NFC West Notes: Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks

Cardinals

• Per Mike Jurecki, Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury says C A.Q. Shipley has won the starting center position. 
• OL Mason Cole will work as a backup at both center and guard. 
• Kingsbury did not say if recently-signed WR Michael Crabtree would be ready to play Week 1 against the Lions: “That’s a lot of install and a lot of information to kind of cram into a couple of weeks and condition and all those things.” (Josh Weinfuss)

49ers

The 49ers made RB Jerick McKinnon a priority target last offseason, signing him to a four-year, $30 million deal with $18 million guaranteed. McKinnon unfortunately tore his ACL during the preseason and is still facing problems more than a year after the injury. The 49ers placed him on injured reserve this weekend, ending his second season in San Francisco before it even begins. 

“He needed to undergo another procedure where being available in eight weeks wasn’t an option,” 49ers GM John Lynch said via Cam Inman. “We’re hopeful for Jerick that this one will be successful. There were some mechanical issues that did not allow him to play”

San Francisco did receive some positive injury news during cutdowns, however, as CB Jason Verrett could return healthy in time for Week 1. San Francisco elected to keep him on the active roster and did not place him on injured reserve or the PUP list. 

“Good news for Jason is that his recovery from ankle injury is going very well and a strong possibility we’ll have him for Week 1,” Lync said via Inman. “We decided he was worth carrying onto the roster and we’re pleased with that.”

• Eric Branch points out that 49ers DL Kentavius Street (knee) is a candidate for injured reserved with a designation to return. 
• Lynch said the team received some trade interest in backup QBs C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens, but no one met their asking price: “And so we go in, happily, with these three.” (Eric Branch)
• Lynch added 49ers first-round DE Nick Bosa (ankle) will practice Monday before the team decides about his availability for Week 1: “We’ll see where it goes from there.” (Branch)
• 49ers officially signed nine players to their practice squad. (NFLTR)

Seahawks

• Per John Boyle, Seahawks HC Pete Carroll confirmed DE Ezekiel Ansah was trending toward playing in Week 1: “He went through pregame tonight, he practiced during the week, he’ll practice this next week and he’s ready to go. The docs have given him the ready to go as long as he makes it through the days.”
• The Seahawks could bring back recently-released DT Earl Mitchell following Week 1 to avoid guaranteeing his salary for the entire year. (Mike Garafolo)
• If the Seahawks let DE Jadeveon Clowney walk in free agency following the season, they could be in line to receive a third-round compensatory pick. Seattle traded a third-round pick for Clowney in addition to two players. (Brady Henderson)
• Seahawks officially signed six players to their practice squad. (NFLTR)