NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Cowboys, Falcons

Buccaneers

• Buccaneers OLBs coach Larry Foote said he’s campaigning for the organization to keep five outside linebackers. (Greg Auman)
• Auman notes Buccaneers’ second-year OLB Cam Gill is on the roster bubble. 

Cowboys

Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott spoke with Dolphins’ WR Allen Hurns about overcoming their respective injuries, as well as the fact that Hurns sat out last season due to the pandemic.

“We shared a little bit of what he went through,” Prescott said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “Just knowing how strong Allen was in his comeback and just seeing him on the field the year after, it just allows you to have another sense of confidence in yourself and the people around you, knowing that I’d be able to go out there just like he did and return from this.”

Cowboys’ LB Jaylon Smith commented on how his recovery process has been following a wrist injury. He also spoke about the Cowboys’ choosing to use their first-round pick on LB Micah Parsons, as well as their decision to sign former Falcons’ S Keanu Neal and convert him to linebacker.

“Rehab is going well on the wrist,” Smith said. “It’s just taking everything day by day. Obviously, we’re a month or two out from camp, so the Cowboys want to be smart with all of their guys on just making sure that we’re not doing anything unnecessary until needed. I’m feeling great. I’m in the best shape of my life. The wrist is running its course. It’s all a matter of time.”

“I think when you talk about Cowboys ownership, it’s about them doing their jobs on adding talent to make the team better,” Smith said. “For me, I’m blessed to have this opportunity. And Micah is going to do some great things. He’s my little bro. We’re all rocking. Leighton is looking great. Keanu, all the new guys coming in, it’s just an amazing linebacker room. And we’re going to grind. We’re going to work. And we’re going to do what we got to do to get ready to have a great season and a great defense.”

Neal says that he is comfortable playing safety or linebacker, and will do his best no matter what position he is in on the Cowboys’ defense.

“I feel I can play safety, linebacker,” Neal said. “Wherever they put me, I’m going to go out there and play at my best. Growing up, I played linebacker in middle school and high school. Then we changed the defense and I switched to safety. So I went to college as a safety, but in my heart, I have been a linebacker for a while. I still have an understanding of what everything entails with playing linebacker.”

Falcons

Reports have said that the Falcons are set on getting a first-round pick in a trade for WR Julio Jones. However, a high-ranking official tells Jason La Canfora that the Falcons should jump on a deal if it involves a high second-round pick, as a first-rounder seems unlikely. 

“If they have a high-two for him, they should take it and run,” the official. “I’ll believe it when I see it. And if someone is giving them a one, then I want to know how much of the contract (owner Arthur) Blank is eating. Because no one else is doing that.”