NFC Notes: Christian McCaffrey, 49ers, Cardinals, Kyler Murray, Rams

49ers

• Jordan Schultz reports that 49ers’ recently acquired RB Christian McCaffrey has a “pretty good chance” to play in Week 7 but isn’t expected to have a full snap count as he learns the playbook. However, San Francisco is planning to deploy McCaffrey “around the end-zone.”
• Albert Breer reports that the 49ers were the first team to reach out for McCaffrey on Friday of last week, while more inquiring teams called the Panthers on Tuesday. 
• 49ers GM John Lynch feels like McCaffrey was worth the amount of draft capital they gave up to acquire him: “You have to strike when the opportunity is there…. It did take a lot to get him, but I think he’s worthy of that.” (Eric Branch)
• Lynch added that he began talking to the Panthers after their Week 5 game and wanted to get a deal done before another team swooped in: “I was trying to because I know their propensity to come in late and go big. I was trying to get it done before, but that wasn’t going to happen.” (Matt Barrows)
• As for whether McCaffrey will play in Sunday’s game, Lynch responded that it is a “tall order” but the running back is eager to participate: “It’s a tall order but we’ll see how much we can accelerate this. He’s asking to.” (Taylor Bisciotti)
• Lynch thinks that McCaffrey and WR Deebo Samuel are “similar players” and he’s excited to see what HC Kyle Shanahan has planned for them: “He and Deebo, to me, are similar players. I’m excited to see what we draw up. We’ve got to take care of the Chiefs, first. I relly believe it gave the locker room a jolt when he walked in there today.” (Cam Inman)

Cardinals

Regarding a heated discussion between Kyler Murray and HC Kliff Kingsbury in Thursday’s game, Kingsbury said it was because they are working through the kinks of their offense. 

“Yeah, I mean, it’s good,” Kingsbury said, via Doug Haller of The Athletic. “I think we’re working through as an offense where we want to be and what we want to do, and you have competitors that have a level of intensity like that, I think it will keep pushing us forward.”

Murray mentioned that Kingsbury can become “real animated” on the sidelines and he has to reassure the coach that they are doing fine. 

“He’s real animated over there on the sideline sometimes,” Murray said. “It’s … ‘Calm down, we’re good. We’re going to make it right.’ We ended up scoring, so that was good, but that’s all I was saying. Just chill out.”

As for WR DeAndre Hopkins standing between Murray and Kingsbury during their exchange on Thursday, the receiver responded that he wasn’t alarmed by the two butting heads. 

“That’s undisclosed information,” Hopkins said. “Both of those guys want to win. I love to see that. Honestly, I love being a part of two people that are dedicated and that focused on winning. Obviously, you’re going to butt heads. I’m not married, but from what I hear, that’s like a marriage.”

Rams

• Jourdan Rodrigue reports that the Rams were also in talks with the Panthers about trading for RB Christian McCaffrey prior to the 49ers acquiring him. However, Rodrigue adds that Los Angeles did not want to get into a bidding war with San Francisco. 
• According to Rodrigue, the Rams had no first-round picks on the table for McCaffrey and would’ve exchanged a second-round pick, a future third-round pick, and possibly a player.