NFC Notes: 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

Regarding the speculation that the 49ers could take Alabama QB Mac Jones after trading up to No. 3 overall, an NFL GM tells Ben Standig of The Athletic that he would be “shocked” if San Francisco made this trade when it was possible they may have been able to get Jones at No. 12. 

“It shocks me that they would trade that much to get Mac Jones when he might have been there with their original pick,” the GM said. 

A separate league executive admitted to Standig that he’s puzzled about what the 49ers will do. 

“Maybe it’s (Jones). Who knows?” the executive said. “Maybe it’s Justin Fields — but it sure feels like it’s Mac Jones.”

• Cecil Lammey reports that the Jets turned down a first-round pick from the 49ers in exchange for Panthers’ QB Sam Darnold. Jets’ GM Joe Douglas was concerned about BYU QB Zach Wilson‘s shoulder and wanted to see him in person at his pro day.
• Michael Lombardi reports that “98 percent” of the teams in the NFL still believe the 49ers will select Alabama QB Mac Jones over Ohio State QB Justin Fields and North Dakota State QB Trey Lance.

Rams

Rams HC Sean McVay said that Matthew Stafford enables their offense to execute play actions and produce better in certain circumstances like third downs, two-minute drills, and end-of-game situations.  

“When you look at what he can do, you’re able to execute and activate your play actions, your movements, those things,” McVay said, via The Rich Eisen Show. “But when you get into the known-passing [situations] — the third downs, the two-minute drills at the end of the half, end of the game — the way that he’s able to move and manipulate the pocket, the way he’s able to recognize and understand coverage and make all five eligibles come alive, the way that he can create off-schedule, in the pocket, out of the pocket, and just his overall competitiveness and command, those are the things I think he brings to the table.”

McVay added that Stafford has shown the ability to “get through progressions” and “solve problems” while on the field. 

“When you’re really playing that position, when you’re asked to get through progressions, recognize, read, solve problems protection wise, you’re seeing him do a lot of those things. And to be able to work together, to collaborate, I’m really excited about that collaboration because he’s got a lot of good film and a lot of exposure to different systems that ultimately, you’ll see us bring into our arsenal because it starts with the quarterback always in everything we do.”

Seahawks

Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett said he’d like to finish his career in Seattle after signing his four-year, $69.2 million extension. 

“I would love to finish my career as a Seattle Seahawk,” Lockett said, via ProFootballTalk. “That’s why I said it was an amazing feeling that they even wanted to keep me on the team even longer. I understand this is a business. I understand that sometimes business moves are made and sometimes it works out in the best interests of ourselves as players and sometimes it doesn’t — it benefits other players. So just to be able to see how they feel about me, understand how they feel about me, it brings that type of feeling to me that, you know, they want me here just as much as I want to be here. And who wouldn’t want to finish their career with a team that loves them just as much as you love them?”

Lockett feels that receiving a third contract extension from the Seahawks is an “amazing accomplishment” given the average career for an NFL player is around three years. 

“I know it’s hard to be able to be in a position as athletes for us in the NFL to even get to a third contract extension,” Lockett said. “Usually we say that the average is three-and-a-half years to play in the league and, I don’t know if that’s changed, to even make it to a second contract you’ve already beat the odds within the average years of playing and to get another contract after that, I mean it’s like a really amazing accomplishment.”

• Seahawks CB Damarious Randall‘s one-year, $1.127 million deal includes a $137,500 signing bonus and a base salary of $990,000. (Aaron Wilson)