If there is one division that figures to be the toughest one to get a clear futures outlook on, it’s the NFC West. Even if signs point to the Arizona Cardinals having the far future advantage, since they’re as of March 29th, 2021, the only team in the division with a 2022 first-round pick.
However, if you’re looking to place a futures bet here in 2021, odds are you’re facing a few tough decisions.
Today’s post should at least help you wade through those murky waters and provide pros and cons for each of the following 4 franchises in the West. Today’s post won’t tell you who to bet on. But it will help you make smarter wagers at the NFL betting sites. Let’s get started.
Arizona Cardinals
As mentioned, the Arizona Cardinals look like the smartest wager for 2022.
The clear upside with the Cardinals is this: They have one of the most lethal quarterback-wide receiver combinations in football. And teams that possess this trait are always a threat to score or at least move the ball.
During free agency, the Cardinals went out and signed experience over youth.
The clear upside?
The downside?
Butler played well, but teams targeted him often, and he gave up 80 receptions. To his defense, his former team’s defensive unit gave him little help.
Another upside for the Cardinals is that they can finish filling their gaps via the draft. They’re a well-rounded team, even if they’re aging. But the question remains:
If you believe they can, the Cardinals are a smart wager in 2021. If you think their free agent class is a bunch of has-beens, stay away and instead consider wagering them in 2022.
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams pulled off the first blockbuster deal of the season when they shipped Jared Goff and a plethora of draft picks for Matthew Stafford. Like the Cardinals, the Rams are banking their 2021 outlook in the hands of an aging player.
That said, he can revert to the role of game manager if he desires. Plus, Stafford’s joining a team that boasted the best defense in football in 2020.
So even if his skills diminish with his older age, he’ll have many more opportunities to make something happen in Los Angeles than he did in Detroit. We shouldn’t assume that the Rams will succeed with Stafford, given his age and injury history.
Plus, he’s once again learning a new system, which can cause a drawback. Also, at his age, he’s stuck in the ways of his playing style. Stafford also struggled in Detroit over his first 12 seasons. He went 0-3 in the playoffs and never won the NFC North.
If you think Stafford will continue to struggle to win games with the Rams, it’s best to stay away from them in the futures department. However, if you think he just needed talent and stability around him, go for it.
Seattle Seahawks
Perhaps no team in the NFC West has seen more drama than the Seattle Seahawks, which we’ll dub the Russell Wilson Saga. However, at this time, Wilson remains a member of the Seahawks. And if he remains in the action-green, wolf gray, and college navy…
You can trade Wilson to the NFL’s least talented team, and he will still turn them into a contender. He’s that good and joins a rare company of quarterbacks capable of such a feat.
However, he and the Seahawks have woefully underperformed since 2015 when it comes to a deep playoff run, NFC Championship, or a Super Bowl. Perhaps no other team in the NFL has collapsed as often as the Seahawks have in January over the past 5 seasons.
That’s a red flag if you’re someone who thinks it’s wise to bet on the Seahawks.
If the Seahawks trade Wilson to either the Saints or the Raiders (or perhaps even the Bears?) then you need to see who ends up sitting in his seat. Say the Seahawks trade Wilson for Derek Carr. It’s still wise to consider the Seahawks.
Not so much. Granted, the Seahawks will trade for more than just Hill, Winston, or Carr. They will acquire draft picks and perhaps even another reliable contributor.
Either way, the Seahawks remain the most sensible bet in the NFC West. There is little risk here unless Wilson goes. Which, judging from his recent statements, remains unlikely.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are the wild card. And while the injury bug derailed their 2020 campaign, you can’t help but wonder if they’re playing for the future here in 2021. If that’s the case, expect this team to wind up back in the basement, despite their sheer talent.
They also, despite losing defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to the New York Jets, boast a dangerous defense. Problem is, why did they just give up a king’s ransom and trade up to the 3rd pick in April’s NFL Draft.
For a team with as much talent as the 49ers, it made zero sense.
- Are they so faithless in Jimmy Garoppolo that they’re interested in drafting either Trey Lance, Mac Jones, or Justin Fields?
- Perhaps Zach Wilson, if the New York Jets pass on him with the second pick?
This is the classic “Draft for the future with a talented team,” conundrum. And often, it will sink teams. The Green Bay Packers were an outlier in 2020, when they drafted Jordan Love as the eventual replacement to Aaron Rodgers.
However, Garoppolo is not Aaron Rodgers, and we can all agree to that.
If the Niners draft a quarterback, they won’t set them as inactive all season long. Odds are, they’re a Day One starter. And none of these quarterbacks behind Lawrence make for a good rookie starter.
- Trey Lance never faced FBS competition and had started just 17 games at North Dakota State.
- Mac Jones, despite his numbers, had NFL talent and an unbeatable system surrounding him.
- Zac Wilson is a one-year wonder who never played a decent school in 2020.
Watch what the 49ers do. But if they draft a quarterback, steer clear unless you feel that the new guy will pull a Ben Roethlisberger and win 14 of his first 15 starts.
Now You Make the Call
As you can see, you’re looking at a tough division and it’ll be the closest race in the 2021 NFL Season unless one team pulls ahead (or falls behind) following the NFL Draft.
And as you have also noted, you’re facing both pros and cons regardless of who you wager your money on this upcoming NFL season as it pertains to the NFC West.
- Do you take the team full of veterans who will sink or swim?
- Or do you take the team who believes an aging quarterback is their last puzzle piece?
- Are you going with the division’s most consistent team over the past decade, despite the drama?
- Or do you bet on the team taking the risk?
Ultimately, whoever you choose to wager is up to you, and there is just one right answer and 3 wrong answers above. Unfortunately, it’s near-impossible to tell which team in the NFC West possesses the best futures outlook.
Conclusion
The NFC West is a tough division. And let’s face it: We can see all 4 teams in the division sneak into the 7-team playoff. Or, the pieces are in place for 3 of the 4 teams to collapse, leaving only the division winner to advance.
Despite the talent in the NFC West, they have left us with far more questions and very, very few answers. Sometimes, or even in many cases, we have a general idea of who will at least make a smart Over/Under or division winner futures bet. Unless that team in 2021 comes from the NFC West.
Which NFC West team do you think makes for the best futures outlook in 2021? Let us know in the comments and we are looking forward to reading your opinions.
