The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks are loading up for an NFC West arms race, but Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay apparently has no intention of becoming a member of them.
At least not yet, anyway.
With the November tenth NFL commerce deadline approaching and the Rams desperately making an attempt to salvage a season that started with Super Bowl expectations, McVay revealed Wednesday that Los Angeles at present has no plans to make a splash, despite watching its division rivals bolster their rosters this week.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay reacts against the Las Vegas Raiders during the third quarter of an NFL soccer sport at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. Getty Images
Instead, the Rams are banking on a totally different sort of blockbuster acquisition: getting their own injured stars back on the soccer area.
“Based on our situation, the good thing for us is, hopefully, some of those trades will be guys getting back from injury that haven’t played for us,” McVay said. “That’s kind of the way that we look at it.”
It’s a daring technique for a group that entered the season as a Super Bowl favourite and stumbled to a 2-4 document through six video games.
Seattle acquired All-Pro offensive guard Quenton Nelson from the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday, while San Francisco added three-time Pro Bowl defensive deal with DeForest Buckner from the same group.
Meanwhile, Rams basic supervisor Les Snead seems content material to stand pat while the competitors reloads. Which begs the query, what he and McVay must be considering as they attempt and claw their method back into the NFC Playoff image as their rivals add ammunition.
The Rams made most of their huge strikes in the offseason, when they acquired All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award winner Myles Garrett.
Indianapolis Colts defensive deal with DeForest Buckner (99) celebrates a sack against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half of an NFL soccer sport in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. AP Photo/David Dermer
However, Garrett hasn’t performed since Week 1 and McDuffie has missed the last two video games with a groin jury. Things have clearly not labored out as the Rams had deliberate, and now the preseason Super Bowl favorites have fallen behind the 49ers and Seahawks in the division.
If there’s one place of want for the Rams, it’s the same place they did not deal with during the offseason: a third broad receiver.
The Rams could have drafted Makai Lemon out of USC with the thirteenth choose in the 2026 NFL Draft, or another receiver, but instead selected to draft quarterback Ty Simpson who is not expected to play this season or even next season.
Outside of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, the Rams were extremely skinny at the receiver place and with Nacua dealing with nagging accidents and Adams now on injured reserve with a ruptured hamstring, including a receiver could be a specific place of want for the Rams.
Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson (56) seems to block Washington Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles (52) during the second half of an NFL soccer sport in London. AP Photo/Adam Bettcher
The Rams have introduced back Tutu Atwell and turned to second-year receiver Konata Mumpfield, but neither has established himself as the constant vertical menace Matthew Stafford wants alongside Nacua.
And with Los Angeles already with out its first-round choose in the 2027 NFL Draft, tanking isn’t precisely an engaging escape route.
McVay, however, believes the largest reinforcements could already be inside the Rams’ coaching facility.
“With the amount of guys that have not been available that are key and focal points for really both sides of the football, you look at those guys hopefully being able to return within a month,” McVay said. “That’s kind of where that value lies for us.”
That contains defensive finish Myles Garrett and several other injured starters whose eventual returns could dramatically change the Rams’ outlook.
Los Angeles Rams defensive finish Myles Garrett (95) seems on before a sport against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
For Stafford, however, worrying about potential acquisitions or the NFC West arms race is a distraction from the more instant problem: beating the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday and placing collectively a successful streak before the season slips away.
“I don’t think we look at the big picture of that maybe as much as some of the outside world does,” Stafford said Wednesday. “We’re here on a Wednesday trying to figure out what we’re going to do on normal down and distance against the Chargers.”
With so many proficient gamers sidelined, Stafford knows the Rams can’t afford to wait for reinforcements before taking part in with a sense of desperation.
“I think the urgency anytime you step on a field, especially in the NFL, should be high,” Stafford said. “Urgency should be at an all-time high every time you step out there. Just go out there and do the best you can.”
Of course, McVay didn’t utterly slam the door on a potential deal.
“Like I’ve told you in years past, you always think about it,” he said.
Translation: If the proper participant becomes obtainable at the proper value, never depend out Snead, whose status was constructed on aggressive strikes designed to chase championships.
But for now, the Rams are taking part in the ready sport while their NFC West rivals play the buying and selling sport.
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