2023 Team Needs: 49ers, Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks

Thanks for checking out our 2023 Team Needs previews. Consider this a primer for what each team will look to accomplish this offseason and the resources they have to work with. 

A couple of notes. Cap space projections are from Over The Cap and based on a salary cap of $224.8 million. It’s also using OTC’s effective cap space, which takes into account what teams have to budget to sign their rookies and fill out the offseason 51-man roster. 

Compensatory picks are from OTC’s projections, which are historically the most accurate in the industry. Their methodology is outlined here. The comp picks awarded through the NFL’s minority hiring incentive program have also been accounted for. 

A note on the draft order: because the Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick for tampering, the slotting for the picks afterward has been impacted. For instance, the Steelers have the first pick in the second round from the Bears which normally would be No. 33 overall. Instead, it’s No. 32. Keep that in mind for every pick after No. 20.

49ers

Projected Cap Space: $4,036,239

Draft Picks: 10

• 3rd (No. 99, comp)
• 3rd (No. 101, comp)
• 3rd (No. 102, comp)
• 5th (No. 157, from MIA)
• 5th (No. 166)
• 5th (No. 173, comp)
• 6th (No. 216, comp)
• 7th (No. 224, from DEN)
• 7th (No. 249)
• 7th (No. 255, comp)

Notable Free Agents: QB Jimmy Garoppolo, OT Mike McGlinchey, S Jimmie Ward, LB Azeez Al-Shaair, DL Charles Omenihu, DE Samson Ebukam, CB Emmanuel Moseley, C Jake Brendel, K Robbie Gould, OL Daniel Brunskill, DE Kerry Hyder, DT Maurice Hurst, DE Jordan Willis, S Tashaun Gipson

Biggest Needs:

1 – Defensive end

While San Francisco sports DE Nick Bosa, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, on one side of their line, the other side has been a revolving door between a number of players. Some of that is by design, as the 49ers like to employ an extensive rotation to keep all their defensive linemen fresh. They sign a few guys for that role every year on one-year deals. They also took a stab at a long-term book-end with second-round DE Drake Jackson but he hit the rookie wall earlier than expected. Bosa is due for a massive pay-day this summer so San Francisco might stay in the discount aisle for another offseason. Keeping the pass rush strong will always be a priority for them, though. 

2 – Offensive line

Two 49ers starters are slated for free agency right now, and while Brendel could be back at a relatively affordable rate, San Francisco will have to pay up if they want to keep McGlinchey. The potential loss of Brunskill shouldn’t be discounted either, as he’s been a valuable role player who can play all five spots on the line. San Francisco has been grooming OL Colton McKivitz as a potential heir at right tackle but they’ll need insurance and competition. It never hurts to have good offensive line depth either, especially for a team that’s been as injury-plagued as the 49ers. 

3 – Secondary

What the 49ers do here will depend on how they handle pending free agents like Ward, Moseley and Gipson. Ward could make more money elsewhere and might want to shift back to safety after the 49ers moved him to nickel in 2022. Gipson took his spot but San Francisco will likely look to do better even if they bring him back at what will surely be a low-cost deal. Moseley is coming off of a torn ACL and that could impact his market to where the 49ers can keep him on a one-year prove-it deal that will be far less than what he probably would have signed otherwise. They’ll still want insurance, either if he takes time to return or if he ends up leaving in 2024. 

Cardinals

Projected Cap Space: $5,039,124

Draft Picks: 8

• 1st (No. 3)
• 2nd (No. 34)
• 3rd (No. 66)
• 3rd (No. 96, comp)
• 4th (No. 105)
• 5th (No. 169, comp)
• 6th (No. 180)
• 6th (No. 213, comp)

Notable Free Agents: CB Byron Murphy, DE Zach Allen, OT Kelvin Beachum, OL Justin Pugh, CB Antonio Hamilton, G Will Hernandez, LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, LB Nick Vigil, TE Maxx Williams, P Andy Lee, K Matt Prater, DT Trysten Hill, S Chris Banjo

Biggest Needs:

1 – Defensive line

With the retirement of J.J. Watt and the possible departure of Allen in free agency, plus an entirely new scheme coming in with new HC Jonathan Gannon, there’s likely a lot of turnover coming for the Cardinals on the defensive line, if not all over their defense. Allen was one of their best players last season and could be back but the vision the new regime has for him will be important. Even if he returns, the team needs major reinforcements. And if you include edge rusher here, the urgency only heightens. Arizona didn’t really replace Chandler Jones last offseason and there isn’t a bonafide sack artist on the roster right now. 

2 – Offensive line

The Cardinals don’t have much here outside of LT D.J. Humphries, though young OT Josh Jones played well when pressed into action last season. Perhaps he gets the nod at right tackle if Arizona doesn’t re-sign the reliable Beachum. There are major questions everywhere else. Veteran C Rodney Hudson might retire and either way it seems like his time with the Cardinals has run its course. Billy Price played more than Hudson at center and he’s on an expiring deal. Their three guards with the most snaps in 2022 are all free agents and weren’t that good anyway. Expect Arizona to dramatically overhaul this group. 

