2025 NFC West center rankings: Cardinals' Hjalte Froholdt leads the way
We are in the final stretch of the NFL offseason as the Arizona Cardinals open training camp on July 22. Leading up to then, as we have for several offseasons, go through the players and position groups in the NFC West and rank them.
Next up, we look at the centers for the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks and rank them.
1. Hjalte Froholdt, Arizona Cardinals
Froholdt, entering his third season as the Cardinals' starting center, has been one of the most underrated finds for general manager Monti Ossenfort. PFF has him as a top-10 center in the NFL. He is in his prime and enters the first year of the two-year extension he agreed to last year.
2. Jake Brendel, San Francisco 49ers
Brendel has been solid for the 49ers, but he will turn 33 years old in Week 2. At one point, he was the best center in the division. Now he is still pretty solid.
3. Coleman Shelton, Los Angeles Rams
Shelton is back with the Rams as their starting center after letting him go last year. He is a capable starter but the Rams were good with replacing him, only to find he was the better option. This will be his fourth year as an NFL starter. Little known fact is that he spent time on the Cardinals' practice squad in 2018.
4. Olu Oluwatimi, Seattle Seahawks
Oluwatimi struggled last year, getting thrust into the starting lineup as a rookie after offseason addition Connor Williams abruptly decided to retire. He hasn't proven yet he is a capable starter in the league. As a second-year player, he still can prove it.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
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