49ers
- With the 49ers potentially short on linebackers this week against the Seahawks, the Athletic’s Matt Barrows expects them to shift Azeez Al-Shaair to the middle and give him green dot responsibilities. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, typically a special teams mainstay, would cover for Al-Shaair on the weakside.
- In three linebacker packages, practice squad LB Tyrell Adams is probably the choice to be called up to play the strong side. But Barrows thinks the 49ers could lean more on nickel and dime looks that emphasize CB K’Waun Williams and sixth-round S Talanoa Hufanga.
- 49ers WR Deebo Samuel and LB Fred Warner are both expected to miss only a week or two, according to HC Kyle Shanahan. (Barrows)
- Third-round RB Trey Sermon has an ankle sprain. Shanahan said that Sermon is a candidate to go on short-term IR but that decision hasn’t been finalized yet. (Nick Wagoner)
- The 49ers worked out DB Doug Middleton. (Aaron Wilson)
Cardinals
Cardinals OLB Markus Golden is happy with his incentive-laden contract. Golden has been a productive pass rusher the past few seasons but he’s been asked time and time again to sign prove-it deals.
“It was tough. But I did it before,” Golden said, via AZCardinals.com. “I did it before when I was in New York (for his 2019 contract with the Giants), and once you do something one time, you believe you can do it no matter what.”
Rams
- Rams OLB Justin Hollins will elevate into the 21-day activation window this week, per HC Sean McVay. (Jourdan Rodrigue)
- McVay said WR Odell Beckham, Jr. suffered a hip pointer that they’ll monitor but the team doesn’t expect him to be limited throughout the week. (Rodrigue)
- Rams RB Darrell Henderson may be limited in practice this week due to a quad injury he suffered in Sunday’s game against the Packers, but it doesn’t sound too serious long-term. (Rodrigue)
Seahawks
Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said the team didn’t intend on limiting WR DK Metcalf‘s production, when he had just one catch and was barely targeted in Monday night’s loss to Washington.
“It’s not because we weren’t trying and looking to him and trying to get that ball to him,” Carroll said, via NFL.com. “He’s involved in all of the calls, but sometimes the coverage gets in the way of it, and you have to go other places and make the right decision there. At this point, I can’t tell you that we overlooked him in this situation. They did a nice job at times, but he’s certainly part of everything that we’re calling.”
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson mentioned he has to get the ball to Metcalf more.
“Yeah, I think obviously we need to get DK the football,” Wilson said. We actually called several plays for him. He had actually a sweet deep cross that he was going to be wide open for, maybe even a touchdown. … That was unfortunate because that was after the big play to Tyler [Lockett] and then here comes DK on a big play hopefully. Yeah I think so. That was the same one. That was gonna be a cool play. Then we called some other stuff for him and they doubled him. We called two plays and they doubled him on those. That was the third quarter. Had some other things.”
Carroll added Wilson has to play better, just like everyone.
“Film doesn’t lie. We’re missing some stuff. I don’t see indications of that in practice,” Carroll said, via NFL.com. “I don’t know what to make of it other than the fact that we gotta keep battling, keep trying to figure it out. I thought we had some guys open tonight, with some chances, and unfortunately we didn’t hook it up.”
- Wilson said his injured finger wasn’t a problem Monday night: “I feel really good. … My finger’s not the issue. I think we just got to figure out how to be better.” (Curtis Crabtree)
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