NFC West Notes: Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks

Cardinals

Cardinals veteran DL Corey Peters mentioned during an interview with Arizona Sports 98.7 FM that he believes former first-round pick Robert Nkemdiche could be in line for a breakout season.

“I think he’s more focused,” Peters said, via Cardswire.com. “He’s definitely taking things more seriously, putting his best foot forward.”

Nkkemdiche has yet to live up to his draft status, but he’s clearly a talented player with upside.

“Physically, he has no issues,” Peters said. “We’ve seen it time and time again that he’s a physical specimen. He’s got an incredible get-off. He’s very strong, all the physical tools you want, which is why he was a first-round pick.

“But it takes a lot more than that at this level, and I think he is starting to understand that. I have to study. I’m not going to just be able to run over everybody and use my physical gifts, so you have to actually play a technically sound position, and he’s picking up more and more of those things each and every day. He’s working extremely hard. I think this is going to be an excellent season for him and an excellent opportunity.”

Rams

Rams WR Cooper Kupp says that they have high expectations in year two under HC Sean McVay.

“Our expectations are high and so it’s great to be able to look good out here right now but, when we go back in the meeting room and we’re watching film there is a lot of stuff to correct, a lot of stuff that isn’t up to our standards,” Kupp said, TheRams.com. “So, continuing to correct that throughout the OTAs is going to be huge for us.”

Kupp explains that the ability for many of their skill players to get together during the offseason and work on throwing and route-running drills on their own time has really paid off for them.

“Being in L.A. we have the luxury of guys com[ing] here to train anyways, so most of our guys were sticking around,” Kupp said. “I got to see 10, 15 guys on the offensive side of the ball just about every single day through training or on our own.”

“Even if it was just for two days a week, being able to get out there and go through our verbiage, our routes, and just continue to build that chemistry and timing — that’s a big deal,” Kupp continued. “That was a big luxury for us.”

Seahawks

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson says that new OC Brian Schottenheimer has put more on his plate this year in terms of their offensive scheme.

“It’s definitely some added stuff for sure, there’s definitely more on the plate,” Wilson said, via Seahawks.com. “We’ve always had a lot of information, but it’s even more. But that’s OK. I’m ready for more and more and just continue to see how far we can take it. I think we’re going to have a great offense, I really do.”

Doug Baldwin admits that there are noticeable changes being made by Schottenheimer but they’re excited about the new offensive system.

“It has been a change, obviously,” Baldwin said. “We’re excited about it though. There’s two ways you can go with the unknown: you can be fearful of it or you can be excited about it. With a lot of new faces, the young guys, a new system, a new, different energy, we’re excited about it. We’ve got an opportunity to put something together special again—I don’t want to say starting over—but kind of reloading if you will. It’s an exciting time for us.”