NFC West Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Seahawks

49ers

With new DE Nick Bosa coming in as a replacement, 49ers GM John Lynch and HC Kyle Shanahan both said they had discussions with LB Dekoda Watson before trading him to what they believe is a better situation for him in Denver. 

“We love Dekoda,” Shanahan said via NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco. “We brought him here to really help us out on special teams and to be an edge rusher for us with the get-off and speed, and we’ve gotten better in some special team areas, and we’ve gotten better at our edge rusher, so I think it was a better situation for him in Denver, and we love Dekoda and appreciate everything for him, and think he’s at a place that appreciates him, also.”

Shanahan also had high praise for Jalen Hurd, who transferred from Tennessee to Baylor in order to switch from running back to wide receiver.  

“If he would have stayed a running back, I think he would have gotten drafted as an NFL running back,” Shanahan said via Maiocco. “He got drafted as an NFL receiver, kind of. I believe if he tried to play tight end, he would have gotten drafted as an NFL tight end. That’s a pretty unique thing to have. I don’t remember being able to say that about any player I’ve studied before. So it’s neat to be able to do that and he can help us out in a lot of different ways.”

• Shanahan said TE Kaden Smith would work primarily as a blocker and complement to TE George Kittle.

Cardinals

Despite using a first-, third- and fifth-round pick to trade up for Josh Rosen last year and only getting a second- and fifth-round pick back in return a year later, Cardinals GM Steve Keim says he doesn’t “know that it wasn’t that he didn’t work out” for them. 

“I don’t know that it wasn’t that he didn’t work out,” Keim said, via ESPN.com. “I would say, obviously, he was put in a tough situation last year. But I think, really, when you come down to the bottom line, is we had an opportunity to find a dynamic player that we think can be special.”

• According to Albert Breer, Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson was in touch with coaches while missing this week’s minicamp and “everything has calmed down a bit there.“
• Mike Silver reports that the Cardinals, after conversations with Kyler Murray’s agent, are “satisfied that there is a general philosophical agreement on contract language protecting the team in the event the QB decided to play baseball.
• According to Josh Weinfuss, Cardinals GM Steve Keim felt the value of the draft picks with the potential to compete immediately outweighed the value of keeping QB Josh Rosen on the roster. 

Redskins

New Redskins RB Bryce Love is hoping to be back from his torn ACL by “mid-training camp.”

“My goal is to be ready by training camp, mid-training camp,” Love said, via Pro Football Talk. “Being able to find a way to compete and do my thing.”

Redskins HC Jay Gruden admitted that they don’t know when Love will be available. 

“I don’t know yet,” Gruden said. “We have to get him in here first. We’re obviously aware of the injury. As far as the length of time it will take for him to be 100 percent in football shape, we don’t know that yet.”

“[W]e thought when you go by the board he was ranked up there pretty high for us and he was available and we took him,” Gruden explained. “Give him time to get better, number one. Get him in the building, get his rehab going in the right path, which it already is. The type of guy that he is, team captain. I think he’ll be ready in no time.”

Seahawks

• According to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf said it’s not for him to say why he fell to the end of the second round. He added his 2018 neck injury won’t be an issue. 
• Metcalf also confirmed he’s related to former NFL players Terry Metcalf and Eric Metcalf, and that he has about 3% body fat. 
• Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said drafting Metcalf was not related to WR Doug Baldwin‘s potential retirement, Seattle just wanted to add to its receiving corps. (Bob Condotta)
• Carroll said Baldwin had a process done on his knee, as well as surgery for a sports hernia and work on his shoulder. (Condotta)
• Carroll did confirm that Baldwin was considering retirement: “We know Doug is going to have a hard time. There’s a process we need to go through with Doug.” (Curtis Crabtree)
• Former agent and CBS analyst Joel Corry says the safest thing for Baldwin to do would be to let Seattle cut him with a failed physical designation in order to collect $1.2 million in injury protection. 
• That $1.2 million would come out of Seattle’s cap savings for releasing Baldwin, which would be either $6.856 million or $10 million depending on if it’s done before or after June 1. 
• The Seahawks still plan to add more pass rushing help, per Carroll: “We’re not done. We’ve got some work to do. You guys will be excited about what’s coming up.” (Gregg Bell)