NFC Notes: Cardinals, Cowboys, Eagles, Seahawks

Cardinals

Cardinals RT Jared Veldheer mentioned that he took a personal day away from the team and contemplated his playing future last week.

“It was culmination of things, kind of missing the last half of the season last year (because of a torn triceps muscle and a badly fractured finger) and just kind of rehabbing. You start thinking when you have a lot of time on your plate,” Veldheer said, via the Arizona Republic. “You start thinking huge-picture life stuff, you know? You normally don’t necessarily think you’re going to die.

“So you’re just trying to figure everything out. Stuff just all kind of happened and compounded and I just kind of needed a second to regroup and reflect.”

Cowboys

Cowboys HC Jason Garrett intimated that the team could utilize RB Ezekiel Elliott more in the passing game this season.

“The game has become so specialized,” Garrett said, via Todd Archer of ESPN. “There’s a lot of different personnel substitution that happens really every down, but if you have a guy who you can leave in there for three downs and he can affect the game by running it, affect the game in protection, and then you can throw him the ball, those guys are pretty rare and they’re difference-making because you can do a lot of different things with the personnel group and attacking the defense. You can be a power running team, an outside running team, and then you can spread the formation out and throw him the ball — that’s hard for a defense, challenging for them to decide how they want to match up from a personnel standpoint and the defenses they want to play.”

Eagles

Eagles HC Doug Pederson said LB Mychal Kendricks is in a “good position” with the team, despite him asking to be released or traded several months ago.

“Listen, Mychal is on our football team,” Pederson said, via Jimmy Kempski of the PhillyVoice. “We’re excited to have him. We understand, too, and he understands, that it’s predicated by a lot of offensive personnel. You watch our offense, we’re in a lot of that 11- or zebra- personnel. There’s only two linebackers on the field. It’s unfortunate. I’m excited to have Mychal. He’s working hard and in a good position right now.”

Seahawks

• Field Yates of ESPN reports that the Seahawks signed former Eagles first-round DE Marcus Smith to a one-year, $690,000 deal with no guaranteed money.
• According to Yates, the contract can top out at $1.44 million in total value.