NFC West

The San Francisco 49ers could be without one of their top pass-catchers Sunday against the Chicago Bears.

Star tight end George Kittle is dealing with a groin injury that is considered "not good," according to Pro Football Network's Aaron Wilson. A source told Wilson that the injury is serious enough that it "would be best" for him to miss Week 1.

A source told Wilson that Kittle has a Grade 2 groin strain that has limited his speed.

"One of the top tight ends in the game and well known for his toughness, Kittle wouldn't shock anyone if he opted to play through the injury," Wilson wrote. "Nonetheless, his chances of playing nearly the entire season are considered much more likely if he sits out the season opener and doesn't further aggravate the injury."

Kittle injured his groin during practice Monday and didn't participate in Wednesday's practice.

The three-time Pro Bowler enters the 2022 campaign coming off a 2021 season that saw him catch 71 passes for 910 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games. He is expected to be one of second-year quarterback Trey Lance's top targets this season.

However, if he's sidelined, Lance will rely more heavily on wide receivers Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings.

The 49ers also have Charlie Woerner, Ross Dwelley and Tyler Kroft available at tight end. Kroft, an eighth-year veteran, could see most of the time filling in for Kittle.

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Wednesday while speaking about Kroft:

"We've been a fan of Kroft his whole career. I was a real big fan of him coming out of college. And he's done well everywhere he's been. He had some injury trouble last year, I think the last couple years he's struggled to stay out there. I think that's one of the reasons we were able to get him. But Kroft, he's an NFL tight end. We feel very fortunate to have him here."

After facing the Bears, the 49ers will host the Seattle Seahawks for Week 2.

The Arizona Cardinals wide receiver room took another hit on Thursday.

Second-year receiver Rondale Moore suffered a hamstring injury during Thursday's practice and is set to undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury, per Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.

The Cardinals are already set to begin the year without DeAndre Hopkins, who will miss the first six games while serving a suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy.

If the team is also without Moore, it could be a tough start to the year on offense in Arizona.

Moore had a solid rookie season in 2021, catching 54 passes for 435 yards and one touchdown in 14 games. While he sat behind Hopkins, Christian Kirk and A.J. Green on the roster last year, he was expected to play a larger role in 2022.

If the Purdue product is sidelined for any period of time, the Cardinals will rely more heavily on Green, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, whom they acquired during the 2022 NFL draft from the Baltimore Ravens, and Andy Isabella.

Brown is coming off a breakout 2021 campaign that saw him catch 91 passes for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games. He's expected to be Kyler Murray's top target with Hopkins sidelined through Week 6.

The Cardinals open the season on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium before traveling to face the Las Vegas Raiders for Week 2.

Aaron Donald's agent, Todd France, reportedly sent the Los Angeles Rams a letter in May informing the team of Donald's intention to retire, according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The letter was intended to be passed along to the NFL, but the Rams never sent it. Instead, the team and France reignited contract talks and eventually settled on a $40 million raise for Donald on the three remaining years on his contract, keeping him with the team and on the field.

Per that report, the Rams and France had a scheduled meeting for the day after the letter was sent, and it was a productive one. So the two sides scheduled another meeting, and several more after that, all behind the backdrop of Donald's potential retirement.

As Rapoport wrote: "The thought of Donald's retirement was very real. For both sides, however, continuing to talk made sense. Sparked by Donald's letter, whether it was strategic or real, the parties had time and a window to get a new contract done."

The restructured deal will pay Donald an average of $31.6 million over the next three seasons and includes $65 million in guaranteed money over the next two years. If Donald chooses to return for the final year of the contract in 2024, he'll be guaranteed another $30 million.

For the Rams, it was a huge moment. The 31-year-old is an eight-time Pro Bowler, seven-time first-team All-Pro selection, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner and helped lead Los Angeles to a Super Bowl title last season, coming up with the game-clinching play.

