Cowboys
Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith is embracing the criticism that he’s received, following the Cowboys’ first-round selection of LB Micah Parsons.
“I mean, I don’t care who you are, you’re going to have criticism,” Smith said, via DallasNews.com. “Michael Jordan had criticism. Lebron James. Some of the best players in the world have criticism.”
In addition to Parsons, the Cowboys also signed veteran S Keanu Neal and later converted him to linebacker.
“We’ve got a gang of guys and all of us can play,” Smith said. “It’s interesting to see how they’ll use us.”
HC Mike McCarthy is happy with how Smith has embraced the competition this offseason.
“Jaylon is all football,” McCarthy said. “I have enjoyed working with him.”
McCarthy continued, emphasizing the spirit of competition the Cowboys have embraced this offseason.
“We’ve got a ton of competition at the linebacker position. The competition is real. We are working on different packages. We want to make sure we can utilize all those guys as best we can.”
It’s still a mystery how exactly the Cowboys plan on using Parsons, however, Smith appears to be focusing on whatever he can control, and continuing to utilizing the mindset that brought him into the league, succeed at all costs.
“Always got something to prove,” Smith said of his mindset. “People thought I’d never play the game again and I’m here.”
- Cowboys QB Dak Prescott said despite his injury issues recently, he won’t change his playing style too much: “I think I’ll just be a little smarter once I get past the line of scrimmage.” (NFL.com)
Eagles
Eagles GM Howie Roseman is excited to see if QB Jalen Hurts can establish himself as the team’s starting quarterback.
“He’s done everything possible off the field and during the spring practices to take the reins, and we want to see him do that,” Roseman said, via EJ Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “This is a big year for any player that goes from year one to year two. So we’re excited to see that, see his growth, and [see him] working with the ones.”
Hurts believes he has the ability to take control of the team.
“I truly mean that, and I have that mentality,” Hurts said. “For a guy like me, I hold myself accountable to go out there and play at a high level every time I touch the field. There’s not going to be anybody that holds Jalen to a higher standard than Jalen.”
- Eagles first-round WR DeVonta Smith left practice with a leg injury, but it isn’t expected to be serious. (Jeff McLane)
Giants
Giants HC Joe Judge defended first-round WR Kadarius Toney, who has made headlines more for what has kept him off the field than what he’s done on the field in his very short NFL career so far.
“This guy loves football and he goes hard when he’s practicing. He plays hard,” Judge said, via NFL.com. “There’s a lot of guys who are talented and they have some other things outside the building that distract them when they get in the building. We haven’t seen that with him.
“This guy does a tremendous job in meetings. He does a great job in walkthroughs. He practices hard. So that to me is really the measuring stick of what it is. And I think there are a lot of things early in this guy’s career that are, to be honest with you, being overinflated. It hasn’t detracted from the actual football when he’s involved with us.”
- According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, Giants RB Saquon Barkley is looking for a longer and more lucrative extension than the one Browns RB Nick Chubb just received.
- NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports Giants’ LG Shane Lemieux‘s knee injury will keep him out a couple of weeks and that no surgery will be required.
- Judge said Lemieux is day-to-day with an injury. (Dan Duggan)
- The Giants brought in WR Jonathan Adams for a tryout. (Aaron Wilson)
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