NFC Notes: Commanders, Eagles, Giants

Commanders

• Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that Commanders OC Eric Bieniemy feels positive about the team’s offensive roster, including going forward with QB Sam Howell as the starter for 2023.
• Florio adds that the team is also concerned with both repairing and improving their offensive line ahead of next season.

Eagles

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni said QB Jalen Hurts played the best game of his career against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

“Jalen played the best game I’ve seen him play in the two years that we’ve been together,” Sirianni said, via Fox Sports. “The two best quarterbacks in the NFL played against each other on the biggest stage in the biggest lights, and Jalen played great.”

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said that Hurts has begun to maximize his potential.

“He’s just awesome,” Lurie said. “He is a great young leader. He is a terrific young quarterback. When we drafted him, it was the upside we were banking on. We thought he had a huge upside. It takes a couple of years. And somebody so dedicated as Jalen, inevitably is going to maximize everything he has. And that’s what he’s done.“

Giants

Former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum anticipates the Giants will end up using the franchise tag on QB Daniel Jones, with a recent ESPN report suggesting he will eventually land a deal worth over $35 million per year.

“To me, he’s going to get franchised,” Tannenbaum told Ed Valentine of Big Blue View. “I’m sure the Giants are going to look at this say, hey, he’s done it for a year. He played really well. We’re happy with him, we’ll franchise him, get through the season and then go from there.”

• Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes neither the Giants nor Jones want to have the franchise tag come into play, as it doesn’t provide long-term security for Jones and would eat up nearly all of New York’s free agent budget. But if it comes down to it, the tag is available. 
• Schwartz adds the ballpark figure he’s heard for a long-term deal is five years and $190 million, which would be $38 million a year. 
• As for RB Saquon Barkley, Schwartz says that since statistically Barkley has not been as productive as Browns RB Nick Chubb, a fellow 2018 draft classmate, the Giants don’t want to go much higher than $12.5 million a year, which is about what Chubb makes. Barkley’s camp wanted $16 million a year when the two sides spoke midseason. 
• Schwartz says a gap remains between the two sides and he doesn’t think the Giants will come much higher, though they could increase the percentage of the deal that’s guaranteed. He adds New York does not like the idea of Barkley playing out the franchise tag in 2023, as it would mean dedicating $10.9 million in cap space to a running back and they philosophically don’t think that’s a good idea. 
• As a result, the chances of Barkley hitting unrestricted free agency and playing elsewhere are far higher than Jones, per Schwartz. 
• Citing a source, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio says Jones changed agents because his previous representation wasn’t able to get him the deal from the Giants he’s looking for. 
• Florio adds it’s possible Jones wants $45 million a year or more on a long-term deal.