NFC Notes: Brandin Cooks, Sam Howell, Commanders, Cowboys, Giants

Commanders

Commanders QB Sam Howell was asked by reporters about the possibility of being the franchise quarterback and remaining with the team long-term.

“I want to be the quarterback here for a really long time,” Howell said, via ESPN. “But how I’m going to get to that point is taking it one day at a time. That’s the way I look at it. I never worry about the future.”

“We feel we have a quarterback,” added HC Ron Rivera. “This franchise has been looking for quite some time and for the first time in a while, I think that that guy might be here.”

• According to Aaron Wilson, the Commanders brought in LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, LB Caleb Johnson, DB Tre Norwood and OL Ross Pierschbacher for workouts. 
• Of this group, Washington signed Bouyer-Randle to their practice squad. 

Cowboys

Reporters asked Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy why veteran WR Brandin Cooks had only one reception for seven yards in the team’s loss to the Eagles on Sunday. Cooks was targeted just twice in the game.

“Nothing happened,” McCarthy said Monday, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “He was a big part of the production. We had a tremendous amount of production in the pass game and Brandin and all the guys are part of that. I get it, you want to see the ball spread out to everybody, which it was. Anytime a guy comes up short, you want to see him get more targets and more opportunities. He’s as good of a pro as I’ve worked with and we’ll definitely focus on that moving forward. But he’s still part of that production. I don’t play fantasy football. We have game plans and I think it’s important and this is a challenge for guys because our system is built on making the quarterback successful. That’s the way this passing game is taught. It’s the way I’ve learned it. It’s the way it has always been the last 30 years.”

• Jordan Schultz reports the Titans and Lions were interested in signing WR Martavis Bryant before he joined Dallas’ practice squad. 

Giants

Giants S Xavier McKinney said rumors about him wanting to play elsewhere aren’t true and he wants to continue playing in New York. 

“I would say that I love being here. I love this team. I love this organization. Obviously, they are the organization that gave me a chance in the first place. They’re the ones that drafted me and made my dreams come true. So it’s a place where, my heart lays here. I felt home for the time that I’ve been here and I would love to continue being here,” said McKinney, via Charlotte Carroll. 

• According to Aaron Wilson, the Giants hosted five offensive players for workouts including QB Jacob Eason, RB Hassan Hall, RB Nate McCrary, RB SaRodorick Thompson, and RB Jordan Wilkins
• Of this group, New York signed Eason and Hall to their practice squad.