NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Jalen Ramsey, Rams, Seahawks

“I hope we don’t pick third overall again,” Ossenfort said via AZCardinals.com. “The benefit is we are going to be able to pick a premium player and have them play on our team. The other benefit is that there could be (trade) calls for that pick. Every step of the way we are going to do what’s best for the team. If we get a chance to drop back and pick up additional picks to help the team, we’re going to entertain that.”

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes the buzz around Steelers LB coach Brian Flores as a viable head coaching candidate for the Cardinals is real, and he, DC Vance Joseph and 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans will all get the chance to win the job. 

Rams

• The Athletic’s Zak Keefer has heard Indianapolis’ interview with Rams DC Raheem Morris went really well and two potential assistants Morris could bring with him as coordinator candidates are Rams DL coach Eric Henderson and QB coach Zac Robinson.
• The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue expects the Rams to only be able to re-sign one of either DT Greg Gaines or A’Shawn Robinson. Her hunch is Gaines is the one brought back as Robinson will have the more competitive market. 
• Los Angeles’ top need is at outside linebacker, per Rodrigue, as the team never found a replacement for Von Miller and had a subpar pressure rate from the edge all season. 
• She expects the Rams to aggressively look to upgrade the position, including via the draft, free agency and trade. The bottom line is they need two above-average edge rushers, at minimum, for their scheme to work, and they have just one in OLB Leonard Floyd, as long as he’s healthy. 
• Rodrigue mentions the Rams could do some kind of rework or restructure with Floyd’s contract, and that late-season find Michael Hoecht should figure in as a rotational option in 2023. 
• In the secondary, Rodrigue writes there are some pending free agents the Rams will have to decide on, including S Taylor Rapp, CB Troy Hill, S Nick Scott and CB David Long. Hill has said he wants to be a “Ram for life” and Rodrigue says she knows the Rams want to bring back Scott. The key with both will be price, as the Rams don’t believe in doing big-money deals for safeties and Hill is turning 32 this year. 
• While she caveats that this is purely speculation at this point, Rodrigue points out the Rams have not touched CB Jalen Ramsey‘s contract recently which would appeal to a team interested in trading for him. She says the possibility of the Rams trading Ramsey is worth watching. 
• Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post is much more definitive, saying it’s a matter of “when” not “if” Ramsey is traded, and the GMs he’s talked to don’t think the Rams will get nearly as much for Ramsey as some fans might expect. 
• Former Colts HC Frank Reich was a name that circulated as a possibility for the Rams when there were doubts about HC Sean McVay returning. He remains a candidate for the team’s opening at offensive coordinator. (Rodrigue)
• There’s a belief in some league circles the Rams want to get ahead of potentially losing McVay next year and will make a hard push to secure Reich as an internal candidate on staff. (La Canfora)
• However, former Jets OC Mike LaFleur is more generally seen as the frontrunner, with Browns OL coach Bill Callahan a dark horse candidate McVay loves who could be ahead of Reich. (Albert Breer)

Seahawks

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll noted when speaking with reporters that he and GM John Schneider are very excited about the upcoming draft with the picks they acquired in the trade with the Broncos involving QB Russell Wilson.

“I’m pretty fired up about it, really,” Carroll said, via Seahawks.com. “I know John is too. The first four picks, that’s an enormous opportunity for us, so we’ll see what we can make of that. It’s very positive.”