The Los Angeles Rams just left no doubt about who has the best roster in the NFL, much less their own division in the NFC West.
The Rams struck a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns, acquiring Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett in exchange for Jared Verse, a 2027 1st-round pick, and additional draft compensation.
It's rare to have one trade in the month of June with true Super Bowl implications, but this might only be the first one. Our latest NFL Power Rankings are going to take a look at the state of the entire NFC West now that this trade is completed, with the Rams (obviously) skyrocketing into the top spot.
NFL Power Rankings: Rams solidify themselves as the top powerhouse in the NFC West
4. Arizona Cardinals
There's no doubt that the Arizona Cardinals are at the bottom, working their way up in this stacked division. And that's putting it nicely. At this point, we're all wondering more about when we're going to see Carson Beck out there slinging the rock for the Cardinals than anything else with this team.
The cupboard isn't bare in Arizona, by any means. Having playmakers like Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, and now top pick Jeremiyah Love in place matters. They're setting the table nicely for a future quarterback, whether that ends up being Beck or someone else.
But the number of question marks with this team far exceeds what any other team in the division is currently facing.
3. Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks won the Super Bowl last year, but they're quickly starting to look more and more like the 3rd-best team in the division.
The loss of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak can't be ignored, especially considering how well Sam Darnold played for him last year. We're not going to accuse Darnold of being some kind of puppet last year with Kubiak as the puppetteer, but having stability on a coaching staff is so critical for the quarterback position. Darnold has never really had that.
Has Darnold risen above the point of needing that stability as a player? I'm not sure. The Seahawks turned the ball over last year offensively at a really high rate. They lost Kenneth Walker in free agency. The defense lost some key pieces. Seattle has reloaded, but the deck has been reshuffled and they might drop from 1st to 3rd in this wildly competitive division.
2. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers look like the 2nd-best team in the NFC West on paper right now, but it's comfortably a distant 2nd behind the Rams.
The 49ers brought in Mike Evans to stabilize a wide receiver position that has been in transition, to say the least. We're not going to see any of Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, or Jauan Jennings in the 49ers' offense anymore, which just feels odd.
San Francisco's defense already got a major boost simply from the return of Nick Bosa, but they also traded for Osa Odighizuwa and brought back linebacker Dre Greenlaw. This team was great last year despite so many injury issues, and I'd expect them to be contending once again in 2026.
1. Los Angeles Rams
The trade to acquire Myles Garrett just sent shockwaves through the entire NFL. Garrett set an NFL record last season with an absolutely bonkers 23 sacks. He has been a 1st-team All-Pro three years in a row, and has been selected to 7 All-Pro teams in his NFL career.
Nobody really needs to read off Garrett's list of accomplishments at this point. The fact of the matter is, he's the best defensive player in football right now, and the Rams just added him to a defense that already looked awesome on paper.
Earlier this offseason, the Rams traded with the Chiefs to acquire Trent McDuffie to address their cornerback position. Now, McDuffie will benefit from the presence of Garrett on that Rams defensive front. This Rams team is locked and loaded for 2026 and might have aims on 15 or more regular season wins with this roster.
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