NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Cowboys

There’s only so much you can tell from spring practices in helmets and shorts before the pads come on, but Cowboys coaches are already raving about second-round DE Sam Williams as someone who could potentially help them in a major way this season. 

“I think we’d all agree that Sam Williams looks like a guy that was born to play professional football,” Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy said via the Athletic’s Jon Machota. “He has the gifts. He has the physical traits. He had two pass rushes (Friday), I know we’re just in helmets, but he was clean in the backfield. He has that kind of ability. He’s in a great place. He’s obviously in an excellent system that he’ll definitely benefit from. I think he’ll do extremely well early for us.”

• The Cowboys sent assistant director of college scouting Chris Vaughns and secondary coach Joe Whitt as representatives to the NFL’s front office and coaching diversity accelerator program. (Jonathan Jones)
• The Cowboys recently promoted Vaughn from national scout to his current position. (Calvin Watkins)

Eagles

Eagles LG Landon Dickerson said he still isn’t “entrenched” as the starting left guard in second-year HC Nick Sirianni‘s system. 

“I mean, I wouldn’t say that I’m entrenched,” Dickerson said, via Nick Tricome of PhillyVoice. “There are a lot of good guys in that room. We’re all competing against each other, trying to make each other better. We still have a lot of time until the first game, so you never know what’s gonna happen with the lineup, who’s gonna be playing, so I’m just trying to get better every day no matter where they put me.”

• The Eagles sent director of football operations Jeff Scott and QB coach Brian Johnson as representatives to the NFL’s front office and coaching diversity accelerator program. (Jonathan Jones)
• The Eagles recently promoted Scott from area scout to his current position. (Zach Berman)

Giants

• Giants’ first-round OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux left Thursday’s practice with an injury and was being examined in his “quad/groin/hip area” by trainers. (Dan Duggan)
• Duggan writes that Thibodeaux’s injury doesn’t appear to be serious after staying on the sidelines during practice. 
• Giants’ second-year OLB Azeez Ojulari said he bulked up 10 pounds to 255 so far this offseason.  (Zack Rosenblatt)
• Giants QB Daniel Jones responded to the organization declining his fifth-year option: “That was out of my control, out of my hands … it is what it is.” (Rosenblatt)
• Jones said that new HC Brian Daboll wants him to be “aggressive” with his passes next season: “Be aggressive, take your shots … and let the receivers know we’re going to give you opportunities to make plays.” (Rosenblatt)
• The Giants sent assistant GM Brandon Brown and ST coordinator Thomas McGaughey as representatives to the NFL’s front office and coaching diversity accelerator program. (Jonathan Jones)