NFC Notes: Brock Purdy, Ernest Jones, 49ers, Cardinals, Rams

49ers

49ers QB Brock Purdy is among the quarterbacks next in line for a big-money extension. However, Purdy says he’s focused solely on the upcoming season at this point. 

“That’s great. I’m happy for those guys,” Purdy told Omar Ruiz, via 49erswebzone.com. “But for me and this team right now, we’ve got to focus on 2024. This season is so long, and there’s so much stuff that you go through. So to get caught up in what the years can look like down the road or anything like that, to me, that’s pretty nonsense.

“So, focusing one day at a time. I have to get better for this team, and we all do here. So, that’s where my focus is at, and all of our focus is at.”

• According to Aaron Wilson, the 49ers worked out P Alex Weir.

Cardinals

Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon discussed what made the team attracted to C Hjalte Froholdt when they signed him to a two-year contract at the beginning of the 2023 season.

“Personal character, football character. Type of teammate that he is. The work that he puts into being a pro and a good player,” Gannon said, via Cardinals Wire. “We all felt like, and we had some inside intel with Drew being there and Iz being there and Evan Marcus being there with him; they all jumped on the table and said this guy is gonna do that; all he needs to do is play and that’s what Yelda’s done.”

Cardinals OC Drew Petzing said that they had experience with Froholdt during their time together in Cleveland and he experienced both versatility and the ability to quickly pick up the offense.

“The attitude, the effort, the intensity, we were able to see it and he played for us in Cleveland due to a number of injuries. Played guard, played center, so we saw his ability to mentally pick it up, physically go do it,” Petzing explained. “Also knowing that at the time, it was probably Year 3 or 4 for him, he hadn’t played a ton of football up to that point and for a guy with that work ethic who takes the job so seriously, seeing a little bit of success and saying if you know he’s going to work at it and he’s smart and he’s on the right trajectory, you would expect that to only continue with more playing time, so that was exciting to see as we were able to bring him in the building.”

Froholdt is still battling as if he doesn’t have a secured role on the team in order to avoid complacency.

“Every time you start thinking that you’re in a good spot or safe, I think you start getting complacent,” Froholdt said. “I’m still trying not to think that about my spot. I’ve been traveling around the league for quite a while and I’m happy to have found a place that I like to call home right now and I enjoy it and I’m just trying to have fun, so it’s a good camp to go into like just trying to have fun, smile a lot, laugh a lot, score a lot of points, which is super fun. But just trying to be relaxed in it, just being grateful for being in the position to be playing a sport for a living. It’s pretty cool to go out there and fool around with the boys. So pretty stoked.”

Rams

Rams LB Ernest Jones said he wants to remain in Los Angeles long-term, but understands there’s a business side to the game.

“I know that the work that I’ve put in these past three years, I know I’m worthy of something regardless what the worth may be,” Jones said, via Rams Wire. “I just want to put together a great year. I love to be in L.A., I really want to be here. This is truly where I want to keep my family at, grow my family here. But I also know that there’s a business side of it too that I can’t truly control. We’ll see. Hopefully we can get something done and I can be here for years to come. … And I’m up for the challenge. I play football and I’m just excited. I show them another year and I put on another year better than before, that just means that the price goes up.”