Talented division is biggest obstacle for Cardinals in 2021

The Arizona Cardinals have the misfortune of residing in a division that is by far the toughest in the National Football League.

When the Arizona Cardinals set out on the 2021 offseason back in March, general manager Steve Keim and his band of helpers had an obvious goal in mind.

Over the past five seasons, the Cardinals have come up short in their quest to make it into the NFL’s postseason tournament. A big reason for that is the fact that head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s squad resides in what is perhaps the most competitive division in professional football. In fact, the talent level in the vaunted NFC West is at an all-time high these days.

Over the past several months, Keim has added a boatload of impressive players to the Arizona roster. It’s a list of acquisitions that includes J.J. Watt, Rodney Hudson, A.J. Green, James Conner, Zaven Collins and Marco Wilson. The front office has certainly done some good work, but is it enough to get the Cards over the hump in the league’s most challenging division?

There are no easy marks for the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West division 

A year ago, the Seattle Seahawks finished with a 12-4 mark and were crowned champions of the NFC West. The club’s success centers around the offense these days, with weapons like Russell Wilson, D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett leading the way. Head coach Pete Carroll still runs the show, and has influence on a defense that includes Jamal Adams, Bobby Wagner and Quandre Diggs.

The Los Angeles Rams, led by head coach Sean McVay, posted a 10-6 record in 2020. There was a big change at the quarterback position, with veteran Matthew Stafford now throwing to viable wideouts such as Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods. Outstanding defenders like Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey and Leonard Floyd are at the forefront of the Rams defensive unit.

Last but not least are the San Francisco 49ers, who finished a disappointing 6-10 after an injury-riddled campaign last fall. A talented offense features George Kittle, Trent Williams and a two-headed quarterback combination consisting of Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie Trey Lance. The defense is stacked with first-round draft picks like Nick Bosa and Javon Kinlaw, and Pro Bowl linebacker Fred Wilson.

Arizona has one heck of a hill to climb in an NFC West that takes no prisoners. Perhaps it’s the Cardinals’ turn to sit at the top of pro football’s premier division.