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

Cardinals

• Per ArizonaSports.com’s Kevin Zimmerman, Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury was thrilled to be able to get OT Josh Jones in the third round after he was widely seen as a first-round pick: “We’re calling saying, ‘What’s going on, did he kill somebody last night? Is there something we don’t know about? What’s the issue?’ They were kind of scratching their heads as well.”

49ers

• The Athletic’s Matt Barrows thinks the 49ers are rooting for RB Jerick McKinnon to be healthy enough to grab the No. 3 running back spot, but Jeffery Wilson could be the favorite otherwise. 
• Barrows adds undrafted rookie free agent RBs Salvon Ahmed and JaMycal Hasty are candidates to win a spot on the practice squad and earn a boost to the active roster like other San Francisco backs before them. Particularly if McKinnon can’t come back, the team will need a scatback. 
• Given the 49ers usually keep six receivers, Barrows thinks the final spot could come down to a battle between Dante Pettis, seventh-round rookie Jauan Jennings and veteran addition Travis Benjamin, assuming Trent Taylor and Jalen Hurd are healthy. 
• Barrows doesn’t rule out the 49ers making an addition at backup tight end like re-signing Delanie Walker or trading for Browns TE David Njoku, though their salary cap space is a constraint. 
• Barrows says it’s not out of the question that LBs Kwon Alexander and Dre Greenlaw could swap roles between weakside and strongside linebacker. The weakside linebacker is a full-time role and Alexander started there before getting hurt. 
• According to Over The Cap’s Nick Korte, the 49ers are projected to receive a fifth-round compensatory pick in 2021. 
• Korte adds the 49ers could potentially add a seventh-round comp pick or protect their other pick if they cut OL Tom Compton before he accrues 10 weeks. 
• If they keep Compton and the Giants cut TE Levine Toilolo, San Francisco could lose their fifth-round pick from the loss of WR Emmanuel Sanders. 
• Per Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury, new 49ers LT Trent Williams said San Francisco was his preferred trade destination to reunite with HC Kyle Shanahan: “This was a preferred destination of mine because of my familiarity with Kyle and the offense. And with this an ascending team, I thought I’d fit right in.”
• Williams says he already knows the system, “like the back of my hand.” (JP Finlay)
• Regarding playing out his contract year in 2020, Williams says he and the team are on the same page: “We both agreed on we can take a wait-and-see approach. … Obviously it’s an incentive for me to play well. Both parties are interested in something long term but I’m more than ok with just getting my feet wet and just playing it out.” (Inman)

Rams

• According to ESPN’s Vaughn McClure, Falcons RB Todd Gurley will not file a grievance against the Rams over money owed to him like former teammate Clay Matthews is. 
• Over The Cap’s Nick Korte writes the Rams are projected to receive third and fourth-round compensatory picks in 2021. 

Seahawks

• Per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, Seahawks GM John Schneider laughed when asked about DT Jarran Reed taking DE Jadeveon Clowney‘s old number 90: “I don’t remember approving that yet.”
• ESPN’s Brady Henderson says to keep an eye on 2019 second-round S Marquise Blair as a potential option for the Seahawks at nickelback.