Tag: NFC West

NFC West rival puts star receiver on trade market

The NFC West in 2025 might not have Cooper Kupp or Deebo Samuel in 2025.

Just a few days ago, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp announced the team told him they were looking to trade him this offseason, as he is due $20 million in roster bonuses and salary in 2025.

Another start receiver in the division is now on the trading block as well.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the San Francisco 49ers will explore a trade for receiver Deebo Samuel, who requested the move in exit interviews after the season, reported ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Samuel’s agent told Schefter that he has been granted permission to speak to other teams for a possible trade.

Samuel was not happy with his usage in 2024. His 806 total yards from scrimmage were the lowest of his career, excluding 2020 when he played in only seven games. He had 51 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 136 and a score.

He just turned 29 last month and has one year remaining on his contact. He is scheduled to make $1.17 million in salary in 2025 but has a $15.4 million option bonus coming due on March 22.

The Cardinals won’t likely be involved, although Samuel would improve their offense. But an NFC West without Cooper Kupp and Deebo Samuel will be different, for sure.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Former Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner projected to play for NFC West rival in 2025

Former Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner projected to play for NFC West rival in 2025

Former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner was outstanding for the Washington Commanders in 2024. The future Hall of Famer recorded 132 tackles en route to helping the Commanders shockingly qualify for the NFC Championship Game. Wagner is now scheduled to reach free agency for a fourth consecutive offseason.

Wagner played for the Seahawks from 2012 to 2021. He then joined the rival Los Angeles Rams for a season after being released from his contract in Seattle. Wagner reunited with the Seahawks in 2023 before joining the Commanders in 2024.

Pro Football Focus is projecting Wagner to rejoin the Rams via free agency. We’re not sure we can handle that again!

“The Rams are quite familiar with the mercenary linebacker, as they’ve seen him ball out for this defense in 2022, where Wagner earned an impressive 90.7 overall grade (at 32 years old),” Mason Cameron wrote. “Los Angeles finds itself in need of both help at linebacker – only have Omar Speights under contract next season – and veteran leadership to help develop this young and talented defense.”

The Rams could enter the market for a veteran off-ball linebacker after trading Ernest Jones IV to the Tennessee Titans last offseason. Of course, Jones eventually ended up in Seattle, where he’d help transform Mike Macdonald’s defense down the stretch. Jones and/or Wagner could be targets for the Rams via free agency. The Seahawks should attempt to prevent that from happening.

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Cardinals rival has Defensive Rookie of the Year in first 1st-round pick in years

The NFC West has the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year as the Rams nailed their first first-round pick in eight years in Jared Verse.

The NFL announced its biggest season awards on Thursday at the NFL Honors ceremony. Among the awards was the Defensive Rookie of the Year for the 2024 season.

This year’s winner was Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse. He had 4.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 18 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

It was an impactful rookie campaign for a Rams team that made the postseason. he added two sacks in the Rams’ playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

It is a big award, but it is also significant.

Verse was the Rams’ first-round pick last year. They had not had a pick in the first round since trading up to the No. 1 overall pick in 2016 to select quarterback Jared Goff.

Verse played well in two games against the Cardinals. In two games, he had nine total tackles, three tackles for loss, a quarterback hit and a forced fumble.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Around the NFC West: Rams lose TE coach Nick Caley

Around the NFC West: Rams lose TE coach Nick Caley

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay possesses one of the most successful coaching trees in the league. Good news arrived for the Seattle Seahawks earlier this week when another McVay assistant chose to depart for a promotion elsewhere. Tight end coach and passing game coordinator Nick Caley has been hired as the Houston Texans’ new offensive coordinator.

Caley joined the Rams in 2023 as tight ends coach and was promoted to double duty as passing game coordinator in 2024. Prior to coaching alongside McVay, he spent eight years as an assistant with the New England Patriots. Caley also coached under Bill Belichick, adding further intrigue to his coaching roots.

Caley isn’t the first Rams assistant to depart this offseason. Game management coordinator John Streicher joined Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots as vice president of football operations and strategy, leaving McVay to reunite with Vrabel after spending time together with the Tennessee Titans.

