The Cardinals have already made one change at quarterback, and Mike LaFleur is making it clear they’re comfortable with the next man up if needed.
After Gardner Minshew won the job, Arizona shipped Jacoby Brissett to the Ravens and slid rookie Carson Beck into the backup role. LaFleur said Beck is ready if his number gets called this season, and he sounded confident the rookie has handled the offense well behind the scenes.
“Obviously it’s just behind the scenes, nothing that you guys see, but I know he’s prepared to go in there if need be,” LaFleur said, via NBC Sports. “He, just like Gardner, just like anyone you ask that’s going to be on this team, they’re prepared as if they’re going to be the starting quarterback, or they’re prepared if they have to go in. I know he has full grasp of this game plan, of this system.”
LaFleur added that the Cardinals feel good about where Beck stands right now.
“It’s no secret, if something were to happen, it’d be nice to know what we got right there. I feel really good about where he is with his development, and so if that were to come up, then obviously he’d be the next one in,” LaFleur added.
In Los Angeles, Sean McVay came away encouraged by rookie tight end Max Klare after giving him snaps in the offense. McVay pointed to Klare’s work as both a blocker and a route runner, saying the rookie made the most of the opportunity.
“I do. I thought he did a really good job.
It was good to be able to get him out there and it’s like anything else. The more experience you get, the more confidence you earn, the more comfortable that you get with just the speed of play,” McVay said, via Rams Wire.
“I thought he did a really good job of getting connected on some blocks, showed up on some routes where he was available even if he didn’t get the ball thrown to him. I thought it was a very good step in the right direction and the answer is yes.”
Up in Seattle, Mike Macdonald is asking for a return to the team’s own standard. After a game that didn’t match that identity, he said the Seahawks need to get back to the style that helped them win the Super Bowl last season.
“If we’re going to go out, we want to go out in our way and our style, and that wasn’t us, or the best version of us at least,” Macdonald said, via NBC Sports. “So that’s why I think it’s so tough.
We have to focus on recapturing us and making sure that we’re us when we turn the tape on. There were too many times throughout that game where that wasn’t us in terms of just our style of ball.
That’s where we need to get better.”
In Other News...
Seahawks Just Sent A Clear Message About Their QB Depth
With Sam Darnold and Drew Lock both dealing with injuries, the Seahawks moved quickly to shore up the quarterback room by signing Adrian Martinez to the practice squad. Martinez had recently been with the San Francisco 49ers and also built momentum with his play in the UFL, giving Seattle another arm on hand as it tries to keep its depth chart intact through a tricky stretch.
Seattle also re-signed Jamie Sheriff to the practice squad while making room by releasing wide receiver Malick Meiga and linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo. The roster shuffle underscores how much the Seahawks are trying to protect themselves at quarterback, especially with Lock working back from an elbow injury and the team needing a reliable fallback if the situation gets any tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Face One Huge Deadline Call After Quenton Nelson Move
The Seahawks have already made one bold move to reshape their offense by landing guard Quenton Nelson, and the ripple effect has been immediate. With the interior of the line suddenly upgraded, attention has shifted to the backfield, where Seattle is reportedly among the teams exploring a trade for Colts running back Jonathan Taylor to give the rushing attack a much-needed boost.
Taylors production has again made him one of the most intriguing names on the market, with 587 rushing yards and eight touchdowns through seven games this season. Indianapolis is said to be open to offers, and Seattles interest fits the moment: after investing in protection up front, the next question is whether the Seahawks are ready to pay the price to pair that line with a proven difference-maker in the run game. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Could Get Jaxon Smith-Njigba Help From An Unlikely Rival Source
Brandon Aiyuk is expected to report to the San Francisco 49ers practice soon after spending time on the reserve/left squad list, and his status now hangs over the rest of the NFC West. The 49ers still have a few paths they could take with the veteran receiver, including keeping him, trading him, or moving on entirely, with a release viewed as the likeliest outcome.
If that door opens, the Seahawks could find themselves in an unusual spot: eyeing help for Jaxon Smith-Njigba from a division rival. Seattle has been looking to strengthen its wide receiver group, and a player of Aiyuks caliber becoming available would give the team a chance to explore a move that would have seemed far-fetched not long ago. [Read more 🡒]