NFC Notes: Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

Cardinals

• Per ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss, Cardinals GM Steve Keim says he’s texted with WR Larry Fitzgerald “a few times” but not about whether he’s coming back for another year. 
• Keim acknowledged the team still has a hole at cornerback and is looking at its options. One of those won’t be moving CB Byron Murphy out of the slot: “One thing you don’t want to do is panic.” (Darren Urban)
• The plan is to keep Justin Pugh as the starting left guard, per Keim. (Weinfuss)
• The Cardinals are also monitoring the running back options they have this offseason but Keim noted they see Chase Edmonds as an excellent player. (Kyle Odegard)
• Patrick Peterson said of leaving the Cardinals: “I never thought I’d be playing for another team.” He added that it’s “the nature of the business now.” (Chris Tomasson)
• Cardinals LB Tanner Vallejo signed a two-year, $3.3 million contract that includes $1.1 million guaranteed and a $500,000 signing bonus. He’ll make base salaries of $990,000 ($600,000 guaranteed) and $1.5 million with $150,000 in per-game active roster bonuses and $400,000 in annual playtime incentives. (Aaron Wilson)

49ers

• The Athletic’s Katherine Terrell reports both the 49ers and Raiders were showing interest in former Saints’ DT Sheldon Rankins before he signed with the Jets on Sunday.
• 49ers’ DT D.J. Jones‘ one-year, $3.5 million deal with San Francisco includes a $2.25 million signing bonus, $3.25 million guaranteed, $1 million in salary guaranteed, and a 2021 per game active roster bonus of $250,000. (Aaron Wilson)

Rams

New Rams QB Matthew Stafford has two years remaining on his deal that came along with him as part of the trade to get him from the Lions. Stafford is 33 years old but told reporters in his first press conference in Los Angeles that he doesn’t “see the end right around the corner or anything like that.” A contract extension has been raised as a possibility, either to lock him up for the Rams or to give them more financial flexibility this season, but Stafford said there haven’t been substantial discussions about that. 

Seahawks

Regarding Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and where things stand with him and the team right now, the Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar writes: 

• Wilson will be the starting quarterback for the team in 2021 and wants to be in Seattle. Seahawks HC Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider want him back as well. However, Wilson also wants more of a voice in personnel decisions, especially on the offensive line, and an offense built more around his arms and legs. 
• Dugar says the team isn’t interested in giving Wilson more personnel power and Carroll doesn’t want to go through “Let Russ Cook 2.0”
• Wilson won’t hold out from practice and never wants to miss a game. The front office also doesn’t want to put itself in quarterback purgatory. So the two sides are stuck with each other for at least one more season, per Dugar. 
• With RB Chris Carson back in Seattle, Dugar says there’s no reason to spend any more resources on the position this offseason. 
• Dugar thinks the simplest way to shore up the pass rush for the Seahawks is to bring back Carlos Dunlap and Benson Mayowa and hope the younger players on the roster take a step forward in their development. 
• As for S Jamal Adams‘ new deal likely coming at some point later this offseason, Dugar points out that while it will probably be north of $16 million as a minimum to make Adams the highest-paid safety, he views himself as a defensive weapon and could ask for $20 million a year. Considering how much they gave up in the trade to get Adams, Dugar notes the Seahawks don’t have much leverage. 
• The Seahawks could also extend S Quandre Diggs and pick up some cap room in 2021, per Dugar. 
• Seahawks’ OC Shane Waldron spoke about what former Rams’ TE Gerald Everett would be bringing to Seattle in 2021: “Gerald brings versatility to any offense, so we’re excited to be able to get him here and really utilize him as a weapon that can move around and do a lot of different things within an offensive structure.” (Dugar)