Aaron Donald, one of the greatest defensive tackles in league history, is reportedly joining reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett on the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive line for their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers this Thursday, making the NFC West a significantly tougher challenge for our Super Bowl champion Seahawks. This one-two punch along the defensive front immediately changes the landscape of our division, forcing every team, especially our boys, to sit up and take notice.
Myles Garrett Is Rolling Out of Bed For Sacks, Rams Aren’t Worried
Despite a bit of a knee issue that kept him from doing much in camp, Myles Garrett looks ready to go. The Rams acquired him in June, and while he hasn’t been on the field a ton, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday that they aren’t worried. They know he can “roll out of bed and get sacks.” He’s been ramping up slowly but surely, lifting a lot of weights, and now he’s on the practice field. Fowler is hearing Garrett should be good to go. This guy is the reigning DPOY, folks! He set the NFL single-season record with 23 sacks last season and is coming off his eighth consecutive year with double-digit sacks. He’s nearly impossible to block and will draw double teams, opening up blitzing lanes for everyone else.
Aaron Donald’s Surprise Return, But How Much Juice Is Left?
The big question mark is Aaron Donald. The Rams just acquired and signed him last week, so he’s had very little time to get reacquainted with the team. His training and all the workouts he did for the team have gone great, and he reportedly “looks like himself.” But let’s be real, he’s 35 years old and hasn’t played since the 2023 campaign. He officially came out of retirement less than two weeks before the season opener. They want to make sure they ramp him up the right way, so it could be a “pitch-count situation” if he’s out there. While it’s unrealistic to expect peak dominance, even “70 percent or so” of Donald on a limited amount of plays dramatically raises the ceiling for the Rams. He’s got a Super Bowl title, three Defensive Player of the Year awards, and six seasons with double-digit sacks on his resume. You just know a guy like Donald isn’t coming back for a casual stroll.
The NFC West Instantly Got Even Tighter For Our Hawks
This Thursday’s opener between the Rams and 49ers is now a must-watch for us 12s. Our Super Bowl champion Seahawks are gonna have their hands full in this stacked division, and we need to see how this new-look Rams D-line performs right out the gate. The Rams, 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks all made the playoffs last season, with our Hawks winning the whole darn thing. All three could be among the best teams in the league again in 2026, so head-to-head tiebreakers could absolutely make the difference in the division standings. The battle for the NFC West instantly ratcheted up to 11, folks, and every single game is gonna matter for our boys.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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