49ers and Rams Can Dethrone the Seahawks, But Here's Why They Won't

The Seattle Seahawks enter the offseason as the defending NFC West and Super Bowl champions, but they have some competition right on their heels.

The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams both had strong seasons with 12-5 records, qualifying for the playoffs and winning games en route to Seattle, where they each lost to the Seahawks in the Divisional Round and NFC Championship, respectively.

Because of this, Sports Illustrated writer Gilberto Manzano listed the NFC West as the best in his divisional power rankings.

"The 49ers and Rams were very active this offseason, hoping to dethrone the Super Bowl-champion Seahawks," Manzano wrote.

"All three of these teams won at least 12 games last year, with Seattle finishing first with a 14–3 record before winning Super Bowl LX. The Seahawks lost some key contributors in free agency, including Bryant, Kenneth Walker III, edge rusher Boye Mafe and cornerback Riq Woolen.

"However, Seattle can withstand these losses because the tandem of coach Mike Macdonald and GM John Schneider has been successful at building depth across the roster."

Seahawks Have Lost Key Players in Free Agency

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III speaks in a press conference. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 49ers and Rams have each made big moves this offseason to try and get closer to the Seahawks, but Seattle has spent most of its offseason focused on retaining their own champions.

Due to Seattle's success, several players got raises in their contracts in other places. Kenneth Walker III earned a major contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, Riq Woolen joined the Philadelphia Eagles, Boye Mafe inked a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals and Coby Bryant earned a signed with the Chicago Bears.

Why Seahawks Are Still Favored in NFC West

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald during the NFL Annual League Meeting. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The partnership between head coach Mike Macdonald and general manager John Schneider has been smooth like butter in their first two seasons together. They have been in lockstep since the beginning and that is translated on the field.

"It's been awesome. I love working with him," Macdonald said of Schneider earlier this year. "He's got great perspective but knows what to say in those situations. He's obviously been through a ton. You kind of get fooled into (thinking) he's a younger GM, but he's been around forever and he's kind of seen everything.

"But it has been awesome. He's really great. He's really great. And he's probably uncomfortable with me talking about him like that, because (no egos) is how he wants to operate."

Schneider's recent draft classes, especially in 2023 with Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have built the foundation for what the Seahawks are building with their roster. Their strong drafts are arguably the biggest reason behind their success.

On top of that, Macdonald has been able to take what's been handed to him and run with it on the defensive side of the ball. The Seahawks were the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL this past season, allowing just 17.2 points per game.

While the signings the team has made in outside free agency haven't been splashy, players like running back Emanuel Wilson and cornerback Noah Igbinoghene can provide depth at key positions with Walker, Woolen and Bryant leaving the team.

What's Next For Seahawks?

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider during the NFL Annual League Meeting | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Seahawks will continue running their race. They have the No. 32 overall pick in the draft, which they can use to take a player that can be plugged right into the starting lineup on either side of the ball or the team could trade back and acquire more picks to replenish the depth.

While the Niners and Rams are making big pushes to try and chase the Seahawks, Seattle shouldn't fix what isn't broken.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Super Bowl champions from Seattle Seahawks On SI —

Sign Up For the Seahawks Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Seattle Seahawks Newsletter