NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Seahawks

49ers

49ers’ first-round QB Trey Lance said there is “no awkwardness at all” between Jimmy Garoppolo and himself. 

“No, there’s no awkwardness at all,” Lance said, via Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group. “We’re good friends. We’ve gotten to spend a lot more time together now and definitely looking forward to continue learning as much as I can from him. He’s one of the best people that I’ve ever been around on and off the field. So just super excited to continue to learn this year as much as I can from him.”

  • Per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, Lance has been aggressive and impressive at camp so far, which could put him in the running to present a more serious challenge to Garoppolo than the coaching staff has let on. 
  • Barrows mentions WR Mohamed Sanu has been the team’s third-best receiver during camp so far. 
  • 49ers TE MyCole Pruitt sustained a calf injury that is considered to be short-term. (Barrows)
  • The San Francisco 49ers are hosting TE Joshua Perkins for a tryout. (Aaron Wilson)

Cardinals

Cardinals LB Jordan Hicks is disappointed that GM Steve Keim told him he won’t compete for a starting spot following the LB Zaven Collins draft pick.

“There’s part of you that is pissed off,” Hicks said, via AZCardinals.com. “At the same time, you understand it. Steve is doing his job, doing what he has to do to further the team, per se, in his opinion.

“Part of you respects it, part of you that wishes you just had an opportunity to compete.”

Hicks added he doesn’t want to be a distraction and wants to help Collins any way possible.

“This is where we’re sitting right now,” Hicks said. “Show up every day with a smile on my face and be the best teammate I can be.”

DC Vance Joseph said it’s important for the team to give Collins their confidence in him starting.

“You have to,” Joseph said. “You can’t put him out there and you make a couple of mistakes and you bench the kid. There may be a time when it’s too much and we sit him for a series or two, and that’s OK. But if he’s ready to play Week 1 he’s going to play, and if he struggles, we’ll have to figure it out for him. But right now, he’s the Mike ‘backer and he’s doing fine.”

Seahawks

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll gassed up RB Rashaad Penny, who opened camp up healthy and will look to prove himself in what’s now a contract year after Seattle declined his fifth-year option in May. 

“He looks really the best we’ve seen him,” Carroll said via Pro Football Talk. “He’s 220’s, 225 in there. He looks really light on his feet. He’s really confident in his burst and changing direction and all that. He’s off to a great start. It’s really comforting to see that all of the work he did paid off. He stayed in town for the bulk of the offseason and worked with our guys. He maxed out here. You can see it. It’s big payback here. Really anxious to see him and get going as we get into ball games and all.”

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