NFC West Notes: Cardinals, 49ers, Rams

Cardinals

• According to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic, the two factors that led the Cardinals to release WR Michael Crabtree were that he was passed by younger players in practice and he was keeping to himself and not integrating with the team. 
• Cardinals signed P Ryan Winslow to their practice squad.

49ers

• According to NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco, 49ers CB Ahkello Witherspoon is expected to miss about a month with a sprained foot. 
• 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan says CB Emmanuel Moseley is currently ahead of free-agent signing CB Jason Verrett to replace Witherspoon as the No. 2 corner at the moment given how Verrett struggled during Sunday’s game: “It’ll be all about practice. We have a number of guys who are candidates for it.”
• Shanahan added the team would look at the available option to address the secondary, including the trade market.
• San Francisco reportedly was out on acquiring Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey because the price was too high: “We always look at the trade market, but it’s got to make sense. How much does it help the team right now? And how much does it help the organization going forward? You always think about right now, but you also have to think about years in advance, too. How it affects the salary cap and draft picks, things like that.”
• 49ers DE Dee Ford says he’s just going to have to play through the knee tendinitis he’s been receiving treatment for. He added he played through most of last season with a groin injury. (Eric Branch)

Rams

Much was made this offseason about the condition of Rams RB Todd Gurley‘s knee and what the team would do to preserve Gurley’s longevity given their massive investment in the runner. However, Ram HC Sean McVay pushed back against the idea that the Rams have Gurley on a load management plan. 

“We’re not doing anything like that,” McVay said via ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry. “It’s more along the lines of each week presents a different approach. It’s kind of the feel the flow of the game.”

Still, the numbers speak for themselves. Gurley played an average of 85 percent of the snaps in the games he played in 2018. That number is down to 70 percent this year. His touches per game have dropped from 22.5 to 16 this year as well.

His backup, Malcolm Brown, also has already rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries compared to 212 yards on 43 carries in 2018. McVay acknowledged he could do a better job with the rotation to allow Gurley to get going. 

“I have to do better about being able to give him a chance to really get more into a rhythm than what I’ve enabled him to do in these first three games,” McVay said.