four teams will play on Christmas Day and the previous Saturday on a four-day turnaround. Could the Arizona Cardinals be one of those teams?

It’s been speculated that the details of that wrinkle, along with the broadcast partners for the games on both days, is what delayed the schedule release from being revealed last week and pushed forward to this week.

It is important to know that the four teams will all likely be from the same division.

So don’t count out the NFC West from being that division. It makes a lot of sense. The 49ers are the defending NFC champions and the four quarterbacks are attractive: Kyler Murray, Brock Purdy, Matthew Stafford and Geno Smith.

Might it be the AFC North with Baltimore (Lamar Jackson), Cincinnati (Joe Burrow), Cleveland (Deshaun Watson) and Pittsburgh (Russell Wilson)? A good chance.

The NFC East is always attractive to the networks, but there are looming questions as to how competitive the New York Giants and Washington Commanders will be. The AFC East could be in the running, but by that point in the season, the New England Patriots would probably not be deserving of being in those two games.

As for the networks, it’s already been revealed that NBC will telecast one of the Saturday games while also having their usual Sunday night game the following day. Netflix is reportedly in the mix for one or both of the Christmas games.

One thing is for sure: All the divisions are silently hoping they are not the ones selected. Yes, the national exposure can be exciting. However, playing potentially crucial division games in Weeks 16 and 17 of an 18-week season with the latter being on only three days rest and one being a travel day for two of the teams won’t be met with glowing approval from those teams.

Of course, we know the NFL doesn’t care about that. Breaking news: It’s all about maximizing revenue, one thing the league is very good at doing.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Kyler Murray has perfect response to Aaron Donald’s retirement announcement

Murray had two funny responses to Aaron Donald’s retirement announcement on Friday.

The Arizona Cardinals saw one of their most formidable opponents ever call it quits. Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald announced his retirement Friday on social media.

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray had a pair of perfect responses to Donald’s post on X. The first was one of relief that he won’t have to face him again, a reply to Donald’s retirement post.

Murray also crafted a congratulatory post for Donald.

Donald had extraordinary success against the Cardinals. In 20 regular-season games, he saw the Rams win 14 of them. He had 16 of his 111 career sacks against the Cardinals, more than against any other team. He had 26 tackles for loss against Arizona, more than against any other team, and 34 quarterback hits, the second-most he had against any team.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Demarcus Robinson, free agency and other Rams news for Cardinals fans

Here are some stories about the division-rival Rams that Cardinals fans should know.

We made it to another offseason weekend, meaning it is time to check in with the Arizona Cardinals’ NFC West rivals. What is new with the Los Angeles Rams?

Below are a few stories about the Rams from the last week for Cardinals fans to know.

Coaching announcements, Brandon Aiyuk and more 49ers stories for Cardinals fans

We check in with the last week for the 49ers, one of the Cardinals’ division rivals.

We have made it to the end of another week in the offseason, so it is time to check in with the rest of the Arizona Cardinals’ division rivals in the NFC West. What has been going on with the San Francisco 49ers?

Below are a few stories from the last week about the Niners that Cardinals fans should know.

Super Bowl odds, MVP odds and more Rams stories for Cardinals fans

Here are some stories from the last week about the Rams for Cardinals fans to know, taking a trip around the NFC West.

It is the time off the offseason when we take a weekly look at the NFC West and see what the Arizona Cardinals’ division rivals have been doing.

What is new with the Los Angeles Rams?

Below are a few stories about the Rams over the last week for Cardinals fans to know.

Coaching changes, Geno Smith and more Seahawks news for Cardinals fans

Here are a few stories about the Seahawks from the last week that Arizona Cardinals fans should know about the division rival.

We begin our weekly trip around the NFC West Sundays in the offseason to see what has been going on with the Arizona Cardinals’ division rivals.

Next up are the Seattle Seahawks.

Since the Super Bowl, what has been going on with them?

Below are some stories from the last week the Cardinals fans should know about.