NFC Notes: George Kittle, 49ers, Kyler Murray, Cardinals, Rams

49ers

49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said that would be surprised if TE George Kittle (groin) doesn’t play in Week 3. 

“I’d be surprised if he doesn’t play,” Shanahan said, via 49ersWebZone. “We can’t say for sure yet but he’s been good in these two days of practice. Should be good today, and if we don’t have any setbacks, he should be playing.”

Shanahan added that Kittle will help their productivity in both the run and pass. 

“Any time you add one of your better players out there, it helps in every area,” Shanahan said. “George is really good in the run game, and he’s good in the pass game, so you’ve got a better blocker out there, and you’ve got more explosiveness at the tight end position. So we’ll see where he’s at, but I think everyone knows how good of a player George is in this league when he’s healthy, and we’ve just got to get him back to [being healthy], and hopefully, we can keep it that way.”

As for DL Arik Armstead‘s foot injury, Shanahan said that they’ll see how he looks in Friday’s practice. 

“Hopefully, he’ll get in a little bit today,” Shanahan said. “He hasn’t been able to go this week yet, so I’m not sure, but it’s still early today on Friday. So I’m hoping when he gets in here, he’ll be good enough to get a little today in practice, but it’s usually half speed today anyways for the D-linemen. … But if he’s out there, I know that’s a better sign than him not being able to go.”

Cardinals

When reflecting on Sunday’s comeback win against the Raiders, Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury said that he would like Kyler Murray to start games stronger 

“I’d love to see it from the start every week,” Kingsbury said, via ProFootballTalk. “I think that’s the ability and the talent that he has and I’ve got to do a better job of getting our offense off to a quicker start, there’s no doubt. But we’ve seen him do that before and he can make it go when he wants to.”

Kingsbury reiterated that they must “start faster” given they’ve scored only seven points in the first half this season. 

“I think collectively we’ve just got to start faster,” Kingsbury said.

• Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury said RB James Conner (ankle) is looking “better” and will be a game-day decision for Week 3. (Howard Balzer)

Rams

Rams’ recently signed DE Takk McKinley is glad to resume his NFL career after suffering a torn Achilles in December. 

“First off, it feels great to be on the field again,” McKinley said, via Stu Jackson of the team’s official site. “Tore my Achilles late December last year, and it’s been – excuse my language – a hell of a journey just to get back on the field, just to get to this point, just to be able to be back in an NFL locker room. Especially the L.A. Rams, who won a Super Bowl, who got a team that’s pretty much built together, I’m here to help wherever I can.”

McKinley reiterated that he’s getting reacclimated to playing. 

“Just getting the feel of things again – the weight of the helmets, the weight of the shoulder pads, just trying to get back comfortable with football,” McKinley said. “We’ve been working real hard this offseason, my team up at REP1 and Pro Sports. It’s different from wearing no helmets, no gear, anything like that. Just being able to go out there and just be back to football was a great feeling.”

As for his relationship with DC Raheem Morris, who cut McKinley when he was the Falcons’ interim head coach in 2020, the defensive end said he’s grown closer to Morris in his time after Atlanta. 

“Being the head coach at the time when it happened, we obviously had our differences in opinions and things of that nature, but we always remained fairly close. Just even closest to last year and years ago, I’ve always been able to talk to him about his personal life. I’ve always been able to talk to him about his children, being a father, some of those things that made us close. I completely and totally invest myself in the guys that I coach and the players that I deal with. No matter how the result is and how it plays out, I pride myself in that ability to be able to do that.”

• Rams DL Aaron Donald wants DL Greg Gaines and DL A’Shawn Robinson to remain with the team so long as he’s on it: “As long as I’m playing this game, I want those guys with me.” (Jourdan Rodrigue)