The Los Angeles Rams have received plenty of hype following their trades for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie, but former San Francisco 49ers star and Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman is not on board the train.
Sherman openly acknowledged the moves the Rams made will be impactful.
However, he offered reality check for those looking to crown the Rams before the 2026 regular season plays out.
Richard Sherman Pumps Brakes on Rams After Myles Garrett Trade
GettyThe Los Angeles Rams’ trade for Myles Garrett was not enough to usurp the Seattle Seahawks, according to Richard Sherman.
Sherman’s acknowledgement of the Rams’ accomplishments from last season and moves this offseason were interrupted by his sentiments about the other projected NFC West contenders.
Those were, naturally, his former teams in the 49ers and Seahawks. Sherman called Garrett a “generational player” and the adding him to a group that was “probably a couple plays away from being in the Super Bowl last season” was a “huge deal.”
However, in acknowledging opinions of the Rams, Sherman touted the Seahawks.
“I still got Seattle as a Super Bowl favorites in my opinion; until you beat them. I’m not going to just knock them off the pedestal. It was just last year when I thought they would win the division at the end of the season, and they did. They played better. They played really well. They’re not going away. They’re a well-built team, well-coached team. They have a great scheme. You’re not just going to figure out that scheme. They’ve added pieces,” Sherman said on “The Richard Sherman Podcast” on June 24.
“I have a hard time saying the Super Bowl champions are just gonna be an afterthought because of a trade for a great player in a division that’s going to be a dog fight either way.”
The Rams have the best odds of winning the Super Bowl as of June 25, per Vegas Insider, but Sherman knows the games must be played first. In that regard, the Rams certainly have something to prove against the NFC West foes.
It was the Rams who last stood in the Seahawks’ way to reach the Super Bowl in 2025.
The Seahawks defeated the Rams in two of their three contests, notching wins in the final two meetings, including the NFC Championship Game.
Rams Get Reality Check About 2025 Season
GettyLos Angles Rams head coach Sean McVay and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan have a spirited rivalry.
Sherman may not be an unbiased party, but he offered context to back up his assertion before he picked the Seahawks over the Rams as Super Bowl favorites.
Moreover, Sherman believes the Rams will have their hands full with the 49ers.
“They lost to a Seattle team that some people said they were more talented than,” Sherman said. “That was a weird dialogue after the game, and even this offseason, where people were like, ‘Yeah, the Rams’–even before this trade–‘the Rams are the favorites this year.’ It’s like, ‘Uh, I don’t know. I don’t know. I saw the Rams team pretty healthy, lose to Mac Jones, and our guy KB [Kendrick Bourne] had 13 catches. Niners beat them at home with a pretty healthy team. And so it’s, in this NFC West, anything is possible.”
Sherman added, “In my mind, I think it’s going to be a tough game for them in Australia. First game of the season. I think it’s just Kyle [Shanahan] and [Sean] McVay. It’s something there. And even with Myles Garrett, I think it’s going to be a dog fight.”
The Rams and 49ers notably split their two matchups last season, with LA winning the second.
Myles Garrett vs Jared Verse
GettyRichard Sherman offered a strong take on the Los Angeles Rams going from Jared Verse to Myles Garrett.
Sherman called Garrett “an incredible player,” reiterating his belief the pass rusher will be “incredibly impactful” for the Rams this season. However, Sherman also tipped his cap to Jared Verse, who the Rams traded for Garrett.
“He’s not Miles Garrett; we’re not going to argue that. But it’s not going from an average-to-below-average player to a generational player. It’s going from a a Pro Bowl-caliber, probably borderline All-Pro player, to a Hall of Famer,” Sherman said. “It’s probably a gap, but it’s not a great gap.
“I think it’s going to be great for them. I think the McDuffy acquisition is going to be good, I think the [Jaylen] Watson acquisition is going to be good.”
Despite that, Sherman’s thoughts on the Rams were crystal clear.
They may have improved, but they were not a team without flaws or stumbles last season, with their opponents in any given contest the ultimate swing factor. As good as the Rams are, some things are also beyond their control.
Richard Sherman Drops Harsh Reminder for Rams