Rams' blockbuster trade puts pressure on Seahawks to make the right decisions

The Seattle Seahawks have a problem: Sam Darnold will officially face much stronger competition from the Los Angeles Rams next season, thanks to today's blockbuster trade for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie in exchange for several picks going back to the Kansas City Chiefs. 

The move is the Rams' second "F— them picks" edition, following the first edition that came in the form of Stan Kroenke's famous banger of a one-liner, which he proclaimed after the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2022 in Matthew Stafford's first season in LA. 

The Rams got better today at cornerback. Considering where the Seahawks currently sit with their own cornerback situation, the pressure might be on now for general manager John Schneider to make the absolute best decision, or as close to it, to match the Rams' significant upgrade.

The Seattle Seahawks are now the second-best team in the NFC West

The Seahawks enter the offseason with nine free agents — a mixed bag of restricted and unrestricted — that include two cornerbacks: Riq Woolen and Josh Jobe (both are unrestricted). Of the two, Woolen is tabbed as the likeliest to depart Seattle for a new team, whereas Jobe's status is less certain. 

The Seahawks would do well to re-sign Jobe, if only based on his Super Bowl performance alone, but of course, his extended film speaks for itself. That said, Jobe, like Woolen, could also walk as a free agent. Either way, the Seahawks have some holes to fill on defense, and especially at cornerback. 

Which makes McDuffie's move to the Rams all the more reason for Schneider to either offer one of his free-agent corners enough reasons in dollars to remain a Seahawk, make a trade of his own, or look to free agency. Now, is it a guarantee that McDuffie will catapult the Rams far and above the Seahawks next year? No, but right now his addition makes the Rams the better overall team. 

Last season, the Rams' defense was short of eyeballing the Seahawks', but now, that's changed. McDuffie isn't being overhyped, either.

The All-Pro corner went to three Super Bowls with the Chiefs in his four seasons there, winning two, and the first coming in his rookie season. McDuffie was All-Pro caliber from the get-go, and he's arguably the best, or at least, a top-three cornerback in the NFL today. 

He is big-time, and as great as Devon Witherspoon is in Seattle, he's not quite McDuffie. Another reason why the Seahawks must address their cornerback situation is that the Rams trade has implications for next season's Super Bowl odds. The Seahawks were touted by many to make it back, if not repeat. 

After the McDuffie trade, DraftKings Sportsbook has tabbed the Rams as the favorites to win it all in 2026 at +750, with the Seahawks behind them in second at +900. After Seattle won the Super Bowl in February, they were tied with the Rams to win it next eye at the top of the league at +950. Amazing how one blockbuster trade can shift the pendulum so swiftly, isn't it? (Odds subject to change.)

The Rams' secondary cost them against the Seahawks on more than a few occasions last year, especially in the NFC Championship game. Now, it's looking like Darnold and the Seahawks passing attack could lose a significant advantage with McDuffie in the Rams backfield.

McDuffie just made the Rams defense significantly better, while also moving the Rams past the Seahawks as the team to be next year, especially in the NFC. So, what will the Seahawks' counter move be? Time will tell, but they'll have to do something because today, the Rams won.