The Rams captured the NFC West division title in 2024 and upset the Minnesota Vikings in the wild-card round. The Seahawks split the season series and tied the Rams on regular-season wins with 10, but lost the tiebreaker. Any offseason coaching changes that weaken McVay’s organization represents good news for the Seahawks.

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Cardinals’ division rival has familiar face return to coaching staff

The Cardinals will have to face Robert Saleh’s defenses again with the 49ers as he returns to the job he had from 2017-2020.

The San Francisco 49ers are welcoming back a familiar face. Robert Saleh is returning to be their defensive coordinator.

Saleh previously was their defensive coordinator from 2017-2020 before leaving to become the head coach of the New York Jets. After going 20-36 in three-plus seasons, he was fired in October.

The Niners have gone through three defensive coordinator since Saleh left.

DeMeco Ryans replaced Saleh and lasted two years before he went on to become the head coach of the Houston Texans. After that, Steve Wilks was fired after one season and then was the guy last season before being dismissed.

In four seasons as the Niners’ defensive coordinator, they finished 16th in total defense twice and then third and fifth before becoming the Jets’ head coach.

While Saleh was defensive coordinator, the Cardinals went 5-3 against the 49ers.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

QB Matthew Stafford’s future as Cardinals opponent uncertain

Stafford, now 36 years old, sounds like a guy not ready to retire but is going to take some time after the season to make a decision.

The Los Angeles Rams were eliminated from the postseason on Sunday in a 28-22 loss in the divisional round to the Philadelphia Eagles. Now that leads to questions in the offseason, the biggest of which is perhaps the future of quarterback Matthew Stafford.

The 36-year-old was asked after the loss about whether he will return to play in 2025. He said he would “take some time to think about it,” according to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop.

He has two years remaining on his contract.

In 2024, he passed for 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns with only eight interceptions. His 1.5% interception rate was the lowest of his career for a full season.

In four seasons since joining the Rams, he has led them to the playoffs three times and to a Super Bowl championship.

He said, “I feel like I was playing some pretty good ball,” and that as for whether he still has something left, “Sure feels like it.”

But he is at the point in his career where returning to play another season is a year-to-year thing.

Arizona Cardinals fans will remember this feeling with receiver Larry Fitzgerald and quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Kurt Warner. It isn’t fun, but it is something that happens.

If he decides to retire, the Rams will have to find a new quarterback.

But it doesn’t sound like, at least right now, that he is leaning toward retirement.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Analyzing the Seahawks’ 2025 road opponents

Analyzing the Seahawks’ 2025 road opponents

The Seattle Seahawks were oddly effective away from Lumen Field throughout the 2024 campaign. Mike Macdonald’s club were road warriors, compiling an elite record of 7-1 away from home. The Seahawks’ actual 2025 schedule won’t be released for several more months, but their opponents have already been revealed. Let’s analyze each adversary they’ll play on the road.

The Seahawks are scheduled to play nine road games in 2025 after having the extra home game in 2024.

Arizona Cardinals

The Seahawks dominated the Arizona Cardinals on the road in 2014, winning 30-18. The Cardinals are a rebuilding squad that showed improvement this campaign, however. Kyler Murray and Co. could make for a more difficult opponent in 2025.

Los Angeles Rams

The Seahawks defeated the Rams 30-25 at SoFi Stadium in Week 18’s regular-season finale. It was a meaningless contest, because the Rams had already captured the NFC West division title. The Rams could possess more incentive in next year’s rematch.

San Francisco 49ers

The Seahawks captured a last-minute win over the San Francisco 49ers on the road. Geno Smith scored what was essentially a walk-off rushing touchdown. Defeating the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium was big for Seattle’s confidence.

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons barely missed the postseason in 2024. The Seahawks can relate. Seattle defeated Atlanta 34-14 at Merecdes=-Benz Stadium, and will be making their second consecutive trip there next season. Michael Penix Jr. will be the Falcons’ starting quarterback this time around.

