NFC Notes: Commanders, Cowboys, Vikings

Commanders

Commanders CB William Jackson III believes the team has all the tools needed to have a great season and is embracing the pressure of putting it all together.

“We know we’re supposed to be good,” Jackson said, via the team’s official website. “We’ve got every tool at every position you can think of.”

Jackson believes that the team being able to meet in the facility instead of virtually will go a long way in building their communication.

“We’re definitely gonna do better this year,” he said. “We’re communicating better. I’m glad we’re here, because last year it was virtual.”

Jackson added that there’s less thinking and more reacting in year two under HC Ron Rivera‘s system, which will allow the defense to create more opportunities.

“We’re just starting at a high intensity,” Jackson said. “We’re playing fast. No one’s out there thinking anymore. We’re out there playing fast. We know where guys are going to be now. We’re just out there having fun and putting it all together.”

Cowboys

Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb is approaching the 2022 season with the pressure on himself to perform as he takes on the role of the team’s de-facto number one wide receiver.

“I feel like that’s just part of me, just being that guy and kinda being accountable for everything,” Lamb said, via ESPN. “If I don’t get going, nothing gets going, honestly. That’s how I approach the game. Just having this pressure, if you will, on my back, it’s whatever.”

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy believes that Lamb is ready to take on the responsibility of being the team’s top receiving option.

“This is a great opportunity for him personally,” McCarthy said. “I think just the way we’ve established the offense, particularly in the passing game, the ability for those guys to play different positions, to create matchups and make it harder on the defense to double you and those type of things — my point is, playing in the slot a lot last year and now playing the flanker position (Cooper’s position). We understand his rise in Year 3 that he’s going to get a lot more attention from the defense. But he’s doing all of the little things that are needed to get him ready to be the No. 1 guy.”

Lamb wants to emerge as a team leader and somebody that the team as a whole can count on in critical situations.

“Most importantly, just stepping up regardless of any situation, first down, second down, just always being that guy that everyone can count on,” Lamb said. “And by everyone, I mean everyone in this locker room. I want to be accountable. I want to be that guy.”

Vikings

The Vikings re-signed P Jordan Berry to a minimum deal worth $1.12 million on the first day of the league year. The contract included no signing bonus or guarantee, yet Berry had no problem with it.

“It was fine with me,’’ Berry said, via Chris Tomasson of Pioneer Press. “It’s a ridiculous amount of money, so I’ll take it. You’ve got new coaches and they didn’t really know me, so that’s obviously going to be a part of it. But the other part is I probably wasn’t the most consistent compared to what I want to be. I had a decent year but there’s definitely room to improve always and obviously once you get in the 30s, you could start slacking off, too. Some guys drop off pretty quick when they get older, so they’ve got to cover their bases. But I’m feeling pretty confident in myself.”

“It wasn’t like I was always short or always low on hang time (but) it’s just like the odd ball here or there just wasn’t quite clean,’’ Berry said. “Just general overall consistency because last year I hit a few balls that were a really good hang time and a few that were really good distance and stuff. It’s just piecing it together and doing that with every single ball every single game.”