NFC Notes: Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

Cardinals

For the second straight year, Cardinals RB Kenyan Drake is looking at potentially being an unrestricted free agent. Last offseason, Arizona placed the transition tag on Drake. This offseason with all the uncertainty over what the salary cap will end up at, Drake still doesn’t know exactly what is going to happen. 

“I know my team specifically, they’re doing their job diligently working in that degree to put me in the best position from that standpoint,” Drake said on Good Morning Football via NFL Media’s Kevin Patra. “(Working out) is my main focus right now. Once we get to that bridge, we’ll cross it. It hasn’t really been too much dialogue right now. I know the league and the teams are trying to figure out the cap room, that type of situation. So like I said, once we cross that bridge, we’ll get there. But as of right now, I’m just kind of focusing on making sure I put my best foot forward in this offseason, get to that 1,000 yards.”

49ers

Dave Lombardi of The Athletic says that Texans’ QB Deshaun Watson may be the only player that the 49ers are willing to go all-in for at this point.

49ers Assistant GM Adam Peters previously stressed the significance of draft capital in year in which the cap is projected to decline. 

“With the cap going down so much, these draft picks are very, very valuable, and this is a very important draft for everyone,” Peters said, via Matt Barrows. “Because everyone’s going to get crunched, with the exception of a couple of teams, in terms of being able to sign free agents.”

• Lombardi mentions that a potential trade for Jets’ QB Sam Darnold could be a conditional third-round pick that becomes a second-rounder and a late-round pick.
• While Lombardi adds that trading for Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott would likely take three-first round picks, one for Watson could take two first-round picks, two second-round picks, two defensive starters, and even more if other teams are in the picture.

Rams

• Kevin Modesti of The Orange County Register says that S John Johnson and CB Troy Hill are both candidates to receive the franchise tag.
• However, the Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue doesn’t believe that the Rams will make any sudden moves or use their franchise tag unless the tag amount is less than a potential extension year or they tag-and-trade a player for a return that is higher than the next years’ compensatory pick.
• The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. proposes a potential trade with the Bengals sending their third-round pick to the Rams in exchange for RT Rob Havenstein.
• This would address a big hole for the Bengals at right tackle with a player they have some scheme familiarity with and who would be relatively affordable after the trade. For the Rams, they add another pick and clear cap space.

Seahawks

Entering the home stretch of his NFL career, Seahawks LB K.J. Wright feels like it would be great if he could finish where he started in Seattle.

“That would be a beautiful story if I could ride out with the Seahawks. That’s legendary-type stuff,” Wright said during a call with Jim Rome.

However, the 31-year-old Wright isn’t interested in taking a hometown discount to stay with the franchise. He says he does too much on the field and has a family to think about.

“I do way too much on the football field to take a discount. That makes absolutely no sense,” Wright said. “I have a family and I’m trying to set up long, long-term success for my family. So that’s out of the question.”

• Wright said in an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio that talks have been “non-existent” so far and he’s angling for a multi-year deal: “I believe we’re just going to wait until the middle of March when free agency actually opens [to talk].” (Bob Condotta)
• Regarding Seahawks QB Russell Wilson‘s media tour of airing out his grievances, Wright said he didn’t sense unhappiness from Wilson during the season: “His comments did catch the world by surprise but he did express himself and hopefully that doesn’t cause too much ruckus within the organization.”