NFC Rumors: 49ers, Cardinals, Rams, Anthony Richardson, Seahawks

49ers

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler says the 49ers are expected to be involved to some degree in the free agent market for defensive tackles, which features both top-end options and a lot of depth. 

Cardinals

• ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler note Raiders CB Rock Ya-Sin is expected to do well for himself in free agency and the Cardinals are a potential landing spot. New HC Jonathan Gannon was Ya-Sin’s position coach his first two years with the Colts. 
• We have him included in our Top 100 Available Free Agents list.

Rams

Rams GM Les Snead plans to rely on QB Matthew Stafford as the team undergoes a roster overhaul.

“Matthew is definitely one of our pillars,” Snead said, via ESPN.

Snead added that the team is not undergoing a total rebuild and used the term “remodel” for the upcoming roster construction.

“In a rebuild, you would just bulldoze the house down and begin rebuilding from the ground up,” Snead said.

Snead said the team is actively pursuing how they’ll get under the cap and said they’ve received calls on a number of their players.

“We’re trying to assess situations, figure out how to get under the cap [and] what’s the best way to do that,” Snead said. “We’ve had calls on a lot of our players. Probably other places trying to figure out what are we doing big picture and things like that. It’s been a busy off season discussing players.”

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler says there’s a sense around the league that the Rams would be willing to trade just about anyone on the roster outside of Stafford, DT Aaron Donald and WR Cooper Kupp.

Seahawks

The Athletic’s Mike Sando talked to GMs and high-ranking evaluators for a few different NFL teams to try and get a sense of how the league sees the top ten of the draft going coming out of the Scouting Combine. Multiple people thought the Seahawks, picking No. 5 overall, could be fascinated by Florida QB Anthony Richardson.

“Seattle might take a quarterback,” an exec who has competed against Seattle in the NFC West said. “Probably Anthony Richardson — big, athletic guy who can run.”

“I could see (Seahawks GM) John (Schneider) liking Richardson a lot,” another GM said. “He hasn’t started much and didn’t really carry his team but is a freak talent.”

If Georgia DT Jalen Carter slid to Seattle’s pick, Sando notes they’d have to be interested given he has the talent to go No. 1 overall. However, the Seahawks’ history of missing on defensive linemen due to off-the-field issues, like Malik McDowell, could make them gunshy.

“Right now, it is two misdemeanors and $4,000 in bail, but if it winds up being much less than that, it is a different deal,” one exec said.

• ESPN’s Dan Graziano mentions the Seahawks are expected to be in the market for upgrades on defense when free agency begins this week. 
• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds the Seahawks are expected to be involved to some degree in the free-agent market for defensive tackles, which features both top-end options and a lot of depth. 
• Richardson was particularly struck by his interview with the Seahawks and meeting HC Pete Carroll: “He had this big smile on his face. We shook hands, and something about it was just different. You only see these guys on TV. And now I’m in their presence and they’re right there talking to me. And they’re interested in me. That makes you feel good.”(Stephen Holder)
• Ohio State OT Dawand Jones has scheduled seven top 30 visits so far, including with the Seahawks. (Ryan Fowler)
• Georgia CB Kelee Ringo had formal meetings with 15 teams at the combine including the Seahawks. (Fowler)
• Seahawks QB Geno Smith‘s contract incentives are tied to his 2022 performance metrics. He receives $2 million each for 4,282 yards, 30 TDs, 69.755 completion percentage, 100.874 passer rating, 80 percent playtime, and 10 wins/playoffs. (Brad Spielberger)