NFC Rumors: Aaron Donald, Marquise Brown, 49ers, Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

• Texas WR Xavier Worthy said he had a formal Combine interview with the 49ers. (Chat Sports)
• Houston OT Patrick Paul had a formal Combine interview with the 49ers. (Aaron Wilson)
• Penn State TE Theo Johnson did a formal Combine interview with the 49ers. (Tom Downey)
• Utah S Sione Vaki had a former Combine interview with the 49ers. He also played some running back in college and did drills on offense during the Combine. (Tom Downey)
• Kansas DE Austin Booker had a formal Combine interview with the 49ers. (Tom Downey)
• The 49ers had formal Combine interviews with Duke OL Graham Barton, Georgia OT Amarius Mims, Arizona OT Jordan Morgan, BYU OT Kingsley Suamataia and Alabama OT JC Latham. (Jennifer Lee Chan)
• Kentucky CB Andru Phillips had a formal Combine interview with the 49ers. (Matt Maiocco)
• Wake Forest S Malik Mustapha had a formal Combine interview with the 49ers. (Mike Kaye)
• Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo highlighted his meeting with the 49ers from the Shrine Bowl as one that stood out. (Justin Melo)

Cardinals

• NBC’s Matthew Berry was told by sources at the NFL Combine that the Cardinals are expected to take Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 overall pick if he’s available: “If Marvin Harrison Jr. is there at 4 when the Cardinals pick, they are absolutely taking him.”
• Berry also hears Arizona could re-sign WR Marquise Brown to a one-year deal.
• In a mock draft of the top-10 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, six anonymous executives were split on how the Cardinals would proceed at No. 4 overall between Notre Dame OT Joe Alt, Alabama OLB Dallas Turner, Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr., per Mike Sando of The Athletic. 
• One executive could see Arizona taking Turner or Florida State DE Jared Verse, but also thinks they could move down from No. 4: “I think they have to go pass rush if they stay there. It could be Dallas Turner. Verse might be a safer pick. I would think they will be looking to move down. There is enough rush, even a Chop Robinson, to get him lower. Seven (Titans) and six (Giants) could trade up for a tackle.”
• Another executive also thinks the Cardinals could move down: “I would expect them to trade the pick. Look at how they moved back last year, and then the fact that this is going to be an attractive spot because it allows someone to come up from a distance to get the player they want.”
• One executive views Harrison Jr. as the best player available at four: “I think they’ll take Marvin Harrison because I think he is the most talented, solid, all-the-way-around guy. Let me put it to you this way: I see him being the best available player at that time. If you don’t look at him as better than Odunze or Nabers, then yeah, maybe you go with Alt or Dallas Turner. But they gotta keep giving their quarterback some players, too, and I think Marvin Harrison is going to check every box, and is more talented.”
• Justin Melo reports the Cardinals are scheduled to host USC WR Brenden Rice for an official top-30 visit.

Rams

• The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue writes if the Rams know what DT Aaron Donald plans to do, they aren’t saying yet. Donald said at the end of the season he “for sure” wanted to keep the progress the team and his younger teammates made last year going.
• When he signed his extension in 2022, Rodrigue says Donald told the Rams he intended to play through 2024. He’s set to earn $35 million this year which is mostly guaranteed. 
• However, league sources at the Combine that Rodrigue talked to were interested to see if Donald was ready to follow through with that, especially because the Rams have been publicly non-committal about his future. The loss of DL coach and mentor Eric Henderson could also be a factor for Donald. 
• Rams HC Sean McVay was asked about Henderson’s impact on Donald’s future after the season ended: “I think those conversations occur at the appropriate time. There’s so much emotion that takes place right after a game and after a season. … (I think) you give guys the chance to really just digest the season, coaches and players alike, and then we’ll address all those things at the right time.”
• Rodrigue mentions a heavy restructure to keep OL Joseph Noteboom as the sixth OL is on the table, with Noteboom agreeing to a significant pay cut from his current $15 million compensation that could save $10 million or more. 
• Rodrigue notes the Rams have had preliminary extension talks with LB Ernest Jones but nothing is considered imminent. 
• She adds the Rams are paying close attention to the cornerback and edge rusher markets with free agency looming — and they’ll probably continue to do so until after the trade deadline. 

Seahawks

• Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy said he met with the Seahawks at the Combine. (Billy Marshall)
• Texas DT Byron Murphy II had a formal Combine interview with the Seahawks. (Tom Downey)
• Western Michigan DE Marshawn Kneeland had a formal Combine interview with the Seahawks. (Tom Downey)
• Alabama DE Dallas Turner had a formal Combine interview with the Seahawks. (Corbin Smith)
• Seattle’s formal interview list also included Michigan DT Kris Jenkins, Illinois DT Johnny Newton, Kentucky LB Trevin Wallace, Michigan LB Junior Colson, Michigan CB Mike Sainristil, Florida State TE Jaheim Bell, TCU CB Josh Newton and Tulane WR Jha’Quan Jackson. (Corbin Smith) 
• Duke OL Graham Barton had a formal Combine interview with the Seahawks (Corbin Smith)