NFC Notes: Commanders, Carson Wentz, Cowboys, Eagles

Commanders

Commanders QB Carson Wentz has apparently had issues with accuracy so far during camp, spraying the ball high or wide of intended targets. He’s adjusting to a new team, new system, and new receivers, which HC Ron Rivera was quick to point out, but accuracy has been a struggle for Wentz throughout his career. Rivera maintains they’re not worried yet.  

“It’s a lot better than you give him credit for, just because of the way things happen in practice,” Rivera said via ESPN’s John Keim. “There’s a lot of little nuances that we see that we look at that we get to review. Yeah, there’s some inaccuracy. But it’s nothing that we are overly concerned [about]. Again, we see what’s going on. We see how things are developing. We see the timing and just the understanding and feel for what’s going on with our concepts. So, as we continue to grow and work on it, we just feel like we’re going to continue to grow and get better as an offensive unit.”

Cowboys

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy said K Lirim Hajrullahu and undrafted rookie K Jonathan Garibay are competing for the starting job.

“These two are competing for a job,” McCarthy said, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “At some point they got to start getting comfortable and making kicks more consistently. That is just stating the facts. At the end of the day, the rope is here. Someone has to grab it.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wants their kickers to focus on converting shorter kicks prior to landing attempts from distance. 

“I was kidding somebody, I just want to see them make extra points and kicks from the 20 and the 30,” Jones said. “We’ll worry about that far out stuff later, I just don’t want to head into the year missing extra points and short field goals.”

McCarthy thinks neither Hajrullahu nor Garibay have been impressive in training camp but wants to get them more reps. 

“It’s not what they were looking for,” McCarthy said. “I think the thing that I walked away from practice [with] is we need to do more of it. Frankly, we’re going to kick every day this week. We’ve got to make sure we get both of those guys more opportunities.”

• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said it was huge to be able to add Barr, and cited the impact from S Malik Hooker as an example of what can happen with signings this time of year: “Jumped on it. Surprised not the word for it but didn’t even blink. We’ve had good luck at this time of year of having something come through for us.” (Calvin Watkins)
• Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy mentioned TEs Jake Ferguson (hamstring) and Jeremy Sprinkle (Achilles) are “doing better than expected” in their recoveries. (Gehlken)

Eagles

• Eagles OL Lane Johnson on how things are coming along for him this offseason: “I feel like my best football is coming. The next two years are my prime. Whatever I may have lost in speed, I’ve made up in power as I got older.” (Zach Berman)
• Johnson on RB Kenneth Gainwell: “He’s really coming into his own this year. He’s making a statement here in camp.” (Josh Tolentino)