NFC Notes: Sean McVay, 49ers, Cardinals, Rams

49ers

49ers 2022 third-round RB Tyrion Davis-Price ended up playing sparse snaps as a rookie, falling behind undrafted free agent RB Jordan Mason on the depth chart. The key difference was special teams. Mason played nearly 300 snaps in that phase compared to just 23 for Davis-Price. 

“I think he understands better now — and this happens to a lot of rookies — that if you’re not the starter, you’d better find a way to contribute,” 49ers RB coach Anthony Lynn said via the Athletic’s Matt Barrows.

“Based on what I’m hearing, he’s doing a good job with that right now,” Lynn added. “We’ll see how it plays out.”

Cardinals

Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon said OC Drew Petzing‘s offense will be hard for opposing teams to predict on a week-to-week basis as he will adapt to both unit’s personnel.

“He stresses out a defense,” Gannon said, via Cards Wire. “He can adapt to who he is playing. We will look different each and every week by who we have playing, who they have playing. I think he does a really good job of tailor-fitting the offense to who is out there for us, all 11 positions, not just the quarterback position.”

Rams

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll has noted the small amount of time it has taken Rams HC Sean McVay to become both a prominent and effective head coach in the NFL.

“I think he’s an incredibly effective coach,” Carroll said, via RamsWire.com. “I noticed it right off the bat in his first couple years. His ability to structure a team and to build an offense and a style of and defense and just a level of playing consistency that was remarkable. He has great insights, he’s got great instincts for the game. He must be tough on his players enough to keep them coming back. Got good vision because the creative part of his game is really good. I’m sure for Sean it’s been hard in a sense because they’ve been so successful so early that it’s hard to figure out how to stay that way. It’s a big challenge. He hit it so fast and so quickly and he’s also kind of laid the groundwork for other guys to get opportunities in the same fashion, same background. Those guys are doing well. I think he’s had a big impact on the game. He’s one of the best coaches that I’ve ever worked against. I expect that it’s always going to be a battle. I love competing against him. I like that he’s a young guy and I’m an old guy and we gotta figure out how to go head-to-head all the time. Look forward to those matchups.”