NFC Notes: Cardinals, Packers, Rams

Cardinals

Cardinals QB Brett Hundley said his “knowledge” will help mentor QB Kyler Murray, but that he intends to compete for the starting job this offseason. 

“The knowledge that I have, I’m able to pass it along to (Murray), especially through this journey of his because the NFL isn’t a sprint. It’s a long distance marathon,” Hundley said, via Jelani Scott of NFL.com. “For me, my goal has always been to start, no matter what position it’s in. I don’t play to be second. So I think that’s my number one goal, to get that starting job and at the same time, it’s a competition for a reason.”

Hundley added that he is glad to be near his hometown of Chandler, Arizona and thinks he can “really do some damage” in Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury‘s offense. 

“Honestly, being back home for me has been truly a blessing. Just especially timing and everything, especially with the coaching situation, going into my fifth year, I couldn’t ask for a better situation,” Hundley said. “For me, being able to come home this year and just knowing that I’m in the right kind of offense that I’ve been waiting for and to put everything together I’ve learned from my past experiences in Green Bay and Seattle into this offense. I feel like I could really do some damage.”

Packers

Packers HC Matt LaFleur would like to throw the ball more to the running backs in 2019, which would likely mean a bigger role for RB Aaron Jones.

“I love it when we can give [running backs] the ball in the passing game,” LaFleur said via the team’s website. “That’s one more eligible that the defense really has to focus on.” 

Rams

Former NFL DE Chris Long said he knew right away that Rams DT Aaron Donald was going to be special when they played together in St. Louis. 

“We used to joke his rookie camp that he was going to be in the Hall of Fame, but I kind of wasn’t joking,” Long said via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

“I’ve never seen anybody work so hard, who had so much talent and play so violent and play with such tenacity,” Long continued. “This guy would fight you on the field at the drop of a hat, and I respect that about him, and outworks everybody. I would be the last person in the film room usually at the end of camp, and I would go in there and watch tape once everybody was at home. I started going in there an opening the door and turning the lights on to find my pen or notebook, and he was in there every night.”