Pre-Snap Reads 12/8: Cody Barton emerging in contract year

The Niners like Brock Purdy. The Rams not sure if Baker Mayfield will play tonight. The Cardinals face the Patriots at home in Arizona. And several Seahawks continue to lead at their positions in Pro Bowl voting. Let the links guide you.

Seahawks News

The lesson of the year: Don't screw up your wide receiver depth - Seaside Joe
The Seahawks are better off thanks to their receivers, which only emphasizes how badly they need to improve the depth: Seaside Joe 1374

Draft musings for the 7th December « Seahawks Draft Blog
“That won’t happen”

Don't hate on Tyler Lockett - Deadspin
In an era of the NFL where yards after the catch reign supreme, with star ankle-breakers like Justin Jefferson, Deebo Samuel, and Cooper Kupp constantly putting on shows with their ability to turn screens and slants into scores, it's weird to think about how successful someone like Tyler Lockett has been.

K.J. Wright: How Seahawks fixed early run D issue vs Rams - Seattle Sports
Former Seahawks Pro Bowl LB K.J. Wright breaks down the change Seattle made after a shaky first defensive series in their win over the Rams.

Week 14 Injury Report: Seahawks vs. Panthers - Seahawks.com
Details on the Seahawks’ injury situation heading into their Week 14 game against the Panthers, including Wednesday’s practice participation.

Confident Cody Barton 'Turned the Corner,' Emerging as Viable Starter For Seattle Seahawks - Sports Illustrated Seattle Seahawks News, Analysis and More
Unfairly used as a punching bag by many fans given the Seattle Seahawks persistent struggles defending the run this season, Cody Barton has quietly turned into a quality starter as he has acclimated to a new scheme, putting himself back in the mix to be part of the franchise's future foundation.

NFC West News

49ers injury news: Arik Armstead was limited at practice; the Niners will be smart with him - Niners Nation
Armstead was limited during Wednesday’s practice

The 49ers Will Only go as far as Their Defense Takes Them - Sports Illustrated San Francisco 49ers News, Analysis and More
All of the pressure is on the 49ers defense to perform at an elite level each and every game. Anything less will make it a struggle for them to win and go far.

Can Brock Purdy keep 49ers offense afloat? Rookie QB’s film is encouraging - The Athletic
The 49ers’ hopes now rest on rookie Brock Purdy, the 2022 NFL Draft’s Mr. Irrelevant. San Francisco has re-established itself as a true contender during its five-game winning streak, but it’ll likely be without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for at least the rest of the regular season after already losing Trey Lance for the season in Week 3.

Baker Mayfield: New Los Angeles Rams QB 'The Right Guy' to Start in Matthew Stafford's Place? - Sports Illustrated LA Rams News, Analysis and More
After signing former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield the Los Angeles Rams are looking to find the right guy at quarterback.

Rams-Raiders preview: 5 keys to victory for the Rams to beat the Raiders in primetime - Turf Show Times
Can the Rams beat the Raiders with Baker Mayfield?

Red Rain Podcast: “Upon Further Review” with Marcos Labrada of AZSports Underground - Revenge of the Birds
Marcos Labrada (AZSports Underground), Kyle Ledbetter and I discuss what we consider to be false assumptions made about the 2022 Arizona Cardinals. Thank you Marcos for your keen perspectives.

Podcast: What to Expect From Rest of Arizona Cardinals' Season - Sports Illustrated Arizona Cardinals News, Analysis and More
All Cardinals' Donnie Druin and Richie Bradshaw welcome fans back after the bye week and guide them through what to expect in the final five games of the season.

Around The NFL

Joe Burrow enters MVP chat room; c'mon, Falcons, give Desmond Ridder a shot; and what are Jags doing with Travon Walker?
Welcome back to the Four Verts column! This week, it’s all about youth. One young quarterback can forever be remembered as a vital piece of NFL history, one team needs to make a youth movement at quarterback, the No. 1 overall draft pick is being misused and Georgia has another monster in the making on defense. Let’s dive in.

What's up with OBJ, Baker claimed by Rams, Titans fire GM Robinson & is Brandon Staley right for Chargers?
As the 2022 NFL playoffs draw closer, some of the most interesting storylines approaching Week 14 involve a bunch of parties who will not be a part of the on-field action this Sunday. Charles Robinson is joined by Charles McDonald and Jori Epstein to dissect the biggest NFL stories of the week.

Inside the Jalen Hurts-A.J. Brown friendship and brotherhood - ESPN.com
A friendship dating back to high school and the undeniable chemistry between Brown and Hurts is the heartbeat of this Philadelphia Eagles offense.

Top NFL rookies 2022: Ranking 10 best first-years, plus risers, QB report - ESPN.com
How do the NFL's best rookies stack up? Which teams have multiple in our top 10? And which first-year players rose into the fold over the past four weeks?

Lions' confidence riding high ahead of Vikings clash - Detroit Lions Blog- ESPN
Detroit Lions are riding their win against the Jacksonville Jaguars as a confidence boost heading into the final five games of the regular season.

Week 14 injury report for 2022 NFL season - NFL.com
NFL.com keeps you up to day with each player's injury designation for Week 14 of the 2022 season.

RB Index, Week 14: Three teams whose 2023 starting RB isn't on the current roster
On Tuesday, my NFL Network colleague David Carr spotlighted four organizations that do not currently have their 2023 starting quarterbacks on their roster. Now it's my turn to look at the running back position to identify teams that do not currently have their RB1 of 2023 in-house.

Prisco's Week 14 NFL picks: Brock Purdy lifts 49ers over Buccaneers, Chargers upset Dolphins, Bills blast Jets - CBSSports.com
Pete Prisco reveals all of his Week 14 NFL picks, including the red-hot Lions knocking off the Vikings