NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

With a 2-3 start to the season punctuated by a blowout loss to the Dolphins this past week, the 49ers appear to have a classic case of the Super Bowl hangover. 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the phenomenon while adding there are some unique circumstances, particularly with injuries, the team is going through now. 

“I think it’s frustrating,” Shanahan said via Pro Football Talk, “I mean, just like you said, the Super Bowl hanging over, is just the big questions you’ve got to answer all the time and especially when you don’t have any offseason [program], so it kind of lingers even longer because I mean, the first time we came back after the Super Bowl was training camp. So it was kind of right there with the questions and stuff.

“But as far as going through it, I mean, it has no correlation with anything. We’re trying to figure out our team now and battle through a number of injuries and we’re trying to play better football. But to compare that to a year before anything, we have a different team this year. You have a different team every year and that’s something we’re working through. We’re not at our best right now and we’re trying to get there, but quickly once the season starts, once you get into a game, I feel the year before, it’s out of your mind completely. It might be a little bit different [for the Rams in 2019], maybe Sean [McVay] and their situation, because you come back in phase one and phase two and probably certain things you can address and work through. But by the time we came back, there’s nothing you can talk about. The season was here, so you move on and you go and try to have a better year this year and we’re not there, but we’re working on to turn that around.”

• ESPN’s Bill Barnwell outlines a potential trade between the 49ers and the Browns, with San Francisco sending S Tarvarius Moore for TE David Njoku. 
• Moore is buried behind other options in San Francisco but would have a chance to start in Cleveland, while Njoku could play an important role as a second tight end for the 49ers. 
• Barnwell adds the 49ers could trade WR Dante Pettis and a fifth-round pick to Washington for DE Ryan Kerrigan to help rejuvenate their pass rush which has been hit hard by injuries. Washington would pick up a pick and a potential boost to their receiving corps for a veteran in the final year of his deal. 
• 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle) is off the injury report and is good to go for Week 6. (Tom Pelissero)
• 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said the 49ers don’t think LB Kwon Alexander’s injury will require him to be placed on injured reserve, but he’s out for Sunday’s game. (Matt Barrows)
• Shanahan mentioned that CB Emmanuel Moseley needs to pass one more step in the concussion protocol. If he does, he will start on Sunday.
• According to Shanahan, DE Ronald Blair III had a setback regarding his knee injury. (Nick Wagoner)
• Shanahan also said the three players on the physically unable to perform list — C Weston Richburg, DT Jullian Taylor, DE Ronald Blair III — aren’t expected back until somewhere closer to weeks 10-12. (Nick Wagoner)
• OUT for Week 6: LB Kwon Alexander (ankle), CB Dontae Johnson (groin)
• QUESTIONABLE for Week 6: S Marcell Harris (ankle), CB Emmanuel Moseley (concussion), RB Jeffery Wilson (calf)

Cardinals

Cardinals GM Steve Keim said during an appearance on 98.7 Arizona Sports that Chandler Jones‘ season-ending injury is “heartbreaking.”

“I said this weeks ago, that there are certain players you cannot replace,” Keim said, via AzCardinals.com. “You can’t replace Chandler Jones. Now collectively as a group we all have to step up, but you can’t replace Chandler Jones. Unfortunately, Deacon Jones in his prime is not out there. You have to do the best you can.”

Keim was also asked about the team possibly being involved in deals leading up to the trade deadline.

“There are so many things that go into a trade,” Keim said. “Two teams have to be willing to make it happen, there is the question of why a team is willing to part with a player that you covet. Then there is the second part, which is the financial part, especially when it’s a one-year deal, giving up draft compensation for a guy for maybe 10 games with this COVID process, or are you able to benefit from multi-years left on the contract? There are so many things that go into it. You just have to do the best you can for the organization.”

Rams

• While the Rams were not looking to trade TE Gerald Everett before the season, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic mentions he’s at least worth watching in the coming weeks. Even so, she considers the possibility of Los Angeles making a move before the deadline to be “low.”
• OUT for Week 6: LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (elbow)
• QUESTIONABLE for Week 6: LB Micah Kiser (groin)

Seahawks

• Michael Shawn-Dugar of The Athletic tosses out Falcons DE Takkarist McKinley and Washington OLB Ryan Kerrigan as speculative trade candidates to watch for the Seahawks in the coming weeks. However, he says the odds of Seattle making a move are “low.”