NFC Notes: Tyler Lockett, Kyler Murray, Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks

Cardinals

Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon is confident in QB Kyler Murray and feels this full offseason will be great for him and the team for 2024.

“In my mind, it’s my first offseason with him, because now he is acclimated into the program,” Gannon said, via Darren Urban of the team’s website. “I think his game is going to go to another level I know it is I have been extremely pleased with where he is at and what he is doing the command and the leadership he is displaying right now.”

Rams

Rams HC Sean McVay said third-round RB Blake Corum reminds him of RB Kyren Williams and expects Williams to help mentor him.

“There’s a lot of traits that reminded me of Kyren Williams,” McVay said, via Eric Williams of Fox Sports. “Obviously, I love Kyren and he’s been so important. Just the human being, but then also when you just look at the way he works at it, the production and the things that he was able to bring to our offense last year. I think there’s a lot of similarities. Kyren will put Blake under his arm and be a great mentor.” 

Corum believes he’s ready to make the transition to the NFL and has been leaning on veterans of the league for advice.

“I’ve been training for OTAs ever since the combine stopped,” Corum said. “All the NFL athletes I know told me the main thing is to just go in conditioned. So I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to condition the heck out of myself.’ I feel really good going into OTAs. But the biggest transition is, my job is football now. … I’m going to put all my time in learning the playbook, getting to know my teammates, getting to know my coaches and really setting myself up for a successful rookie year.” 

Seahawks

When appearing on the Jim Rome Show, Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett said he was open to signing a restructured deal with Seattle and was eager to be on new HC Mike Macdonald‘s roster.  

“You want to be able to be somewhere where the team believes in you and where the coaching staff believes in you. Obviously, we have a new coaching staff, so I had to be able to see what their thoughts were of me. They love me as a player and what I bring as a player,” Lockett said. 

As for his impression of Macdonald, Lockett has been pleased with their new coach and the coaching staff he brought to Seattle. 

“I love our head coach. Obviously, he and Pete [Carroll] are different in their own way, but they are great in their own way as well,” Lockett said. “And then when you look at the staff he brings in. He brought in a lot of people who have that same mindset and mentality of being great.”   

• When taking a look at the Seahawks following the 2024 NFL Draft, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN notes Seattle added fifth-round CB Nehemiah Pritchett and sixth-round CB D.J. James because MacDonald’s system requires strong cornerbacks.