NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Rams

49ers

49ers LB Dre Greenlaw said he’s missed OTAs after undergoing a minor operation on his thumb but his recovery is going well. 

“Yeah, nothing major,” Greenlaw said, via 49ersWebZone. “Just a little clean up in the thumb. [It] was giving me some problems, just whenever I was punching at the ball or whenever I had to use my hands on O-linemen. [My] finger was just really jammed up, so I just had to get it cleaned up and fixed. It’s going really well right now, so I’m just waiting, I guess. Now, I think they’re going to keep me out of OTAs for the most part, just because you don’t want any setbacks right now. But it’s going really well.”

Greenlaw is hopeful to be more involved in blitzes in new DC Steve Wilks‘ defense and expects to be matched up against running backs.

“I do hope so,” Greenlaw said. “I talked to him as well, and just based off what we’ve been doing, there’s going to be a lot of ways that he’s going to be able to just match us up on running backs. And whether he’s calling it, whether we’re hug-rushing the running back, or whatever it is that he’s calling, but he’s definitely going to be sending us a lot more.”

Greenlaw added Wilks doesn’t want to change much from former DC DeMeco Ryans‘ system. 

“It’s not like he wants to change a lot of things,” Greenlaw said. “He loves the way that we play, the will of the way that we play, and the scheme that we had last year. I think it’s going to be awesome for him to just mix his own [style] in there and make us more aggressive in different situations, and that’s just going to be fun to add to the pot. So, it’s been a great change so far. As far as just him, just being himself, being a great leader that he is. It’s going to be fun to work with him.”

Cardinals

Cardinals QB Colt McCoy revealed he’s been recovering from an elbow injury throughout the offseason. 

“I had some elbow stuff,” McCoy said, via CardinalsWire. “Just kind of been taking care of it all offseason.”

McCoy mentioned he’s been getting “ramped” back up by the coaching staff and his elbow is responding well. 

“They’ve ramped me back up to be able into being able to some team drills and throws. It’s been good,” McCoy said. “Just been focusing on that and I feel pretty good.”

Seahawks

Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker is hoping to have another big season in Seattle after finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting for 2022.  

“I thought I was going to win it,” Walker said, via Maliik Obee of Seahawks.com. “Garrett Wilson is a great player, though, so let’s not take it from him. Yeah, kind of frustrated, but it happens. I can’t make those decisions, so I’ve just got to come out here and do my best and get better. You know, I know the plays. I know what to expect on offense and from the defense, so it’s much easier. My head’s not spinning from when I first got here.”

“I mean, I can catch the ball,” Walker added. “In high school, I was a wide receiver and a running back. And then when I got to college, I was in an offense that really didn’t throw the ball. . . . And so, I guess a lot of people around the league or whatever didn’t think I could catch, but, you know, Shane [Waldron] and everybody believed in me up here and they’ve been passing me the ball more.”