49ers, Rams, Seahawks: Key Injury Updates, Locker Room Vibes, and Rising Stars Across the NFC West
As the NFC West playoff picture sharpens, teams across the division are dealing with everything from lingering injuries to roster uncertainty and breakout performances. Here's a closer look at what’s happening inside the 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks camps as the regular season winds down.
49ers: Pearsall Managing Knee Issue, Aiyuk’s Status Still Cloudy
Rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is still working through a nagging knee issue, and while he’s not sounding the alarm, there’s definitely some uncertainty.
“I wouldn’t say, like, I’m super concerned,” Pearsall said. “I don’t really know what’s going on with it, to be honest.
I’ve gotta get some imaging done to it to see what exactly it is. But it’s probably the same stuff I was dealing with before.
And that sucks, but at least I know how to manage it now and go about it.”
That’s a mature approach from a young player trying to carve out a role in a loaded offense. Pearsall’s been praised for his route running and strong hands, and the 49ers could use that reliability-especially with Brandon Aiyuk still away from the team.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed Aiyuk’s absence, which has now stretched past a month, saying the team hasn’t had any issues placing him on the reserve/left team list.
“We haven’t seen him in forever,” Shanahan said. “I haven’t seen him in a month, and the same with our team.
So (putting him on the list) hasn’t been an issue at all. We’ve kind of been plugging away, and it’s no big deal.
It’s just something we’ve been used to for a while.”
Shanahan didn’t close the door on Aiyuk returning to the roster next season but made it clear that Aiyuk hasn’t been part of the day-to-day conversation lately.
“I wouldn’t say that’s for sure been decided,” he said. “I literally haven’t had to think about B.A. or had a reason to think about him in a long time.”
Veteran tight end George Kittle, usually one of the more vocal leaders in the locker room, sidestepped questions about Aiyuk’s situation.
“I’m gonna punt on that question,” Kittle said. “It is what it is. Nothing I can do about it, so I’m just going to play ball with the guys that are here.”
Running back Christian McCaffrey, meanwhile, turned the focus back to Pearsall, calling him a “special player” and a natural fit to step into a bigger role.
“I think it’s his ability to beat man coverage and his hands, especially,” McCaffrey said. “He’s a hell of a ball catcher and an elite route runner. And I think when you have someone as dynamic as that, the ball is gonna find him.”
With Aiyuk’s future still up in the air, Pearsall’s development couldn’t come at a better time for San Francisco.
Rams: Stafford’s Steady Hand Fuels Belief in Playoff Push
In Los Angeles, the Rams are riding a wave of confidence-and it all starts with Matthew Stafford.
Running back Kyren Williams didn’t mince words when asked what Stafford’s presence means to the offense.
“Matthew can make any throw out there on the field,” Williams said. “And I got so much confidence in it, it’s so crazy.
I know that if I can protect my own, if I can do my 1/11 of the job, Matthew’s gonna get that ball out on time-to Puka, to Davante [Adams], to Colby [Parkinson], to T-Ferg [Terrance Ferguson]. No matter who it is, the ball is gonna be completed.”
That kind of trust in a quarterback isn’t just talk-it’s the kind of thing that shows up in close games and late drives. Williams also credited the team’s mental makeup, saying this group has the same edge and toughness that’s defined previous Rams squads.
“Coach McVay hit us on that early on in the season, throughout training camp, that we’re built for whatever it is,” Williams said. “I think these guys on this team have taken that mindset and really ran with it.”
The Rams are still in the thick of the playoff hunt, and with Stafford playing at a high level, this team believes it can hang with anyone.
Seahawks: Run Defense Steps Up, Kubiak Drawing Interest
The Seahawks’ defense made a statement against the Colts, bottling up star running back Jonathan Taylor and holding him to just 3.5 yards per carry on 25 attempts. Head coach Mike Macdonald didn’t hesitate to highlight the impact of rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II.
“He was absolutely dominant,” Macdonald said. “Probably singlehandedly won us a football game on defense. He absolutely played lights out.”
That’s high praise from a defensive-minded coach, and it speaks to how quickly Murphy is becoming a foundational piece for Seattle’s front.
On the offensive side, coordinator Klint Kubiak is starting to draw attention around the league for the work he’s done with quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold’s play has stabilized the offense, and Kubiak’s name is expected to come up in head coaching conversations this offseason.
Injury-wise, the Seahawks are monitoring a few key names ahead of a short-week matchup. Left tackle Charles Cross is dealing with a hamstring issue, and Macdonald said it’s “possible” he could suit up Thursday against the Rams.
As for rookie wide receiver Tory Horton, who’s battling a shin injury, Macdonald said the team is taking a wait-and-see approach.
“We’ll see about Tory,” he said. “He’s taking it as he improves right now.
He’s got some hurdles he’s got to get over. We’ll wait to see him get over those hurdles but if he gets over them we can get him back.”
Final Thoughts
From the 49ers managing uncertainty around one of their top receivers, to the Rams leaning on a resurgent Matthew Stafford, and the Seahawks seeing young talent emerge on both sides of the ball-this NFC West race is far from settled. With just weeks left in the regular season, every snap, every injury update, and every breakout performance could tilt the balance.