NFC West 2008 Draft Needs, Team by Team

Seattle Seahawks
Top Needs: TE, OL, DT
The Seahawks have been looking for a solid pass catching threat at TE for years—surprisingly, Jerramy Stevens couldn’t stay out of jail, and Marcus Pollard wasn’t the answer last year. The Seahawks are still paying for failing to make Steve Hutchinson their franchise player—both for losing and not being able to replace Hutchinson, and for overpaying WR Nate Burleson as a revenge move. Mike Wahle may step in and be ok this season, but both he and Walter Jones are getting up there in age, and will likely need to be replaced within a few short years. Defensive tackle is more of a depth concern—along with Wide Receiver, where the team’s supposed best player (Deion Branch) is still failing to live up to his ridiculous contract demands and being outperformed by the apparently ageless Bobby Engram and previously mentioned Burleson.

Arizona Cardinals
Top Needs: OLB/DE, CB, RB
For the first time in recent memory, the Cardinals can go into the draft this year thinking about positions other than offensive line in the early rounds. They still may need to add some depth, but they can finally address some of their other pressing needs. Finding a 3-4 pass rusher is probably their top need, as a lot of their current guys are still more 4-3 converts. The Cards need for a CB has also increased with the move of Antrel Rolle to safety. Running Back isn’t a huge need right away, with Edgerrin James continuing to pound away—but someone needs to give him a break, and Marcel Shipp hasn’t shown much.

San Francisco 49ers
Top Needs: WR, DL, OL
The 49ers need to address their lack of WR one of these years—Isaac Bruce helps, but he’s well past his prime. The signing of Justin Smith helps the defensive line, but probably not enough to offset the loss of Marques Douglas to the Bucs and Bryant Young to retirement. Offensive line continues to be a need too, with possibly two new guards starting if Larry Allen decides to retire, and having lost Justin Smiley to the Dolphins, and right tackle appearing to be vacant with 2007 1st rounder Joe Staley moving to the left side. Unfortunately for the 49ers, what they really needed this year was for QB Alex Smith to get a positive guiding force that would stick with him for a few years at offensive coordinator—and what he got was Mike Martz, who still wants to be a head coach, tends to be divisive, and runs an offense that may not work well on grass (and without wide receivers).

St. Louis Rams
Top Needs: DE, OL, WR
The Rams were not a good football team in 2007, and are possibly going to be worse in 2008. They got very little pass rush last year, already released James Hall, and Leonard Little is somehow already 33 years old and coming off a toe injury that forced him to miss over half of last year. On the offensive line, the Rams have to start preparing for the loss of Orlando Pace to retirement, as he’s been limited to nine games over the last two years. Alex Barron may be able to slide over to the LT spot, but would leave a gaping hole on the right side. Torry Holt continues to produce at WR, but his age and a chronic knee injury are major concerns—as is Drew Bennett’s performance last year in competing with since released Isaac Bruce for the #2 WR spot.