Commanders
Commanders QB Taylor Heinicke said he’s much more comfortable in the team’s offense and admitted he was overwhelmed at times last year.
“I feel a lot more comfortable, a lot more confident,” Heinicke said, via ESPN. “I was a little overwhelmed last year; it was my first time starting 15 games and it gets to you a little bit.”
Commanders WR Terry McLaurin is somebody the team can rally around and pointed out that his ability to extend plays is something that is infectious throughout the locker room.
“His ability to extend plays is really big for us,” McLaurin said. “The heart he plays with, a lot of guys galvanize behind that. You never know what you’ll get with Taylor and that’s the fun part of it. He’s a guy who you have confidence in his ability to make plays. It may not be the prettiest or what you’re used to every Sunday…He’s playing like it’s backyard football, but playing within himself.”
Commanders HC Ron Rivera understands the appeal in the locker room with Heinicke.
“The guys rally around anybody that’s going to step up and compete and do the things that you need them to do,” Rivera said. “It’s kind of that underdog story.”
- Commanders HC Ron Rivera said TE John Bates (hamstring) “had a good day” at Friday’s practice and is “feeling a lot better than last week.” (John Keim)
- Rivera added that they will see how Bates feels on Saturday morning.
Cowboys
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he is leaning towards the team not making a trade prior to the deadline this season.
“Absolutely nothing that involves a name of a player or a position that I’m seriously looking at at this moment,” Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News. “Not one move. But could that change in 30 minutes? Of course, it could. And always looking to get better. But I think the reality of the situation, I would say there’s not one.”
“You first of all look at the player as to how he fits. I’m not even going to say skill level. I’m going to say a combination of skill and how he fits with what you’re trying to do in your system,” Jones explained. “If he comes from a similar system or concept of offense or defense, then that’s one thing that might get your attention. Then I think the other overwhelming thing is the structure and conditions that you would have brought the player on. Do you have the same salary structure, is there a chance for renegotiation of the structure that might be more compatible with where you are with the cap? Those things are there too. But the same fundamentals are ability, availability, and where you are. Is this a fit for a long time or is this a fit for this year? All of them are very legitimate considerations over a trade. but those are the things that would come through my mind and would be the first things that I would look at if we came up with a name. Usually, if there is a good chance of making a trade, it comes when your phone rings, not when you pick up the phone and ring it.”
- Jones on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell: “Let me be real clear, I’m a real supporter of Roger Goodell as our commissioner. I think he’s done outstanding…(I had) an issue with the structure regarding how we were going to address the commissioner or his successor. (It was) not (about) my support for Roger.” (Jon Machota)
- Jones was also asked about the rumors that he told Patriots owner Robert Kraft “Don’t f–k with me” at the recent owners meeting: “In this particular case, it’s probably accurate that I did express myself in probably a way that’s not in good taste.” (Machota)
- Cowboys LB Micah Parsons on QB Dak Prescott: “He’s the heartbeat. He does everything when no one’s looking. … The type of guy you’ve got playing with you, like, ‘I know he’s got my back.’ I always tell him, he works too hard and he deserves everything he’s got.” (Machota)
- Parsons was fined $10,609 for unsportsmanlike conduct after flexing over and talking to Eagles TE Dallas Goedert. Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs was also fined $9,577 for taking off his helmet after an Eagles touchdown. (Rapoport)
Giants
Giants WR Kadarius Toney‘s confidence isn’t wavering after a slow start to the season.
“I mean, why would I doubt myself?” he said, via NJ.com. “I know what I can do and what I can’t do. Everybody lets one downfall or one mishap determine the outcome of how they feel. I really don’t care for that. I’m here to do one job. I’m here to play and be the best I can be. I’m not here for all that. Come on. I feel like I’m going to be who I originally was.”
Toney didn’t have an answer for why he continues suffering hamstring injuries.
“When you go hard, stuff happens,” he said. “I don’t know what else to tell you. What [do] you mean?”
Toney believes he came back too quickly from his original injuries.
“I mean, that’s probably why I re-injured myself,” he said. “It kind of makes sense.”
Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!
