NFC Notes: Jimmy Garoppolo, Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols, Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks

Cardinals

New Cardinals DL Justin Jones and DL Bilal Nichols both played large roles with their former teams a year ago, and they are looking to overhaul a position group that struggled immensely in 2023.

“I take great pride in that,” Nichols said about availability, via Howard Balzer of the Cards Wire. “One thing those guys were, they’re tough. When I got in the league, I understood that. If you want to be a dude in this league and you want to earn the respect of your teammates, your coaches, your organization, you need a dude that’s going to be there every day and be the same dude every day.

Jones agreed with Nichols and added, “You’ve got to be a mean SOB. It’s a man’s game. When we’re on that field, you’ve got to understand, there’s people out there with kids, wives, and moms they’re taking care of. When we’re on that field, this is what it is. Either I eat or you eat; and I’m not going hungry today.”

• The Cardinals plan to bring Arizona DE Taylor Upshaw into their facility for a visit. (Tony Pauline)

Rams

Rams’ recently signed QB Jimmy Garoppolo said he “messed up” the NFL’s therapeutic use exemption when he arrived to the Raiders last year in regards to a prescribed medication. 

“Hopefully we’ll get some dubs and start off 2-0 and keep things moving,” Garoppolo said, via Sarah Barshop of ESPN. “But it’s just one of those situations. It is what it is. You got to deal with it and just keep moving on and stay positive.”

Garoppolo said he had other options as a free agent but being around HC Sean McVay and a strong offense was important to him. 

“Obviously good players all around,” Garoppolo said. “That’s a big part of it. Talking to Sean on the phone, him just running me through offense and things that he had in mind, it really became appetizing. And I know a lot of the coaches here, so a lot of familiarity in that aspect. And then having played against the Rams a lot in my career, I’ve seen a lot of good things from L.A.”

Garoppolo reiterated that Los Angeles is a “good situation” for him to land on. 

“Having gone against them for so many years, I knew how good this defense was, how … the offense could put up points,” Garoppolo said. “It was a good situation, man. That was a big part of my decision. I just wanted to find a good situation, good people around. And I think I found it here.”

• Garoppolo was suspended two games last season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy. He said it happened because he “messed up” the therapeutic use exemption when he joined the Raiders last season. (Sarah Barshop)
• Garoppolo said he was looking to have a similar arc to what Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield did in his time with the Rams: “What Baker did, that was tremendous. Incredible. Sean is a phenomenal offensive mind – a lot of the guys around here are.” (Jourdan Rodrigue)

Seahawks

• The Seahawks will host UCLA DE Grayson Murphy for an official visit. (Tony Pauline)