He hasn't shown signs of slowing down, registering 12.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, 25 quarterback hits and four forced fumbles in the 2021 season. It was his fifth straight season with double-digit sacks and his sixth season overall reaching that milestone, an incredible achievement for an interior lineman.

Mounting a title defense without Donald would have been a difficult task. Apparently, the Rams were one unsent letter away from facing that reality.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead have agreed to contract extensions with the team Thursday:

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, both are now under contract through 2026.

McVay has a 55-26 record across five seasons with the Rams, leading the team to a Super Bowl title last season. He has a 7-3 career postseason record, including a second trip to the Super Bowl after the 2018 season.

Snead has been the team's GM since 2012, helping turn around an organization that was 2-14 before his arrival.

McVay and Snead previously had two years remaining on their contracts, but chief operating officer Kevin Demoff said in March his plan was to extend both.

"They have an amazing working relationship," Demoff said. "You'd be foolish, when you look at how hard it is in this league to win, not to try to keep together a pair that’s done it really well."

There was some speculation McVay could step away from coaching after last year's title, with multiple television networks trying to sign him as an analyst.

The 36-year-old has instead decided to remain on the sidelines and will clearly stick with the team for the long haul. He will now try to lead the Rams to back-to-back titles, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since the New England Patriots in 2004-05.

Los Angeles kicks off the 2022 season Thursday night against another top contender in the Buffalo Bills.

After playing against Bobby Wagner for 10 seasons, the Los Angeles Rams didn't initially buy his interest in signing with them as a free agent this offseason.

Rams general manager Les Snead told Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times that he thought the initial text message he received from Wagner in March was a hoax.

"I think he signed off as Bwagz," Snead said, "and I’m like, 'OK, is this real?'"

According to Klein, the Rams were one of several teams Wagner messaged who thought they were being pranked by someone with a fake number.

"Everybody thought it was a fake," Wagner told Klein.

One reason for the uncertainty is because Wagner, unlike most players, doesn't have an agent and chooses to represent himself.

Klein noted the Rams weren't initially planning to sign Wagner because they didn't have a spot for him, nor did they have the cap space available to add what he would command on the open market.

Snead eventually worked things out with the cap and got Wagner to sign a five-year, $50 million contract. Richard Sherman, Wagner's former teammate, tweeted the Baltimore Ravens "made a last (minute) push" to sign the eight-time All-Pro linebacker before Los Angeles closed the deal.

Wagner spent the first 10 years of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. He was one of the key players on the defense during the "Legion of Boom" years and continued to play at a high level after that group broke up.

With the Seahawks taking their roster in a different direction this season, Wagner was released by the team in March. The 32-year-old produced like one of the best linebackers in the NFL in 2021, earning second-team All-Pro honors after recording 170 combined tackles, three tackles for loss and five pass breakups in 16 starts.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford's achy right elbow reportedly required offseason surgery.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Stafford had a procedure done to deal with the pain he experienced throughout last season and help him prepare for this season.

Schefter noted Stafford "is now said to feel better today than he did at this time last year" as the Rams begin defense of their Super Bowl title Thursday against the Buffalo Bills.

Stafford dealt with an elbow injury throughout the offseason, preventing him from throwing until the spring. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network later reported the veteran was dealing with "bad tendinitis."

The 34-year-old has dealt with a variety of ailments during his career and especially in recent years, but he played every possible game in 10 of his last 11 seasons entering 2022. The only exception came in 2019 when a back issue limited him to eight games as the Detroit Lions finished 3-12-1.

Last season, Stafford tallied 4,886 passing yards and 41 touchdowns against 17 interceptions in his first season with L.A. Had he not been ready for Week 1 this season, the inexperienced John Wolford would have been the next man up at quarterback.

The San Francisco 49ers are facing the possibility of being without one of their top offensive players in Sunday's season opener against the Chicago Bears.

Per ESPN's Field Yates, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that star tight end George Kittle is dealing with a groin injury that could affect his status for Week 1.

Shanahan noted he was "not sure" how serious Kittle's injury is, adding, "I was hoping he'd be good today. He did it a little on Monday and not feeling good today."

