Good morning, afternoon, or evening wherever (or whenever) you are ladies and gentlemen! This is Sports Krunch with DKrom, I’m your host David Kromelow. 2019 NFL training camps are in the books and the 100th season of the greatest sports league in the world begins just three weeks from this Thursday night!!! And in that spirit, we continue with the fifth round of our 2019 NFL division-by-division preview series with a look at the NFC West. And to help us analyze all things Cardinals, Niners, Seahawks, and Rams, it is a pleasure to welcome Matt Barr to the program for the very first time. Matt is the co-host of the “4th and Gold” podcast, a MUST-listen for all 49ers fans. How are you doing Matt, it’s great to have you with us!
1. Kyler Murray may only be the second QB standing 5-10 or under in the Super Bowl era, but you can’t deny he has the potential to forever alter how the QB position is evaluated and scouted. As Kurt Warner pointed out during the draft, there are definitely similarities to Russell Wilson’s game that you get from the tape. What were your impressions of Kyler Murray during the pre-draft process, especially the tape? How much better do he and Kliff Kingsbury alone make the Cardinals offense, a unit that was historically bad last season?
2. Who is the better Cardinals WR to own in fantasy: Christian Kirk (73.2 ADP) or Larry Fitzgerald (88.2 ADP)?
3. Last season, the Cardinals had the fourth best defense against the pass, but were dead last against the run. They will open 2019 without Patrick Peterson, who will be serving a six-game suspension. While the addition of Jordan Hicks may improve their run D, can we be surprised if this defense actually plays worse this season (especially at the beginning) compared to 2018?
4. The 49ers can save $22.4 million next season by cutting Jimmy Garoppolo. Aside from staying healthy, what kind of season does he need to ensure he remains in red and gold in 2020 and beyond?
5. Is Dante Pettis worth it at his current ADP (68.2)? Who is the better 49ers RB to own in fantasy: Tevin Coleman (56.3 ADP) or Matt Breida (125.5 ADP)?
6. When fully healthy, just how good can this 49ers defensive front seven be?
7. Would it surprise you if D.K. Metcalf ends up being Russell Wilson’s #1 target in the passing game by season’s end or sooner?
8. Last season, Russell Wilson threw 35 TD’s on only 427 passes, good for an astonishing 8.2% TD rate. That rate is 2.2% higher than his career average of 6.0%, thus you can expect regression in TD passes. Would you be willing to draft Russell Wilson at his current ADP (104.6), or would you rather wait longer and take Jameis Winston (112.4) or Ben Roethlisberger (130.3)?
9. The Seahawks pass rush is very concerning. You trade away Frank Clark and you sign Ziggy Ansah, a clear downgrade, to a one-year deal. And worse, Jarran Reed, who had a breakout season last year with 10.5 sacks, is suspended the first six games of the season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Where is this pass rush going to come from minus Clark and Reed?
10. Jared Goff is a completely different QB in a clean pocket (83.8 QBR, one of the best in the league) versus a muddy pocket (11.3 QBR, one of the worst in the league). This offseason, the Rams said goodbye to LG Rodger Saffold and C John Sullivan and will be counting on two second-year players (Joe Noteboom and Brian Allen, respectively) to replace them. How big of a concern is this OL turnover for the defending NFC champs? What is the biggest key for the Rams on offense this season: Protecting Goff, Todd Gurley’s knee, or Cooper Kupp returning to his old self?
