49ers
- Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes that the 49ers would be awarded third-round picks for two consecutive years should DC Robert Saleh signs as a head coach with another team under the NFL’s initiative to increase minority head coaches and general managers.
- Barrows mentions that the 49ers would also be awarded a 2023 third-round pick should Vice President of Player Personnel Martin Mayhew land a general manager position with another organization.
- Barrows expects the 49ers to re-sign RFA CB Emmanuel Moseley with a second-round tender and impending free-agent CB K’Waun Williams.
- Regarding 49ers DE Dee Ford, Barrows believes San Francisco is resting him so that he is fully healthy prior to his April 1 physical.
- Barrows’ sense is that the 49ers will start QB Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle) if he’s healthy enough even if they are out of the NFC playoff race.
Cardinals
The Cardinals are on a three-game losing streak and a big part of their issues have been that opponents have put the clamps on QB Kyler Murray. Since his Hail Mary to beat the Bills that looked like it could be his MVP moment, Murray’s passing yardage has dipped by 60 yards a game, his rushing yards have dropped by nearly 50 per game and he hasn’t scored a rushing touchdown after notching 10 in the first nine games. It’s nothing Murray thinks can’t be fixed, though.
“We make it harder than it has to be,” Murray said via Darren Urban of the team’s official website. “If we just simplify these games, it’s pretty simple in itself, but at the same time it’s hard to execute at this level. I’m not worried about the pressure or anything like that. We’ve got four games left, and each game is crucial. We know that; everyone knows that. We understand that it’s a 1-0 mentality, and we’ve got to win.”
Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury also poured cold water on the idea that the league has “figured out” murray.
“I don’t think we’ve really scratched the surface from where he can be as a player and he really hasn’t spent a lot of time on task at the NFL level — I don’t know the total number of games, I guess it’s about 28 at this point, and so the room for growth is tremendous,” Kingsbury said. “How he really has progressed from year one to year two and what we see happening moving forward. He’s attacked it. There was nobody who was kind of keeping it warm for him or showing him how to do it, he’s kind of had to learn on the fly and has done a tremendous job of picking things up. I’m excited to watch his development as we move forward.”
- Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald said he had a few days of not feeling great after contracting COVID-19 and he still has some issues tasting and smelling. (Bob McManaman)
- However, Fitzgerald says he feels great now: “Honestly, I feel the best I’ve ever felt.” (Weinfuss)
- Fitzgerald says he lost nine pounds while on the reserve list. (Mcmanaman)
- Fitzgerald added he didn’t contemplate retirement much while on the COVID-19 list: “I didn’t really look at it like that. It was more like the immediate future – like staying alive. … Football, and how long I’ve played football, didn’t really cross my mind.” (Urban)
Rams
- The Rams are bringing in LS Colin Holba for a visit this week. (Aaron Wilson)
- Rams promoted K Austin MacGinnis to their active roster.
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