NFC Notes: Kyler Murray, Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers, Cardinals, Rams

49ers

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport updated the contract talks surrounding 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk and noted they are still trying to get something done. 

“They do want him,” Rapoport said. “They just want him at their price. It is not a negotiation that to my knowledge is completely dead, they just have not done a deal yet. It’s pretty clear that Brandon Aiyuk wants the kind of money that Amon-Ra St. Brown ended up making – about $28 million average over the first three years of his deal – the 49ers are not there yet.”

“They like him. They really like him. They just have not been able to come together on a deal. So maybe that’s kind of the feeling that Brandon Aiyuk was trying to give out.”

Cardinals

Two years ago, the Cardinals inserted a clause in Kyler Murray‘s contract extension that required a certain amount of film study. Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort responded to questions about Murray’s work ethic, saying the quarterback has done everything they’ve asked him to do and has seen a lot of growth out of him. 

“I heard some of those stories. It’s hard for me to comment; I wasn’t here,” Ossenfort said, via ProFootballTalk. “All I can say is from the second I walked into the building, seeing how he attacked his rehab — that was hard, what Kyler had to do last year. And I’m not talking solely the rehab, but he had to learn, all the transition we had on the roster, all the transition we had on the coaching staff. For him to try to ingrain himself in that while not really being a part of it because most of the time he was off to the side working on his rehab, the way he was able to come back last year and start that process and go full force this offseason where he’s been right in the middle of everything we’re doing: Workouts, practice, meetings, on the field in OTAs. That’s enabled him to really see what we’re doing, buy into it, be a part of it, and take that role of what comes with the job description of being a starting quarterback.

“So to see Kyler grow into that, I can’t comment on where he was, all I can know is the growth I’ve seen out of him, physically, mentally, from a leadership standpoint, here in the year and a half that we’ve been here, it’s been great to see.”

Rams

Rams G Jonah Jackson said his free-agent candidacy came down to a few teams and elected to sign with Los Angeles because of his connection to Matthew Stafford.

“It definitely came down to a few teams but here, obviously, the weather is absolutely incredible. Every day is beautiful. But, No. 9,” Jackson said, via the team’s YouTube. “I had Matthew my rookie year and I knew what he brought to the table and I knew he could bring us all the way. And from the outside looking in, we had a lot of carryover in Detroit and I got along well with those guys. Greg, Brad (Holmes), Jared (Goff) and they all loved it out here and I figured they’re my kind of guys.”