NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Rams

49ers

• NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco expects 49ers S Jimmie Ward to look for a starting safety job elsewhere as a free agent this offseason after being shifted to nickel corner this past season. 
• Maiocco believes it’s more likely than not that 49ers RT Mike McGlinchey finds a better deal somewhere besides San Francisco, and points out the team seems to have been grooming OL Colton McKivitz to replace McGlinchey.
• Maiocco notes there’s a decent chance 49ers CB Emmanuel Moseley‘s torn ACL undercuts his free agent market and San Francisco brings him back on a one-year prove-it deal. 
• San Francisco likes to stay deep on the defensive line, so Maiocco writes they’ll leave the door open for Samson Ebukam, Kerry Hyder, Charles Omenihu and Jordan Willis to come back, but will be on the lookout for upgrades or replacements if any of them get too expensive. 
• He adds he thinks the team should be able to re-sign OL Daniel Brunskill, C Jake Brendel and S Tashaun Gipson to team-friendly deals. However, LB Azeez Al-Shaair has likely played his way into a starting job somewhere else. 
• 49ers QB Trey Lance says he is three or four weeks from being fully cleared for practice and will be fully healthy for OTAs. (Matt Barrows)

Cardinals

• ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss notes Cardinals DL Zach Allen is the team’s biggest decision to make among their pending free agents, as he looked like a potential building block on the defensive line. 

Rams

• ESPN’s Sarah Barshop notes Rams QB Baker Mayfield is easily the team’s highest-profile pending free agent, but unless he’s willing to sign on as a backup, a return to Los Angeles is unlikely.