<![CDATA[Free agency doesn't officially begin until 12:01 am but that doesn't mean the news can leak out early. The big NFC West related stories concerned the 49ers and Cardinals as they both made their fair share of major and minor moves.
The Cardinals mainly kept to locking up some role players and are in the process of locking up their biggest impending free agent. Also they are in the running for a back up quarterback who could also end up being the guy once Carson Palmer retires.
The 49ers meanwhile made two big moves that signaled Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch aren't terribly interested in being bad for very long. In fact, one of the moves the 49ers made has a ripple effect that stretches to the NFC East. Let's take a look at the moves these two teams made and how it ultimately effects the Rams.
SAN FRANCISCO
The 49ers like the Rams are in the midst of a serious rebuild but unlike the Rams, San Francisco has a ton of cap room and the 2nd overall pick so they should be able to rebuild a lot quicker. Today they began the first wave of moves that should allow them to win more than one game. The first move was doing Torrey Smith and the rest of the league a favor by releasing him.
It was a real shame to see a guy with the speed of Smith be shackled to the likes of Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert who couldn’t find Torrey Smith if he ran down the field covered in Christmas tree lights. Letting Smith go allowed them to sign Pierre Garcon who was looked at as the number two or three guy on the receiver market so this was a massive upgrade.
He’s a reliable possession receiver and even though he’s 31 he should still contribute heavily and does have some experience working with Kyle Shanahan back in Washington.
Aside from picking up a proven wide out, the 49ers also got themselves a stop gap solution in Brian Hoyer who isn’t exactly a marquee name in and of himself but his signing does convey a sense of what the 49ers’ plan for the future is. Hoyer is a competent quarterback but he’s damn sure a major upgrade over Kaepernick and Gabbert.
This gives the 49ers some additional flexibility and makes it easier to not have to rely on any of the big ticket quarterbacks in the draft because none of them really seem to move the needle for anyone. It is expected that with their 2nd overall pick they’ll take Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen so they can begin to restore that dominant defense they had at the beginning of the decade. Hoyer’s signing shuts the door on the idea that they will make a move for Kirk Cousins or Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers could still make another major signing or two but so far it seems as though they’re aiming to build without having to bottom out.
ARIZONA
The Cardinals made a series of moves but most of those centered around keeping some of their core together. Their biggest official move was resigning Tight End Jermaine Gresham for a head scratching 4 years $28 million. Gresham was a reliable safety valve but that amount seems excessive because its hard to imagine they were in a bidding war with anyone.
Gresham’s value to the Cardinals is elevated due to not having another real receiving option outside of Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson but Johnson will likely have less touches because of how much Arizona used him last year. Their biggest move has yet to be finalized but reports suggest its a done deal so its worth mentioning.
Last season, the Cardinals traded for Linebacker Chandler Jones and are in the process of signing him to a long term deal. Last season Jones had 11 sacks and was one of their best assets on defense. The Cardinals absolutely needed to sign him because defensive stalwart Calais Campbell is nearing the end of his run and they need another elite pass defender to take his place.
Lastly, Arizona is alleged to be making a play at Jay Cutler and nothing substantial has come out yet its worth mentioning. Carson Palmer didn’t look great last season and even though he was able to get it together, his days as the number one option at quarterback are limited at best. They have said that signing Tony Romo to a large deal is too risky and aren’t ready to shell out money for Mike Glennon so Cutler makes sense.
Cutler is 33 and not a lot younger than Palmer but he would be a nice insurance policy should Palmer be unable to get on the field. Cutler is a tough hang but he will fit right in with Bruce Arians’ system which is all about gambling and chucking it deep. Cutler will also be a nice bridge until they can find out what they’re doing long term while simultaneously keeping their championship window open. The Cardinals are also making a run at Alshon Jeffrey and have the 13th overall pick so they should at least be playing Seattle for the top spot in the west.
There will obviously be a lot more moves coming down the road especially once the free agency flood gates officially open but the Rams clearly have their work cut out for them with the Cardinals bolstering their already talented team and the 49ers nipping at their heels.
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