NFL Trade Rumors
Cardinals rookie DL Elijah Simmons has earned first-team reps despite going undrafted in this year’s draft.
“As an undrafted free agent rookie, that’s rare, so take advantage,” DL Calais Campbell said, via the team’s website. “Make it look good. He’s a big strong guy, I’m sure he bench-presses over 500 pounds. But he works hard. It’s hard to get good information this early, but he hasn’t messed up much. He’s focused and eager.”
Simmons was on the team’s radar as a potential Day 3 pick. He wound up going undrafted but is looking to make the most of his opportunity.
“I never took anything for granted,” Simmons said. “When opportunity comes, it comes. I never doubt anything. They pick who they pick. Now I have the opportunity to live out my dreams. I just have to take it with a grain of salt.”
Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon wants Simmons to continue putting his best foot forward and not worrying about what, or who, is in front of him.
“The battling the depth chart, if you are counting numbers, that’s an external factor that’s really pointless,” Gannon said. “Control what you can control and become the best player, because you don’t know how it’s going to kick out.”
Rams veteran QB Matthew Stafford was held out of practice this week because of back soreness. Los Angeles HC Sean McVay said they are keeping a “big-picture perspective” with Stafford.
“If he was a first-year player, then I think you’d say, ‘Man, every rep really matters,’” McVay said, via Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times. “I think the important thing is having a big-picture perspective with a guy going into Year 17.”
McVay added that they are letting Stafford work “off to the side on his own.”
“We’ll allow him to just work kind of off to the side on his own, get himself as good as possible and then he’ll be ready for Block 2,” McVay said.
McVay is glad to have Jimmy Garoppolo as a capable backup option.
“When you have a quality player like Jimmy that can step in, now you don’t feel like the team is totally punished either.”
Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker missed time during the spring with an ankle injury that the team wanted to be cautious with given the season was still so far out. He’s been participating on a much stronger basis in camp so far and turning heads.
“He looks great,” Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald said via John Boyle of the team website. “He’s in a great spot, mentally. Just awesome to see him do all the things that we want him to do from the get-go. I know he’s really excited about what’s going on. Great first day with Ken.”
