NFC Notes: Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

Cardinals

Offensive firepower will be on display when the Cardinals match up with the Titans this week. Cardinals second-year LB Isaiah Simmons is looking forward to the challenge of trying to tamp down on Tennessee’s offense.

“(We’re) very excited for this test against another great team,” Simmons said, via SI.com. “(The Titans have a) great back in (RB) Derrick Henry. (They also have) (WR) Julio Jones, (WR) A.J. Brown, (QB) Ryan Tannehill. All of them bring something special to the game.

“But you know, the good thing about that is we have players that bring special things to the game as well,” added Simmons. “So I’m very excited to see how we match against them. I like the matchup.”

Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury echoed Simmons’ sentiment, stating he really likes where his team is at, especially offensively, and they’ve made a lot of progress inching towards their ultimate goal this offseason by adding guys like A.J. Green and second-round rookie Rondale Moore to a group that already included DeAndre Hopkins.

“I like the progress we’ve seen,” Kingsbury said. “It’s a group where A.J. brings a lot of experience. He’s a consummate professional. He’s been great for that room. Rondale has some real explosive traits that we got to be able to utilize. Then you have Hop and Christian Kirk who were here last year who know the system inside and out. So I like what we’ve seen (out of the receivers); we just have to go out there and perform.”

• ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss lists Moore as a potential breakout player in 2021, as he could thrive with all the attention defenses will have to pay to Green and Hopkins.

49ers

• ESPN’s Nick Wagoner lists 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk as a potential breakout player in 2021, as he’s set up to be San Francisco’s No. 1 receiver. 

Rams

• ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry lists Rams WR Van Jefferson as a potential breakout player in 2021. While Los Angeles added veteran WR DeSean Jackson this offseason, Thiry says Jefferson will still see plenty of snaps as they try and keep Jackson healthy. 

Seahawks

• ESPN’s Brady Henderson lists Seahawks LB Jordyn Brooks as a potential breakout player in 2021, as the 2020 first-round pick is expected to step into a starting role full-time now in his second season.
• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Seahawks LT Duane Brown has incentives for playing time and the Pro Bowl in his restructured contract. Fowler added Brown gets another $590,000 for the extra 17th game as a game check.
• Brown’s deal maxes out at $12 million this year. (Adam Schefter)
• Brown will get a $2 million injury benefit if he suffers an injury this year that also costs him next year. (Bob Condotta)
• Seahawks HC Pete Carroll says Brown will play this weekend: “[He’s] ready to go. … he’s really healthy right now and we’re thrilled about that for him.”  (Curtis Crabtree) 
• Carroll also mentions S Ryan Neal is back at practice following an oblique strain and will be ready to go this week. (Crabtree)
• He added TE Colby Parkinson won’t make it back this week. (Crabtree)
• Seahawks fourth-round CB Tre Brown is going to be out a little while still, per Carroll. Seattle placed him on IR Tuesday: “He’s got a couple things we’re working on. None of them are debilitating, none of them so serious. It’s just going to take some time so it’s going to be a couple weeks.” (Crabtree)
• Carroll explained why the team traded CB Ahkello Witherspoon: “Just didn’t (work) this time around and another club wanted him. And so we had the competition that we had coming up and coming in, we were excited about. and thought that’d be the best way to go.” (Condotta)