NFC Notes: Cardinals, Lions, Rams, Matthew Stafford

Cardinals

• Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort said he’s spoken to S Budda Baker‘s representation but wouldn’t elaborate on contract talks, via Darren Urban. 
• Cardinals OT Jackson Barton‘s one-year deal includes a $1.08 million salary, per Aaron Wilson. 

Lions

Lions DT Alim McNeill feels encouraged by the organization’s moves so far this offseason and is excited about next season. 

“Yeah, 100 percent,” McNeill said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “It’s almost like we’re playing Madden, we adding some pieces for sure. I’m excited to see what we can do.”

McNeill thinks the team can “be a ton better” in Aaron Glenn‘s third year as defensive coordinator. 

“Oh, I think we can be a ton better,” McNeill said. “Just getting another year under A.G. (defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) as well and adding pieces, adding dogs like that, that have been through other places and already know what’s going on, they’ve got experience, they’ve seen it all. And just to be able to add them to the fire, I think it’ll be pretty good.”

McNeil said he’s becoming leaner this offseason and is “a lot more flexible.”

“As far as how I’m feeling and stuff, I feel so much better,” McNeil said. “I’m a lot more lean, I’m a lot more flexible, can bend and stuff a lot better now. I was just talking to one of my guys about it, and he was asking me how I felt, too. I was like, ‘I just feel lean, I just feel faster, I just feel a lot better.’”

Rams

Rams QB Matthew Stafford knows what a rebuilding team looks like. He spent most of his career in Detroit after all. While Stafford wouldn’t necessarily throw the team under the bus in April even if he did think the team was rebuilding, his comments about the upcoming season were interesting and continued an optimistic theme from the Rams this offseason. 

“I’ve been doing this going on 15 years now, and I’ve been a part of all sorts of offseasons,” Stafford said via the Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. “Some that were quiet like this turned into really good years. Some that were really loud, like maybe two years ago, that turned into not-so-good years. So, what matters is the games that we play in September and October and all of that through the season. This time of year, there can be a lot of noise. … For me, it’s just, ‘Who do we have in the building? Let’s go to work with those guys, let’s enjoy it, let’s find a way to be better every single day.’ If I can do that and lead that way, I think we’re going to be better for it.”