Brock & Salk: 2 ways Seahawks can combat Rams’ bold additions

It’s an arms race in the NFC West.

Or at least, that’s been the Los Angeles Rams’ approach this offseason.

Do Seahawks need to counter Rams’ blockbuster move?

After falling 31-27 to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC title game in January, the archrival Rams have spent the past few months aggressively adding talent in an effort to overtake the reigning Super Bowl champions from the Pacific Northwest.

It began in March, when the Rams addressed their issues in the secondary by trading for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and signing free agent cornerback Jaylen Watson. And then came the bombshell on Monday, when the Rams sent shockwaves through the NFL with their seismic trade for two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.

Given how razor-tight the margin was between the Seahawks and Rams last season – their three matchups were decided by a combined seven points – do the Hawks need to respond with a blockbuster move of their own?

As former NFL quarterback Brock Huard mentioned Wednesday on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk, the only “nuclear weapon” left to acquire at this point might be Las Vegas Raiders five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby.

But after the Baltimore Ravens backed out of their blockbuster deal for Crosby in March following his failed physical, Huard isn’t sure how realistic a Crosby trade would be at this point.

“There’s other weapons and there’s trades and there’s maybe stuff in training camp and those things,” Huard said. “But as far as like a true arms race and try to match their power, that would be about the only one. And I would say no on that.”

Continuity and depth

Rather than respond to the Rams in an arms race, Mike Salk thinks the Seahawks’ best approach is to lean into the impressive continuity they maintained from their Super Bowl-winning team.

By combined regular-season and postseason snap counts, the Seahawks retained 14 of their top 15 offensive players, 14 of their top 17 defensive players and 15 of their top 16 special teams players.

That level of continuity can reap benefits in a number of ways – whether it’s scheme familiarity on defense, quarterback-receiver chemistry or communication along the offensive line, to name a few.

“Something about getting caught up in what they’re doing in L.A., like, I don’t want to do that,” Salk said. “I think the answer for the Seahawks is going to have a lot more to do with continuity being valuable than talent. Not that they don’t have talent. They have plenty of it. And not that they don’t want talent. They obviously do.

“But they seem to be making a bet on continuity having more value than acquiring and assembling a bunch of different persons with talent.”

Huard agreed, while also pointing to Seattle’s depth being a potential advantage over the Rams.

The Seahawks’ depth played a major role in their championship run last season, especially on special teams. That was the big difference between the two NFC West juggernauts last year, with Seattle ranking No. 2 in special teams DVOA and L.A. ranking 26th, according to FTN Fantasy.

And that difference certainly showed up in the Seahawks’ two victories over the Rams. Rashid Shaheed’s punt-return touchdown sparked Seattle’s dramatic Week 16 comeback, while L.A.’s muffed punt served as one of the most pivotal plays in the Seahawks’ NFC Championship Game triumph.

“When the Rams have to spend what they have to spend on Matthew Stafford Myles and the rest of (their stars), … they just simply cannot have the depth that you have,” Huard said. “And you saw it time and again last year — the critical roles (that depth) played in special teams or when (a backup’s) number was called.

“The depth of your weaponry has got to be a way to counter their big nuclear warheads.”

Listen to the full Brock and Salk conversation at this link or in the audio near the middle of this story. Tune into Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Reaction: How Rams’ blockbuster Myles Garrett trade impacts Seahawks
• Brock & Salk: Derick Hall deal is ‘extraordinary’ for Seattle Seahawks
• How rare level of continuity can benefit Seattle Seahawks’ O-line

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