The NFC is already giving us a few useful training camp snapshots, and a couple of them point to roles and relationships that could matter once the games start counting.
In San Francisco, Deebo Samuel is back in the mix, and 49ers GM John Lynch made it clear the team plans to lean into the full range of what Samuel can do. Lynch said Samuel will work as a receiver, a running back and a kick returner, stressing that San Francisco intends to move him around the field.
“You are going to see him in the return game, at receiver, and at running back,” Lynch said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “We are going to use him all over the field, and we are really excited to have Deebo back. We have a lot of history with him, we know the type of player he is, and he looks to be in really good shape.”
Across the division, Rams wideout Davante Adams is staring down his 13th NFL season and didn’t shy away from the reality of being one of the older players in the locker room. Asked whether he thinks about that, Adams said he does.
“I battle with that sometimes, I do,” Adams said, via Pro Football Talk. “I am the old man and I feel young because I can still go out there and do young man stuff, but then my body don’t necessarily feel the same way it’s done as it was back at Puka [Nacua’s] age.
At the end of the day, what’s 13 times seven? Because this is dog years out here.
It’s a whole different ball game than living years. If I can continue to play at a high level, I’ll deal with the other stuff whether it’s talking about me being old or a little bit of extra pain.
It’s just a little extra work you have to do to come out of it.”
Puka Nacua is also part of the Rams’ news cycle, with Adam Schefter reporting that the receiver, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, has hired Win Sports Group to handle his contract negotiations.
On the quarterback side, Sean McVay said Ty Simpson will “definitely” play in the first preseason game, though the Rams coach said he is still unsure whether Stetson Bennett will be available.
Seattle’s buzz centers on Rashid Shaheed, who said a full offseason with Sam Darnold has made him far more comfortable in the offense after arriving midway through last season. Shaheed said the extra reps and time together have already shown up.
“Just being able to get all these reps and time with Sam and with the offense, just getting adjusted as fast as possible,” Shaheed said, via the team’s website. “The time that I’ve had so far this offseason, I can definitely see the improvement compared to coming here halfway through a season. It’s been good, and I’m just excited to continue to grow in training camp.”
Shaheed described last year’s arrival in Seattle as trying to catch up to a team already in motion.
“Jumping on a moving train, especially with these guys and the trajectory they were on last year. You’ve got to figure it out quick. Just being able to come in and be myself, the guys helped me out with that, the coaches helped me out with that, so now I’ve just got to continue to gain momentum through this year.”
He also said winning a championship after being traded to Seattle gave him a confidence boost heading into this season.
“Coming here and becoming a Super Bowl champion, you couldn’t really write it any better. I just felt like I was able to come in and help the best way I could. That definitely gave me confidence going into this year.”
Mike Macdonald has noticed the chemistry too. The Seahawks coach said the timing between Shaheed and Darnold has improved throughout the offseason, and he believes the work they’ve put in over the summer is showing up.
“For the folks that watched our practices in the spring, to see the improvement in the timing between him and Sam, it was really exciting going into the offseason, and I think they’ve picked up right where they left off,” Macdonald said. “I know they put in some work this offseason as well throughout the summer, and that’s definitely paying dividends.”
In Other News...
Seahawks Rookie RB Hits A Camp Setback At The Worst Time
Jadarian Price has been one of the more intriguing young players in Seahawks camp, showing enough early promise to make his first NFL summer worth watching closely. The rookie running back has been working to carve out a role, and the team has had reason to be encouraged by how he has looked as training camp has unfolded.
The attention shifted this week when Price was held out of practice again because of leg soreness, a brief interruption at a time when every rep matters. Mike Macdonald downplayed the concern and said the setback is not serious, with Price expected back in a few days, but the Seahawks will still be eager to get him back on the field and continue building on the momentum he created early in camp. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Just Added A Power Back Worth Watching Closely
The Seahawks have added another name to a backfield that is still taking shape, signing running back TJ Harden after his college stops at UCLA and SMU and a brief run with the Browns. Harden brings a profile Seattle has been open to exploring in recent years, a power back with enough production on his rsum to make the move more than just a camp body transaction.
He also arrives with a little bit of organizational familiarity attached to the conversation, since he and Zach Charbonnet have already crossed paths before. With Charbonnet entering pending free agency, Seattle's running back room could look different before long, and Harden now gets a chance to show he belongs in that mix rather than just passing through it. [Read more 🡒]
Macdonalds Camp Message Says Everything About Seattles Next Challenge
Mike Macdonald is treating this training camp like a fresh start, even with the Seahawks already settled into his third season as head coach. New additions on the roster, changes on the coaching staff and a revamped offensive approach have given Seattle a different feel, and Macdonald is leaning into that by stressing unity and the need to bring everyone onto the same page before the real work begins.
He has framed the challenge in broader terms, pointing to Michael Jordan and the Bulls as an example of how a title team can keep evolving rather than standing still. For Seattle, the focus now is less about celebrating what came before and more about building the kind of culture that can carry another run, with the next step depending on how quickly the new pieces fit together. [Read more 🡒]