NFC West reset: Division odds, team grades, best picks, 2021 mock draft and more

2020 NFL Draft NFC West reset: Division odds, team grades, best picks, 2021 mock draft and more

@CodyJBenjamin


The NFC West is nothing if not a grab bag when it comes to annual playoff contenders. The San Francisco 49ers may have represented the NFC in the Super Bowl in 2019 after logging a league-high 13 wins, but they were famously just 4-12 the year prior. And recent history suggests the 2020 season could play host to a similar surprise. There have been four different division champions in the last five years, with the 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks all taking turns atop the West.

You'd be hard-pressed to find many doubters in the Niners after their dominant 2019 run, and all indications are they've still got a roster to contend for one of the conference's top playoff spots. But it's anyone's guess as to who among the other three competitors could step up -- or slide back -- this coming season. The Cardinals figure to be more comfortable with coach Kliff Kingsbury's system now that they've had a year to digest it, the Seahawks are perpetually in the mix because of Russell Wilson, and the Rams are undergoing a serious makeover after a slew of veteran departures.

As we venture deeper into the offseason, here's a recap of draft-day action around the NFC West, and what implications the latest moves have on all four teams' 2020 chances:



Los Angeles Rams
Team grade: B (Pete Prisco)

Best pick: S Terrell Burgess (Josh Edwards)
Most questionable pick: S Jordan Fuller (Josh Edwards)

Biggest fantasy question: Who leads the Rams backfield in 2020? (Ben Gretch)

SportsLine's 2020 win projection: 7.6
William Hill season win total: 8.5 (Over -110)
William Hill odds to win division: +325
William Hill odds to win Super Bowl: +2800

In dire financial straits, the Rams were forced to let just about every one of their notable free agents head elsewhere, so they're counting a lot on the nine draft picks they made to get them back into postseason contention. Brandin Cooks, Todd Gurley, Dante Fowler, Jalen Ramsey, Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib? All gone, either in the name of more money or picks over the last year or so. RB Cam Akers, from Florida State, was their biggest investment as the 52nd overall pick, but even he isn't guaranteed to pin down a workhorse role in Sean McVay's offense with Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson hanging around.

Beyond Akers, L.A. is betting big on some raw talents at premium positions. With Cooks shipped to Houston, Florida's Van Jefferson figures to have a legitimate shot at a sizable Day One role, and yet he also comes in with a lack of college production. Ditto for outside linebacker Terrell Lewis, who could be a candidate to replace Clay Matthews but has an extensive injury history. The Rams' double dip at safety, with Burgess and Fuller, figures to give them some depth in the wake of corner Nickell Robey-Coleman's departure.

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[www.cbssports.com]