It’s been a little over a week since free agency began and there have been plenty of moves around the NFL. Some of these free agents will greatly improve their new team, while others have been signed by teams that aren’t playoff caliber quite yet. Lets look at the NFC West, and see what teams have improved and others who have just stayed in limbo.
First up is the defending division champion San Francisco 49ers, who represented the NFC in Super Bowl 47. Obviously they are a great team if they are able to make it to the Super Bowl, but they went out and signed some free agents to make their team even better heading into the 2013 season.
Niners fans can now breathe a sigh of relief as the team signed kicker Phil Dawson. Dawson will take over for David Akers, who was inconsistent to say the least last season. With a new kicker, the Niners, and their fans, won’t have to worry about field goal attempts as much as they did last season.
They also resigned linebacker Parys Haralson who missed the entire 2012 season. Safety Craig Dahl also signed with the Niners as he will fill the void of Dashon Goldson. The Niners also signed free agent defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey who will bolster an already good San Francisco defense and add some depth as well.
A big acquisition for the niners came via trade as they added wide receiver Anquan Boldin from the Super Bowl 47 Champion' Baltimore Ravens. Boldin is a talented receiver and a great offensive weapon for quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
The Niners did lose some players to free agency such as tight end Delanie Walker and nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga.
After their free agency and trade additions, the 49ers seem to be the team to beat in the NFC West, but don't underestimate the Seattle Seahawks who have also made improvements for the 2013 season.
The Seahawks have made some great defensive improvements through free agency as they signed defensive ends Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril. With these additions the Seahawks defense has the capability to be one of the best in the league as their pass rush will be even better next season.
In a trade with the Vikings, the Seahawks acquired wide receiver Percy Harvin who will be yet another offensive weapon for quarterback Russell Wilson.
After their wild card appearance last season, the Seahawks have become the Niners biggest threat in the NFC West and made some important additions in the free agent market.
The Arizona Cardinals signed a few players this past week to improve their defense. Besides re-signing safety Rashad Johnson, the team also signed two cornerbacks, Antoine Cason and Jerraud Powers, who will improve their secondary.
They also acquired defensive end Matt Shaughnessy, who when healthy, can improve a defensive line and be a beneficial pass rusher.
The Cardinals did however, lose linebacker Quentin Groves to the Cleveland Browns, but have made some additions to help their defense.
The St. Louis Rams signed one of the biggest free agent names this offseason in offensive tackle Jake Long who was the number one overall pick in the 2008 draft. They also signed tight end Jared Cook who will help bolster their offense a bit next season.
The Rams so far, have lost center Robert Turner, running back Steven Jackson, and wide receiver Danny Amendola to free agency. Some players who will be difficult to replace.
The NFC West has two teams that will battle for the division title and that’s the Niners and Seahawks. Both have made moves this offseason to improve their teams; and they are the only two teams in the division who are the big free agent winners. Although the Rams signed a big name in Jake Long, they are still a team in need of improvement and will continue to struggle in the division.