NFC Notes: Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks

Cardinals

Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury hopes that second-year QB Kyler Murray will be able to throw to receivers this week, considering the big changes coming to the team as star WR DeAndre Hopkins will join forces with veteran Larry Fitzgerald to create one of the top receiver tandems in the league.

Kingsbury says that while the team continues to hold virtual meetings, they have reached the point where an in-person practice has become a necessity.

“We’re running out of ideas without actually taking it to the field and actually executing it,” Kingsbury said, via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “You can only cover so many things without actually practicing it. We’ve about reached that point.”

• Over The Cap’s Nick Korte lists Cardinals WR Christian Kirk and CB Byron Murphy as players who are helped by the new CBA’s PPE rules and are on track to get raises in their fourth season. 

Rams

• According to Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti, via the Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, the Rams will likely need to restructure DT Aaron Donald‘s contract to be able to do other contracts for players like CB Jalen Ramsey and WR Cooper Kupp. Los Angeles has not touched Donald’s contract since he signed it in 2018.
• Ramsey will likely cross the $20 million per year threshold for corners given how wide receiver salaries have shot up, even for the second and third tiers, per Ginnitti. There’s a strong chance more than 50 percent of that is guaranteed. 
• As for Kupp, Ginnitti estimates his value would be around $17 million per year, though whether the Rams should fork over that amount is up for debate. 
• He adds Kupp’s situation also is related to what the Rams do with WR Robert Woods, who is scheduled to be a free agent after 2021 and thus is either eligible for an extension or as a trade candidate to free up cap space. 
• Ginnitti thinks Kupp would be a better candidate for the franchise tag than Ramsey. 
• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes the Rams will open their facility to coaches on a voluntary basis next Monday, June 15. 
• Over The Cap’s Nick Korte lists Rams S Taylor Rapp and OT David Edwards as players who are helped by the new CBA’s PPE rules and are on track to get raises in their fourth season. 

Seahawks

Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times takes a look at the 12 most important new players on the Seahawks roster, including:

1. EDGE Bruce Irvin
2. DE Benson Mayowa
3. C B.J. Finney
4. DE Darrell Taylor
5. TE Greg Olsen
6. RT Brandon Shell
7. CB Quinton Dunbar
8. WR Phillip Dorsett
9. RG Damien Lewis
10. RB Carlos Hyde
11. LB Jordyn Brooks
12. OL Cedric Ogbuehi