Kittle is a pivotal piece of San Francisco's offense and was expected to play a big role this year as second-year quarterback Trey Lance takes over as the starter. Having a big tight end such as Kittle as his security blanket is sure to make life easier for Lance as he continues to develop.

A five-year veteran, the 6'4", 250-pound Kittle was selected to his third Pro Bowl last season after posting 71 catches for 910 yards and a career-best six touchdowns in 14 games. He signed a five-year, $75 million contract extension in 2020, which made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL by total guaranteed money.

The 49ers restructured his deal earlier this offseason, which freed up $8.33 million in cap room.

If Kittle were to miss time, it would leave the 49ers without one of their best pass-catchers. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel is already the focal point of the team's passing attack, but he surely benefits from Kittle drawing attention from opposing defenses. Third-year wideout Brandon Aiyuk will have to prove he can be a viable No. 2 option behind Samuel.

Larry Fitzgerald hasn't formally retired from the NFL, but it's safe to assume fans have seen the last of the legendary wide receiver on the field.

The New York Post's Andrew Marchand reported Wednesday that Fitzgerald agreed to join ESPN's Monday Night Countdown program. The former Arizona Cardinals star is expected to appear on five to seven shows this year.

Fitzgerald confirmed the news via social media:

The 39-year-old will replace Randy Moss, whom Marchand reported wanted a lighter schedule and preferred to work Sunday NFL Countdown only.

Fitzgerald spent 17 years in the NFL, all with Arizona. Having opted against signing with a team ahead of the 2021 season, he alluded to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss in February about how he was finished as a player but didn't want to classify it as a "retirement."

"I'm 38 years old," he said. "I'm a long way from retirement. Yeah, a long way."

Fitzgerald is second all-time behind Jerry Rice in receptions (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492). He was an 11-time Pro Bowler and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's All-Decade team for the 2010s.

Fans will get to see the former pass-catcher start his new career ahead of the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos' clash on Monday night in Week 1.

The Seattle Seahawks reportedly offered quarterback Russell Wilson to the Cleveland Browns as part of a proposed trade for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

ESPN's Brady Henderson reported Wednesday the Browns "weren't interested" in the idea but it led Wilson's agent, Mark Rodgers, to secure a no-trade clause in the QB's next contract that gave him greater control over his future.

Wilson was ultimately traded to the Denver Broncos in March, ending a 10-year tenure with the Seahawks.

The quarterback's growing frustration in Seattle became evident when he went on a media tour surrounding the Super Bowl in February 2021 where he aired his grievances.

Now it appears his stay with the Seahawks nearly ended three years before that if the Browns would have been willing to put the top draft pick on the table.

Of course, Cleveland opted to stay put and selected Baker Mayfield, who failed to establish himself as a franchise quarterback across four seasons before getting dealt to the Carolina Panthers in July.

His trade came after the Browns rebuilt their quarterback room with Deshaun Watson, Jacoby Brissett and Joshua Dobbs over the offseason.

It's always interesting to analyze the trickle-down effect of moves that weren't made. If Wilson lands with the Browns, do the Seahawks take Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen or Josh Rosen with the No. 1 pick? It's an obvious choice now, but back then it was a debate.

Meanwhile, Cleveland wouldn't have been in the market for a quarterback this offseason, which would have shaken up the QB trade market.

It worked out fine for Wilson, however, as he lands within a Broncos offense featuring no shortage of playmakers in the talent-laden AFC West.

Fittingly, his time with Denver begins with a road trip to face the Seahawks in Week 1.

"Obviously, Seattle's meant the world to me over the past 10 years," Wilson told reporters in May. "It's a special place. It's a special place to play, Lumen Field. I have high regard for all those guys over there and what they do."

Although his run with the Hawks didn't end on a high note, he enjoyed plenty of success during his decade with the franchise, including nine Pro Bowl selections and the Super Bowl XLVIII title.

He should receive a hero's welcome on Monday night.