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers showed legitimate late-season improvement. Sophomore quarterback Bryce Young finally began meeting expectations. The Panthers could be a trickier road opponent in 2025 than most realize.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars are going through the process of appointing a new head coach after Doug Pederson failed to meet expectations. A healthier Trevor Lawrence under quarterback would increase their competitiveness next season. Jacksonville should be an improved team.

Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans own the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Will Seattle play against a rookie quarterback like Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward in this game?

Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are in the playoffs. Drafting Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate Jayden Daniels totally altered the projection of their franchise. A healthy Daniels would give Seattle difficulties in this matchup.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are always competitive under Mike Tomlin. Will Russell Wilson return at quarterback? He’s currently slated for unrestricted free agency.

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NFC West news: 49ers fire defensive coordinator after 1 year again

The 49ers, an NFC west rival of the Cardinals, is looking for a new defensive coordinator for the third offseason in a row.

While there have been no reports of any changes on the Arizona Cardinals’ coaching staff, there is movement around the NFC West. Two teams in the division have dismissed at least one of their coordinators. The San Francisco 49ers, for the second offseason in a row, have let their defensive coordinator go after only one season. This year, it is Nick Sorensen, who was hired to replace former Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks, who was canned after only one season in 2023.

The 49ers finished a disappointing 6-11 after making the Super Bowl last season.

Defensively, they fell apart late in the year, culminating in a 47-24 loss to the Cardinals.

Overall in 2024, the 49ers had a top-10 defense, ranking eighth in yards allowed, but they allowed the fourth-most points in the league, giving up 25.6 points per game, and allowing 29 or more in five of their final seven games.

They were No. 5 against the pass and 18th against the run, but opponents rushed for 152.8 yards per game over the final four games of the season and 152.6 over the final seven.

The 49ers reportedly would like to retain Sorensen on the staff, just not as the leader of the defense.

While Arizona’s defense is expected to maintain its defensive staff, the 49ers have added yet another question to answer in their offseason.

In addition to firing Sorensen, the Niners also fired special teams coordinator Brain Schneider, giving them two coordinators their must replace in the offseason.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

NFC West news: Seahawks need new OC after firing Ryan Grubb

The Seahawks are one of two teams in the NFC West who must hire a new coordinator.

The NFC West has two teams looking for new coordinators. One is the Seattle Seahawks, who beat the Arizona Cardinals twice in 2024.

After one season as offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb was fired by head coach Mike Macdonald.

The Seahawks finished 14th in the league in total offense and 18th in points scored. They were eighth in passing offense but 28th in rushing offense.

Quarterback Geno Smith finished the season with 4,320 passing yards, No. 4 in the NFL. He had 21 touchdown passes but 15 interceptions, the most he has thrown in a season since his rookie season in 2013 when he threw 21 with the New York Jets.

For the Cardinals’ division rival, it means searching for someone new to lead he offense and perhaps a new offensive philosophy to install in the offseason.

Seattle has many questions to answer in the offseason, including whether they will continue with Smith as their quarterback, as he enters the final year of his contract.

But the dismissal of Grubb adds yet another question to answer.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Cardinals S Budda Baker left it all on the field in 2024

Arizona Cardinals Pro Bowler Budda Baker Baker deserves his flowers for a electrifying 2024 season

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker gave his team everything he had in the tank during the 2024 season. Although his team didn’t make the postseason, it would be a disservice to undermine the tenacious effort he gave each and every week for the Cardinals.

Baker finished the 2024 NFL season with 164 total tackles, including 95 solo. Bruising opponents and blitzing quarterbacks, Baker also tallied in 12.5 stuffs, showing himself to be deployable versus the run and as a quarterback spy.

Baker brings a physicality to the Cardinals’ defense that simply hadn’t been there over the last few seasons. Alongside linebacker Kyzir White and others, Baker pilots as both a vocal and proactive leader on the defensive side of the ball. In other words, while Baker may move his mouth with a lot of jaw jacking, his hands and feet are simultaneously showing to be much more than a mockery if some consider him a bluff.

Cardinals fans will miss seeing No. 3 dressed in red and white every week for a couple of months. While Arizona prepares itself for the offseason, they should possibly consider bringing in another edge rusher to help them become more disruptive in the upcoming season.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.