Intro: For each team, for the next month or so, we’re going to look at the key offseason moves each team has made via trade, free agency, coaching and GM changes, and their NFL Draft to see if we scout/analyze these teams have improved or regressed or stayed flat, essentially – looking at it from a 2024 impact only...not long-term, just what could impact this season’s results.

We’ll judge these teams two at a time, pitting them against each other head-to-head to determine a ‘winner’ (which team we think impacted 2024 the best), and the winning teams will move on to the next round and compete until we get to the finals/Super Bowl.

We’re going division-by-division, seeded by 2023 order of finish.

Today we have an NFC West matchup of #1 SF and #4 ARI...

SAN FRANCISCO

Key Adds: LB Leonard Floyd (from BUF), Yetur Gross-Matos (from CAR), DT Jordan Elliott (from CLE), QB Josh Dobbs (from MIN), CB Isaac Yiadom (from NO), TE Logan Thomas (from WSH) 

Key Losses: DE Arik Armstead (to JAX), DE Chase Young (to NO), TE Charlie Woerner (to ATL), QB Sam Darnold (to MIN), DT Javon Kinlaw (to NYJ), WR Ray-Ray McCloud (to ATL), DT Sebastian Joseph (to WSH), DE Clelin Ferrell (to WSH) 

Key Draft Adds: WR Ricky Pearsall, CB Renardo Green, OL Dom Puni, SAF Malik Mustapha, RB Isaac Guerendo, WR Jacob Cowing 

Key Coaching Changes: New D-C Nick Sorensen

Outlook: When I look at the free agent losses for SF, they are basically Arik Armstead and a bunch of ‘names’...but names that needed to go/aren’t real losses.

But as backfill, in free agency...no great things added in the transition. They got useful depth/backups but nothing heavily impactful.

Their free agency netted about even in the ins-and-outs. The draft has some hopeful players for the future, but for 2024 impact – Ricky Pearsall may start Week 1, maybe...but how much impact is a #3 WR/rookie going to have?

The NFC West defending champs didn’t blow away the 2024 offseason...but they weren’t hurt by it either.

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ARIZONA

Key Adds: DT Justin Jones (from CHI), OT Jonah Williams (from CIN), CB Sean Bunting (from TEN), DL Bilal Nichols (from LV), LB Mack Wilson (from NE), RB DeeJay Dallas (from SEA), WR Zay Jones (from JAX) 

Key Losses: WR Marquise Brown (to KC), DT Leki Fotu (to NYJ) 

Key Draft Adds: WR Marvin Harrison, DL Darius Robinson, CB Max Melton, RB Trey Benson, OL Isaiah Adams, TE Tip Reiman, CB Elijah Jones 

Key Coaching Changes: None

Outlook: Just looking at it all in one place – Arizona spent a lot of money on some sketchy, formerly good...but current question-mark players. They got some good/decent names/players in free agency, but the prices seem inflated/overpriced. But we’re not judging money counts here, just looking at the talent and its 2024 impact, but I’m just shocked looking at the free agency money they gave out. Looks like 2-3 starters from free agency...lost 1 in free agency.

The draft is where they killed it -- 4-5 starters, potentially, for 2024 from this class. Part of the reason they could add so many starters in the draft is that because they had/have a weaker roster to try and upgrade compared to say the 49ers – but mostly it was a good-to-great draft pulled off by the organization.

Overall, Arizona took a nice step forward this offseason.

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Winner (most improved for 2024)...

The 49ers were already good, and their 2024 offseason moves didn’t really push their roster to new heights. They did a lot of picking up depth, but they had no real zingers or savvy moves that caught my attention. Just a lot of shuffling of names and depth planning.

Arizona was in a different position – they had broken parts of their roster or gaps to fill and they had to fix them...and they did get several 2024 starters or potential starters from this offseason.

Arizona gets the win here by virtue of their influx of needed starter talent. They move on to the NFC West finals in the next round.  

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Next Round Matchups...

AFC East: NE v. NYJ

AFC North: BAL v. PIT

AFC South: TEN v. IND

AFC West: LAC v. LV

NFC East: WSH v. PHI

NFC North: DET v. GB

NFC South: CAR v. ATL

NFC West: ARI v. ???