NFC Notes: 49ers, Rams, Seahawks, Geno Smith

49ers

• The Athletic’s Matt Barrows notes 49ers RB Jordan Mason stood out during OTAs with RB Elijah Mitchell working off to the side while dealing with an apparent minor injury. Mason was particularly impressive as a pass catcher: “People think I learned how to catch out of the blue. But I’ve always been able to do it. I was just never utilized in that way.”
• Barrows says 49ers CB Deommodore Lenoir worked exclusively with the first-team defense and appears to have a firm hold on the other starting job across from CB Charvarius Ward.
• Barrows mentions the best thing to say about 2022 third-round WR Danny Gray, who barely played as a rookie, is that he was inconsistent this spring. Drops were an issue, though his speed was evident. 
• 49ers third-round S Ji’Ayir Brown was the only rookie to work with the starting unit this spring, with DC Steve Wilks noting veteran S Tashaun Gipson has been mentoring him: “He’s had an opportunity with Gipson being here to be able to learn from a veteran guy, and they do a great job communicating and talking. Gip is one of the older guys in the room and I think he does a good job trying to relay things from a coach’s perspective, so he’s helped Ji’Ayir out tremendously.”
• Two players Barrows is keeping an eye on to make a case for a roster spot during training camp are undrafted rookie CB D’Shawn Jamison and OT Leroy Watson, who spent most of last season on the practice squad and is a converted tight end.
• When asked if he’s spoken to 49ers QB Trey Lance‘s representation regarding a potential trade if Brock Purdy is ready for Week 1, HC Kyle Shanahan responded firmly: “No,” via ProFootballTalk. 
• Jordan Schultz reports that 49ers are working out XFL WR Jahcour Pearson for the second time.

Rams

• Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports that the Rams were looking to trade into the first round of the draft in order to select a wide receiver such as Jordan Addison, Quentin Johnston, Zay Flowers or Jaxon Smith-Njigba. They were also interested in trading up to pick OT Anton Harrison or TE Dalton Kincaid before settling on G Steve Avila in the second round
• Rams WR Cooper Kupp said he is “feeling really good now” and the team is being cautious with him after undergoing a tightrope surgery on his ankle. (Rodrigue)
• The Titans are hiring Rams manager of football analytics Sarah Bailey as their new director of football research and development. She had been with Los Angeles since 2017. (Seth Walder) 

Seahawks

For Seahawks QB Geno Smith, the encore to his breakout 2022 season started immediately after the team’s playoff loss to the 49ers. Smith didn’t take any time off, instead choosing to stay in Seattle and train as if the season was still going on for another few weeks until the Super Bowl. That relentless pace continued this offseason, with Smith dialing in on a few areas of his game like pocket movement and playmaking on third down and in the red zone. 

“The most impressive thing, he showed up for our offseason program in what I felt like was midseason form,” Seahawks OC Shane Waldron said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “His arm was ready to go, and just physically, he was in great shape. He was ready to take on the offseason program, and not in a build-up-to-it kind of mode. He was ready to go right from the start. The one thing I’ve seen Geno continually do the last few years is really be committed the older he gets, outside of just throwing the ball, to the physical preparation and conditioning.”

Waldron added Smith’s work ethic has bled over to the rest of the team who saw the phenomenal shape he reported to OTAs in. The whole team is itching to take another step forward after a promising 2022 season and Smith says it shows on the field. 

“Just the way we’re competing on the field, it’s OTAs and guys are acting like we got a game on Sunday,” Smith said. “It’s really becoming who we are. So I’m very pleased with that. I don’t like to jinx stuff, so I want to see it on Sundays, but I’m very happy with the way these guys are working. … It’s in the meeting rooms, it’s in the cafeteria, it’s in the weight room, it’s on the field, it’s in the classroom, it’s straight competition. It’s all love, but it’s like, ‘Shoot, man, the defense is trying to destroy us in OTAs, and we’re trying to do the same thing, and it’s months away from training camp and the season.’”

Waldron adds he has zero doubts that the best is yet to come for Smith even though he’s a 10-year veteran.