NFC Notes: Will Johnson, Jalen Milroe, Mykel Williams, 49ers, Cardinals, Seahawks

49ers

49ers GM John Lynch was unsuccessful in trading up and sweated it out to draft DE Mykel Williams with the No. 11 pick.

“The film is very impressive,” Lynch said, via Pro Football Talk. “Mykel is a big, good-looking kid in every way. He’s big, he’s tall, he’s long, he’s a great athlete, he’s tough, he’s smart, he’s versatile. He can play outside, he can play inside. He does all those things. I think the toughness — he played through an ankle injury last year and missed two games, but high-ankle sprains can be a tough deal, and to only miss two games and play as well as he did. Came through here on a 30 visit and really got a feel for the kid. And I just think all of that led us to this guy as a Niner. He fits who we are, our culture, and we pounced when he was there. His skillset is a guy that can rush with power, he is a good enough athlete where he’s got some wiggle. He’s extremely proficient, I think, when they run games. For that big of an athlete, I think he’s a really good stop-start. Sometimes those guys can get going, but it’s hard when a quarterback steps up, they can’t change direction. I think he can do that really well. He’s got a lot of attributes. He’s obviously got to come put them all together. But we’re excited to work with him.”

• The 49ers deal for LB Stone Blanton includes $92,000 guaranteed. (Aaron Wilson)

Cardinals

The Cardinals drafted Michigan CB Will Johnson, who slid down to the second round, possibly due to concerns about a knee injury. Johnson says that he has no pain, swelling, or any issues with the knee, which he says has been healthy for two years.

“One of those things that motivates you more than anything else,” Johnson said, via Darren Urban of the team website. “I know I’m healthy. They were saying things about my knee and all that, and I haven’t really dealt with it in two years, so that’s definitely frustrating. But it’s all good. I’m where I need to be. I’m happy to be a Cardinal now.”

• The Cardinals signed OT Josh Fryar to a contract worth $269,000 (Aaron Wilson).
• The Cardinals signed WR Bryson Green to a contract worth $264,000 (Wilson).
• The Cardinals signed Austrian OT Val Senn to a deal worth $274,000 total guaranteed, with a $40,000 signing bonus, plus $234,000 of his base salary is guaranteed. (Wilson)

Seahawks

Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald had plenty to say about QB Jalen Milroe and plans to use the second-round pick as a quarterback. 

“The way they used him was more in a tight end-fullback hybrid role, sometimes taking snaps,” Macdonald told reporters, via Pro Football Talk. “Jalen is a quarterback through and through. He’s going to be trained to play quarterback for us. When he’s in there, he’s going to be playing quarterback. But the athleticism is going to come to life when he’s on the field. That’s how he’s going to help us.”

“Quarterbacks that extend the play are incredibly difficult to defend,” Macdonald added. “The worst feeling in the world is you play the first play of the play perfectly on defense, you defend it. ‘All right, sweet. We did it.’ Then the guy still has the ball. You’ve got to defend the next play, sometimes a third play. He can kill you in the first play, the second play, the third play. It’s not a fun existence to live consistently. He has that ability.”