NFC Notes: Ashton Jeanty, Darius Slay, Matthew Stafford, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Cowboys

Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, who grew up in the Dallas area, said that he would love to return home and play for the Cowboys.

“Just the fact that I grew up there, played high school football there, had games in their practice stadium (The Star), it would be dope,” Jeanty said, via NY Times.

Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer said the team hopes to re-sign RB Rico Dowdle and pair him with a running back that they end up drafting.

“You want a guy that’s got vision,” Schottenheimer said. “You want a guy that has contact balance. The fronts that we’re seeing, the fronts that we’re facing, require guys to be able to make hidden yards, whether there’s a free safety in the hole or there’s a linebacker or defensive lineman coming off of the point of attack, you’ve got to have a guy that’s willing to run through arm tackles. I do believe that you have to have the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Why do I say that? If a team wants to commit to stopping the run, there are ways that they can try to do that, and we don’t want that to take an elite runner, or a position like that, out of the game. If a team is doing a nice job stopping the running game, you want to be able to get him involved by throwing it to him. That doesn’t mean they have to play like a receiver, but they have to be able to run routes coming out of the backfield, have the ability to separate, run after catches is important.”

Schottenheimer added that QB Dak Prescott remains a huge part of the team’s plans moving forward and looks forward to him leading the team.

“He and I are very close,” Schottenheimer said. “We see the game the same way. We’re definitely going to make some adjustments. There are things he’s really going to like. I really do think this is a guy that there’s no question can win a championship. He can lead us to a championship. I think he’s going to lead us to a championship. That’s the goal.”

• The Cowboys are expected to be aggressive during free agency to find a second wide receiver opposite CeeDee Lamb. Dallas still has hopes for Jonathan Mingo, who the team acquired at the deadline last year, to evolve into that role, but it’s not guaranteed that he’ll be ready. They could explore acquiring Cooper Kupp if his price is low enough, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
• Todd Archer breaks down the contract of DT Osa Odighizuwa at four years, $80 million, with $52 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $20 million.
• His cap hits will be $6.25 million in 2025, $16.25 million in 2026, $20 million in 2027 and 2028.

Eagles

• According to Jeff McLane, the Eagles are not ruling out bringing back CB Darius Slay on a lower salary.
• Eliot Shorr-Parks reports the Eagles are hiring Jaguars’ assistant offensive line coach Greg Austin as an assistant. 
• Shorr-Parks notes Austin will likely be an offensive line assistant. 

Giants

• Per Rich Eisen, the Giants seemingly had a trade offer and a contract offer that was agreeable to the Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford, yet he ultimately decided that he didn’t want to leave Los Angeles.
• Eisen adds that the Raiders were also all in on Stafford, as were the Giants, yet Stafford felt that continuing with the Rams was best for his career and family. He also would have likely chosen the Raiders over the Giants.
• The Giants have a real interest in trading up to the first overall pick, according to SI’s Albert Breer. Breer adds that New York has shot down any trade offers, adding that it’s too early in their evaluation process to determine if they should trade back or not.
• Breer adds that the team likely will add a veteran quarterback and could target Aaron Rodgers as a potential fit.
• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes that WR Darius Slayton could cash in on a thin free agent wide receiver market and could be this year’s Darnell Mooney.
• Connor Hughes mentions that the team will likely pivot to trading up for the number one draft pick to select a quarterback, which would likely be Cam Ward, as many feel that Shedeur Sanders could still be there at their original pick.
• Aside from QB Aaron Rodgers, the Giants have also discussed Russell Wilson and Sam Darnold, according to Hughes.
• If they don’t go with a quarterback, Hughes mentions that the team could have their eye on Heisman winner Travis Hunter.