NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Cowboys, Vikings

Buccaneers

Buccaneers OC Todd Monken said that he’s trying to get QB Jameis Winston to understand that he’s a natural leader and guys will follow him simply by being himself.

“The thing is what I’ve seen, irrespective of the physical stuff on the field, let’s not try so hard,” Monken said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “He’s got natural leadership qualities. A toughness about him. Guys want to follow him.

“It’s OK to fail. He’s human. It’s OK to be hurt. It’s OK to have that side of you. Let’s just go. You don’t have to try so hard. Guys will follow you. Just be yourself.”

“I think the main thing is, ‘OK, Jameis, be yourself. You don’t have to try so hard. The guys know naturally you’re our leader,‘” Monken added.

Cowboys

During an interview with 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Wednesday, former Cowboys WR Terrell Owens questioned why Jason Garrett still has a job as the team’s head coach.

“When you really look at it, it doesn’t make sense for Jason Garrett to continue to have his job,” Terrell Owens said, via NFL.com. “They are not really expanding or progressing even as a team under his coaching tenure there.”

“At the end of the day, how can you keep allowing the players to be the scapegoat for what’s not happening, especially when you have a head coach that’s supposed to be offensive-minded? They’re supposed to direct and lead the team to where a team hasn’t gotten in a number of years, and they’ve pretty much been in a standstill under coach Jason Garrett.”

“For me, it’s mind-boggling. I don’t understand,” Owens added. “And I think Jerry — again, he’s the owner at the end of the day, he has to feel good with himself about the decisions — but I just don’t understand why this guy [Garrett] still has a job.”

Vikings

• Darren Wolfson reports that Vikings C Pat Elflein, who had surgery on his left ankle back in January, won’t participate in the team’s OTAs next week, but he’s progressing very well.