NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Seahawks

49ers

• Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports believes that the 49ers should prioritize upgrading at slot receiver with Trent Taylor and Kendrick Bourne set to be free agents.
• Although the 49ers would like to re-sign Bourne, Maiocco points out that the receiver could earn a sizable pay raise from his $3.259 million in 2020 which could price him out of San Francisco. 
• Even so, Maiocco writes that it is “doubtful” that the 49ers would pay any free-agent receiver what they’d be willing to pay Bourne. Instead, San Francisco would likely select a receiver in the 2021 NFL Draft.
• In regards to the quarterbacks available in the 2021 NFL Draft, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated was told by several NFL scouts who preferred North Dakota State QB Trey Lance‘s skillset in 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan‘s offense to Ohio State’s Justin Fields or BYU’s Zach Wilson. At No. 12 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Breer believes the 49ers are in “striking distance” to select Lance. 
• ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler name 49ers LT Trent Williams as a player likely to receive a contract extension given premier left tackles rarely reach the open market. 

Cardinals

Cardinals WRs coach Shawn Jefferson told reporters that he hasn’t had any discussions with veteran WR Larry Fitzgerald regarding his decision to potentially retire. 

“He texted me and said, ‘Hey coach, looking forward to meeting with you, talking with you.’ That was the extent of our conversation so I have no insight on what he’s going to do, where he’s leaning, anything like that,” Jefferson said, via Kevin Zimmerman of ArizonaSports.com. “I thought it was very classy of him, he called and congratulated me. He said he’ll find time to talk whenever he has time. This is the offseason period and I try not to bother guys during this time. As we all know, this kid is the ultimate professional and I’m just looking forward to talking with him.”

• Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler call Cardinals DE Haason Reddick‘s $14.6 million franchise tag a “relative bargain” after recording 12.5 sacks last season.
• Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said on Thursday he also has no update on Fitzgerald’s plans for 2021. (Bob McManaman)

Seahawks

• Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic looks at several potential cap casualties who could help appease the situation with veteran QB Russell Wilson, including Raiders’ T Trent Brown, Giants’ G Kevin Zeitler, Chiefs’ T Mitchell Schwartz, and Chargers’ G Trai Turner.
• He also mentions Packers’ LB Preston Smith as one defensive name who the team could attempt to pick up if he were to be a cap casualty this offseason.
• Dugar also thinks that Seahawks’ CB Shaquill Griffin has a fifty percent chance of being franchise-tagged by the team this offseason.
• Brady Henderson of ESPN  notes that NFLPA records show P Michael Dickson and CB Tre Flowers both earned Proven Performance Escalator raises for 2021. Dickson’s base salary raise to $3.384 million was earned by making it to the Pro Bowl, while Flowers’s raise to $2.183 million was for meeting snap-count requirements. Both of the base salaries are non-guaranteed.

• Florida State CB Asante Samuel Jr. had a virtual meeting with the Seahawks. (Justin Melo)