The Rams picked up a win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, and that alone may have given their season some life. But in a division like this, a little momentum does not buy much time.
Seattle just raised the temperature on the entire NFC West by trading for All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson, and that puts real pressure on Los Angeles to answer. The Seahawks showed they are not waiting around, especially after beating the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. At 4-3, they are acting like a team that believes the second spot in the division - and a wild card berth - is there to be taken.
That makes the Rams’ next move feel even more important. The 49ers may still be the favorites in the division, but the fight behind them is crowded and unforgiving.
There are only three playoff spots available and five teams chasing them, which means every upgrade matters. The Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers are all trying to keep one step ahead of each other, and Seattle just made a strong statement.
Nelson’s arrival also fits what the Seahawks have already been building. Since the start of 2025, they are 22-3 when Anthony Bradford starts at guard, and Bradford has helped unlock their run game while giving them more balance on offense. Nelson gives them even more control up front, keeps the middle clean for quarterback Sam Darnold, and strengthens what was already working.
The Rams, meanwhile, have not exactly sat still. They made moves for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie earlier in the summer, but those additions have not fully materialized yet.
Garrett still has not played, and McDuffie has missed the last two games. With Seattle pushing its chips in, merely standing pat is a dangerous place for Los Angeles to be.
And the Rams do have obvious holes. Davante Adams’ injury leaves them thin at wide receiver, and even if Adams returns, they still need better production from the third receiver spot than what they are getting from Tutu Atwell and Konata Mumpfield. That kind of gap can linger all the way into December if it is ignored, much like the cornerback issue last season.
Defensive tackle is another area that needs attention. Poona Ford is out for the season, and Kobie Turner is on injured reserve. Los Angeles has bodies on the defensive line, but turning that depth into dependable full-time production for the stretch run is another matter.
There are names out there for the Rams to consider, including Brian Thomas Jr. and Josh Downs. The bigger question is how far Les Snead wants to go.
It does not have to be a blockbuster, but it does need to show urgency. The Rams have already committed to chasing a Super Bowl this season, and they can’t look like a team content to let the moment pass.
This is not simply about copying Seattle’s move for the sake of keeping up. It is about refusing to let a division rival gain ground while Los Angeles waits on help from inside its own building. The Seahawks were willing to spend draft capital to improve now, and that should matter to the Rams.
They have been here before. Last season, Los Angeles lost its chance to stay in the Super Bowl race when it dropped a game to Seattle at the wrong time.
The Seahawks’ trade for Rashid Shaheed helped tilt that stretch run, and Shaheed sparked the comeback in Week 16 with a punt return touchdown. That is the kind of edge the Rams cannot afford to watch from the other sideline again.
Yes, reinforcements are coming. Garrett is nearing a return, McDuffie could be back this week, and Terrance Ferguson should be back soon too. But those are not fresh additions from outside the room, and the Rams should not treat them that way.
Seattle has already made its statement. If the Rams want to stay in the race, Snead has to make one of his own.
In Other News...
Rams May Have A Short-Term Answer To Their Kicker Problem
Kicking issues have a way of surfacing at the worst possible time, and around the league there is already speculation that Tennessee veteran Joey Slye could be part of the next round of roster shuffling. Slye is on an expiring contract with a $2 million cap hit, and analyst Jason La Canfora pointed to him as a possible trade candidate if teams decide they need a steadier leg before the season drifts any further.
For the Rams, that sort of move would fit the kind of short-term fix teams often explore when the position becomes unsettled. Slye has bounced around the league since going undrafted in 2019, and he has handled himself well in Tennessee this year, making 10 of 11 field goals and all of his extra-point attempts in seven games. If Los Angeles is looking for a veteran answer rather than waiting on internal options, he would be one of the more obvious names to monitor. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Suddenly Have 4 Young Auditions Fans Should Be Watching
Injuries have opened the door for a few younger Rams to make their case, and Week 7 offered a useful snapshot of who might be worth tracking beyond this season. Shaun Dolac, Davis Allen, Ty Hamilton and Konata Mumpfield each got a chance to show what they can bring, giving the Rams a better sense of which developmental pieces could grow into larger responsibilities down the line.
The immediate focus is still on surviving the present, but the longer view is getting harder to ignore. None of these auditions guarantees a major role, yet the Rams are clearly learning which players can handle more than spot duty, and that matters with an eye toward 2027. For now, the most interesting part is not a roster decision already made, but the possibility that several young contributors are starting to turn opportunity into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Are Still Waiting On A Huge Pass Rush Boost
The Rams have spent the past few weeks waiting for a familiar kind of lift on defense, and Myles Garrett could be the one to provide it. After missing six games following knee surgery, the pass rusher is nearing a possible return to practice, a sign that Los Angeles may finally be close to getting back one of the pieces it has been missing up front.
Sean McVay still has not put a timeline on the move, saying the next step will come after he confers with the medical staff and Garrett himself. But the possibility of him getting back on the field in practice this week, with a chance to be available in Week 8, gives the Rams a reason to keep an eye on the injury report and the state of a defense that could use the boost. [Read more 🡒]