NFC Notes: Commanders, Micah Parsons, Cowboys, Eagles

Commanders

Commanders QB Taylor Heinicke said he isn’t concerned about trying to win the starting job and thinks it’s his role to be a dependable backup to Carson Wentz.

“I don’t think that’s an option. You’re paying someone 30 million and someone else 2 million. You’re paying this guy 30 million to play. I hope [Wentz] succeeds. My job is to back him up,” he said via ESPN’s John Keim.

• Commanders HC Ron Rivera said that it was “more than likely” DE Chase Young begins training camp on the PUP list as he continues to rehab the torn ACL he suffered in November. (Jeremy Fowler)

Cowboys

Cowboys LB Micah Parsons had a sensational rookie year, not only handily running away with the DROY award but also invoking some comparisons to some of the NFL’s best all-time players. Now the focus for HC Mike McCarthy is on making sure Parsons doesn’t let up, not just with his play on the field but all the other intangibles that come from the NFL’s best players. 

“There’s a lot more to the second-year jump than just your statistics of how you play on Sundays,” McCarthy said via the Athletic’s Jon Machota. “It’s what kind of teammate are you? How do you interact in the locker room? Are you making the others better around you?

“Obviously, Micah had a lot of great moments last year. But our desire, and it needs to be his desire, is for him to be an elite player, not just a great player. The elite ones bring everybody with them. How they work, how they compete in practice, how they compete in the weight room, how they compete at garbage can basketball in the locker room. That’s all part of culture growth and establishing that. He has an opportunity to really make a huge impact on our football team.”

• McCarthy said CB Kelvin Joseph missed the end of their spring camp due to a “minor” injury but expects him to be fully recovered in time for training camp. (Michael Gehlken)

Eagles

Eagles TE Dallas Goedert said that QB Jalen Hurts has made tremendous strides as a passer this offseason.

“(He’s) seeing the field better, making quicker decisions and getting the football out faster,” Goedert said, via Eagles Wire. “His determination to be great is something you see every day.”

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni also noticed Hurts’ drastic improvement this offseason.

“What I see is a crisper ball. The accuracy I’ve been very pleased with. You can just see him taking strides every single day with his accuracy because of the fundamentals he has with his feet and his upper body.”