NFC Notes: Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

Last year, the plan for the Cardinals at right tackle involved veteran Marcus Gilbert, acquired via trade from the Steelers. However, an injury scuttled those plans and forced Justin Murray into the starting lineup. Arizona brings back Murray and didn’t go without addressing the position this offseason, drafting OT Josh Jones in the third round and signing veteran Kelvin Beachum, but once again the team plans to start with Gilbert as the starter on the right side. 

“We want to see how Marcus looks,” Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury said via Kyle Odegard of the team website. “He said he feels the best he’s felt in a long time. Having all these extra months of rehab and not being forced back into anything may be huge for him. He has been a really good player in this league a long time, and if he can start off at that level, then he’s going to slide back in there.”

49ers

• Per NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco, 49ers GM John Lynch said contract talks with TE George Kittle are continuing: “We’re working diligently to come to a resolution.”
• 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan echoed Lynch: “We’re doing everything we can to get it done. … It was great to see George today for the first time.” (Maiocco)
• 49ers signed TE Jordan Reed. (NFLTR)
• 49ers placed CB D.J. Reed on the reserve/non-football injury list. (NFLTR)
• 49ers activated WR Shawn Poindexter and DL Kentavius Street from the PUP list.
• 49ers activated WR Richie James Jr. from the COVID-19 list and placed him on the active/non-football injury list. 

Rams

Part of the reason for the Rams’ struggles on offense was the step back the offensive line took. Without the level of protection he was accustomed to, Rams QB Jared Goff also took a step back. Los Angeles should be healthier on the offensive line in 2020 but with the practice restrictions, Goff is anticipating being in a similar situation as 2019 and has tailored his training this offseason to get better at throwing under pressure. 

“The ability to move inside the pocket and throw off multiple platforms was really important. And one thing Jared had to do a lot of last year was throw off his back foot,” Goff’s private QB coach Adam Dedeaux said via the Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. “Some of that was related to his footwork, which we wanted to clean up. Some of it was related to that understanding that he didn’t have the same space and time (to throw) that maybe he had been accustomed to, and that this year was going to be no different. We worked on the mechanics of how to be able to throw off of the back foot but not lose any of the velocity or take any more off of the arm. And then also, when you’re forced to move and you find yourself on your front foot, how do you throw off your front foot? …

“For me (it’s) knowing, ‘This is going to be your reality, get used to it,’ (not wanting him) to go into survival mode. While everybody else is just going to try to survive, we’re going to thrive because we worked on it.”

• Rams GM Les Snead says talks and the relationship with CB Jalen Ramsey have been healthy but he didn’t want to get into how likely a deal is with the uncertain financial future of the team. (Rodrigue)

Seahawks

• NBC Sports’ Peter King writes if he had to bet on which team would sign free-agent WR Antonio Brown, he would put his money on the Seahawks. 
• Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times said he heard last week former Seahawks DE Jadeveon Clowney “isn’t giving any discounts” and could be willing to hold out for the best offer well into training camp. 
• Former NFL S Kerry Joseph is returning to the Seahawks as an offensive assistant. Joseph played four seasons in Seattle before moving on to the CFL and becoming a quarterback. (Pro Star)