NFC West Notes: Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers, Seahawks

Jimmy Garoppolo

49ers owner Jed York said he was encouraged to see QB Jimmy Garoppolo involved recruiting free agents even as he recovers from a torn ACL.  

“I know he called the guys who we were interested in on the first day or so of free agency and expressed his interest in getting guys here,” York said via NBC Sports’ Jennifer Lee Chan. “I’m fairly certain that he called Kwon (Alexander) during that negotiating window when you can start talking to people.  Those are things that he wants to do.  That’s where it’s different when you come in and you’ve been a backup, now being the guy. It’s hard when you’re the guy, you’re the highest-paid player, but you’re not playing for (the) team.” 

49ers

Despite a 10-22 record in two seasons, 49ers owner Jed York says he’s still confident in what HC Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch are building.

“We’re probably not going to get it all right in the first year, first two years, but this is something we’re going to try to build, and I believe we have a very good foundation,” York said, via NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco. “I think the future is bright for us.

“I have a lot of patience with these guys,” York added. “I think there are reasons we’ve had the records we’ve had the last two years, and I feel very, very good about the team those guys are putting together.”

Regarding San Francisco’s involvement in a potential trade for WR Odell Beckham, York said his team was involved, but “not close enough” given their unwillingness to part with the No. 2 overall pick: “We were definitely in it,” York said via Matt Maiocco. “We were aggressive. But I think (the Giants) wanted different things than we had to offer. I think it would have been very hard for us to just give up a first-round pick and not get a ton in return, other than just the player, knowing that the second pick in the draft is a very, very valuable pick.” 

• Lynch confirmed the team has no plans to cut RB Jerick McKinnon before April 1.  (Matt Barrows)
• Lynch also confirmed the 49ers will hold pre-draft visits with Kentucky DE Josh Allen, Ohio State DE Nick Bosa, Alabama DT Quinnen Williams and Michigan DE Rashan Gary.  (Maiocco)
• The 49ers are still hoping to sign K Robbie Gould to a long-term deal, according to Lynch: “That’s not dead either…but we’re still trying to figure out and take another go at trying to figure this out.  It takes everyone wanting to do that.  We’ll see if that’s a reality or not.”  (Nick Wagoner)
• Lynch mentioned the 49ers aren’t in any major trade discussions after confirming they had talks with the Giants for Beckham.  (Wagoner)

Seahawks

According to agent Drew Rosenhaus, the Seahawks gave DT Malik McDowell numerous examinations, but ultimately felt he would not be healthy enough to play football.  

“Unfortunately Malik got injured and was a brain injury, a head injury,” Rosenhaus said via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. “And the Seahawks, they did a wonderful job of exhaustively checking to see if they could get him cleared to play. Ultimately their doctors were not comfortable clearing him.”

Rosenhaus added McDowell, a former first-round pick in 2017, has been cleared by independent doctors and is looking to restart his career.  

“His doctors believe he is ready to go. So we’ve got experts that are saying he will be cleared,” Rosenhaus said. “So hopefully he will be able to continue his career, possibly with (Dallas). In any event, he has been cleared independently. But the Seahawks, they tried their best to work with him and unfortunately, they didn’t feel that he could continue to play.”

• John Gilbert reports that Mychal Kendricks is no longer scheduled to be sentenced on April 4. However, it’s unclear why and no new sentencing date has been set.