NFL Notes: 49ers, Cardinals, Raiders

49ers

• According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, 49ers CB Richard Sherman was never any better than 80% healthy last year and only reached that number by November.  
• Breer adds Sherman had surgery to remove sutures put into his heel as a part of the rehab process, which is expected to help.  

Cardinals

According to one personnel executive who works in pro scouting, there wasn’t one sole factor to blame for Cardinals QB Josh Rosen‘s poor rookie season. 

“I think it was a mix of both. He’s definitely talented and, from a quarterbacking stand, he can do everything you need him to,” the executive said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “He was hindered by the lack of weapons around him, the lack of protection he had. But when he started to get hit, you’d question his overall toughness. He started to look at the rush, you could tell he didn’t want to be hit anymore. Then, what didn’t help was the change in coordinator, and that the next coordinator couldn’t put in his own offense, because everything was on the fly. … Just a bad situation for a rookie quarterback. You definitely saw the good, in why they drafted him. No one questions the physical ability. It’s the mental part of it. He processes and learns it well, but people keep questioning toughness and leadership.”

• The Arizona Republic’s Bob McManaman believes if the Cardinals can’t trade down to No. 4 with the Raiders or No. 6 with the Giants, they’ll take Ohio State DE Nick Bosa at No. 1 instead of Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray.

Raiders

Raiders HC Jon Gruden continued to defend the Khalil Mack trade by explaining that they couldn’t have made the offseason acquisitions they have this offseason had they signed Mack long-term. 

“If we did come up with the money to make the [Mack] contract happen last year, we wouldn’t have any of these men we’re talking about now,” Gruden said via Pro Football Talk. “We would not have [tackle] Trent Brown. We would not have [receiver] Antonio Brown. We wouldn’t have [safety] Lamarcus Joyner. We wouldn’t have [linebacker] Vontaze Burfict and we wouldn’t have [receiver] Tyrell Williams. And we wouldn’t have the three first-rounders that we’re talking about.”