With the most important player in the division – Kurt Warner – retiring after last season, the NFC West seems to be as wide open as ever before. The Rams still have plenty of issues as we all know, but the Seahawks, 49ers and Cardinals all have talent on both sides of the ball. Let’s take a look at how the division stacks up heading into the season.

San Francisco 49ers. Last season, the 49ers clawed their way to eight wins with a tough defense and an improving offense. Running back Frank Gore is no longer the young, incredibly athletic back that he used to be, but he’s still got a lot of game left. But no matter what Gore can do on offense, the season will likely come down to the development of Alex Smith, who showed some major signs of life in 2009. With a myriad of weapons to throw to, including talented tight end Vernon Davis and receivers Michael Crabtree and Ted Ginn Jr., Smith enters the most important season of his career.

Giving Smith more confidence also should be the offensive line, which the team decided to majorly revamp during the draft. Drafting both Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati in the first round, the 49ers have made a significant effort to keep Smith upright in the pocket. On defense, the 49ers have Patrick Willis, who is Kamagra jelly probably the best linebacker in the league at this point. If Smith can limit the turnovers, the 49ers could win this division.

Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks were a big disappointment in 2009. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had a subpar season, which was no doubt partially due to a lackluster running game and a general lack of weapons to throw to. In the draft, the Seahawks addressed this by grabbing Notre Dame standout receiver Golden Tate, though there are some questions about whether or not he will be a prominent player at the pro level. First round pick Russell Okung should improve their offensive line as well, but it may not be enough. Having said that, Hasselbeck could be the best quarterback in the division if he can stay healthy and protected. In a fairly mediocre division, that might be enough to keep them in the hunt.

Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have been one of the most difficult teams in the NFL to predict in recent years. For several years in a row they seemed to have enough talent to make some noise, and then they decided to win as soon as the buzz surrounding them died down. The problem for them in 2010 is fairly obvious, as they lose their Pro Bowl quarterback Warner, wideout Anquan Boldin, linebacker Karlos Dansby and safety Antrel Rolle. They did pick up linebacker Joey Porter, but it’s unlikely that he will be enough to keep them playing at the level they played at for most of the 2009 season.

Still, the Cards do have a lot going for them. Matt Leinart has had plenty of time to learn from Warner and showed some potential in some spot starts in the last couple of seasons. Larry Fitzgerald is still one of the top receivers in the league and running back Beanie Wells could possibly be a star. Unless Leinart completely folds this season, the Cards should be in the playoff hunt to the end.

St. Louis Rams. The Rams may or may not have made the right choice in drafting Sam Bradford first overall. He certainly looks and acts like a pro quarterback, but the truth in the NFL is that you never truly know which quarterbacks will work out and which ones won’t. One thing that is for sure, though, is that they have to find ways to get the ball out of his hands quickly so he doesn’t get exposed by a porous offensive line. No matter how talented, nobody can throw downfield from their back. Stephen Jackson is still on the team and remains one of the top running backs in the league, certainly helping to sell plenty of NFL tickets in the process. The Rams are moving in the right direction, it seems, but it doesn’t appear that they’re ready to contend for a playoff spot.

Division Outlook:
This one should come down to the wire, but I expect the 49ers to have enough to get it done. Nine wins could win the division and 10 wins almost certainly will. Considering that the 49ers won eight games last year with Crabtree barely seeing the field, the division could be theirs to lose, particularly with the upgrades on offensive line. But everything could change if Leinart has a productive season under center for the Cards.

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