San Francisco 49ers cancel mandatory minicamp
· Yahoo Sports
The Arizona Cardinals reported for mandatory minicamp on Monday. They will have two on-field practices on Tuesday and Wednesday. One of their division rivals has opted out of minicamp, giving their players an extra week off.
The San Francisco 49ers had 100% participation in the final week of the offseason program (excluding receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who will not be with the team when the season begins), so head coach Kyle Shanahan chose to cancel the mandatory period of the spring.
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Things are different for the 49ers than the Cardinals. Arizona has a new coaching staff and offensive system. New head coach Mike LaFleur is building things. Shanahan has been there with mostly the same staff for years.
The Cardinals also didn't have 100% participation. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett and outside linebacker Josh Sweat both stayed away from the offseason program. Brissett is looking for a new contract, while Sweat was training on his own.
The Cardinals and 49ers are in very different places. The Niners are expected to compete in a tough NFC West and have been competitive for several seasons. The Cardinals are the only team in the division not expected to be competitive.
The Cardinals shouldn't cancel minicamp. They aren't in a place where they can be rewarded for anything. LaFleur is too new a head coach to try that, and minicamp is the only time before training camp they have the entire roster together.
It is just another way the Cardinals are not in the same stratosphere as the rest of the division.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: San Francisco 49ers cancel mandatory minicamp