The Seahawks are the team the Rams do not want to see get a jolt right now.
Los Angeles is sitting at 4-4 and has not lived up to the Super Bowl contender label many expected. Seattle, the defending champions, has also been searching for a spark. That spark could come if the Seahawks land Jonathan Taylor, with the Colts reportedly in trade talks with several teams.
For the Rams, that would be a brutal development. They were linked to Taylor three years ago, and now they may have to watch a division rival try to swing its season with him.
The NFC West picture already looks rough for Los Angeles. San Francisco is 6-1 and has the inside track on the division title, which leaves the Rams chasing a wild card spot.
They are currently behind four teams in that race and sit two places outside the playoff field altogether. Three of those clubs ahead of them come from the crowded NFC North, while the fourth is Seattle, which still holds the edge over LA through tiebreakers even after Monday’s loss to the Bears.
Seattle’s appeal here is obvious. The Seahawks are built around a run game that can chew clock, sustain drives, and keep Sam Darnold in favorable spots.
That formula depends on real production out of the backfield, and there has been a clear drop-off. Former Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, now with the Chiefs, is averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
Seattle’s top back, Emmanuel Wilson, is at 3.6.
That gap matters. It is exactly why Taylor would loom so large if Seattle can get him.
He would give the offense the kind of punch that could put the run game back where it needs to be, and plenty of analysts would say he is worth the premium price. In that scenario, the Seahawks would suddenly look like a team capable of ripping off a serious winning streak.
The Rams are hoping for help of their own. Edge rusher Myles Garrett is set to return to practice this week, and the team also hopes to get Kobie Turner, Terrance Ferguson, and Davante Adams back. But if Seattle adds Taylor, that becomes another obstacle in a playoff chase that is already tight.
For now, Rams fans are left watching the market and waiting on what other teams do. Their path may depend on it.
In Other News...
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It also fits into a broader picture of how Sean McVay is managing the roster right now. Blake Corum and Kyren Williams continue to share the backfield, Puka Nacua remains the clear focal point at receiver, and the edge rotation has included Byron Young, Josaiah Stewart and Wesley Bailey. Klares expanded role adds another layer to those weekly decisions, and it leaves McVay with one more personnel question to answer as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
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Josh Downs, Brian Thomas Jr. and Dontayvion Wicks are the kinds of names that naturally come up when a team starts shopping for relief, but each would come with a cost the Rams would have to weigh carefully. The issue is not just finding another target, it is deciding how much draft capital or other trade value Los Angeles is willing to spend for a short-term fix while Adams works his way back. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Found New Defensive Spark As One Offensive Issue Still Lingers
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Still, the offensive side did not come out of the game looking fully settled, especially after a sluggish first half. The Rams got enough to win, but the uneven start left one familiar issue hanging over a team that is trying to build momentum as the season moves forward. There was also some injury concern to monitor after Jaylen Watson left with a shoulder injury, adding another layer of uncertainty to a defense that had just found some new spark. [Read more 🡒]