NFC Notes: Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks

Cardinals

Regarding Cardinals S Budda Baker‘s four-year extension, GM Steve Keim pointed out a play where Baker made an extra effort to make a goal-line tackle against the Steelers in Week 14. 

“That was an emphasis on what does a Cardinal look like,” Keim said, via Darren Urban of the team’s official site. “To me, that’s everything Budda Baker embodies. His passion, his love for the game, his speed, his explosiveness, and his desire.”

Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury called Baker a “great leader” and plays with a high motor. 

49ers

• The Athletic’s David Lombardi and Matt Barrows note 49ers CB Jason Verrett has been legitimately good in camp so far and could push hard to start as the team’s No. 2 corner. 
• While the team is high on 2019 sixth-round CB Tim Harris, Verrett’s emergence could force San Francisco to try and sneak him to the practice squad. 
• Barrows says 49ers DL Kentavius Street and DT Kevin Givens appear to have an early edge for the last two spots at defensive line, while DE Dion Jordan has fallen behind. 
• Lombardi hasn’t been impressed by G Tom Compton and thinks he could be supplanted by either Daniel Brunskill when the 49ers get healthier at center or fifth-round G Colton McKivitz.
• While UDFA RB JaMycal Hasty has been dynamic and explosive, Lombardi says RB Jeff Wilson has been physical and has the benefit of experience. Whichever 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan values more will decide the battle between the two for the No. 4 back. 
• Lombardi mentions both 49ers S Marcell Harris and TE Ross Dwelley have lost ground to recent free-agent additions S Johnathan Cyprien and TE Jordan Reed due to injuries. 
• 49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk is week-to-week with a hamstring injury, while TE George Kittle also has a minor hamstring strain. (Cam Inman)
• 49ers OL Ross Reynolds avoided a serious injury and has just a bone bruise in his knee instead of a torn ligament. Reynolds had to be carted out of practice this week. (Nick Wagoner)

Seahawks

Despite entering his 14th NFL season at the age of 35, new Seahawks TE Greg Olsen isn’t taking it easy. The veteran says he can’t afford to since he’s joining a new team for the first time in years. While he could afford to practice smarter instead of harder in Carolina, Olsen said he needs all the reps he can get to try and build a rapport with Seahawks QB Russell Wilson.

“Typically in training camp, especially as I’ve gotten older, we were always very selective with the plays,” Olsen said via Pro Football Talk’s Curtis Crabtree. “If it was a pass or a look I needed to get in the run game or pass protection, I was always in there to get it. But I didn’t take the extra stuff and here I find myself – when you’re trying to learn a new system – I took for granted all the little things that I just came to know in my time in Carolina. There’s things that the first time I do them here is the only time I’ve ever done them or it’s done a little bit differently than I had done in the past.

“So every rep whether it’s a walkthrough or a jog through practice or full speed team is so valuable and finding that balance between, you can’t take 80 plays every day, but you need all those reps. You need to see things. You need to mess things up. You need to hear Russ say ‘hey, I was thinking you were going to go flatter there.’ You can only gain the real intricacies of playing by playing. You can study the playbook all you want and you can ask as many questions, but until you’re out there out of the field doing it, that’s the only way is to mess it up, or do it right and cement and then learn from it.”