NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Cowboys

Cowboys VP Stephen Jones said he still believes Mike McCarthy is the right guy for their head-coaching job.

“I think his track record speaks for itself. He’s won a Super Bowl,” Jones said, via Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram. “He’s been to championship games. I love the way his leadership style is. He’s got a great pulse for our football team and just feel like he’s the right guy for us.”

Jones also downplayed the notion that the Cowboys’ assistant coaches were the ones who deserved the bulk of the credit for the team’s performance last season.

“I think he’s more involved than you think he is. Let’s start with that,” Jones said. “But, no, I think he’s going to, knowing we need to take the next step. I think everybody is going to turn it up a notch if you will.”

Eagles

The Eagles have three first-round picks which is plenty of ammunition to make a run at a big-name quarterback this offseason. Instead, it appears they are sincere in their previous reported desire to use those picks to build around QB Jalen Hurts for at least another year in 2022. 

“Yeah, there’s no doubt about it,” Roseman said via the Athletic’s Zach Berman. “I think when you talk about all the things we talked about at the end of the season, nothing has changed. I think what really has changed for us is the opportunity to add. … We have to continue to add good players. We have to continue to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to maximize our players’ ability to be successful and, certainly, that starts at the quarterback position with Jalen.”

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni says there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about Hurts’ skillset going forward and his ability to develop into Philadelphia’s franchise quarterback. 

“When you look at a quarterback, there are many different things you’re looking at,” said Sirianni. “But the four main things you’re looking at is the accuracy, decision-making, the ability to create and see if he’s above the line in arm strength. I think there is no question that Jalen Hurts has the arm strength to make all the throws. He’s well above the line to be able to make the throws …. So, we’re confident in that. He has an amazing ability to create, whether things break down and the receiver might not get open or there is a breakdown in the offensive line. What we saw throughout the year is not only can he create with his legs and make big plays with his legs, as the year went on you saw him become a weapon when he would move in the pocket, create in the pocket and find his receivers down the field. You saw him create some explosive plays that way.

“So those two things are a non-issue, and there are just things he’s going to continue to excel at. Just want to see him continue to get better with his accuracy and with his decision-making.”

Sirianni added the way Hurts has grown leaps and bounds each successive season dating back to his days in college gives them a lot of reason for optimism. From an intangibles and leadership aspect, they have no complaints. 

“It’s not just because we’ve seen the progression go like that, it’s because of the person that he is,” Sirianni said. “He loves football. This guy loves football and he’s just willing to do the things that he needs to do to get better, and that’s why he does continue to get better. …. He’s tough, he’s competitive, he has high football IQ, he has high general character in himself. And that’s what we’re looking for in the draft prospects that we are going through right now. Do these guys have these things in their body or in their DNA? Because in our experience, those are the guys that reach their ceiling.”

• According to Albert Breer, people in the NFL continue to connect Texans QB Deshaun Watson to the Eagles and Broncos if the right deal is out there to be made.

Giants

• Tony Pauline reports that the Giants are “very likely” to target QB Mitch Trubisky in free agency.
• Pauline notes that there are obvious ties between New York and Trubisky with GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll coming over from the Bills. 
• Jordan Raanan reports that the Giants do not feel it is a priority to trade RB Saquon Barkley this offseason in order to get “financially healthy.”