Article: Questions in NFC could allow Rams to return to contention in 2023

[www.turfshowtimes.com] Questions in NFC could allow Rams to return to contention in 2023
What is 49ers’ plan at QB? Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers could leave void in the conference.

By JB Scott Jan 18, 2023, 7:40pm CST

NFL: FEB 16 Rams Super Bowl LVI Championship Parade
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Sean McVay probably wouldn’t have returned to coach the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 if he didn’t think the team could return to contention a year after finishing just 5-12. Other NFC powers face serious questions heading into an offseason that will feature a great deal of change.

The biggest elephants in the room are the individual fates of Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. Will either return for next season, and if they do will it be as a member of the Green Bay Packers or Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively? Both players have helped their team remain towards the top of the standings over the last few years, and moving elsewhere could create a void atop the NFC.

Within LA’s own division there are also looming questions around quarterbacks.

Will the San Francisco 49ers’ playoff run with Brock Purdy convince them he’s the answer for 2023 and beyond, or will Kyle Shanahan instead turn back towards the volatile Trey Lance? The 49ers have one of the best overall rosters in football, though they could be limited by the game’s most important position.

The Seattle Seahawks are also dealing with a quarterback dilemma of their own. Geno Smith played admirably this season, leading the team to the playoffs after a year on the outside looking in. But Smith is a free agent and it could cost Seattle a pretty penny - or the franchise tag - in order to retain his services. Could the Seahawks opt to use their high draft pick from the Denver Broncos, which they acquired in exchange for Russell Wilson, to find their next franchise signal caller?

And then there’s the Arizona Cardinals... who are currently coachless and likely to start next season quarterbackless. Kyler Murray tore his ACL late into this past season and probably won’t be available in time for the season opener. The Cardinals both a bad roster and an old one, so they are likely headed for a full overhaul no matter who they choose as head coach.

There is a path for the Rams to re-assert themselves atop the NFC West and as a power in the conference, but they have a significant amount of needs of their own this offseason. Can McVay make the incremental improvements needed to help 2022 be remembered as the year the Rams’ season was derailed by injuries?


Kenneth Arthur & JB Scott discuss that question and more on this installment of Turf Show Times: The Podcast. We talk about McVay filling out his coaching staff and touch on some of the head coach openings around the NFL.

Make sure you subscribe via your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.


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Jalen Ramsey future discussion

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