The Seattle Seahawks are just days away from unveiling their Super Bowl champion banners in front of their home crowd. Kicking off the season against the same team they took down months ago will be poetic.
That said, a lot has changed since the Seahawks' parade. Mike Macdonald's team will bring back most of its core and coaching staff, but every other team in the league has made moves to aim for the Seahawks' crown.
The NFC West should be a bloodbath again in 2026, at least among most of its teams. With that in mind, let's look at every team in one of the most competitive divisions in pro football and power-rank them ahead of Week 1.
Ranking the Seattle Seahawks' roster versus every other team in the NFC West
4. Arizona Cardinals
Barring a shocking turn of events, the Arizona Cardinals will be one of the worst teams in the league this season. They have a potential star in Jeremiyah Love, a true superstar in Trey McBride, and promising guys like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson. Other than that, head coach Mike LaFleur won't have much to work with in his first year.
The Cardinals' quarterback situation might be unsettled until 2027. In the meantime, rookie Carson Beck might get a chance at some point in the season. Whether that will be something worth watching remains to be seen.
This team will most likely be a seller at the trade deadline, maybe even before. As such, guys like Josh Sweat, Budda Baker, and one of their veteran quarterbacks might be hot commodities around the league.
3. San Francisco 49ers
Without a doubt, the San Francisco 49ers would top this list in most divisions, and that speaks volumes about how competitive the NFC West can be in 2026. That said, injuries can change the picture pretty quickly.
The 49ers have spent years piling up aging and injury-prone players, and it feels like no team in the league has dealt with more injuries to key guys than them. George Kittle, Nick Bosa, Christian McCaffrey, Brock Purdy, and Mike Evans are great on paper, but will they even play?
Healthy or not, Kyle Shanahan's team struggled mightily against the Seahawks last season. Their Super Bowl window might shut down right before their eyes if their older roster fails to stay on the field again this season.
2. Los Angeles Rams
Yes, the Los Angeles Rams traded for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie and brought Aaron Donald back from retirement. Of course, they have reigning MVP Matthew Stafford and a true superstar in Puka Nacua. But they're not a deep team.
Maybe the Rams might have the most stacked starting lineup in the game; we can give them that. They certainly have everything they need to pose a massive threat to the Seahawks' Super Bowl aspirations. But what if someone gets hurt?
It takes a village to succeed in the most physical sport and league in the world. They may have roughly 753,488 tight ends on the roster, but can they play other positions? And will their banged-up, aging quarterback endure a 17-game season plus another deep playoff run?
1. Seattle Seahawks
Some might say we're biased, and maybe there's some truth to that. But in what universe do the defending champions not have the best roster in the division after keeping most of their key contributors?
Even with Riq Woolen, Kenneth Walker III, and Coby Bryant taking their talents elsewhere, the Seattle Seahawks have the best and deepest roster in the division — maybe even in the league, at least on defense.
While they remain unsettled at cornerback and could probably use a boost at right tackle, the Seahawks have two starting-caliber defenses, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, a veteran quarterback, and a first-round running back. The Rams may have made the flashiest moves, but the champions are still the team to beat.
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