NFC Notes: 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

49ers’ HC Kyle Shanahan mentions that draft picks factored into the team not heavily pursuing WR Julio Jones. The team traded their first and third-round picks next season to the Dolphins in order to move up and select QB Trey Lance in the draft.

“Everyone knows we don’t have a first-round pick,” Shanahan said, via 49ersWebzone.com. “But what happens when you don’t have a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick, and you lose a number of guys in free agency, which you never can for sure count on? Then you end up going into a draft, and you’ve got to get six new spots, but all you have is a third- and a fifth-round pick. It’s kind of tough to build your team that way and to consistently do it. But he’s a hell of a player. He’s going to definitely help Tennessee. And everyone knows how special he is, but you’ve got to think about the short-term and the long-term, and that’s why those things are so risky for everybody.”

• Tom Pelissero reports that the NFL docked the 49ers the final week of their rookie development program for a violation of offseason work rules that took place during minicamp.
• Pelissero also reports that the infraction was flagged due to a clip posted on social media, and may have involved rules involving contact and technique used during the minicamp.

Rams

Rams HC Sean McVay recently said that having QB Matthew Stafford has put him in a “better mood” this offseason. McVay believes his words were taken out of context as a slight to recently traded QB Jared Goff. 

“Definitely taken out of context,” McVay said, via Gary Klein of the LA Times. “I am very excited, and I have been in a good mood because of the confidence I have in this team, but by no means is that a slight to anybody like Jared, who has done a phenomenal job for the last four years here.”

McVay reiterated that he feels confident about the Rams going into the 2021 season and doesn’t want his words to be misconstrued. 

“I hate that I even have to address that, but I did think out of respect for him and all the good things he’s done, I am in a good mood. But that does not mean it’s not because we’re working together or just because of just Stafford exclusively. There’s a lot of good things going on that I feel really good about and I’m confident about, so don’t twist my words when I didn’t say that.”

McVay is grateful to be back at in-person practices in Los Angeles. 

“Man, it’s good to be back in person, but not good to have this damn traffic, I’ll tell you that much.”

Seahawks

Regarding the reported dysfunction between Russell Wilson and the Seahawks earlier this offseason, Wilson said there are no issues and he’s had “great conversation” with HC Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider 

“I had a great conversation with coach Carroll, you know, had a really great conversation with John [Schneider] too, and coach Carroll and I spent a lot of time together one-on-one and we’re on the same page,” Wilson said, via ProFootballTalk. “We’re here to do what we’re meant to do, and that’s to win it all. Now I’m excited. I’m excited about who we have, the guys we have, excited where we are. Coach Carroll and I’s relationship couldn’t be stronger on it. My focus is to win and winning is everything to me.”