NFC Notes: Dre Greenlaw, Stetson Bennett, 49ers, Panthers, Rams

49ers

49ers LB coach Johnny Holland is confident LB Dre Greenlaw will return from his Achilles injury stronger than ever.

“Dre is always positive,” Holland said Wednesday, via PFT. “Dre is always the cup is half full than empty, and I got a lot of confidence that he’ll be back full-go. And I don’t know the timeframe, but Dre is a player that stands for the 49er type of defensive player that we want. He’s a violent, physical player, but on the other side, he’s a great teammate, and we miss him being on the field. But [injuries are] part of the game, and he’ll get through it.”

Panthers

Panthers HC Dave Canales raved about QB Bryce Young‘s accuracy throughout OTA’s.

“Deep ball, short, intermediate—he’s a really accurate passer,” Canales said, via Panthers Wire. “I think one of the things that I love is, I can really focus in on his footwork and his base and the mechanics of where his eyes are at when I know the ball is hitting the receivers. So for the last couple of weeks, [he’s] been throwing on air. I don’t have to worry about where the ball’s going. He’s very accurate.”

Rams

Rams QB Stetson Bennett was on the non-football illness list for the entire 2023 season but is now with the team throughout OTAs. Los Angeles GM Les Snead feels the time away was good for Bennett and is excited to see him get real reps in the preseason. 

“I know this: Last year was very beneficial for him. I think he took advantage of that year away from the game,” Snead said, via Chuck Williams of News19. “You know what, he’s an exhausted human being based on everything he had done to walk on, to go to JUCO, to come back, to turn down small schools, say ‘I’m going to try to do this Georgia thing.’ To win a job, then to win the thing, and then to determine, ‘I’m going to come back.’ And when you come back, it’s really win it again or you failed. And that does take a toll on a human being, so I was jacked for Stetson to be able to take that moment and breathe a little bit.”

“Looking back, for sure. I think our ecosystem was going to be very good for him and we had a plan for him, whichever direction it went. And so there was a luxury that we had.”