NFC West Notes: 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk said QB Jimmy Garoppolo has been “unfazed” by offseason developments surrounding their organization, including the team’s rumored interest in Tom Brady, LT Joe Staley retiring, and comments of his struggles during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 54.  

“You haven’t seen any crazy media lashouts from him, or him be down on himself or anything like that,” Juszczyk said, via Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “It’s just Jim. He comes to work every day and works his butt off, has the same demeanor every day. The outside noise, it truly doesn’t seem to affect him.”

Juszczyk believes Groppolo does not get the respect he deserves after leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl. 

“It’s crazy to me that he doesn’t get the respect that he deserves, for what a phenomenal season I think he had, for the numbers he put up, the way he led this team. He was no doubt our leader on offense. He brought us to a Super Bowl and within seven minutes of winning one.”

As for Juszczyk entering the final year of his contract, the fullback said he’s confident 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch will “take care of me.” 

“I know Kyle (Shanahan) and John (Lynch) looked at me favorably, and I think they’ll take care of me.”

• Albert Breer mentions 49ers run-game coordinator Mike McDaniel as an assistant coach who stands to benefit from the recent revision of the Rooney Rule, which no-longer prevents teams from blocking assistant coaches from signing with new organizations.

Rams

• According to Daniel Kaplan, NFL owners voted to approve lending the Los Angeles Rams an additional $500 million toward their completion of SoFi Stadium. 

Seahawks

Seahawks OLB Bruce Irvin said he was eager to re-sign with Seattle following his 30-24 loss to them in Week 14 as a member of the Panthers.  

“After we played them I was like, ‘Damn, I wish I was with those guys,'” Irvin said, via Curtis Crabtree of 950 KJR. 

Irvin believes re-signing with the Seahawks was the best situation for him as he enters his ninth year in the NFL. 

“Very refreshing knowing that I’m going to a situation that I know that they run it very professional, they take good care of their players. You’re going to always work. You’re always going to compete. You’re always going to be competitive in every game you step in. For me at this stage of my career is going to the best situation and I felt like going back home – with Seattle I consider it my football home at least – that was the best thing that could happen to me, especially in year nine. I couldn’t ask for a better situation.”

Irvin feels he’s become a “more polished player” since departing from Seattle in 2016.

“I think I’m a more polished player now,” Irvin said. “I think I’m a better player now than I was during my first four years in Seattle. The game is slower. I know how to set up certain moves. I know how to study film now. It’s a lot of things. I know how to take care of my body better. It’s things that come with maturity and age.”