NFC Notes: Todd Gurley, Devon Witherspoon, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

• In order to keep 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey healthy, Matt Barrows of The Athletic writes Elijah Mitchell could be important in helping the cause given he took the bulk of first-team reps in spring practice. 
• However, Barrows thinks the 49ers want to take a look at another runningback given Mitchell has missed at least six games per season over his three-year career and is entering the final year of his contract. 
• Barrows thinks rookie RB Isaac Guerendo has the most speed for a 49ers’ running back since Raheem Mostert. Undrafted RB Cody Schrader, meanwhile, has some similar qualities to Jeff Wilson Jr.

Rams

When appearing on The 25/10 Show, former Rams RB Todd Gurley described how the last few years of his career played out after receiving an extension in 2018. At the time, his agent cautioned him about the possibility of being cut. 

“I remember when I signed my extension with the Rams [in 2018], the agent was breaking it down,” Gurley said. “He was like, ‘You get this, you get this amount, and then if they cut you, you’ll be 26 with a lot of money and you’re young.’ And then the [Rams’] contract guy was like, ‘Yeah, but we’ll never let that happen.’ And that’s exactly how that shit played out. So, I got cut from the Rams, I went to Atlanta. I kind of had to see what they were talking about for real, because I played at Georgia. … So, that one happened. And I was like, the season was sorry. And then after that it was like, alright bro, I live in L.A. I’m chilling. I’ve [done] everything. Of course, I would love to have a ring and stuff like that. But I went to a Super Bowl, lost. I wasn’t really tripping. I don’t know, I feel like I did a lot of stuff that I never would’ve thought I would’ve ever did. And just having fun, just playing football. … Living out a lot of people’s dreams, for real, that type of vibe.”

Seahawks

Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon said HC Mike Macdonald has had a good first impression of him, calling him a “really smart and intellectual” head coach. 

“He’s cool people, man,” Witherspoon said, via Gregg Bell of the News-Tribune. “But he’s different, though. He’s like…he a brain guy. I mean, he’s really smart and intellectual. So, it’s like, the way he builds defenses is not natural or normal around the league. That’s what makes him different.”

Macdonald called Witherspoon the “smartest football player of all time” given he always has a correct answer for only being in the second year of his career. 

“It’s great,” Macdonald said. “I told him today I couldn’t believe he was the smartest football player of all time — and it’s only his second year in the NFL. He’s got an answer for everything. No, hey, be yourself. That’s who he is. We love him. He’s a great player already in this league. We’re really excited about him.”

Witherspoon said Macdonald brings an unpredictable defense. 

“The way he structured his defense, you’ll never know what he’s going to run,” Witherspoon said. “One thing may look like something — and it’s completely not.”