NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Jonathan Gannon, Seahawks

49ers

Cardinals

Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon said that without QB Kyler Murray, he would not have taken the job in Arizona.

“If Kyler Murray isn’t here, I don’t take this job,” Gannon told Peter King. “I think this offense will look much different. This guy does things that it completely handcuffs you how you play defense – at times. I think we can take him to another level and unleash his full skill set. We’re not gonna put him in gun all the time, I’ll tell you that. We’ll have two significant offenses with his skill set: one being under center and one being in the gun. Then obviously we’re gonna do what’s comfortable with him. The way to take pressure off the quarterback and the O-line is to put him under center at times. That’s the missing piece I thought they had with Kyler. They were in gun all the time. When you’re in gun all the time, you don’t make the defense defend certain play types. Now, when you get him under center, the defense has to defend a lot more type of play types. So there’s really two offenses I see us using.”

Gannon also said he has full confidence in hiring young coaches Drew Petzing and Nick Rallis as offensive and defensive coordinators. 

“One hundred percent convicted,” Gannon said. “You know, I talked about in the interview and the other guys that I interviewed for those jobs were all on the younger side, too, probably. One defensive guy was a little bit older. Age isn’t a prerequisite for firepower. I’ve always thought that. When we got to Philly, we had the youngest staff in the NFL. There’s a reason that our [players] ran into the building to come to work. I love that. I’m gonna have some guys with major, major experience worked into the staff because I value that, too. But as far as who’s running the offense and the defense, age was never a factor for me – what was in their brain and what was in their heart is. It’s capacity and character. That’s what I’m looking for in a staff.”

As for the chances he remained with the Eagles, Gannon told King that they had offered him a head coach salary to stay as the defensive coordinator.

“I loved Philly. I love Mr. Lurie [owner Jeffrey Lurie]. I love Howie Roseman. I love Nick Sirianni. They came back and they were like, here’s a new offer,” Gannon revealed. “It’s gonna pay you more than being a head coach. That’s cool and I loved it there but I wanted to be a head coach and I was excited about this because of Mr. Bidwill—Michael, as he would say—[GM] Monti Ossenfort, and Kyler.”

• Ian Rapoport reports that Cardinals assistant head coach and ST coordinator Jeff Rodgers is being retained by Gannon.
• Jeremy Fowler reports that Commanders WR coach Drew Terrell is a “strong candidate” for a passing game coordinator job with the Cardinals after he interviewed for the offensive coordinator job that went to Drew Petzing.

Seahawks

Seahawks backup QB Drew Lock spoke highly of his experience in Seattle this season, despite the fact that QB Geno Smith played every offensive snap and Lock never even took the field during the regular season.

“[Geno] played his ass off all year, taught me a lot in the process,” Lock told Brady Henderson of ESPN. “He’s had a hell of a career fighting back to get to the position that he was in this year. It’s a testament to who he is as a player, but at the same time also gives some light to me. I wasn’t in near the position he was, being behind Russell for multiple years, [but] it gives guys like myself or some backups around the league [a reminder that] we’re all really, really good. We’re all here for a reason. We’re all here for a purpose. It was inspiring to be a part of it.”

“Being in one place for the first three years, you’re nervous coming into a new place,” Lock added. “Everything’s new … Offense is new. Players are new. You’ve got to learn chemistry with everybody. I think how the organization brought me in, treated me when I got here, was top-notch. I appreciate everyone that’s worked with me this year and I appreciate this team, I think more than people may understand.”

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll also commented on the season Lock had behind Smith with a new franchise and staff.

“He had a really good experience,” Carroll said of Lock. “He worked great with the coaches. We really appreciated his talent and his work ethic, and even more so, his mentality and support of Geno. He and Geno were buddies through the whole thing. They helped each other. Sean Mannion was part of that as well. He doesn’t know what’s coming up. He’s got to wait and see, but we’d love to have him back and keep growing with him.”