One Move Every NFC West Team Should Make This Offseason

The Seahawks and Rams need to take care of their stars, while the Cardinals and 49ers need to move on from two of their big-name players.

Contract negotiations may loom for Matthew Stafford and the Rams after the quarterback’s MVP season. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The Seahawks and Rams had plenty of star power on display during their eventful three meetings last year.

But now many of those star players are in need of new contracts. After the Seahawks are done celebrating their Super Bowl title, they’ll need to address all of their champagne problems. 

The Rams have another contract dilemma on the horizon with Matthew Stafford, whom the team needs to dethrone its NFC West rivals. 

As for the Cardinals and 49ers, they’ll likely be looking to part ways with a few prominent players. 

Let’s take a closer look at the NFC West teams by listing one move every squad should make this offseason.  

Arizona Cardinals: Move on from QB Kyler Murray

It wasn’t a good look for Kyler Murray that Jacoby Brissett quickly flourished under offensive coordinator Drew Petzing after taking over as the starter midway last year. That practically ended the debate on who to blame for Arizona’s stagnant offense during the bulk of coach Jonathan Gannon’s tenure.

Lions coach Dan Campbell also didn’t believe Petzing’s scheme was the problem in Arizona because he just hired him to call plays for his explosive offense. 

All signs point toward the Cardinals looking to move on from Murray, who has regressed since guiding Arizona to the postseason in 2021. There’s the possibility that new coach Mike LaFleur believes he’s the right person to maximize Murray’s potential, but the quarterback’s production hasn’t matched his expensive salary in recent seasons. 

Arizona should trade Murray to a quarterback-needy team, perhaps the Jets. This team would be better off sticking with Brissett, who still has one year left on his current contract. Brissett has a strong connection with star tight end Trey McBride and emerging wide receiver Michael Wilson, and Brissett’s knack for pushing the ball downfield could help Marvin Harrison Jr. find his footing if he stays healthy in his third season. 

Los Angeles Rams: Take care of Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua

The Rams got somewhat of a public promise from Stafford after saying in his MVP speech that he’s coming back for an 18th season. 

However, that doesn’t solve the latest contract dilemma with the star quarterback, which has become an annual tradition over the past few offseasons. Stafford gets a guaranteed $40 million if he’s still on the Rams’ roster by the fifth day of the new league year. That likely isn’t a problem for the team, but that number might seem low for Stafford after being the best quarterback in the league last season. 

If Stafford asks for $60 million next season, the team should gladly give it to him to maximize this latest Super Bowl window it has created after advancing to the NFC title game, where it fell to Seattle.  

But the Rams will need to get creative with their salary cap, as Puka Nacua is due for a contract extension, and the secondary could use a few notable free agents. 

L.A. should rush to do Nacua’s contract because the price tag could be going up for wide receivers. There’s a star wideout in Seattle also in need of a second contract. Currently, Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase is the highest-paid wide receiver with an annual salary of $40.2 million.

The Chiefs need to make offensive investments to regain their spot atop the division, while the Broncos need to add weapons for Bo Nix if they want to continue their reign. 

San Francisco 49ers: Get rid of Brandon Aiyuk 

In one of the strangest storylines of 2025, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk ghosted his team for most of the season, one year after agreeing to a four-year, $120 million contract. 

The decision to get rid of Aiyuk should be a no-brainer for the 49ers because they voided all of his guaranteed money for 2026, which was about $27 million. But maybe there’s a possibility the team prefers to be petty and opts to hold onto him for as long as possible to have Aiyuk’s options evaporate after the first wave of free agency.

But San Francisco shouldn’t go down the petty route. Instead, the 49ers should focus on re-signing wide receiver Jauan Jennings and adding other pass catchers, especially because tight end George Kittle could miss the start of the season after tearing his Achilles tendon in the playoffs.

Additionally, the 49ers have plenty to worry about on the defensive side, needing to add help for Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. There’s no point in holding onto players who don’t want to be a part of the team.

Seattle Seahawks: Address champagne problems

There are plenty of champagne problems for the defending Super Bowl champions to face this offseason. 

A handful of key players need new contracts, a list that could include Sam Darnold because he will only have a guaranteed $17.5 million on his contract if he’s on the team’s roster by the fifth day of the new league year. 

Also, Darnold’s current contract could be torn apart because he’s only making $33.5 million per season, a bargain compared to those making north of $50 million. But the Seahawks will need to be creative with Darnold’s looming new contract because wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and cornerback Devon Witherspoon will be eligible for contract extensions, and they could be seeking market-setting deals after how dominant they were in 2025.

As for other financial matters, running back Kenneth Walker III, wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, cornerback Josh Jobe and a few other key starters are scheduled to be free agents next month. 

With Darnold, Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon likely cashing in soon, the Seahawks will have a tough time bringing back the entire band to go after back-to-back Super Bowls. But from a different perspective, this shows you how savvy the Seahawks have been with the draft and free agency in recent years.

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