NFC Notes: Cardinals, Cowboys, 49ers

Cardinals

Cardinals rookie QB Kyler Murray is so far winless in two tries. Arizona tied Detroit in the season opener and fell short against the Ravens on Sunday. However, Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury said the lessons Murray is learning are valuable even if they’re not translating into immediate wins this year. 

“Next season,” Kingsbury said, via the Arizona Republic’s Katherine Fitzgerald. “I think this year as a rookie quarterback — I didn’t ever start in the NFL, but I’ve talked to enough guys that say every one of those reps is so valuable as they grow up and how much the game slows down going into Year 2 as the guy and all the offseason preparation and reps that come with it. We’re going to continue to grow and do the best we can throughout the season. The entire 16-game [season] is going to be one big learning experience for him, and we all know that.”

Kingsbury said the team still wants to win and feels the pressure to do so, however, they acknowledge that the grading curve is different for him and his quarterback in their first season. 

“There’s no question, you want to win, and he’s doing everything in his power, and I’m doing everything in my power to get it done,” Kingsbury said. “We’re also going to be very patient in our approach with him, and if he makes a mistake, we’re going to learn from it and get better and try not to make it again. He knows that’s the plan.”

Cowboys

Cowboys DE Taco Charlton has been inactive for each of Dallas’ first two games, which is not the start the former first-round pick wanted as he enters his third season in the league. Charlton took to social media to voice his displeasure and to make his request for a trade public, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he might have actually hurt his case. 

“I can’t tell you the teams that have said to me, ‘Boy, that’s the last thing I need is somebody that would put his business out there like that and talk about it in public. I don’t want him either,'” Jones said via the Athletic’s Jon Machota. “Usually, it’s a rule around the NFL that if they’ll act that way with the team they’re with, they’ll act that way with the team that I’m managing.”

Jones didn’t rule out the team dumping Charlton but added that for now the team wants to see him succeed and their preference is for him to do it in their uniform. 

“We all know that the team that has you wants you to play,” Jones said. “They’re paying you a lot of money, or they’ve got a lot invested in you to play. I can tell you right now, our scouting department would give their right arm for Taco to step out here and a major light come on, which he’s very capable of, and you couldn’t keep him off the field with the coaches. Scouting is rooting for him more than his family is.”

• According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, Cowboys DL Tyrone Crawford is expected to miss Sunday’s game against the Dolphins, which could open the door for Charlton to see his first game action this season. 

49ers

After receiving only two snaps in the 49ers’ season opener, WR Dante Pettis played 35 of the team’s 72 snaps on offense in Week 2, good enough for second on the team. Pettis didn’t have a catch, though he did complete a pass for 16 yards, but 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said he considers Pettis a starter. 

“First of all, that was our fault,” Shanahan said via the Athletic’s Matt Barrows. “We wanted to play him more in Week 1 than we did. That was just some oversight. And then the way he practiced this week, he continued to get a lot better. We went into this week planning to play him more than Week 1 and he earned that. Him and Deebo were both starters to us today. It had to do with what plays we were starting with … but I look at both of those guys the same right now.”

• San Francisco will likely leave OT Mike McGlinchey on the right side and start Justin Skule at left tackle, with recently re-signed OT Sam Young the backup for both. (Barrows)
• Per Barrows, the 49ers were asking for a fourth or fifth-round pick in exchange for QB C.J. Beathard during roster cuts. No one wanted Beathard at that cost but injuries could change that. 
• Barrows believes the 49ers are resigned to losing DL Arik Armstead in free agency following this season. 
• The 49ers signed LS Jon Condo and waived LB Colin Holba.
• The 49ers also signed OL Will Holden to their practice squad