49ers

49ers DE Nick Bosa is returning from a torn ACL, the third of his career dating back to when he played high school football. However, Bosa has come back stronger each time and explained why he thinks it’ll be no different this year. 

“I had a little tendinitis from my high school ACL, and [the surgeon] cleaned that up while he [fixed] my ACL,” Bosa said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “That’s gone. So it’s like an improvement. So once I’m through this rehab, I feel like my right knee — because that was kind of a chronic issue that I had a little bit, and he cleaned that up in my quad tendon and that hasn’t been an issue at all — could feel better when I’m done with this recovery.”

Bosa’s family obviously has deep NFL bloodlines and the veteran is relentless about how he prepares his body for the rigors of a season. That carries over into injury rehab, which he unfortunately has some experience with, and it’s why Bosa’s confidence he can be better than ever coming off an injury isn’t just typical athlete bravado. 

“You learn something every time you do it, every year really, injury or not, you kind of learn how to prepare a certain way to be at your best,” Bosa said. “When I came off of the one in 2020, it forced me to … I don’t know how to explain it. Honestly, my legs get so big when I have years built up of training them. And it’s not like I trained to bodybuild my legs. They get big. And I feel like, it’s just an observation that I’ve made, coming off that injury in 2020, I was moving better with less mass on my legs.

“This is a speed game, I’m a power rusher, but speed creates power, and the way you can move is everything. So I think there’s something to, ‘I move better when my legs aren’t quite as massive.’ I kind of have that feeling right now.”

Cardinals

Cardinals EDGE Jordan Burch enters the second year of his career after recording just one sack last season. Arizona DC Nick Rallis has been impressed by Burch this offseason, saying he’s executing all of his assignments “at a high level.”

“He’s executing his assignments at a high level. So there’s never really a discussion of like, ‘Gosh, Burch, you keep messing this up, correct this.’ Like he’s on it and he puts a lot of time into study. So he’s playing fast. I think he’s a guy that really shows up when we put pads on after this first block when we’re allowed to. But it’s different parts of his game. The three things are set the edge in the run game, rush the passer, be able to cover, and he’s making strides in all those,” Rallis said, via CardsWire. 

Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur wants Burch to continue improving “in all aspects” and has noticed the edge rusher putting in extra work every day. 

“I wouldn’t even say just as a pass rusher. I think he just needs to continue improving in all aspects of it. I think you guys recognize the traits and the size and all that. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him. I think he’s an extremely deliberate person in terms of his approach. There’s that fine line between obsessing over stuff and now you’re kind of caught up; you’re not just letting it loose. But also just putting in a little extra work, and every day he’s out there, he gets in an extra 5-10 minutes before practice. Working on just little things, hands, footwork, stuff like that. I’ve told him, ‘I think you can be as good as you want to be.’ He’s an extremely gifted individual, and I know he loves this game, and what I want to see from him is continue like he is doing, put in the work, and then when it’s time to go, just cut it loose, dude. Just cut it loose.”

Rams

Rams DE Myles Garrett doesn’t want to push DL Aaron Donald into a return and wants the veteran to decide for himself if the quest for a Super Bowl is worth leaving the couch.

“I’d love to learn from him,” Garrett said. “I’ve watched his tape. Everyone who’s been a rusher from anywhere across the line, they have a lot of respect for him. I don’t want to push him in one way or another. If he’s here, I’m going to be excited to be his teammate, his partner in crime. And I think we can do great things, but it’s a difficult thing coming back, and I know he has a family. He has a lot of decisions to make. Last thing he needs is me to push him in one direction or another. I’m gonna support him either way and I look forward to seeing whatever happens.”

Seahawks

Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba is looking forward to a new season after a Super Bowl win for Seattle, despite the possibility that he may not be able to post such extravagant numbers for a second straight year.

“It feels like a revamp, a new energy in the building, honestly,” Smith-Njigba said, via the team website. “It feels good to put the past behind us and really focus on the future. On right now in front of us, that’s attacking training camp, and I can just tell by the vibe of the guys, talking to them in the locker room, we’re ready for that. We’re ready for the next thing. It’s awesome to be here now.”