Things are changing in the NFC West, though not nece sarily at the top. The -- coming off another trip -- remain the cla s of the division. The NFL's most loaded roster got even better following the blockbuster trade that brought to town. Adding an elite end-zone target for is almost unfair for a division that already has to tangle with Seattle's historically great defense. The were once viewed as an equal of the , but unrest has arrived following the defection of Jim Harbaugh and a slew of personnel lo ses, none more biting than the stunning retirements of Patrick Willis and over the stretch of six days in March. New coach Jim Tomsula and general manager Trent Baalke need to reload on the fly to avoid a steep franchise downturn. Meanwhile, it's put-up-or-shut- Ron Duguay Jersey up time for the and coach Jeff Fisher, who will be under considerable pre sure to lift St. Louis from stubborn mediocrity into a playoff spot. They'll try to do it with quarterback , who came to the team in the blockbuster deal that sent former No. 1 overall pick to the . The will stick with as their signal-caller following the veteran's second reconstructive knee surgery. Can Arizona pull the trigger on a deal that would allow to line up behind Palmer in the backfield? Our will rank each team by the strength of their roster. 1. Seattle Seahawks Why Seattle is still king: Because deft personnel work -- including an untouchable draft pedigree -- keeps the ahead of the game. There was no panic after February's crushing lo s. Instead, the kept all their major players in the building and imported Graham to fill one of the team's most glaring needs -- a red-zone difference-maker. That doesn't mean there aren't challenges for general manager John Schneider. The team is without a first-round pick (ceded to the to land Graham) and have seen their depth chipped away as other teams look to capture Seattle's magic. Schneider's job is to use the 11 picks at his disposal -- including five in rounds two through five -- to patch the weak spots and send the out on another title journey. What's next? Offensive line help: The are down two starters after was dealt to the as part of the Graham deal and guard signed with the in free agency. Pete Carroll has talked up this draft for its line talent, making this a likely area to be addre sed in Seattle -- perhaps repeatedly. Lock up and : Wilson's star continued to ascend in his third season as starter, while Wagner earned All-Pro honors and established himself as one of the best middle linebackers in the game. Both are going to get paid, but only Wilson could come out of negotiations with the biggest contract in NFL history. Add another receiver? This isn't as high on the priority list after the Graham acquisition. But Seattle could still use some fresh talent at wide receiver, unle s you believe ' breakout performance in XLIX was a sign of things to come. 2. Arizona Cardinals Reason to believe? Though it might be somewhat obscured by 2014's injury-aided slow fade, the are still the ' top threat for NFC West supremacy. The roster remains largely intact with reigning Coach of the Year Bruce Arians leading the way. There is work to do. The lost a starting cornerback when returned to the , while the colorful and productive signed with the after refusing a pay cut to stay in Arizona. The and have been consistently linked this offseason. Though a deal should probably be considered a long shot, don't discount the po sibility. The know they probably need another difference-maker to topple the mighty . What's next? Land a pa s rusher: The never identified an adequate replacement for last season. They could take a first-round chance on Nebraska prospect Randy Gregory, who has seen his stock fall after acknowledging habitual marijuana use during his college career. Gregory is the instant-impact player the are looking for, and the team has succeeded by taking players with character concerns in the past (see: Mathieu, Tyrann). Inside linebacker help: remains suspended and enforcements are needed for a paper-thin group that includes and . There should be some enticing options at the position with the 24th overall pick. About A.P.: Peterson would be a huge addition, but the might be better off finding their complement to in a draft cla s that Arians calls the best for running backs in a decade. Arians said at the NFL Annual Meeting that there are 15 "really quality" backs available through the draft. The Cards could pluck one. 3. St. Louis Rams A bold new direction: You know it couldn't have been easy for the to move on from , who the team long believed would become a franchise cornerstone. Two knee surgeries and a Chip Kelly offer Les Snead could not refuse, and is the ' new starter. The defense isn't the concern here. The return all 11 of their starters from last season and have added defensive tackle and linebacker to the mix. The key to making a jump to playoff contention rides on the offense under new coordinator Frank Cignetti. Foles could use weapons in the pa s game, while the offensive line looms as a major concern. What's next? Patch the O-line: Both and are unsigned and unlikely to return. Former first-round pick will inherit the left tackle job on a full-time basis, but questions persist at center, right guard and right tackle. Add more weapons in pa sing game: Fisher said he's expecting "a lot more out of" in 2014. We think 48 catches and 16 games played is plenty for the disappointing former first-round pick. The could add another receiver to a group that includes Britt and first-round draft bust . NFL Media draft expert Daniel Jeremiah currently has West Virginia playmaker Kevin White going to St. Louis with the 10th overall pick. More quarterbacks please? You have to wonder what the would do if Marcus Mariota is still on the board at No. 10. Foles is coming off a disappointing season in Philadelphia that included inconsistent play and a season-ending injury. What would Chip Kelly be thinking if Fisher ended up with both Foles and Mariota? 4. San Francisco 49ers For the first time in years, expectations are absent in San Francisco. More people will pick the Niners to finish last in the NFC West than to make it back to the . This is understandable considering Harbaugh's departure and the exodus of multiple impact players. Plenty of pre sure rests on the shoulders of , who must be better in his third full season as starter. Kaepernick spent part of his offseason working with a host of quarterback gurus, including Kurt Warner. What's next? Front-seven trouble: This was a major strength of the Niners during Harbaugh's tenure, but the sudden retirements of Willis and Borland, coupled with the release of , the uncertain health status of and the po sible retirement of , all add up to make a huge stew of uncertainty. Oregon defensive tackle Arik Armstead is a popular choice for the Niners among NFL Media draft analysts. Corner help : More trouble in the secondary, where both starting cornerbacks -- and -- departed in free agency. The signed , though the former cover man had more pa s interference penalties than any player in football over the past two seasons. Cornerback should be a target in Chicago. More receiver help: The gave Kaepernick a legitimate deep threat with the signing of . That doesn't mean their work is nece sarily done. is entering his 13th season, is on the other side of the Bay with the and the newly signed faces a po sible suspension. Can still play? The latest Podcast and breaks down team needs heading into the draft. Find more content on . Terry Sawchuk Jersey