NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

• The Athletic’s Matt Barrows does not think the 49ers will fire DC DeMeco Ryans during the season, pointing out that would be a panic move and they stayed patient with other young coordinators in the past.
• If San Francisco continues to struggle to close out the 2021 season, though, Barrows thinks someone will have to lose their job and Ryans is the most likely candidate. 
• Barrows adds he doesn’t see HC Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch being on the hot seat, pointing out there are no rifts between the two, the decision to invest so heavily in first-round QB Trey Lance implies some long-term patience from ownership and the two just signed an extension last year that runs through 2025. 
• Barrows doesn’t expect the 49ers to change anything about Shanahan’s heavy control over roster decisions despite some poor results. 
• USA Today’s Josina Anderson reports 49ers CB Josh Norman is dealing with fractured ribs but is trying to play through it.

Cardinals

• The Athletic’s Jeff Howe says Cardinals QB Kyler Murray is considered week-to-week with his ankle injury. While he is pushing to play and working hard on rehabbing this week, a source tells Howe the Cardinals think they can afford to be cautious with Murray at 8-1, and it’s more important to have him ready for the stretch run. 
• The events of last season, where Murray injured his shoulder and he and the team wilted down the stretch, are weighing heavily in Arizona’s decision making, per Howe. It helps that they have a lot of confidence in backup QB Colt McCoy.
• Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury said LS Aaron Brewer will miss “a number of weeks” after sustaining a broken arm. (Bob McManaman)
• Kingsbury said Murray and WR DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) are still considered “day-to-day,” while he’s hopeful that WR A.J. Green (COVID-19) will return this week.  (Josh Weinfuss)
• Cardinals DL Jordan Phillips was fined $15,400 for his roughing the passer in Week 8 against the Packers. (McManaman)
• Kingsbury praised WR Eno Benjamin‘s development since last season, saying he was “hanging on by a thread” but impressed enough on special teams to keep a spot: “He came back a different guy. It’s a great story so far.” (Darren Urban)

Rams

• The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue and Nick Kosmider say the groundwork for the Rams’ trade for OLB Von Miller with the Broncos was laid during negotiations involving LB Kenny Young. Los Angeles felt like they got a good sense of what would be attractive for Denver in any deal involving Miller. 
• The entire deal from the Rams’ side was contingent on the Broncos eating the rest of Miller’s salary in addition to giving him up, per Rodrigue and Kosmider. They add the team was willing to give up second and third-round picks to get Miller on their roster for the rest of this year and hopefully beyond. 
• The duo notes the Rams were under the impression another team — and there was at least one team bidding for Miller seriously in the end and three-plus who inquired with the Broncos — had offered a Day 2 pick and was willing to take on all of Miller’s contract. So Los Angeles offered two Day 2 picks, one for Miller and one for his contract essentially. 

Seahawks

• Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said he has “no updates” on free-agent WR Odell Beckham Jr.‘s candidacy to sign with Seattle: “I’ve got no updates for you. I really got nothing to tell you.” (Doug Kyed)
• Carroll said second-round WR D’Wayne Eskridge (concussion) is fully recovered: “[He’s] ready to go full speed.” (Bob Condotta)