NFC West Offseason Financial Analysis

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertJanuary 13, 2023
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#arizona cardinals #los angeles rams #san francisco 49ers #seattle seahawks
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Our NFL Offseason Series continues with analysis for each team’s notable free agents, projected financials, & a few extension or roster bubble candidates heading toward the offseason.

SPOTRAC'S OFFSEASON SERIES
AFC: NORTH | SOUTH | EAST | WEST
NFC: NORTH | SOUTH | EAST | WEST
POSITIONAL: QB | RB | WR

Arizona Cardinals

2023 Cap Space: $16M
Rostered Players: 46
Draft Pick: #3

It appears C Rodney Hudson is retiring, and WR DeAndre Hopkins is on the trade block. With a new coaching staff and GM on the way, it appears Arizona is set on loading up draft capital and trying to rebuild this thing on the fly as quickly as possible (while paying their QB1 $48M per year).

Notable Free Agents

Extension Candidate

Marquise Brown (WR, 25)
Holds a fully guaranteed $13.4M 5th-year option in 2023, could be eyeing the 3 year, $60M extensions Mike Williams & Chris Godwin bagged last year.

Bubble Candidate

J.J. Watt (DE, 34) & Rodney Hudson (C, 34)
The Cardinals have already restructured these contracts to set them up for Post 6/1 retirements/releases. Watt will carry a $3.48M cap hit until 6/1 after which the Cardinals will take on dead hits of $2.4M for 2023, $4.8M for 2024. Hudson will carry a $3.8M cap hit until 6/1, after which the Cardinals will take on dead hits of $1.76M for 2023, $3.52M for 2024.

Robbie Anderson (WR, 30)
Hopkins on the trade block might make the Cardinals think twice here, but with $12M to be saved, it seems very likely they get out of this contract regardless.

Los Angeles Rams

2023 Cap Space: -$11M
Rostered Players: 50
Draft Pick: #6, traded to DET

The most important question for the Rams this offseason pertains to the coach: Will he be back? If the answer is no, look for a domino effect of change. If yes, 2023 might simply be about getting healthy, and spending $100M on a new offensive line.

Notable Free Agents

Extension Candidate

Matt Gay (K, 28)
Yep, we’re talking kickers here. The offense sputtered this season, and with Stafford’s health still in question, the Rams might as well keep a reliable kicker around for scoring purposes. Top 10 kicker pay ranges from $4.1M - $6M per year.

Bubble Candidate

Sean McVay (HC, 36)
Until we know, we know nothing about this team’s offseason.

Jalen Ramsey (CB, 28)
Ramsey has started to hint that his time in LA could be closing. $12.5M of his $17M salary for 2023 is already fully guaranteed, but none of the 2 years, $38M thereafter is. The Rams could be pining for a 2023 1st round pick here, so an early trade would leave $19.6M of dead cap on their table, freeing up $5.6M of space.

San Francisco 49ers

2023 Cap Space: $14M
Rostered Players: 33
Draft Pick: TBD, traded to DEN

This is a loaded, dynamic roster that has proven for back to back to back years now that it can plug and play an able bodied QB into it and be successful. And yet, the QB1 position is still the biggest question mark heading into 2023.

Notable Free Agents

Extension Candidate

Nick Bosa (DE, 25)
Bosa is set to play out a fully guaranteed $17.8M 5th-year option in 2023, but that’s certain to be ripped up in favor of a massive extension. He projects to a 4 year, $106M contract in our system, but T.J. Watt’s $112M deal is a realistic floor here.

Bubble Candidate

Arik Armstead (DE, 30)
Still a fine player, and the dead cap doesn’t offer a ton of wiggle room, but his $24.3M cap hit is a lot to ask for a top contending team. A Post 6/1 release designation offers $16.7M of cap savings to SF next season.

Seattle Seahawks

2023 Cap Space: $47M
Rostered Players: 34
Draft Pick: #5 (from DEN), #20

Life without Russ ain’t half bad. Don’t let the cap space fool you, as the Seahawks don’t have a QB1 under contract for 2023 as of yet, and a franchise tag for Geno Smith would eat up about 75% of that $47M figure. This will be an attractive landing spot for free agents this spring, and Seattle will be hunting (and drafting) for pass rushers.

Notable Free Agents

Extension Candidate

Uchenna Nwosu (LB, 27)
Posted a career year across the board and has the makings for a long career in Seattle. His cap hit jumps from $6.3M to $12.7M next season, so a multi-year extension can work for both parties here.

Geno Smith (QB, 32)
This Cinderella story will continue for at least 1 more season. Will it be a $30M+ franchise tag, or a short term extension? If it’s the latter, mathematically speaking, Geno Smith just played himself a $40M season. Will he garner that on the open market? Not likely. But, like Daniel Jones, something at or above $30M wouldn’t surprise us.

Bubble Candidate

Noah Fant (TE, 26)
Acquired in the Russell Wilson trade, Fant slipped down the depth chart as the year went along. His $6.85M 5th-year option salary for 2023 is already fully guaranteed, so this is a trade scenario only.


#arizona cardinals #los angeles rams #san francisco 49ers #seattle seahawks
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