NFC West training camp 2026 preview: Top storylines for 49ers, Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks
As we hurtle toward the 2026 NFL season, Grant Gordon breaks down the top NFC West training camp storylines to monitor for the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.
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Three key storylines
1) Darnold staying on point
Sam Darnold authored a storybook tale last season. Once viewed as a mega bust, Darnold quarterbacked the Seahawks -- his fourth NFL team following the Jets, who used the 2018 NFL Draft’s third overall pick on him -- to a Super Bowl title. Darnold seemingly exorcised the ghosts of his past, but he is still only 29 and has plenty to play for. He’s back with the pressure of defending a championship. Can he provide an encore, earn a lucrative extension and keep Seattle atop the league? New offensive coordinator Brian Fleury’s system is similar to the departed Klint Kubiak’s, but change is change, and Darnold must learn the differences. Continuity in the receiving corps should help, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba leading a group that also includes Cooper Kupp, Jake Bobo and Rashid Shaheed, the last of whom should command a bigger role in the aerial attack after re-signing on a lucrative deal in March. Furthermore, Tory Horton flashed as a rookie last season before suffering a shin injury. The speedster's return could have a dynamic domino effect, adding another bona fide threat at receiver and another big-play option in the return game, which could open up more possibilities for Shaheed in both avenues. There’s also optimism for a major breakout at tight end. AJ Barner, who scored the Seahawks’ only offensive touchdown in the Super Bowl, became a dude in his second season (52 receptions, 519 yards, six TDs) and might well become a Pro Bowl-caliber player in Year 3 if his chemistry with Darnold continues.
2) What's the frequency without Kenneth?
With Kenneth Walker III having signed with Kansas City and Zach Charbonnet (ACL) most likely absent to begin the season, all eyes will be on first-round draft pick Jadarian Price. The Notre Dame product is a smooth runner who averaged 6 yards per carry in his career with the Fighting Irish. However, he was Jeremiyah Love's understudy and had 15-plus touches just once in his 41 games at ND. The Seahawks were adamant in balancing Walker and Charbonnet last season before the latter was injured. Asking Price to take on a bell-cow workload would seem unlikely. Camp could preview what kind of roles are in store for other backs like George Holani and Emanuel Wilson. Perhaps Rashid Shaheed could be used a bit in the run game, too. The wide receiver corps, along with the Charles Cross-led offensive line, are the offensive strengths. But Seattle wants balance. That starts with Price and will take shape before Week 1.
3) Can Seahawks avoid noise again?
In case you might have forgotten -- and judging by the lack of offseason pomp and circumstance, many have -- the Seahawks are the reigning Super Bowl champions. For a franchise that boasts one of the loudest home-field advantages, the volume for a post-Lombardi offseason has seemingly been turned down to negative-11. That seems to be the preference for Mike Macdonald's Seahawks, though. They snuck up on some people last season, and, after winning the most arduous division in football, trounced the Patriots in the Super Bowl. This year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s not going to catch anyone by surprise. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year had a fine 2024, hitting 100 catches and exceeding 1,100 yards, but he was an absolute force last season, leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards and quickly erasing any doubt as to how the passing game would fare without DK Metcalf. Also, while JSN got PAID this offseason, his fellow 2023 first-rounder, Devon Witherspoon, has yet to -- posing a potential problem for the Seahawks. Right guard Anthony Bradford started all 17 games last year -- his third season in a row of starting the majority of the Seahawks’ games. He garnered a 51.9 overall PFF grade, which ranked 70th among the 81 guards who took at least 300 snaps. Could fifth-rounder Beau Stephens replace him and solidify a longtime sore spot for Seattle’s starting lineup? General manager John Schneider was able to keep most of the Lombardi band together, but losing Walker, outside linebacker Boye Mafe, cornerback Tariq Woolen and safety Coby Bryant isn’t nothing. Keeping everything quiet and copacetic is far more difficult when you're defending champs, so it’s paramount for Macdonald and Schneider to figure out any issues before they grow into problems.
