NFC West Notes: 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

• According to NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco, the 49ers would prefer to trade either QB Nick Mullens or C.J. Beathard rather than cut one or keep three quarterbacks on the final roster. 
• Maiocco says the 49ers will likely wait until another team needs a backup quarterback and then trade whichever one fetches the highest price. 
• Per Maiocco, WR Trent Taylor has been impressive during OTA’s and has benefited from working with 49ers WR coach Wes Welker. 
• Maiocco lists 49ers LB Malcolm Smith and TE Garrett Celek as veterans in danger of not making the final roster. 

Rams

According to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times, the Rams have discussed a timeline for QB Jared Goff‘s extension, but have not opened up any actual negotiations.

“Nothing heavy,” Ram GM Les Snead said. “No heavy lifting.”

“If a quarterback can prove he can win in this league — win two division championships and get to a Super Bowl — I think it’s obvious that at some point he will get a long-term contract from the Rams,” Snead continued.

Klein writes the Rams are also focusing on extending players before redoing HC Sean McVay‘s deal. McVay is under contract for three more seasons at a rumored $4 million per year. 

“Becoming a face of the team in Los Angeles and, really, becoming one of the faces of the NFL, is everything you hope when you go into the head coaching process,” Rams COO Kevin Demoff said. “Not just to find a great coach but to find an amazing leader and steward for our franchise. As you go to make sure that your [core] players are here for a long time, obviously the goal is to make sure your coaching staff is here a long time. . . . Our goal is always to make sure this group can stay together for as long as possible.”

Seahawks

Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett says he’s embracing the potential of playing more in the slot in the absence of WR Doug Baldwin. The new role will test his rapport with QB Russell Wilson, who had a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeting Lockett in 2018.

“I think a way to be able to build off that is now being able to work on being uncomfortable,” Lockett said via ESPN’s Brady Henderson. “Obviously, we were very comfortable in the roles, in the positions that we ran last year, and we allowed ourselves to be successful. But now some of those things that we haven’t really done together that we’re working on, some routes that I haven’t really gotten to run like that because I wasn’t in the slot as much, now it’s being able to go off of that.”