NFC Notes: 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

The 49ers’ decision to trade up nine spots in the draft and select QB Trey Lance was spearheaded by the team’s worries over QB Jimmy Garoppolo‘s health.

“We’ve had Jimmy here for five years and he’s got to play in two of those seasons fully,” HC Kyle Shanahan said, via ESPN. “And before this year, it was only one out of four years, and that was our big worry going into it, that we could not go into another year where he didn’t make it through.”

If dealt, Garoppolo has maintained his stance that he wants to be traded to a contender, and isn’t interested with being a bridge quarterback on a rebuilding team.

“I just want to go to a place where they want to win,” Garoppolo said.

Former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum believes San Francisco can fetch a second or third-round pick in any trade involving Garoppolo, plus a late-round selection.

“He’s a starting NFL quarterback,” Tannenbaum said. “He’s not worthy of a first rounder but there’s a lot of teams that will look at him and say he upgrades us at the most consequential position.”

Rams

Veteran LT Andrew Whitworth is excited to have reached the Super Bowl with the Rams. However, he is also facing the franchise with which he began his career, as the Bengals originally drafted him out of LSU.

“Really, really special and cool moment for me to get to play in this game and play against a place that means so much to me.” Whitworth said, via TheRams.com.

• Rams OC Kevin O’Connell asked if reporters could stick to questions about the Super Bowl instead of asking if he will be the next head coach of the Vikings: “There’s a lot of things going on, a lot of things that I’m absolutely looking forward to but none more so right now than our preparation for this game and all the things we’ve been able to accomplish this year.” (Brady Henderson)
• Rams LB Von Miller‘s “dream” is being in an NFL front office one day, so he can help be a beacon for positive change in the NFL: “That gives me an extra incentive to become a GM…so I can change things for the better.” (Coley Harvey)
• Aaron Wilson reports the Rams worked out P Brock Miller.

Seahawks

• Seahawks QB Russell Wilson said at the Pro Bowl that he wants to play with the same franchise for a long time like retiring quarterbacks Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger: “Hopefully I get to play in one place for a long long time like those guys did.” (NFL Network)