NFC Notes: Commanders, Sam Howell, Eagles, James Bradberry, Giants

Commanders

• Commanders HC Ron Rivera mentioned Sam Howell when asked on NFL Live if the QB1 is currently on the team’s roster: “We will go into OTA’s, minicamp, and training camp with Sam Howell more than likely QB1. This is his opportunity, this is a challenge to him. If he comes out and does the things we believe he is capable of, he can most certainly be our guy.”  
• NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the potential sale of the Commanders is “their process” and added that there is no timeline for Mary Jo White to complete her investigation of Daniel Snyder. (Mark Maske)

Eagles

Ahead of the Super Bowl, Eagles HC Nick Sirianni mentioned that wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are pushing each other to become better players.

“I think they’ve been just helping each other get better,” Sirianni said, via Pro Football Talk. “They’re happy for each other when they make plays. There’s that little bubble that we threw in the Giants game that A.J. leads the way for a touchdown, and then they’re celebrating with each other. They help each other. If you take A.J. away DeVonta’s going to have a great game, and vice versa. . . . I see them just trying to help each other out and really be happy for each other’s success.”

Giants

Eagles CB James Bradberry felt his passion for football fading away when he was a member of a losing Giants team. However, that passion has now returned as he prepares to face the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

“Some of that crept in when I was playing for them,’’ Bradberry told The New York Post. “Not anything against the organization, it was just the fact we were losing and we couldn’t quite turn it around.’’

“I try to treat this like a job,’’ Bradberry continued. “I try not to think about the logo on the side of my helmet. I try to go out there and do my job because that’s what they pay me to do. So it wasn’t really about me wanting to stay or wanting to leave. I understood how the salary cap works. I understood how much I was supposed to be making, and how much I was guaranteed, which was only $2 million the following year. I saw halfway through the season we were losing and things didn’t seem like they were turning around, due to injuries and whatnot. I knew I wasn’t going to be a part of the team, so I wasn’t surprised when it happened.’’

“It’s influenced my thought process quite a bit,’’ Bradberry added. “More so because in my first six years in the league, I didn’t really win a whole lot. I went to this team here and won, I actually made it to the playoffs and will be competing for a Super Bowl, it makes me want to play football forever. Just in general. Because losing sucks, and when you make a lot of money and you’re also losing, you kind of lose a love for the game. I feel like coming here, being around these guys and winning, it’s brought back some more energy and love and passion for the game that I was kind of missing.’’

“You know what, I try to be an open-minded guy,’’ Bradberry said when asked if he would return to the Giants as a free agent. “The possibilities are limitless when it comes to free agency and where I end up. Can’t make any promises, but I’m an open-minded guy.’’

We have him included in our Top 100 – 2023 NFL Free Agents list.