NFC Notes: 49ers, J.J. Watt, Cardinals, Seahawks

49ers

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan revealed to the media that he hasn’t thought much about QB Brock Purdy’s long-term future with the team.

“I don’t even know what year it is after this season’s over,” Shanahan said, via Matt Maiocco of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “I’m thinking about how to try to get him ready for [practice on] Wednesday, man. It’s a great question. But, honestly, I don’t look ahead like that. We got a number of big games in front of us.”

“I thought Brock played well, real well,” Shanahan added. “He was smart with the ball. I thought he just did a great job of not doing anything stupid with some tough situations.”

• 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo (foot) has gotten his cast off according to Shanahan. (Matt Barrows)
• 49ers WR Deebo Samuel could return to practice later on in the week as well, per Shanahan. (Nick Wagoner)

Cardinals

• Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury said the organization was unaware DE J.J. Watt intended to retire until he announced it, and they’ll celebrate the veteran defensive lineman over the final weeks of his career: “We see the excellence each and every day when he comes home n the building.” (Darren Urban)
• Watt said he’s known that he intends on retiring “for a while” and is at peace with his decision. (Darren Urban)

Seahawks

The Seahawks have dipped in recent weeks and the 1-4 slide has coincided with a dip from QB Geno Smith as well. However, HC Pete Carroll maintains he has no issues with how Smith is playing right now. 

“No. I think he’s battling,” Carroll said Monday on KIRO-AM radio, via the Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar. “We need to help him and play around him well. He’s not making bad throws.”

“He’s doing really well,” Carroll added. “This is a hard position to play. He’s playing his first year as a starter in a long time. He’s doing terrific.”

What fuels Carroll’s perspective is how he’s always viewed the position as just one of 22 starters, or at least closer to that view than the rest of the league. It’s why he was so resistant to previous QB Russell Wilson‘s attempts to make himself more of a featured centerpiece, but it also means he holds Smith’s teammates as much responsible for the recent slide as he does Smith. It’s not up to Smith to play better and save the season, it’s up to the whole team. 

“For all the years we’ve been here, that’s how it’s been designed,” Carroll said. “We’re still trying to capture that again because we think it’s the best way to go. You can’t deny the fact that sometimes these guys put up 5,000 yards throwing, and they have these great years, and they do unbelievable things. Well, those are more the outliers, to me, than the norm. The fans want it; everybody wants to see the throwing game, and it’s exciting and fun and all that. I get it. But that’s not really what we’re watching, and you’re seeing a great illustration of it.”