The Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams met three times last season, with one team winning once in the regular season and Mike Macdonald's troops getting the last laugh in the NFC Championship Game.
All three matchups went down to the wire and were decided by one possession. That's why Sean McVay's team might actually be the only legitimate threat not only in the NFC West, but in the entire league.
Considering that, GM John Schneider should be really concerned about his divisional rivals' latest moves. The Rams are clearly going all-in as they did in 2021 when they also hosted the Super Bowl at So-Fi Stadium.
The Seattle Seahawks need to keep an eye on the Rams
The Rams were already a force to be reckoned with, and this offseason has only sounded more alarms in Seattle. They traded for a true star in CB Trent McDuffie, and doubled down on that by also signing his Kansas City Chiefs running mate Jaylen Watson.
There were rumblings about their interest in trading for A.J. Brown, and while that buzz has gone away for now, they clearly want to make a big splash.
McVay's team will also have the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. They can add yet more firepower to their offense with someone like Makai Lemon or Jordyn Tyson, or maybe bolster the trenches with Monroe Freeling.
They can even roll the dice on a playmaking tight end like Kenyon Sadiq, all while the Seahawks, who only have four draft selections in the whole event, patiently wait for their pick at No. 32.
Sam Darnold shut down the doubters by throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game. That said, the Rams picked him off six times in three matchups last season, and they've now added two difference-makers to their secondary.
Their pass defense was slightly below average, allowing 216.7 passing yards per game, which ranked 19th in the league. That number should go significantly down with their reinforced CB room.
Of course, as the defending champions, the Seahawks should still be considered the team to beat, especially with most of their core returning. That said, divisional matchups are always a toss-up, and these teams know each other too well.
The Seahawks still have some time to even things up by making a splash of their own in free agency, but with Devon Witherspoon's contract extension looming large, John Schneider may not have much wiggle room to add more firepower.