NFC Notes: Isaiah Simmons, 49ers, Cardinals, Giants

49ers

49ers TEs coach Brian Fleury praised third-round TE Cameron Latu‘s strength as a blocker and thinks he’ll be a strong player if he can continue refining his mobility and technique. 

“Even when he had bad technique as a blocker, he was able to control people, which just shows that there’s innate strength in there,” Fleury said, via Matt Barrows of The Athletic. “And that, combined with a very fluid set of movement skills, kind of lets you know that once he does get to this level and is able to combine the movement skills with the technique that we’re going to ask him to execute, then he’s going to be an extremely difficult player to contend with.”

Jeff Banks, who was Latu’s tight ends coach at Alabama, said former college teammates like Bengals TE Irv Smith Jr. had high praise of Latu during their time together.  

“And these were veteran tight ends who knew how to fit their hands — guys like Irv Smith,” said Banks. “They could move people. They moved a lot of the guys who have been drafted. But they would tell me, ‘This Latu guy’s a problem.’”

Latu converted from defensive end to tight end in 2019. 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan pointed out that Latu is still learning the position and could see him making an impact in the running and passing game. 

“He’s late to the position,” Shanahan said. “As you watch him throughout the year, we think he can get a lot better in the run game and the pass game. Usually you designate a guy one or the other — he’s a run blocker or a pass-game guy — and we see this guy as both. And he can accelerate in both.”

Cardinals

• With Cardinals QB Kyler Murray still recovering from a torn ACL, Eric Williams of Fox Sports writes Arizona essentially “punted on the 2023 season” given they let DL Zach Allen and CB Byron Murphy walk as free agents while they also released WR DeAndre Hopkins. 
• Williams thinks Cardinals S Isaiah Simmons moving to a full-time safety role is another storyline to keep an eye on for Arizona after having his fifth-year option declined. 

Giants

Giants S Dane Belton is hoping to earn a starting role on the team’s defense this offseason.

“That’s definitely my goal to come out and earn that spot,” Belton said, via Giants Wire. “We have a lot of guys that can play really well; a lot of guys that understand the defense and can make plays.”

Belton added that his goals are not only to remain healthy but establish himself as a premier player on New York’s defense.

“My mindset is always to be the best out there regardless of who’s out there,” he said. “Once I’m fully healthy and coming back in training camp, that’s going to be my goal to earn that spot and to make plays for this defense.”