NFC Notes: Commanders, Brian Robinson, Cowboys, Giants, Kenny Golladay

Commanders

Commanders HC Ron Rivera told reporters that RB Brian Robinson is currently on track to return this season and he was even seen working out and running routes ahead of the game on Sunday.

“Yeah,” Rivera responded, via CommandersWire.com. “In all honesty, in our hopes without giving you guys a timeline, yes. I mean, we’re liking what we see each time we ramp something up. He’s had no ill effects so far. I know Dr. [James] Andrews will be there. He’s gonna take a look at our guys that we had on that we’ve had on PUP and that we have on injured reserve and get an opportunity to really look at them. Hopefully, we get nothing but good news on everybody.”

• Rivera when he was asked if he’s considering a quarterback change following their Week 3 loss: “No. I’m not.” (Nicki Jhabvala)
• Rivera on the poor performance by QB Carson Wentz: “I think he could’ve played better. That’s the truth.” (Jhabvala)

• NBC Sports’ JP Finlay, citing team sources, says the Commanders checked in on a potential trade for 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo but they were aware of the shoulder issue and claimed current starting QB Carson Wentz was higher on their list anyway. 

Cowboys

Cowboys QB Cooper Rush started his career back in 2017 with Dallas as an undrafted free agent and impressed then-HC Jason Garrett enough to stick around for three seasons as the backup. When Garrett was fired and left for the Giants offensive coordinator job in 2020, Rush followed a little later on, claimed off waivers by the Giants after the Cowboys cut him. However, he didn’t make the team and was cut after just a couple of weeks on the practice squad. 

“The decision-makers with the Giants felt like they weren’t overly impressed with how he played or what his potential was,” Garrett said via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “To me, Coop is not someone who wows you physically. Sometimes you get caught up in that. Sometimes those decisions happen.”

Rush returned to Dallas and has now had to start two games, winning both. He’ll get his third start against his former team in New York and have an opportunity to show them what they missed. 

“Other guys can be more impressive in a workout environment — he’s got decent size, decent athletic ability, a decent arm, all of that,” Garrett said, “but what we saw in Dallas right from the start with him was that whenever he went into an 11-on-11 situation, good things happened. He completed passes, moved the team, scored points.”

• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport says the earliest Cowboys QB Dak Prescott could return is October 16 against the Eagles in Week 6. 

Giants

• CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones has heard from multiple sources that Giants WR Kenny Golladay really stepped up at practice on Wednesday.
• Giants HC Brian Daboll cited practice performance as the reason Golladay got just two snaps in Week 2. After that practice, Golladay made it clear he believes he deserves to be playing a lot more. 
• Jones talked to another executive on a different team who said Golladay’s contract and lack of production make him virtually untradable, so both he and the Giants appear stuck with each other. 
• He adds the Giants won’t use Golladay’s contract as a reason to keep him on or off the field, such as avoiding an injury that would trigger more guarantees.