NFC West Notes: Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

Cardinals

Despite being active for the Cardinals game against the Giants on Sunday, RB David Johnson saw only three snaps and one carry as his backup Chase Edmonds shouldered the load with 27 carries for 116 yards and three touchdowns in his New York homecoming. Edmonds said after the game Johnson was active only in case of an emergency since the team had only two running backs active. 

“Me and him, we knew there was no way he was playing the running back position in the NFL game the way it was today,” Edmonds said via Darren Urban of the team’s official website. “I told him, ‘I’m going to hold it down and carry the load’ and hopefully we’ll have him back for New Orleans (next week) because we’ll need all hands on deck.”

• Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury says Johnson was active because he was a “warrior” and wanted to try to play. After a couple of plays, he knew he didn’t feel right and the team turned to Edmonds. (Urban)

49ers

• Per Keiana Martin of the team website, both 49ers RB Matt Breida and WR Marquise Goodwin passed their tests and are not in the concussion protocol after exiting Sunday’s game with head injuries. 
• 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said he’s not as hopeful that CB Ahkello Witherspoon will return this week against the Panthers, as he suffered a setback last week. (Matt Barrows)
• Shanahan added the goal is for LT Joe Staley to return to practice this week. (Ryan Kroichick)

Rams

Rams HC Sean McVay says newly acquired CB Jalen Ramsey gave them a “big boost” during Sunday’s win over the Falcons. 

“To be able to come in on such short notice, with such short practice time and to be able to play the way that he did, it was a big boost to our team for sure,” McVay said, via ESPN.com.

Ramsey assessed his play by saying he believes he was “OK” in his Rams debut. 

“I feel like I played OK,” Ramsey said Ramsey. “I got to get in my groove a little bit more, it’s just maybe one, maybe two plays that I wanted to have back or play a little bit different, but I thought it was good.”

After dealing their first-round picks in 2020 and 2021 to acquire Ramsey, the Rams will now, barring other trades, have a stretch from 2017 to 2021 where they will be without a first-round pick. Accepted wisdom has been that it’s wise to build through the draft, but the Rams have bucked that trend by showing a willingness to make aggressive deals sending premium draft picks for proven players. 

“The NBA is coming to the NFL,” Rams COO Kevin Demoff said via NBC Sports’ Peter King. “This [the Ramsey trade] is a similar case to those NBA deals. Prior team-building formulas, where you basically had guys for their careers, is pretty much over. Think of the guys who’ve moved in the past year. Khalil Mack. Marcus Peters. Jalen Ramsey. Jarvis Landry. Laremy Tunsil, . . .[Odell] Beckham too—forgot him.”

“But I think there’s one other important factor here,” Demoff added. “Today, it’s easier to find ways to measure performance. There’s a rise of analytics, there’s better technology, better and more accurate data. What we’ve found is you can find undervalued players easier than before. So I think football people are getting better at synthesizing data to find players.”

Seahawks

• Per ESPN’s Brady Henderson, Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said G D.J. Fluker could have played Sunday if needed, but the team didn’t want to rush him. He should return this week. 
• Carroll didn’t have as much certainty about the status of OT Duane Brown.