NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

• The Athletic’s Matt Barrows says 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo has admitted his arm isn’t quite all the way back from offseason shoulder surgery. 
• Barrows isn’t sure what San Francisco’s plan with third-round RB Tyrion Davis-Price is now but he expects the team to lean on RB Elijah Mitchell to take some of the early down carries from RB Christian McCaffrey when Mitchell is back from IR.
• In addition to Mitchell, Barrows anticipates the 49ers getting back FB Kyle Juszczyk, DT Arik Armstead and possibly CB Jason Verrett after the bye for Week 10 against the Chargers. 
• The earliest 49ers DT Javon Kinlaw could be back, per Barrows, is mid-November, and LB Azeez Al-Shaair and OL Colton McKivitz are both looking at the end of November-early December to return. 
• Looking ahead to 2023, Barrows says the 49ers like RT Mike McGlinchey well enough but won’t break the bank to bring him back if another team offers him top right tackle money in free agency. 

Cardinals

• Cardinals DT Rashard Lawrence will be reassessed after four weeks to see if he can come off of injured reserve, per HC Kliff Kingsbury. He’ll need surgery “at some point” but might be able to play through it until the season is done. (Howard Balzer)
• The Cardinals brought in DB Richard LeCounte and TE Chris Pierce for workouts on Tuesday. (Aaron Wilson)

Rams

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mentions the Rams as a potential landing spot for Browns RB Kareem Hunt, as their ground game could use a big boost.  
• The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue writes she thinks the Rams are hopeful OT Alaric Jackson develops into their left tackle of the future, even after extending LT Joseph Noteboom this offseason. Jackson has been steady despite shuffling to a few different spots on the line. 
• She also thinks the Rams think they need help at pass rusher, with an eye on 2023 as well as the rest of this season. If the Rams make a huge splash at the trade deadline, she thinks it will be for an edge rusher. 
• Regarding the situation with RB Cam Akers, Rams HC Sean McVay has internally not ruled out patching things up with the runner but Rodrigue says there’s a decent chance Los Angeles just ends up cutting Akers after the deadline if no buyer emerges. 

Seahawks

The Seahawks were going to be relying on a lot of rookies as they hit a reset button in 2022, and that hasn’t historically been a recipe for success. It helps when the rookies turn out to be ballers, however, and that’s what the early returns on Seattle’s 2022 draft class are showing. First-round LT Charles Cross and third-round OT Abraham Lucas are holding it down as bookend tackles, and Seattle’s entire starting cornerback trio are rookies — fifth-round CB Tariq Woolen, fourth-round CB Coby Bryant and UDFA CB Michael Jackson. Add in second-round RB Kenneth Walker and second-round OLB Boye Mafe, and this is looking like another banner draft class that could key years of success.  

“The guys came in, and they were all capable. They were all physically able to do it, and then mentality-wise, they were able to handle the pressure and take it on, so it’s really good for us,” Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “I think we’re playing more rookies than anybody, but it doesn’t seem like it’s that big a deal. I’ve always felt like we wanted to do that, even back to the SC days, we would always play freshmen. And we just tried not to play them too much, where we could help them be successful and then expand them once we get to the halfway point. And it’s happened a little bit faster with these guys, because they’re all really capable and really good.”

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes the Seahawks don’t have a firm timetable for WR D.K. Metcalf‘s recovery from a patellar tendon issue, noting it’s all about how he heals. 
• Metcalf could miss this week but a team source said he’s “built like Superman” and might be able to return sooner than others would. 
• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mentions the Seahawks as a potential landing spot for Browns RB Kareem Hunt, as they all of a sudden look like contenders and could fortify their depth at running back a bit. 
• The Seahawks brought in two defensive backs for workouts on Tuesday including Chris Steele and Kary Vincent. (Aaron Wilson)
• Seattle also hosted DB DaMarcus Fields for a visit.