Rams and 49ers Just Made Moves That Threaten Our Super Bowl Champion Seahawks

Alright, 12s, buckle up because the NFC West is already starting to heat up, and it's not even full-on regular season yet! Our Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks are staring down a division that looks like a total juggernaut, with the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers making some seriously aggressive moves this offseason. The Rams went all out, trading for Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie and Cleveland Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett, plus they shored up other holes in free agency. Meanwhile, the Niners added help at wide receiver and linebacker, barely lost any talent, and expect some stars back from injury. It's clear: they're coming for our crown, and we need to be ready.

QB Confidence and RB Roadblocks

Let's talk quarterbacks first. Our guy, Sam Darnold, is coming off the best year of his career, and there's a real sense of confidence in him around the Emerald City. The word is, after all the offseason shifts, the team might even ask more of him. Over in LA, Matthew Stafford leads the way after an MVP-caliber season, even at age 38. His health is the only real question, but he's played at least 15 games in each of the last three seasons. Then you've got Brock Purdy for the Niners, who some folks feel is closer to the Top 10 of quarterbacks than Darnold, but it seems all three teams are pretty confident in their signal callers. Now, running back is where things get a little spicy for us. We lost Kenneth Walker III to the Chiefs, which stings, and then drafted Jadarian Price in the first round. Here's the kicker: Zach Charbonnet, our lead backup, could be out for a good chunk of the 2026 season with a knee injury. That means Price could be asked to carry a massive load right away in his rookie year. You look at the competition: Christian McCaffrey had another huge campaign for the Niners, especially as a pass-catcher. The Rams have Kyren Williams, who rushed for 1,252 yards on 4.8 yards per carry last year, shoring up his fumbling issues a bit with only two lost.

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Blake Corum was efficient too, averaging over five yards per carry in a complementary role. Our backfield has some serious question marks to address early on.

Who's Catching and Who's Blocking?

Out wide, our receiving corps looks strong! We re-upped Rashid Shaheed on a three-year deal, keeping him paired with our star Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp. That's a trio that can make plays! The Rams have an elite duo in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, though they didn't really address that No. 3 receiver spot. The 49ers added Mike Evans but lost Jauan Jennings. Their group, including Evans, Ricky Pearsall, and Christian Kirk, still has major health concerns and struggled to produce in 2025. Honestly, there's probably the biggest gap between the 49ers and us or the Rams here, in our favor. At tight end, we've got AJ Barner and Elijah Arroyo leading the way. The Niners hope George Kittle will be back for Week 1, which would be a huge boost for them and might give them the biggest advantage at this position. The Rams added rookie Max Klare to a group that includes Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, and Colby Parkinson. All three teams use tight ends quite a bit, which makes sense since our offensive coordinator, Brian Fleury, shares a system with Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay. Finally, the trenches. Our offensive line is rolling out the same unit: Charles Cross, Grey Zabel, Jalen Sundell, Anthony Bradford, and Abraham Lucas. The Niners had a pretty good line last year, with Trent Williams, Jake Brendel, Dominick Puni, and Colton McKivitz returning as starters, though left guard is an open competition. The Rams saw Rob Havenstein retire, with Warren McClendon Jr. stepping in at right tackle, and their line also returns Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, and Kevin Dotson. The good news is, all three of these offensive lines were above average to near-elite in 2025 and have a lot of retention for 2026. So, get ready, 12s! The 2026 season is gonna be a dogfight in the NFC West, but our Super Bowl Champions are ready to defend what's ours. Let's keep that energy high all year!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.