NFC Notes: Arik Armstead, Desmond Ridder, 49ers, Cardinals, Rams

49ers

Former 49ers DT Arik Armstead signed with Jacksonville this offseason after San Francisco released him for salary cap purposes. Armstead doesn’t have hard feelings towards the organization, but he doesn’t like how the situation was handled.

“First off, I want to say I don’t have any animosity toward the organization — Kyle [Shanahan], John [Lynch], the York family,” Armstead says, via his Third and Long podcast. “I did feel extremely disrespected.”

“Nine years of me being there, the fans deserve to know what happened. You know, I had to make some decisions.”

Cardinals

Cardinals’ recently acquired QB Desmond Ridder said it was difficult for him to be traded from the Falcons, but is trying to use his time in Atlanta as a learning experience. 

“Yeah, I mean obviously that’s tough,” Ridder said, via Bob McManaman of Arizona Republic. “But a quarterback or any team sports player, it’s not all on one person. So, the outside world and whoever it may be can pin it all on one person, but it’s a team sport. I didn’t play 10 percent of those games very well, but I also wasn’t the only one out there. For me to go out there and just learn from it and be able to go out there and be better from it, I think that’s what’s going to help me in the long run in my career and my longevity. You can’t really control what other people say, but you can control how you respond and what you go do.”

Ridder was wary about Atlanta parting ways with him when they moved on from former HC Arthur Smith and brought in Raheem Morris. 

“The NFL stands for Not for Long,” Ridder said. “Granted, you’re grateful to be able to go out there and play no matter who it’s for, no matter where it is, just to be able to play the game we love. I knew myself I didn’t play my best football here in Atlanta and obviously with a new coaching staff, new guys coming in, I knew it would be possible they’d go in a different direction, and they did.

Ridder was “ecstatic” to receive a phone call from Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort and is glad to be in Arizona.  

“The Arizona Cardinals reached out to our GM, Terry (Fontenot) and he gave me a call and I was ecstatic. I’m a fan of Arizona. I spent a couple days out there two Super Bowls ago. I just love the area. I love the city of Phoenix and Scottsdale, Glendale — kind of that trifecta area — and it’s just a beautiful place. I’m excited to get my family out there and excited to be out there ready to work.”

Rams

Regarding the NFL’s new kickoff rules, Rams HC Sean McVay expects teams to learn as the season progresses and wants to identify schemes that can benefit their return team.  

“I think there’s going to be a lot of things that we learn in the midst of it,” McVay said, via ProFootballTalk. “As we start to figure out, schematically, how does that affect and influence the outcome of games? What does that do in terms of those 10 to 12 plays now that will be more prevalent, depending upon the approach.”

McVay praised special teams coordinators around the league for discovering a new way to approach kickoffs. 

“It’s been a great job by our special teams coordinators in this league,” McVay said. “Presenting the proposal that they came up with, that is largely influenced from what the XFL has done. I think it’s important. You want to be able to keep the foot in the game and so there’s been a real conscientious effort to try to be able to do that.”