No longer a mocked division, the NFC West has sent teams to four of the last eight Super Bowls, and this seasons, two of its powerhouses have their eye on returning to the big game. 

The Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks are prepared to battle for the division crown and possibly the NFC's top seed. The Los Angeles Rams have returned to the City of Angels and have lots of unpredictable potential, while the West's other Californian team, the San Francisco 49ers , is in full rebuilding mode.

Here's how things will shake out in 2016.

1. Arizona Cardinals

 Rookie Brandon Williams will start on the opposite side of Patrick Peterson. | Photo: Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press
Rookie Brandon Williams will start opposite Patrick Peterson at cornerback. | Photo: Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

The Cardinals are a top pick to make the Super Bowl in 2016, and for good reason. Steve Kelm and head coach Bruce Arians have put together one of the best teams and franchise history and hope it can bring them a championship.

Arizona has kept the majority of its 2015 starters, only making a few key additions that will shake up the depth chart. The team shelled out a second-round pick to the New England Patriots for pass rusher Chandler Jones, upgrading the defensive line to eliminate possibly this team's biggest weakness.

2015 MVP candidate Carson Palmer looks to retain his stellar form with an offense deep at every position, one that hopes to be among the NFL's top teams in points and yards allocated. And the defense is just at strong across the board. Patrick Peterson has proven he is a shutdown cornerback and his partner this season will be rookie Brandon WilliamsJustin Bethel and Marcus Cooper will also be in the mix to fill out the secondary's depth chart, but the main man to watch is safety Tyrann Mathieu, who hopes for his first injury-free season as one of the league's elite D-backs.

2. Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson hopes to lead the Seahawks to a successful 2016 Season. | Photo: Rick Bowmer/Associated Press
Russell Wilson hopes to lead the Seahawks to a successful 2016 Season. | Photo: Rick Bowmer/Associated Press

Seattle won't be up for the same slow start they had last season, but the 2016 schedule sure does provide a number of monumental midseason matchups with perennial playoff teams and divisional foes.

Once again, this team's biggest question mark is at the offensive line, each of whose members will be starting at a different spot in the formation than they did last season. It's still up to Russell Wilson to be the playmaker in and out of the pocket he has proven to be, and having played behind questionable O-lines in the past, the blocking may not affect the Seahawks as harshly as it would for other teams.

On D, the Legion of Boom is just as strong as it was a couple of seasons ago. Richard Sherman and Jeremy Lane will challenge offenses' top receiving options with Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor making it hard to throw deep down the field. The front has gotten younger, healthier, and stronger, and they will no doubt give opposing offenses nightmares week in and week out.

3. Los Angeles Rams

Case Keenum will be the starter Week 1 against the 49ers. | Photo: Associated Press
Case Keenum will be the starter Week 1 against the 49ers. | Photo: Associated Press

Back in Los Angeles for the first time since leaving for Saint Louis in 1994, the Rams have plenty of potential to show the fans, old and new, in the City of Angels. After going 7-9 last season, the Rams are once again a sleeper in the West to provide competition for the playoff spots this division is sure to warrant.

Case Keenum will be under center as this team's starting quarterback with quite a few weapons to whom he can distribute the ball. Jared Goff, the top pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, will not even be active in Week 1, losing the backup job to Sean Mannion. Wherever the O-Line proves to be in its development this season, Todd Gurley is sure to come strongly off a phenomenal rookie rushing campaign.

This year's playoff hopes for the Rams will ride on Gurley's success in the run game and the ability of the team's versatile defense to establish itself among the league's elite. A wild card spot is possible, but LA will have to be right on its game.

4. San Francisco 49ers

 The 49ers come into 2016 with a revamped secondary led by Eric Reid | Photo: LM Otero/Associated Press
The 49ers come into 2016 with a revamped secondary led by Eric Reid | Photo: LM Otero/Associated Press

The Niners have seen quite a bit of turnover occur to their roster, the most of the four NFC West teams over the last few seasons. It wasn't too long ago that San Francisco was one of the NFC's top teams, but now, the focus is on rebuilding to get back to that elite, championship level of play.

New head coach Chip Kelly looks to implement a similar offense to the one he ran with the Philadelphia Eagles before his firing in late December. With running back of the future Carlos Hyde poised for success on the ground, the areas of concern will be at quarterback and receiver.

Torrey Smith came over from the Baltimore Ravens last season and boasted the fewest targets he's seen in his career, Quinton Patton has major pass-dropping problems, and Aaron Burbridge and Eric Rodgers don't have NFL experience. At QB, Blaine Gabbert took over for Colin Kaepernick last season and will hope to utilize tight ends Vance McDonald and Garrett Celek to ease his job in the passing game.

On defense, the area of concern the 49ers most needed to address was the cornerback position. While rookie Will Redmond will begin the season on the injured reserve, fellow rookie Rashard Robinson looks to contribute to the secondary right away, a unit that features established ballhawks Eric ReidJimmy WardTramaine BrockAntoine Bethea.

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