NFC West Preview, Superlatives, Predictions

My thoughts on each team in the NFC West, including a likely breakout player, best rookie, pivotal unknown, under-the-radar and make-it-or-break-it player for each squad.

1. San Francisco 49ers

I’m not sure how much I need to convince you of the 49ers legitimacy atop the NFC West and perhaps even the NFC. If their best players are healthy and accounted for (big ‘if’!), the 49ers are probably going to have the top offense in the NFL. And their defense might not be perfect, but it has two stars in Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, and a very good supporting casts without many weak links.

The question is, will Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams continue to play for San Francisco? While both players hold out for new deals, the 49ers must find a way to solider on without two of their most important pieces, or trade them. If both are back and good will is restored, San Francisco likely makes a deep playoff run.

Another variable for the 49ers is two new coordinators - again. Chris Foerster will assist Kyle Shanahan in running the offense, while Nick Sorensen takes over the defense. San Francisco has done a good job of replacing the coordinators they lose every offseason, but eventually it’s impossible for any organization to handle that kind of turnover. How Sorensen improves on the job Steve Wilks did last year will be key for the 49ers in 2024.

Breakout Player: S Ji’Ayir Brown. When Talanoa Hufanga went down with an injury last year, Brown stepped into the lineup and was highly impressive. He played just 394 snaps, but intercepted two passes, adding a third in an impressive Super Bowl performance. Now playing side-by-side, he and Hufanga could be fun to watch this season.

Rookie To Watch: RG Dominick Puni. Puni looks poised to step into the 49ers starting lineup at right guard after a strong preseason. He’s big, powerful and nasty, which are all traits the 49ers need up front, especially in their younger players.

Pivotal Unknown: WR Brandon Aiyuk. Is this guy playing in 2024? Starting to have real doubts at this point. And the 49ers absolutely need him.

Under The Radar: DT Maliek Collins. It’s been an inconsistent career for Collins, but his best football has come the past couple of seasons. He’s finally become adept at getting off blocks a little better in the run game, and his hand usage has unlocked underrated pass rush ability the past few years. He’s a pretty critical piece next to Javon Hargrave, without a lot of proven depth behind those two.

Make-It-Or-Break-It: EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos. It’s been a miserable start to Gross-Matos’ career, disappointing in Carolina over the past four years. But the 49ers have resurrected many pass rushers who once had high hopes in the NFL, and if Gross-Matos is locked in, he could experience a resurgence too. Right now, he’s in line to be the clear cut EDGE3 in San Francisco, with only Leonard Floyd ahead of him.