With Seahawks Rising, 49ers Are Losing Edge in NFC West

Right before free agency struck the NFL, some key acquisitions were made by two of the best teams in the league.

Sep 23, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin (12) against the San Francisco 49ers at the Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the 49ers 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

First, the Seattle Seahawks agreed to send a trio of notable draft picks to the Minnesota Vikings, in exchange for star wide receiver Percy Harvin. The trade immediately solidified them as NFC West favorites, or so people thought.

Not too long after, the 49ers sent a sixth-round draft pick to the Baltimore Ravens for 10-year veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin. San Francisco acquired Boldin for basically nothing and they showed the world that they are still the force to be reckoned with, despite losing to the Ravens in Super Bowl 47 last season.

However, even with the 49ers going out and snagging Boldin from the Ravens, I still believe that the Seahawks made the bigger trade.

The Seattle Seahawks are a very young football team, and they have clearly emerged as one of the best squads in the NFL. Their 2012-2013 season was ended abruptly in Atlanta, as the Falcons were able to boot in the game-winning field goal in the final seconds to send them to the NFC Championship, thanks to Matt Bryant.

Seattle’s postseason run was shorter than most people expected, and they will definitely be back next year, with Percy Harvin as their key factor.

Harvin, the 24-year-old wideout from the University of Florida, is an exceptional football player. In his early career as a receiver and kickoff return specialist, he has put up some amazing numbers.

He has racked up almost as many kickoff return yards (3,183) as receiving yards (3,302). He has also returned five kickoffs all the way to the end zone, as well as reeling in 20 receiving touchdowns. He is a phenomenal slot receiver and can also be used as an efficient deep threat.

With Russell Wilson, Sidney Rice, Doug Baldwin, and Marshawn Lynch already in the mix, I am more than excited to see what the Seahawks will be like with the newly-acquired Percy Harvin. Their offense is now loaded with star players and guys who can make the clutch play.

So what does this mean for the San Francisco 49ers?

Well, I believe that they are slowly losing their edge in the NFC West.

The Seahawks already boast one of the NFL’s most threatening defenses, and their high-powered offense has just gotten even better.

It will be hard for the 49ers to keep up with the up-and-coming Seahawks, even with the addition of Anquan Boldin. Boldin is a veteran who can really go up and get the ball in any scenario, but he just does not bring the same upside that Harvin does.

Also, the 49ers lost one of their key offensive playmakers today, as Delanie Walker recently signed with the Tennessee Titans on a 4-year deal.

Walker had a career-high 344 receiving yards last with three receiving touchdowns. The 49ers will definitely miss Walker’s flexibility as a player, as he was able to line up as fullback, wide receiver, and most commonly tight end.

Yet, the 49ers should not let this get out of hand. They have 14 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, and can either ship away a few of them for a guy that is proven and experienced, or use them to draft some fresh talent.

With all that said, I really do think that the 49ers should be afraid of Seattle, as they are very much on the rise. What do you guys think? Who is the favorite to win the NFC West at this point?