NFC Notes: Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles

Commanders

Commanders HC Ron Rivera said that undrafted rookie WR Kazmeir Allen out of UCLA will likely get a chance to compete for the team’s kick and punt return duties this season.

“Well, there are a couple of guys out there, but one of the more notable names, and I’m gonna have to look it up so I can say it properly, but he’s a young man we got out of UCLA,” Rivera said, via CommandersWire.com. “He’ll wear number 10 out there, Kazmeir Allen. He played some slot for them, some wide receiver for them, some running back for them and then he returned both kickoffs and punts for them, and he did ’em in the bowl game in the All-Star games as well. So he’s a young man that most certainly has gotten our attention, and he’s a young guy that we went out and tried to make sure we were able to recruit and bring him in as a free agent.”

Cowboys

There are many questions about where Cowboys OL Tyler Smith will line up this season, yet he already has the mentality that he will play wherever the team asks him to along the offensive line. 

“I’m like, ‘Just tell me where to go, and I’ll go,'” Smith told ESPN. “I’m ready to go wherever I can to contribute. I’m just ready to keep improving.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones notes that while the team would like Smith to remain at tackle, he provides yet another flexible option for the team offensively. 

“I think [position] flex here. When you get down to the reality of it, we need to be ready for it because we’ve got a couple on the mend, and then Tyron and you’ve got to look at what the history has been here,” Jones said. “So we need numbers. We need the flex. Tyler’s shown he can flex. But we think Steele can flex, and a couple of those young guys can flex in there too.”

• According to Michael Gehlken, the Cowboys have two players at their rookie minicamp this weekend on a tryout basis, QB Matthew McKay and OT Brendan Bordner.
• Gehlken also adds that Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy was not at the team’s practice today after undergoing a procedure on his back.
• Cowboys ST coach John Fassel on the kicking situation: “Well, we got Tristan (Vizcaino) on the roster. I think anybody else on earth who is not on the team right now is under consideration.” (Jon Machota)
• Fassel did add that the team would look at other kickers such as free agents Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby, and Ryan Succop. (Machota)
• Cowboys DC Dan Quinn says Micah Parsons is not fully moving to defensive end: “He’s a pass-rushing linebacker. If you ever need position changes, come to me. What I think he was probably trying to say is, ‘I’m really emphasizing some pass rush into my offseason.’” (Machota)

Eagles

• Eagles ST coordinator Michael Clay said undrafted P Ty Zentner will provide competition for P Arryn Siposs: “We wanted to create that environment and think that Arryn will respond,” via Jeff McLane.