NFC Notes: Larry Fitzgerald, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

Larry Fitzgerald

• Cardinals GM Steve Keim said free-agent WR Larry Fitzgerald hasn’t decided what he will do this season: “He’s told me he likes the moves in the offseason and he’s excited, but he hasn’t told me his plans.” (Bob McManaman)
• Keim also mentioned Fitzgerald earned the right to make a decision on his own time: “As you know, what a phenomenal person, phenomenal player. I don’t think there’s any question that you never close a door on a guy like that of course. He’s earned the respect and to be able to make the decision on his own.” (McManaman)

49ers

49ers’ GM John Lynch says that QB Jimmy Garoppolo is prepared to compete for the starting quarterback position in 2021.

“Jimmy’s in a good place,” Lynch said, via Cam Inman of MercuryNews.com. “It’s a great situation and we should all feel very blessed. … Jimmy let me know, ‘Alright, bring it on.’ He’s a competitive dude. But he has class, those Midwest values, that you’re going to be good to people. That’s who he is. It’s genuine.”

• Garoppolo said he was not bothered by HC Kyle Shanahan‘s non-committal comments about him prior to the 2021 NFL Draft: “No. I know Kyle pretty well, and I knew what he was trying to say when he said that. I don’t know if he worded it the right way, but I definitely knew what he was trying to say. It definitely made for a good headline, though.” (Josh Schrock)

Rams

• The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue notes there was a heavy special teams emphasis from the Rams in their draft and she’d expect RB Jake Funk, WR Ben Skowronek and TE Jacob Harris to all push to make the roster and contribute in that area. 
• Harris was described to her as a total “project” on offense, so special teams will be where he can make his mark at first. 
• According to Rodrigue, the Rams current projected starting five by the coaching staff is LT Andrew Whitworth, LG David Edwards, C Austin Corbett (previously a guard), RG Bobby Evans (previously a tackle) and RT Rob Havenstein.
• The Rams got wind that another team picking below them had their sights set on WR Tutu Atwell, so they took him at No. 57 instead of trading down. (Rodrigue)
• Atwell was one of HC Sean McVay and GM Les Snead‘s favorite players, so Rodrigue says he wasn’t getting out of the second round regardless. 
• A source told Rodrigue the Rams weren’t concerned with third-round LB Ernest Jones‘ slow 40 time because their tape and data evaluation showed him as excelling at sifting through traffic. She adds the vision is to pair Jones with a linebacker who’s better in coverage. 
• The Rams believe fourth-round CB Robert Rochell wouldn’t have slipped out of the second round if he wasn’t a small-school prospect, per Rodrigue.
• Rodrigue mentions LB coach Chris Shula pounded the table for seventh-round LB Chris Garrett.
• Now that the period to sign qualifying free agents is over, Over The Cap’s Nick Korte projects the Rams to receive a fourth and three sixth-round compensatory picks for the loss of S John Johnson, OLB Samson Ebukam, CB Troy Hill and TE Gerald Everett. 

Seahawks

49ers TE George Kittle said the Seahawks tried to trade up for him in the 2017 draft before the 49ers took him.

“It was probably a minute before the Niners called me, my agent said, ‘Hey, the Seahawks are calling. They said they’re trading up to get you,'” Kittle said via Pro Football Talk. “And then, literally, I’m on the phone with him, my agent, and — he’s on my dad’s phone — and then I got a call from the Bay Area, and I was like, ‘I’m getting a call from the Bay.’ He was like, ‘Hang up on me and answer that.’’I was like, ‘Alright, sick.’

“The next thing I know, I’m talking to John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, saying that they’re drafting me, and they’re excited to work with me. I was like, ‘I’m excited to be there. Let’s roll.'”

• According to NBC Sports Olympic Talk, Seahawks’ WR D.K. Metcalf has entered the 100m event at Sunday’s USATF Golden Games and Distance Open.