NFC Notes: Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles, Jalen Hurts, Giants

Commanders

• Per the Athletic’s Ben Standig, Commanders HC Ron Rivera said they want to try to make it more of a point to get RB Antonio Gibson the ball in space this year. 
• They drafted RB Brian Robinson in the third round and he’s expected to take over the short yardage role right away: “He’s a big, strong, powerful downhill runner, more so than anything else. He does have a little bit shake to him. … Antonio is a little more elusive guy more off the edge, where with Brian, we can take it inside, or we can take it off the edge.”
• The House Oversight Committee and Commanders owner Dan Snyder reached an agreement for him to give his deposition voluntarily on Thursday instead of under subpoena. (John Keim)
• The committee hasn’t been able to serve Snyder with the subpoena because he’s overseas on his yacht in the Mediterranean. If they find his testimony unsatisfactory, however, they’ve left the door open to a subpoena still. 

Cowboys

• Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy said that WR Michael Gallup is in the “4th quarter of his rehab” and has had no setbacks. (Jane Selter)
• McCarthy added LB Jabril Cox will be on a snap count and the team will be smart with him. Lastly, McCarthy hinted at LB Micah Parsons having close to a 50/50 split on and off the line of scrimmage. 
• Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott admitted that his knee wasn’t 100% going into the offseason, saying “dang, this thing still feels a little iffy.” Elliott started feeling better by the time OTA’s came around: “By the time OTAs hit, I was back to 100.” (Michael Gehlken)
• Elliott acknowledged this is the final season with guaranteed money in his contract: “I think it is a big season, but I think you can’t look that far down the road. …I think if I handle my business every day, then I’ll be in a really good situation at the end of the season.” (Gehlken)
• Cowboys WR James Washington suffered a shoulder injury during Wednesday’s practice, but it is considered “not serious.” (Gehlken) 
• McCarthy said newly signed WR KaVontae Turpin has Tony Pollard-like traits. McCarthy added they look at Turpin as a returner first: “Dynamic with the ball in his hands.” (Calvin Watkins)

Eagles

The Eagles are encouraged by the development QB Jalen Hurts has shown so far, including going into this pivotal 2022 season. Which is good, because Philadelphia will need Hurts to make another big jump to help them take the step needed to be a contending team. 

“You can see he’s a year further into it, decisions are being made quicker and faster each time he gets a rep at it,” Eagles HC Nick Sirianni said via the Athletic’s Zach Berman. “Just like a lot of quarterbacks in this league, they get better with their decision-making over time. You’re definitely going to see that. You will still see his playmaking ability with his feet. I saw a more accurate passer in OTAs, and now he’s got to go and continue to improve every single day. But I really thought he had great progress in OTAs and just got to continue to ride the momentum of that through training camp each and every day.”

Giants

• According to the Athletic’s Dan Duggan, a source says the goal is for Giants WR Sterling Shepard to be back sometime early in the regular season. It’s unclear if that means Week 1, though. He’s recovering from a torn Achilles. 
• Giants HC Brian Daboll said Mike Kafka will call plays throughout training camp, but said there’s no final decision on who will call plays during the season, per Duggan.
• Duggan’s sense is Kafka will be the play-caller unless it doesn’t go well this summer.