NFC West Arms Race: Potential Trade Targets for the LA Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are currently staring at a mathematical gap in the NFC West that feels wider than it should for a team that spent the offseason acting like the league’s biggest spenders. While the Rams are sitting at 3-4, their division rivals are aggressively consolidating power. The San Francisco 49ers (6-1) and Seattle Seahawks (4-3) both struck a deal with the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday, adding Pro Bowler left guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, respectively. It is a classic arms race where the Rams, despite their high-profile acquisitions of Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie, now find themselves playing catch-up.

This situation is precarious because the Rams aren’t just fighting for a playoff spot; they are fighting against a depleted draft chest and a ticking clock. To get Garrett and McDuffie, Los Angeles surrendered a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and third-rounders in 2027 and 2029. With five key players in contract years—including All-Pro wide receiver Puka Nacua—the front office is walking a tightrope between winning now with a 38-year-old Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald, and preserving a future for quarterback Ty Simpson.

The Colts’ fire sale provides a roadmap

The Indianapolis Colts are currently in a “fire-sale mode,” which creates a unique window for the Rams to plug holes without spending the high-end draft capital they no longer possess. The most pressing need is at wide receiver. With Davante Adams sidelined for six to 10 games due to a ruptured hamstring, the Rams’ receiving corps has looked thin. Only Konata Mumpfield saw two targets in a recent win over the Raiders, and Puka Nacua is battling through his second injury of the season.

Quenton Nelson to Seattle, Buckner to SF: The NFC West Arms Race

Josh Downs is the most logical fit here. A 2023 third-round pick, Downs is a durable slot specialist who excels against man coverage—exactly what the Rams need to move the chains while Adams is out. Because he is a slot-only player, he doesn’t perfectly align with the three-tight-end sets Sean McVay loves, but his ability to return punts (9.4-yard average) adds a special teams dimension the Rams desperately lack. A trade costing a fifth- or sixth-round pick would be the “sweet spot” for a team with a limited budget.

If the Rams want more explosive verticality, Brian Thomas Jr. is the high-upside target. Thomas exploded as a 2024 rookie with 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns, though he has struggled to find a role in his current system. There is a human element here: Jaguars GM James Gladstone spent 2016-2024 with the Rams and maintains strong ties with Les Snead and McVay. Thomas is cheap—earning just $2.8 million next season—making him a low-risk, high-reward replacement for Adams.

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Plugging the interior defensive void

While the pass rush is a headline, the Rams have a quiet crisis in the middle of their defense. The loss of nose tackle Poona Ford to a torn triceps is a blow to a run defense that Ford helped transform upon his arrival in 2025. Without a true anchor, the interior is vulnerable.

The Rams could look toward Grover Stewart or Daron Payne. Stewart, known as “the guard butcher” in Indy, is a durable veteran who has missed only eight games in 10 seasons (six of which were due to a 2023 PED suspension). At 33, he’s no longer a 60-snap-per-game player, but his ability to eat double-teams would free up the Rams’ edge rushers. Similarly, Daron Payne of the Commanders offers a run-plugging presence. While he has lost the “juice” that saw him record 11.5 sacks in 2022, his expiring contract makes him an affordable rental.

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Target	Position	Key Strength	Contract Status
Josh Downs	WR	Man-coverage specialist	Low-cost draft pick
Grover Stewart	NT	Interior run stuffer	Expires after the season
Brian Thomas Jr.	WR	Deep threat/Verticality	$2.8M next season
Daron Payne	NT	Run-plugging veteran	Expensive/Expiring

The special teams desperation

Last year, the Rams tried a “small” deadline move for cornerback Roger McCreary. It wasn’t enough. Their special teams and secondary collapsed in the NFC Championship Game, a failure that still haunts the current strategy. The Rams may target specific personnel from the Colts’ roster who could fit the team well now that Indianapolis is in fire-sale mode.

Ventrone scouted him as an undrafted free agent and developed him into an All-Pro gunner.

The counter-argument to this spending spree is simple: why go all-in on a 3-4 team? Some analysts argue that the Rams should prioritize Ty Simpson’s development and avoid further mortgaging the future. However, the roster construction tells a different story. You don’t bring back Aaron Donald from a two-year retirement and keep a 38-year-old Matthew Stafford if you are planning for 2028. You do it because you believe the window is open right now.

The Rams face the winless Los Angeles Chargers this weekend. If they win, the urgency to buy increases. If they lose, they are a team in identity crisis. The question remains whether Les Snead can find a way to out-maneuver the 49ers and Seahawks without any first-round picks left to play with.