NFC Notes: 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo said was never worried by the rumors regarding the team potentially signing Tom Brady this offseason. 

“When all that was going on, you hear about it and things like that,” Garoppolo said, via Nick Wagoner of ESPN. “But I really wasn’t too worried. I’m always confident in my play. I know what I put out there (last) season and everything like that. It’s all about being confident. It’s just part of the business. I’ve seen both sides of it so I’ve been there.”

Garoppolo called this offseason “night and day” compared to last year when he was rehabbing from a torn ACL. 

“It’s definitely night and day compared to where it was last year at this time,” Garoppolo said. “This time last year it was more so getting back into being in a live pocket, having live bullets flying around me and getting used to that, so we’re past that. I haven’t really thought about it in a long time… I think my knee is able to do whatever it needs to do at this point.”

Garoppolo pointed out that he is still “young for a quarterback” and feels his experience from playing a full 16 game regular season and playoff run to Super Bowl 54 helped his development. 

“I think having my first full season under my belt, coming off the ACL and everything like that, everything that went into that season, it’ll only help me going forward,” Garoppolo said. “So, I think in terms of being a quarterback, I still have a long way to go. I’m still relatively young for a quarterback in terms of playing time. I think as a quarterback, you got to get out there, play, get live-action like that. I think having a full season under my belt will help me going forward.”

• 49ers DE Nick Bosa acknowledged he talked with his brother, Chargers DE Joey Bosa, about playing together someday but both were confident Los Angeles would re-sign him. (Nick Wagoner)
• 49ers LT Trent Williams says he’s not opting out of the 2020 season: “To be honest, I didn’t even give it a thought of opting out. If I don’t play this year, it’s going to be by force, not by options.” (Cam Inman)

Rams

Rams DT Aaron Donald didn’t have the chance to start learning the team’s new defense under DC Brandon Staley during OTAs this offseason, so now that the team has assembled for training camp Donald is walking through the playbook on the field for the first time. Donald was named defensive player of the year twice under previous DC Wade Phillips and his goal is to do the same under Staley, a process which starts now. 

“Just being here, being able to walk-thru the defense and actually be on the grass, getting a little feel for how it’s going be and how I can play in it and put my own swag and own style to it, so I can be successful in the defense,” Donald said via Pro Football Talk. “The first day, you’re out there, there’s different things that are kind of rocky, the next day you feel a lot more clean, a little bit more of an understanding of how I have to play things. Like I said, the same way, I can put my own little twist to it, but not do it to the point where I’m messing up the defense. Each day is going to keep getting better. We’ve got good things going in that’s not just going to help me, but help a lot of guys around us. I’m definitely excited about it.”

• Rams WR Robert Woods said he and the team have had preliminary talks about a new contract. Woods’ current deal runs through 2021 and he wants to stay in his hometown of Los Angeles for the rest of his career. (Omar Ruiz)

Seahawks

• Per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Time, Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf said he’s focused on cutting down on the drops as he goes into his second season.