NFC West teams are the first to welcome rookies this weekend as training camp across the NFL opens up to end July.
NFL training camp has officially arrived, and no division enters the 2026 season with more intrigue than the NFC West.
First we have the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks rookies reporting first this weekend. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Arizona Cardinals all enter the summer facing major questions that could shape the division race.
Training camps across the league begin in mid-to-late July, with the Seahawks and 49ers among the first NFC West teams welcoming rookies ahead of veteran reporting dates.
Here are the biggest storylines to watch from each NFC West team heading into training camp.
Seattle Seahawks: Can They Defend Their Crown?
For the first time in over a decade, the Seahawks enter a season as reigning Super Bowl champions.
With every team in the division chasing it, Seattle’s biggest challenge may be handling expectations. The Seahawks no longer have the luxury of surprising opponents. Every week will bring a team’s best effort, and maintaining the same hunger that fueled their championship run will be critical.
Training camp will also be the first opportunity to evaluate how Seattle’s rookie class fits into a roster already loaded with talent. However, Seattle also lost key pieces during the offseason. To begin, the biggest name for training camp with be Seattle’s first round pick, Jadarian Price, running back out of Notre Dame.
With the loss of Kenneth Walker III, as well as Zach Charbonnet most likely not being ready to start the season following a late-season injury, all eyes will be on Price. Although the Seahawks offense presents a balanced run game, fans shouldn’t expect Price to take on a massive workload to begin with.
With Seattle being the first NFL team to have rookies report, all eyes will be on them immediately to see how their new players standout.
Another player to keep an eye on as training camp begins is Sam Darnold. The biggest question now is if the Seattle starting quarterback can handle the pressure. After the career Darnold has had so far, there are now higher expectations to continue to play at the level he did in the 2025 season. He’s now passed for over 4,000 yards in back-to-back season. Can it be sustained?
Seattle has a lot of questions for being the defending champion, but its training camp should fill in the gaps anybody has before the season starts.
San Francisco 49ers: Is This Still Their Division?
For years, the NFC West ran through San Francisco.
Now, after watching Seattle capture a Super Bowl, the 49ers enter camp with something they haven’t had in a while: pressure.
San Francisco still possesses one of the league’s most talented rosters, but questions remain about whether it can return to the top of the division. The 49ers have experienced significant roster turnover in recent seasons, and training camp will provide the first real look at whether their younger players are ready to take on larger roles.
A healthy roster and strong camp could quickly remind the rest of the league why the 49ers have been one of the NFL’s premier organizations throughout the decade. Last season the Niners were plagued with injuries, so the key is to just keep everybody on the field at the same time.
All eyes will be on the San Francisco wide receiver corps. After signing Mike Evans there is a lot of buzz, but he also has been dealing with injuries the past few years. Ricky Pearsall will have pressure to have a good camp, as he has been dealing with injuries, but the former Florida wide receiver has a ton of talent to show.
The Niners are an interesting team that on paper, can be great, but if they don’t stay healthy, the team will crash and burn quickly.
Los Angeles Rams: One More Run or the Beginning of a New Era?
The Rams continue to walk a fine line between competing now and preparing for the future.
Sean McVay has consistently kept Los Angeles competitive, but training camp will reveal whether the Rams still have enough firepower to contend with Seattle and San Francisco over a full season.
The development of younger contributors will be one of the most important storylines in camp. If Los Angeles can find impact players beyond its established stars, the Rams could once again emerge as a playoff contender in a crowded NFC field.
Their biggest acquisition this offseason being Myles Garrett rivals the push they made in 2021 when the Rams brought in Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr., which resulted in a Super Bowl victory. On top of adding Garrett, the Rams brought in Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to bolster the DB room.
While the Rams have a strong defense core on paper, the offense will be just as important in training camp. While reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford will be good to go, the weapons he has around him will need to continue to play at a high level. Davante Adams and Puka Nacua are proven weapons, but the LA offense is going to need to find a way to get others involved.
With veterans and rookies reporting later this month, training camp will offer the clearest indication yet of where the franchise stands entering 2026. The Rams had the top offense in the 2025 season, and looked primed for a run at the Super Bowl.
Arizona Cardinals: Can They Finally Take the Next Step?
Perhaps no team in the division has more to prove than Arizona.
The Cardinals have spent the past several seasons rebuilding, but expectations are beginning to rise. Training camp will feature several key position battles, including questions surrounding the quarterback room, the pass rush, and the secondary. Arizona’s coaching staff, now led by Mike LaFleur, will spend camp determining whether the roster is finally ready to compete for a postseason spot.
With a new era at quarterback, the Cardinals will be looking at Jacoby Brissett, but they may also look at rookie quarterback Carson Beck closely. The draft proved its importance when Arizona drafted Jeremiyah Love, which to pair with Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, and Trey McBride. This offense has a lot of potential.
Love is going to be the most exciting rookie to watch, given his talent and how special he was at Notre Dame.
Arizona will also be one of the first teams in the NFL to have both rookies and veterans report because of its participation in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6. That extra preparation time could provide an early advantage as the Cardinals attempt to close the gap on the rest of the division.
The Bottom Line
The NFC West enters training camp with just as many questions as answers.
Can Seattle defend its championship? Will San Francisco reclaim control of the division? Can the Rams live up to the hype? Is Arizona finally ready to break through?
The answers will begin to emerge over the next several weeks, making the NFC West one of the most compelling divisions to watch as the road to the 2026 NFL season officially begins.
