NFC West Notes: 49ers, Seahawks, Quinton Dunbar

49ers

• The Athletic’s Matt Barrows points out that since 49ers WR Jalen Hurd spent essentially his entire rookie season on injured reserve, he’s still learning wide receiver and any potential work at tight end will come down the line. 
• Barrows mentions the 49ers could explore a potential front-office structure of promoting GM John Lynch to team president and VP of player personnel Adam Peters to general manager at some point in the future to ensure they can retain Peters. 
• Barrows believes 49ers DE Dee Ford could have still been dealing with the fallout last year from the 1,021 snaps he played for the Chiefs the year before, as he battled through knee issues and was on the field for just 232 snaps in 2019. 
• San Francisco’s offseason moves of trading away RB Matt Breida and not adding any other notable running backs indicate the 49ers have some level of optimism for RB Jerick McKinnon, per Barrows. 

Seahawks

• Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times takes an early look at who could make the Seahawks’ 53-man roster and some of the players who could be on the outside looking in.
• As for those who could possibly be cut, Condotta lists QB Anthony Gordon, TE Luke Willson, TE Stephen Sullivan, G Jordan Roos, G Kahlil McKenzie, C Kyle Fuller, and C Joey Hunt.
• Condotta notes that the team still needs help at running back and may bring a veteran in again this season, such as Marshawn Lynch or Devonta Freeman.
• According to Condotta, the starting five offensive linemen could consist of LT Duane Brown, LG Mike Iupati, C B.J. Finney, RG Damien Lewis,  and RT Brandon Shell. This will leave RT Cedric Ogbuehi playing the role of a swing tackle.

Quinton Dunbar

Seahawks CB Quinton Dunbar‘s defense attorney, Michael Grieco, claimed his client was not even at the house when the armed robbery alleged to have been committed by Dunbar and Giants CB Deandre Baker was committed. 

“The whole thing is a fabrication. It’s a fabrication,” Grieco said in an interview on Sports Radio 950 KJR. “I wouldn’t be coming out as quickly and as loudly as I have if I didn’t strongly believe that that’s the case. Everything that’s happened since that day has just further buttressed my position on that.” 

Both Dunbar and Baker have been released on bail. Baker pled not guilty Tuesday morning and the crux of the case looks like it will center on contradicting affidavits four witnesses gave to both the police and the defense team.

“Whether I’m being told the truth or the police are being told the truth, those two stories are completely different. They’ve sworn under penalty of perjury to both versions of events. So when I say they’re liars, they’re liars. They either lied under oath to me or they lied under oath to the police.” Grieco added.