NFC Notes: 49ers, Rams, Cam Akers, Seahawks, Bobby Wagner

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said QB Trey Lance is ready to start if QB Jimmy Garappolo can’t go.

“I think this last month with Trey has been his best consecutive four weeks of practice since we’ve had him,” Shanahan said, via 49ers Web Zone. “He’s had a number of good days, and he’s had some bad days like most guys do. But as far as his consistency and stuff, I feel this last month has been his best.”

• 49ers TE George Kittle had high praise for rookie QB Trey Lance, saying he’s been better than advertised: “Everything you guys saw in camp — he’s been way better than that,” Kittle said. (Matt Barrows)
• 49ers GM John Lynch said Lance is “really coming into his own” and supported him having the opportunity to show what he can do if QB Jimmy Garoppolo can’t go: “He’s really coming into his own. So now you have to go show it on the field if Jimmy is not able to go. We’ll see. Jimmy is a tough dude.” (Cam Inman)
• Lynch talked about rookie QB Trey Lance during a recent radio appearance: “He’s really coming into his own. So now you have to go show it on the field if Jimmy is not able to go. We’ll see. Jimmy is a tough dude.” (Cam Inman)

Rams

Rams HC Sean McVay said that “the target’s always potentially been” for RB Cam Akers to return for the season finale against the 49ers, just in time for the team’s potential playoff run.

“That was always the timeline that we’ve had in place,” McVay said, via LA Times. “He has definitely exceeded our expectations to even be available at this point. And so, I would say the Niners game, or the playoffs is what we’ve always kind of pinpointed as the potential spots. But the way he practiced last week made this week a possibility as well.”

CB Jalen Ramsey said that Akers should only return when he’s 100% and not rush a serious injury rehabilitation process.

“Cam’s still working to get back — let me say that — he’s still working to get back,” Ramsey said. “Personally, I don’t like the perception that’s kind of like he’s already back so that he may be getting pushed to come back or anything like that. No, it’s a process and it’s a journey that he’ll continue to go on, and he’ll continue to grind and rehab, and when the time is right for him to be feeling 100% and ready to come back and contribute to the team, obviously, we going to welcome him back, but we don’t want him not feeling good.”

Ramsey reiterated that he doesn’t want Akers feeling like he’s being rushed back, and he needs to keep doing what he’s doing.

“I definitely don’t want Cam to feel like anybody is rushing him back, that his journey needs to speed up at all,” Ramsey said. “He just needs to keep doing what he’s doing.”

McVay said the team wants “to be smart with it” when it comes to bringing RB Cam Akers back into the fold this season.

“That was always the timeline that we’ve had in place,” McVay said, via Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times. “He has definitely exceeded our expectations to even be available at this point. And so, I would say the Niners game, or the playoffs are what we’ve always kind of pinpointed as the potential spots. But the way he practiced last week made this week a possibility as well.”

• Rams HC Sean McVay says RB Cam Akers will not play on Sunday against the Ravens despite being active. (Lindsey Thiry)

Seahawks

Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner admitted that his future in Seattle is uncertain. 

“You think about it,” Wagner said, via ESPN. “You think about what the next year looks like and what the future holds because this was a season that I don’t think we all planned for. We didn’t plan for the season to go this way, so obviously there’s going to be some changes and whether or not I’m part of those changes, I don’t know.”

Wagner currently leads the NFL with 170 tackles, just four tackles shy of the current record, held by former Patriots LB Jerod Mayo and 49ers LB Patrick Willis.

“I think it’s something that…I’ll be reflective on probably after the season,” Wagner said. “It’s something I’m grateful for. Obviously my teammates play a huge role in that. But then it just, to me, just confirms the consistency that of you just keep doing things the right way and keep taking care of your body and keep taking care of your mind and try to execute and play the game at a high level, there’s still room to get better.”

Wagner said at this time, he has no plans to retire after the 2021 season.

“I feel like I’ve got a lot of room to grow as a player, to grow as a leader,” he said. “I feel like there’s a lot of new technology that’s going to let me play a little bit longer, so I’m excited to dive into [that] stuff, and I think we’ll see how it works out.”

• In addition to his teammate, LB Bobby Wagner, QB Russell Wilson admitted that his future in Seattle was uncertain: “I know for me personally, I hope it’s not my last game. But at the same time, I know it won’t be my last game in the NFL. I’m just focused on today and getting better today. That’s my goal. I love this city and I love this moment. I love these guys and we gotta make sure we get better today. That’s all that matters,” Wilson said. (PFT)
• Wilson says his goal in his career is to win three more Super Bowls. Asked if he thinks he can do that in Seattle says “I hope so.” (Bob Condotta)
• WR Tyler Lockett said had severe symptoms during his battle with Covid-19, saying he was very exhausted, could barely move, chest hurting, throat hurting, anxiety, vomiting. Had no energy, barely eating – says he lost like 8 pounds. Also had some breathing issues: “That wasn’t fun at all.” (Michael-Shawn Dugar)