The NFC West just got a lot stronger and the San Francisco 49ers will need to be prepared to face stiff competition in 2026.
Sure, the Seattle Seahawks claiming Super Bowl 60 should be enough to make them the team to beat in the division but the Los Angeles Rams could give them a run for their money. LA executed a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns adding the unanimous 2025 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, defensive end Myles Garrett.
The Rams sent 2024 Defensive Rookie of the YearJared Verse to Cleveland along with a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft plus two additional picks, a 2028 second-rounder and 2029 third-rounder.
Garrett’s arrival puts pressure on the front lines of every opponent, and 49ers assistant head coach and offensive line coach Chris Foerster understands and welcomes that challenge.
“He’s an outstanding football player,” Foerster told reporters Tuesday. “He’s going to be a challenge for us to take care of. Everybody has good players, and he’s a great player. It’s good for them, helps them, and it’ll be a good challenge for us.”
Garrett’s presence already has Foerster rewatching tape in preparation for what they will see twice a season.
“It kind of came out of left field,” Foerster said. “You remember him, but now we have him in the division and you don’t play him all the time so you say ‘let me go back and look at the tape and see what it really was,’ and he’s a great player.”
As great as Garrett is, it’s not new to the 49ers to have to game plan against such a talent. Before Garrett was traded to LA, the Rams had another dominant force on the defensive line in Aaron Donald. Donald retired after the 2024 season, but has since flirted with the idea of a return following the Garrett-Verse trade.
“They all have good defenses,” Foerster said. “There’s always going to be a challenge, whether it be interior-wise or exterior pass rush. So, it’s always going to be somebody.”
How can the 49ers compete against LA after Garrett trade
If Donald comes out of retirement to join Garrett with the Rams, that’d be a challenging obstacle to overcome for any team. The 49ers would have to do something to counter and prepare for what’s coming in the division if they hope to remain one of the teams to beat.
Get healthy
Across consecutive seasons, the 49ers have been one the NFL’s biggest “what-if” teams as they’ve lost key players to injuries at important moments whether midseason, postseason or in the Super Bowl. One way the Niners can prepare for the added talent in the division is addressing the health of their own All-Pro stars.
Fred Warner, who suffered a broken ankle last season, should be available come Week 1 against the Rams. Warner was optimistic about a return in the playoffs against the Seahawks, but it never happened for precautionary measures and doctors advised against it.
San Francisco is still itching to get Nick Bosa back into the lineup after missing the majority of the 2025 season with a torn ACL.
Add edge rushers, linebackers of their own
The 49ers should look to fight fire with fire and beef up their defensive line. If not for starting positions, at least to add depth and possibly an insurance policy in case San Francisco is hit with the injury bug again.
There are a host of defensive names who are currently free agents and could help bolster the Niners’ defensive presence.
A few names to look out for on the defensive side are linebackers Kyle Van Noy, Bobby Wagner and edge rushers such as Von Miller, Cameron Jordan and Jadeveon Clowney. These guys might be older and perhaps out of their prime, but given the opportunity, there’s no doubt that they can still contribute to a contending team like the 49ers.
Van Noy has already made it publicly known that he wouldn’t mind suiting up for San Francisco, even naming Warner as a reason why he’d want to play for the 49ers.
Beef up the front line
The 49ers need to prep for the Rams’ defensive pressure early and protect Brock Purdy from Garrett’s wrath. Trent Williams re-signing with San Francisco this offseason is a good start, but there will need to be more upgrades.
The front office should look into the free agency pool to see who’s available who can come in and make a difference on the front lines. A couple of prospects include former Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker and former Browns guard Joel Bitonio.
Decker is a starting-caliber tackle who’s excelled in pass blocking. San Francisco could give him a call, that’s if he is okay with playing the opposite side of Williams, or sliding down to guard. Either way, the 49ers will need the best protection on both sides, you know, in case Donald does decide to come back.
If the Niners are content with their outside blockers, then they can address the inside adding Bitonio, a seven-time Pro Bowl offensive guard, who could help contain interior pass rushers and run stoppers.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: San Francisco 49ers best moves after LA Rams trade for Myles Garrett
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