NFC Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Sean McVay, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

49ers undrafted OL Jason Poe explained OT Trent Williams took him under his wing this offseason, because he saw the potential in his game.

“Because, you know, I’d talked to him a couple of times but not much,” he said, via Matt Barrows of The Athletic. “Then (Williams wrote), ‘I want you to come down here. I see something in you — potential.’ And he brought me down there, put me under his wing and he trained me all summer until we got back.”

Williams recalled a play where Poe was quick off of the line of scrimmage and caught Williams’ attention, which prompted him to spend extra time with him over the summer.

“I was like, ‘Oh, damn, who is that?‘” Williams said. “I didn’t even see his name on the back of his jersey or nothing like that. His first step off the ball, it’s extremely quick.”

Cardinals

• Cardinals WR Marquise Brown is back on the field doing individual drills. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said the plan is to continue increasing his workload until he’s at full speed, most likely by Wednesday. (Josh Weinfuss)
• Cardinals QB Kyler Murray isn’t practicing due to his wrist, while QB Colt McCoy is also limited due to arm soreness. (Darren Urban)

Rams

Rams QB Matthew Stafford and HC Sean McVay are over answering questions about the defending Super Bowl champion’s right arm injury, especially after reporters asked seven straight questions about the arm.

“You guys want to talk to me about something other than my right arm?” Stafford said, via RamsWire.com.“It’s gotten a lot more traction than I would’ve thought, to be honest with you. But to be honest, it doesn’t really change my life. I’m just sticking to the plan and trying to get the feeling as good as I possibly can so that I can go out there and play really good football all year.”

“I’m just going through something that is irritating at the moment but I’m working through it,” Stafford added. “We got a great plan. I’m feeling stronger every time I come out here and throw. I don’t know if you guys were watching, I felt like I could make any throw I wanted to today. I’m just trying to be smart when I get those opportunities to make sure I can come out here, cut it loose, turn it loose like I did today and go from there.”

When asked questions about the injury being one usually sustained by baseball players, McVay shrugged it off.

“I don’t know if it’s a baseball or a football injury,” McVay said. “I currently play football and it’s on a football player so I guess it’s a football injury at this point. I’m not really too worried about what it’s called or whether it’s abnormal or not, or whatever. I’m worried about here today. How did I feel? Let’s continue to progress and get better.”

• ESPN’s Seth Wickersham talked to McVay who mentioned he got a raise from the Rams. The coach later mentioned that an extension has already been finalized. 
• In his profile, Wickersham also relayed what McVay told the Rams front office in 2021 when the opportunity to trade for Stafford to replace Jared Goff arose: “Here’s the f—ing deal, OK? We can sit here and exist, and be OK winning nine to 11 games, and losing in the f—ing divisional round and feel like, ‘Oh, everything’s OK.’ Or, we could let our motherf—ing nuts hang, and go trade for this f—ing quarterback, and give ourselves a chance to go win a f—ing world championship. You ready to f—ing do this or what?”
• The Athletic’s Jeff Howe notes the Rams are trying to manage Stafford’s workload during camp because his elbow issue doesn’t seem like something that’s going to go away this season.
• He added it was pointed out to him that Stafford is used to playing through pain and if there were games this week, he wouldn’t be held out. 

Seahawks

• PFF’s Doug Kyed polled a number of NFL sources about the Seahawks’ quarterback competition between veteran Geno Smith and the younger Drew Lock and Smith came out with just a slight edge. Smith has been the one primarily working with the first team so far. 
• Kyed talked to a pair of AFC scouts who think Smith’s experience and decision-making could give him an edge to start, although holding Lock off for the entire year will be tough: “I’d give Smith the slight edge because he’s safer with the football and won’t lose a game due to his decision-making. Though I do think we’ll see Lock at some point.”
• The other pointed out Seattle probably promised Smith a chance to start to get him to re-sign this offseason: “Which is why you see all the rhetoric coming out of there that it’s his job to lose. Ultimately, I think Lock will start more games this year.”