Cardinals

Cardinals CB Will Johnson enters the second year of his career after starting 10 games for Arizona last season. When asked about Johnson, HC Mike LaFleur recalled Rams QB Matthew Stafford giving high praise of the rookie last season when he was Los Angeles’ offensive coordinator. 

“He was jumping off the tape,” LaFleur said, via Charles Robinson of NFL Blue Book. “And when Matthew Stafford walked in the next day, he was like, ‘Dude, this guy’s a freaking stud.’ If that’s coming from Stafford — and I know why Stafford said that — it’s because Will is an instinctual football player. And instinctual football players aren’t going to just say ‘Ok, this is my assignment and that’s what I’m going to do.’ Smart players figure it out. I mean, you’ve got to have a baseline talent level, but the smart guys that give a shit about this game and have enough ‘eff-it’ in their game, they figure it out. I think he’s a great representation of what you want in the Cardinals. You’ve got a guy that loves it and is smart as hell and has some ‘eff-it’ to him.”

Rams

Rams first-round QB Ty Simpson enters his rookie season as Matthew Stafford‘s understudy. Reflecting on his situation, Simpson said it’s not much different than when he joined Alabama, and he’s already learning a lot from Stafford. 

“It’s the same thing I did in college, except it’s a different level,” Simpson said, via RamsWire. “I’ve learned more ball in the last four months of being with him than I had in four years of being in college. He’s just so, like, cerebral. Just understands and he’s so smart with everything. It’s so cool. I appreciate him so much because he’s been nothing but nice to me.”

Seahawks

Seahawks DL Leonard Williams said that his change from New York to Seattle has been a welcome experience for him and his family.

“Moving to Seattle has been a really beautiful experience for me and my wife,” Williams said, via the team’s website. “I got drafted to the East Coast. I was in a very hustle-bustle city in New York, and coming here after nine years of being in a city like that really just calmed my nervous system.”

Williams talked about his newfound love for football after being traded to Seattle.

“I just account that to your environment, your surroundings, the people you’re around every day play a huge part in your individual success, team success, and just the love for the game as well,” Williams said of his renewed love for football. “There was a time in my career when I was playing on the East Coast, and we were just going year after year with losing seasons, dealing with new coaching staffs, new culture every two or three years. I was also dealing with some injuries at the time. I was only like Year 8, and clearly had a lot left in the tank, but I was already like, ‘Is this it for my career?’ But obviously I kept pushing, I kept fighting, and eventually ended up here and turned it all around.”

Williams added that even though there was a new coaching staff in place, he was happy to be back on the West Coast.

“Even though we have a new coaching staff now than when I got traded here, it just lit a fire underneath me, kind of just restored my energy, my love for the game,” Williams said. “Just being in a new environment in general just changed my perspective. Obviously, when Mike got hired, it even heightened it because of his principles and things that he brought to the team.“