NFC Notes: Bears, Cowboys, Giants

Bears

Bears HC Matt Nagy said they plan to keep being “cautiously optimistic” with first-round LB Roquan Smith, as he works his way back from a hamstring injury.

“There hasn’t been a setback,” Nagy said, via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. “He’s been going well. Again, let’s keep being cautiously optimistic with him. But we like where he’s at.”

Nagy added that it remains to be seen how much work Smith would get in the season opener.

“Who knows? It could be the entire game. It could be 10 plays. I don’t have that answer,” Nagy said.

Cowboys

• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in an interview with 105.3 the Fan that “as best we know, and that’s a very positive statement, (Randy Gregory) preparing to play at Carolina.” (Jane Slater)
• Regarding his hyperextended left knee, Cowboys G Zack Martin said: “I feel great. I feel ready to go. After the first few days, I felt good and have been back out there, no problems.” (Jon Machota)

Giants

Giants HC Pat Shurmur insisted that they have a plan at quarterback post-Eli Manning.

“At this point, we do [have one] right now,” Shurmur said, via the New York Post. “It’s just not what everyone outside our building predicted what the plan was.

“Here’s the thing with a veteran backup quarterback: They can go in and function with very few reps,” Shurmur added. “I think that’s an attribute that I look for in a guy that could potentially be a backup to a guy like Eli, because they don’t get that many reps during the training sessions.”