NFC Notes: Commanders, Eagles, Giants, Saquon Barkley

Commanders

Commanders OC Scott Turner spent two seasons observing WR Curtis Samuel and is still convinced he will be an impact player once he returns to full health.

“Yeah. I mean, Curtis can play everywhere,” Turner said, via CommandersWire.com. “We did some of that last year in the limited time that he was on the field. I’m just happy for Curtis that he’s healthy. He’s back to his normal self, running around. Curtis is one of the smartest players I’ve been around. So he’s got no real limitations as far as the different things you can do with him. I know he’s excited to be out here, and I’m excited to see him out here.”

Eagles

Eagles G Isaac Seumalo enters 2022 on some potentially shaky ground, as he’ll have to re-earn his starting position after missing most of the 2021 season with a Lisfranc injury. Still, Seumalo starts out in the lead position so far judging by lineups in OTAs and he says he feels completely healthy. 

“Every year you’re competing — it doesn’t matter if you’re a 12-year All-Pro or a first-year rookie,” Seumalo said via the Athletic’s Zach Berman. “But I think, when I’m healthy, I think the film says a lot that I can play at a really high level. And I still feel that way with the way my foot has been feeling. I definitely feel (that) when I’m good and ready to go, I’ll be out there.”

Giants

Giants RB Saquon Barkley said that he’s been focused on getting healthy this offseason. Now that his knee is fully recovered, he’s starting to get his confidence back too.

“Coming into this [minicamp], focus on my body, work on my body. Doing all the little things necessary to keep my body healthy,” Barkley said, via ESPN. “When you have that, when you can trust your body, your confidence just grows. I would say the difference [from college to now] was I was a way more confident player in college and early in my career than I was prior to last year. Now I’m starting to get that swagger back.”

Barkley said that he’s much better at this point in the offseason than he was this time last year, and he’s beginning to trust his knee again.

“I’ll tell you I feel a lot better than at this point last year,” Barkley said. “Like you said, I was rehabbing. My body feels good. My body feels strong. I’ve got my strength back. I feel like I got my speed back. I feel like I can trust in my knee again. Trust in myself to make plays and not think about it.”

Giants HC Brian Daboll said that Barkley has looked good in drills and he’s anxious to see him in pads.

“Yeah, I see a talented player. I’m glad he’s on our team,” Daboll said. “Look forward to working with him. He’s been great since I’ve been here just on the field, running around. Has been impressive. Again, we got to go out there and do it with pads and under some pressure. Everything we’ve asked him to do to this point, he has done a really nice job.”

Barkley is hoping to continue to build up momentum heading into training camp.

“You can’t get too high on it because it’s just minicamp right now,” Barkley said. “But all that little stuff and gaining confidence in here and this break that we have hopefully catapults and pushes me through camp and into the regular season and beyond.“