Ceceilia Melvin '30 and Izzy Mingnardi '27

by Ceceilia Melvin '30 and Izzy Mingnardi '27 on September 24, 2026

If you were to ask anyone which division in the NFL was the best, they would most likely say the NFC West. They had three out of their four teams advance to the playoffs last season, and the Seattle Seahawks would eventually go on to the Super Bowl and beat the New England Patriots 29–13. With a strong Seattle team and a 49ers roster that was slowly getting back to full health, another team in the division decided to step up this offseason. The Los Angeles Rams, still reeling from their loss to Seattle in the Conference Championship, made a strong statement not only to their division but to the entire league with the additions that they made to their team prior to the 2026 season. The league’s reigning MVP and the Rams’ quarterback, Matthew Stafford, signed a one-year contract extension following one of the best seasons of his career, during which he threw for a league-high 4,707 yards and had 46 passing touchdowns. Resigning Stafford, however, was not even the best move the Rams made. Myles Garrett, the Defensive Player of the Year, was traded to the Rams from the Cleveland Browns. Garrett is regarded as one of the best, if not the best, defensive players, and his impact on his new team cannot be overstated. In addition to a new defensive end, the Rams signed both of the Kansas City Chiefs’ starting cornerbacks, Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie, who had both previously won two Super Bowls with their former team. The Rams were building an Avengers-level defense, and who would the Avengers be without the Incredible Hulk? In a stunning turn of events, Aaron Donald, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, came out of retirement and signed a one-year contract with his former team. If defense truly wins championships, then you might as well hand the Rams the Vince Lombardi trophy now.

Ceceilia Melvin ’30

The Washington Commanders made a lot of aggressive moves in the 2026 offseason. After their  5–12 2025 season, a large focus, rightfully so,was boosting their defense by signing and resigning players like Odafe Oweh, Leo Chenal, Tim Settle, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Amik  Robertson. Although the Commanders lost last week against the Eagles, the defense showed their potential by keeping the Eagles at 24 points and 318 yards. Offensively, the Commanders’ goal was simple: build up the team so Jayden Daniels can do his job. They extended Laremy Tunsil after he allowed only 1.5 sacks during last year’s season. They signed Rachaad White, who played with Daniels at Arizona State. Other recruits include Jerome Ford, Chig Okonwo, and Van Jefferson. To guide these new players, the Commanders hired Daronte Jones as defensive coordinator.  Jones is originally from Prince George’s County, Maryland, where the Commanders play their home games. Coaching in the area where he grew up adds a  more personal motivation to achieve a winning season. Head Coach Dan Quinn also promoted David Blough to offensive coordinator after two years as a Commanders assistant quarterback coach. During Sunday’s game against the Cowboys, Daniels suffered an injury to his left elbow. The new lineup will be put to the test next Sunday against the Seahawks.

Izzy Mignardi ’27