Niners have a lot of guys hitting FA, Boldin, Whitner, Brown, Goodwin, Dawson, Manningham. and only about 10M under the cap for next year. That doesn't include the likelyhood that they'll have to work on extensions for lots of important guys who'll be FA after next season, Kaepernick, Crabtree, Iuputi, DOrsey, Kilgore, Baldwin, Hunter, and more. Niners have their best team together this year. After this year they're gonna lose a lot of important players. After the following year even more. Their draft could bolster their team and make them better or the guys could not pan out and you're still in ****.
Seachickens have less space and have restricted FA Baldwin and unrestricted FA Bennett, Giocomini, and Tate. They are in a better situation than the Niners because of WIlson having one more year of FA but they also have hitting FA in 2015 CLemens, Avril, Thomas, and Sherman, I'm sure there are more I just wanted to hit on them.
There are no such thing in the NFL as a guaranteed playoff team. You never know what can happen, you even admit that the NFC is stacked, but you're locking in 3 teams. Green Bay you have a great case cause they have far and away the best QB in the NFC. But that doesn't mean a lock into the playoffs. If the rest of the team sucks ROdgers can't do it all. NFL is full of surprises, 3 division winners from last year are picking in the top 10. 2 teams from the top 5 pick this year went on to win 10+ games. IN a small sample like the NFL anything can happen. you can hedge bets on likely teams.
Falcons have some concerns. I would consider trading out of the first unless Clowney falls to the pick, love Barr but if someone will pay a big price to move up to Atlanta's pick I would be more than happy with sliding down and getting Hageman, Nix, Mack, Beasley or one of the many good OTs. Extra picks are key. If say the Ravens want to trade up to 6 and offer a 1-2-4 next year 1-3 you have to say yes. Hell if a team in the 20s offers it I'd say yes. Say the Broncos decide to sell the farm and basically do a RIcky Williams trade and give the Falcons their 1-2-3-4 and next years 1 to try to win it all if they don't this year, then of course you do it. Falcons can fill a chunk of their needs in FA with the right moves. Losing TOny will suck, but whatever loss they have from him they make up getting Julio back. I also think they may go to more 3 WR sets and basically treat Roddy in the same way they traded Tony as the possession type. Losing Tony will sting, but it won't hurt too bad. He was great for th eFalcons but it's not like he was dominating. It's not like he's a Gronk/Davis/Graham type of TE. Great and will be missed, but improvements on the line and the safety valve doesn't need to be used as often. Healthy Julio and Jackson more than make up for Tony. Jackson of course may not be healthy, not betting on that, just making a statement.
Also lol @ Chiefs not being one of the best teams in Football. Chiefs were the 7th most effiecient team int he NFL. tied with the 49ers. I guess you don't consider the Niners one of the best teams in the NFL. Chiefs went from legit worst team in the NFL (32nd in DVOA) to 7th.
Also there may not be a quieter great team than the Saints, they keep not getting mentioned in the discussion, but if they can get out of Philly (gonna be 28) they are JMO the best team to take Seattle out at home. I would wager Carolina as the second best. Carolina is a better team than NO but Newton is a real wild card. If he's on they can beat Seattle on the road, if he's off they get murdered.
