Discussion of First Round Possibilities NFC West

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Arizona Cardinals hold the 23rd selection
Los Angeles Rams don't have a first round
San Francisco 49ers don't have a first round
Seattle Seahawks hold the 9th selection

Do the Arizona Cardinals focus on replacing Chandler Jones via the draft? Devont'e Wyatt, George Karlaftis, Boye Mafe or DeMarvin Leal?
Will the Los Angeles Rams trade back into the first with future picks or trade a player?
Will the San Francisco 49ers trade back into the first with future picks or trading a player like Deebo Samuel?
Do the Seattle Seahawks focus on replacing Russ Wilson early in this draft or fix the OL? Malik Willis, Tyler Linderbaum or Trevor Penning?

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Arizona Cardinals
2022 NFL Draft Picks
Round 1: Nos. 23
Round 2: No. 55
Round 3: Nos. 87
Round 6: No. 202
Round 6: Nos. 216 (Compensatory Pick)
Round 7: No. 245
Round 7: No. 257 (Compensatory Pick)
Round 7: No. 258 (Compensatory Pick)

Team Needs
Offense
Offensively the Cardinals want to ensure the health and well being of their franchise guy, so investing into the interior offensive line is crucial. As long as DeAndre Hopkins stays healthy they will be able to compete, but since they don't have any third or fourth round picks they will have to invest on the offensive side with one of their two picks.

Defense
Loss of Chandler Jones this offseason opens the door for EDGE, they could use bolstering the pass rush with a speedy option like Nik Bonitto or could look to grab a defensive back to help the secondary sustain against the pass.

Dream first pick
Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
Elam is a long, athletic corner, not entirely dissimilar to Patrick Peterson from the Cardinals past. With the brutality of the NFC West a good pass defense is key. I like this pick a lot, even though other mocks have Elam sliding.

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Los Angeles Rams
2022 Draft Picks
Round 3: No. 104 overall
Round 4: No. 142
Round 5: No. 175
Round 6: Nos. 211, 212, 218
Round 7: Nos. 238 (from Dolphins), 253

Team needs
Offense
The Rams re-signed two key offensive linemenan, tackle Joseph Noteboom and center Brian Allen, but they weren’t able to hang onto guard Austin Corbett. The team has done well pulling starters out of the middle and late rounds, and they’ll need to do it again this year.

Defense
There’s no easy way to replace Von Miller, but the Rams should be on the lookout for more talent to develop at the position. They need an outside linebacker opposite Leonard Floyd. Cornerback is another area of need. Darious Williams had become a solid starter opposite Jalen Ramsey, but the team’s cap situation made it impossible to re-sign him. They drafted a solid prospect in Robert Rochelle last year, but they need more depth and more help in the slot. They also need a punter after cutting Johnny Hekker.

Dream first pick
Marcus Jones, CB, Houston
Jones probably doesn’t have the size to play on the outside in the Rams defense, but he’s physical, speedy and has incredible playmaking instincts to be dangerous in the slot. As a bonus, he has the tools to be a good return man.

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San Francisco 49ers
2022 Draft Picks
Round 2: No. 61 overall
Round 3: Nos. 93, 105
Round 4: No. 134
Round 5: No. 172
Round 6: Nos. 187 (from Broncos), 220, 221
Round 7: No. 262

Team needs
Offense
The cap space wasn’t there to hang onto Laken Tomlinson, so they’ll need to find another guard.

Defense
Signing Charvarius Ward helps the cornerback position, but they still need to find depth here. It looks like injuries have sapped Dee Ford, and the Niners need serious help across from Nick Bosa.

Dream first pick
Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
It’d be a steal for the 49ers to find an aggressive corner like McCreary in the back of the second round. He’d make it tough for opposing receivers to get into their route with the right timing as a press-man specialist. He can also play in the slot to help round out the depth chart with some flexibility.

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Seattle Seahawks
2022 Draft Picks
Round 1: No. 9 overall (from Broncos)
Round 2: Nos. 40 (from Broncos), 41 overall
Round 3: No. 72
Round 4: Nos. 109 (from Jets)
Round 5: Nos. 152 (from Broncos), 153
Round 7: No. 229

Team needs
Offense
Despite what the Seahawks claim publicly about Lock, they surely hold doubts about his viability as a starter. The NFL doesn’t seem to hold the 2022 draft in the same regard as previous classes in terms of quarterback prospects, but that might not stop Carroll and Schneider from taking one early. Regardless of who starts under center, Seattle needs to beef up the offensive line. The unit could lose Duane Brown at left tackle, and even a return won’t settle the position in the long term.

Defense
Harris’ arrival provides a boost to the defensive front, but the Seahawks could use further reinforcements. Jordyn Brooks hasn’t developed as a pass rusher and Uchenna Nwosu makes more sense in a complementary role. Back in the secondary, Seattle could use some young talent at corner where Artie Burnes and Sidney Jones currently appear set for large roles.

Dream first pick
Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
Taking a signal-caller from this class offers more risk than in a typical year, but the 70-year-old Carroll has no time to waste. Willis probably has a longer learning curve than some of the other incoming rookie passers, but he also offers elite physical traits and seems to check every box from an intangibles standpoint.

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