3 – Cornerback

As the Cardinals reimagine their defense, one of Gannon’s top tasks will be figuring out the situation in the secondary. He has two good safeties in Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson and an athletic marvel in Isaiah Simmons he has to find a role for. The situation is much cloudier at cornerback, particularly if they don’t re-sign Murphy who has played a lot in the slot since being drafted in the second round. Arizona might have three new starters here by the time camp rolls around. 

Rams

Projected Cap Space: -$15,873,998

Draft Picks: 10

• 2nd (No. 36)
• 3rd (No. 69)
• 4th (No. 136, comp)
• 5th (No. 172, comp)
• 6th (No. 182)
• 6th (No. 189, from TEN)
• 6th (No. 191, from GB)
• 6th (No. 211, comp)
• 7th (No. 225)
• 7th (No. 252, comp)

Notable Free Agents: QB Baker Mayfield, DT A’Shawn Robinson, S Taylor Rapp, DT Greg Gaines, CB Troy Hill, S Nick Scott, K Matt Gay, G David Edwards, OL Oday Aboushi, CB David Long, P Riley Dixon 

Biggest Needs:

1 – Edge rusher

As the Rams dissect what went wrong in 2022, the injuries to the offensive line and the subsequent struggles there are obvious. But looking ahead to solutions in 2023, the team actually has a starting five they seem to feel pretty solid about. They like what Alaric Jackson and Coleman Shelton showed at left tackle and center, they should get 2022 third-rounder Logan Bruss back healthy at guard and Jackson’s emergence will let them move Joseph Noteboom back to left guard. They need competition and depth but there’s more to work with than initially meets the eye. The bigger need, and one the Rams expended a lot of energy trying to address all last season in the trade market to no avail, is edge rusher. The skeleton key that really unlocked the Rams’ Super Bowl run was OLB Von Miller, and he left Los Angeles for Buffalo. The team never really replaced him. Leonard Floyd was less effective as he battled injuries and the young players the team had been developing in rotational roles flopped when more was asked of them. If the Rams want to get back to the top of the mountain, making their pass rush one of the best in the league again will be imperative. And what they lack in resources compared to other teams they can make up for with aggressiveness. 

2 – Cornerback

The smoke around a potential trade for Rams CB Jalen Ramsey is hard to ignore, and even if he stays in Los Angeles, there’s a lot of work the team needs to do in the secondary with a number of pending free agents. The Rams might need another starting safety and two more starting corners, though their internal evaluations of how ready young guys like S Russ Yeast, CB Derion Kendrick and CB Robert Rochell are for bigger roles will impact how the Rams handle this. If they trade Ramsey, though, they’ll almost have to make another splash here. 

3 – Defensive line

Sticking on the defensive side of the ball, which might seem odd given they were far better than the Rams’ offense in 2022 but such is the state of things in Los Angeles. The Rams have some key pending free agents with Robinson and Gaines, and will need to replace both as starters if they leave. And of course, Rams DT Aaron Donald isn’t going to play forever. Donald is special and players like him don’t grow on trees, but as the Rams look to enhance their pass rush, they could consider interior players as well as edge rushers. 

Seahawks

Projected Cap Space: $19,151,776

Draft Picks: 9

• 1st (No. 5, from DEN)
• 1st (No. 20)
• 2nd (No. 37, from DEN)
• 2nd (No. 52)
• 3rd (No. 83)
• 4th (No. 123)
• 5th (No. 153, from PIT)
• 5th (No. 156)
• 6th (No. 198)

Notable Free Agents: QB Geno Smith, DT Poona Ford, C Austin Blythe, QB Drew Lock, RB Rashaad Penny, LB Cody Barton, S Ryan Neal (RFA), OLB Bruce Irvin, S Johnathan Abram, WR Marquise Goodwin, DL L.J. Collier

Biggest Needs:

1 – Defensive line

2022 was a promising season for the Seahawks that defied nearly all expectations, but at the end the defense was exposed, especially against the run. To fix that and close the gap between them and the other contenders in the NFC, Seattle must improve up front on defense. The current group of players they have isn’t bad,  but there’s also not a game-wrecking force on the line that demands attention in either the pass or run game. Guys like Shelby Harris and Quinton Jefferson are potential cap casualties as well, so replacements will be needed. 

2 – Linebacker

The Seahawks love LB Jordyn Brooks but unfortunately a torn ACL in January puts his 2023 outlook in doubt. Barton was his running mate for most of last season but there were times when the Seahawks preferred to play in dime rather than put him on the field, so even if he’s back the team will probably try and upgrade. The depth chart behind those two is already shallow. 

3 – Wide receiver

Seattle re-signed G Phil Haynes on Tuesday, so even if they cut veteran G Gabe Jackson for savings as expected, they have a potential starter. They still need to find a new starting center if they don’t bring back Blythe and could always add competition for either him or Haynes, but for now, they’re in decent shape. A bigger priority could be wide receiver, where the team has been trying to find a third threat for a couple of years now. There’s no indication that the team is considering moving on from veteran WR Tyler Lockett but his age (31 in September) and contract could make that a different conversation a year from now. It would behoove the Seahawks to start thinking ahead.