49ers
- The Athletic’s Ben Standig writes there’s a starkly different opinion in league circles regarding 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo compared to the outside consensus. Several league sources told him other QB-needy teams would be lucky if the 49ers made him available.
- One AFC pro personnel director told Standig: “There’s something to be said for a quarterback who can help get us to the playoffs until maybe we’re able to figure out our long-term solution. Help us win and set a positive culture … If we continue to build a team around them, who knows, maybe we get lucky and go on a run.”
- Standig notes that while one source pointed out how the Panthers had to eat some of QB Teddy Bridgewater‘s contract to get a late-round pick back from the Broncos, the general expectation is that San Francisco won’t give up Garoppolo for less than a Day 2 pick.
- He adds that there are sources who aren’t even convinced San Francisco should move on from Garoppolo given the success the team has had this postseason, and who believe that first-round QB Trey Lance “isn’t ready to play.”
- ESPN’s Nick Wagoner highlights 49ers G Laken Tomlinson as the most interesting free agent decision facing the team. Tomlinson has played well but San Francisco has already invested big bucks in other areas of their offensive line.
- 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan expects LT Trent Williams to play in the NFC Championship game against the Rams: “He believes he’s playing and so do I.” (Cam Inman)
- Shanahan said that Garoppolo is no longer on the injury report despite his hand injury: “Jimmy G’s shoulder is actually off the injury report so I guess we’re good.”(Cam Inman)
Rams
Rams HC Sean McVay still has confidence in RB Cam Akers, despite the two fumbles, and RB Sony Michel, despite the diminished snap count.
“Yeah I think it’s really the confidence in Cam but we do have confidence in Sony, it was tough to really be able to get anything in the run game going, they did a nice job,” McVay said, via NFL.com. “[We] always talk about that, to be able to have that great ball security, especially when you’re in those four-minute situations where you’re really just trying to run the clock out. Still, we needed to compete and wanted to be able to do that, he was making a tough run, as he was pulling through it, it got a little away from him, and this defense does an outstanding job attacking at the football — great learning [opportunity]. I know he’ll learn and he’ll respond the right way from it.”
Seahawks
Seahawks CB D.J. Reed was cut when injured after being selected in the fifth round by the 49ers, yet later stepped up in a big way for Seattle at right cornerback. Unfortunately, the team moved Reed to the left side and played CB Tre Flowers on the right. Flowers struggled mightily and was benched before eventually being released by the team.
Reed moved back to the right side and continued to impress. He is now an impending free agent who said he is willing to stay if the price is right.
“I feel like on the left side I was having to think more,” Reed said, via Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. “It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but me playing on the right side and looking at things and dissecting things on the right side is just second nature to me. It definitely helped. … I just feel like I dissect stuff faster and know what’s happening before it happens better when I’m on the right side for some reason.
“I definitely want to stay here, but obviously, the price has to be right. I’m going into free agency basically like — I’m not saying the highest bidder — I want to look at everything as far as the organization, what type of scheme I’m going into, am I setting myself up for success, et cetera. For me personally, I love Seattle, so we’ll see what happens.”
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