49ers 

• Regarding the 49ers’ defensive staff under new DC Raheem Morris, Matt Barrows of The Athletic has heard that Morris won’t be making sweeping changes.
• As for San Francisco filling their secondary coach role, Barrows writes that the Raiders’ pass game coordinator Joe Woods is a possibility after being the 49ers’ DBs coach in 2019. 
• According to Barrows, the 49ers could make a hire by the end of the week. 
• Barrows could see 49ers QB Mac Jones having a “robust” trade market, given the template of Sam Darnold moving from a backup in San Francisco to Super Bowl winner with the Seahawks. 
• Barrows thinks a second-round pick would be a must-accept offer for the 49ers, or a third-round pick with a “sweetener.” 
• Should the 49ers trade Jones, Barrows believes they would look for another “reclamation project” for the primary backup role. 

Rams

Rams QB Matthew Stafford is excited about the team’s roster heading into the 2026 season, but also believes there is significant room for growth and development.

“We have a young group in some spots and watching those guys mature and come into their own has been really fun and rewarding, as well, for me,” he said, via Rams Wire. “And I think there’s definitely more room for growth and maturity from all of our team. But I am looking forward to the opportunity to get back out there next year with a group that hopefully is somewhat similar to what we had this past year and see where it takes us.”

Seahawks 

Sam Darnold led the Seahawks to winning the Super Bowl following the tumultuous start of his career. Seattle HC Mike Macdonald called Darnold a “ballplayer” for his competitive spirit. 

“He’s a ballplayer,” Macdonald said, via Albert Breer of SI. “He’s not like a ‘quarterback’—he’s a ballplayer, you know? And so he’s one of the guys. And I think that’s what the team saw in him. What he did every day, it was magnetic.”

Seahawks DL Leonard Williams observed Darnold during the start of his college career at USC in 2015 and during his first two years on the Jets in 2018-2019. Williams said the quarterback always had an “unwavering personality and character.” 

“I was around him at USC. I was around him a little bit on the Jets as well,” Williams said. “And what’s really stood out about him to me is just his unwavering personality and character. He’s had a lot of doubters throughout his career, had a lot of people who didn’t believe in him. He’s bounced around a few times, people calling him a bust or whatever you want to say. And I think because he didn’t let that affect him, it’s allowed him to get to the position he’s in now. And he’s come over here, and right away the team embraced him as our leader, as our quarterback.”

Darnold said he always leaned on his family and fiancée for support after the rocky start of his career. 

“Seeing my family was huge, being able to spend time with Katie, and just being able to hug my dad and tell him the reason that I’m here is because of his belief,” Darnold said. “And that might have made him kind of cry a little bit, which I’m going to call him a wuss later on for doing that. But he was pretty emotional. It was interesting. He doesn’t cry very often, but it was awesome, man, to be able to just tell him that in that moment, because it’s true.”