NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Washington

Cowboys

Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott gave an update on his recovery during an interview with reporters on Monday.

“I’m close,” Prescott said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “I can go play in a game right now and be very, very successful. So there is no doubt that when I need to be successful when I need to do the things that it takes to be on the field, I’ll do exactly that and the time will be right.”

Cowboys’ DC Dan Quinn is hoping to have a big impact on the team’s defense and is happy to be focusing solely on one side of the ball in Dallas.

“Don’t spread yourself too thin,” Quinn advised. “Like a lot of us, I like solving problems, and as a head coach, you do that. ‘I can help with that, and I can help with that. Hey, I can help with that.’ So I just wanted to make sure as I was heading into this one, just the best thing you can do is help this group and this group as opposed to taking on too many things. Sometimes I think when we spread ourselves too thin, here and here and here. Keep it really tight and the things I can impact the most obviously here is the defense. And so, I want to make sure that’s where my time and my focus goes to. It came from a good place to try to help and do those other things, but at the end of it, I wanted to make sure to just keep it right in the middle.”

Cowboys’ EVP Stephen Jones fielded questions about CB Nahshon Wright, who some said the Cowboys reached to select.

“It only takes one other team to like him,” Jones said. “And you got to trust what our scouts say about him. You go through the exercise of, ‘Hey, if we don’t get him, are we going to be sick?’ Our guys did a great job. And it wasn’t just one guy. It wasn’t just two guys. We had consistency across the board with our scouts and our coaches on Nahshon. The only thing I can tell you is, I remember a player named Travis Frederick that the whole world said he should’ve been a third, fourth, fifth, sixth-round pick, and last I checked, Travis had a great career and went to (five) Pro Bowls. We think Nahshon can come right in here and be highly competitive. Obviously, this game has turned into a space game. … You need long guys to cover these tight ends (and bigger wide receivers). We think this guy has a unique skill set that’s really going to be a big help to us.”

Eagles

• Mike Kaye of NJ.com points to five free-agent additions that could help the Eagles in the wake of the 2021 NFL Draft, including CB Steven Nelson, OT Jerald Hawkins, TE Richard Rodgers, TE Trey Burton, and CB Cre’Von LeBlanc. 
• Kaye adds that the Eagles need an upgrade at the No. 2 cornerback spot opposite CB Darius Slay, and says that while the team likes fourth-round pick, CB Zech McPhearson, he may not be ready to start quite yet.
• Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman says that the team wants to see QB Jalen Hurts “grab the job and run with it” and evaluate how things go with him over time. (SiriusXM NFL Radio)

Washington

Washington GM Martin Mayhew expects to examine the free-agent market for edge rushers after teams begin releasing players from rosters. 

“There will be guys who are released and we’ll keep an eye out for guys on the streets,” Mayhew said, via Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports. “We’ll probably have some try-out guys during our mini camps. We definitely plan to upgrade that position through the offseason.”

Mayhew expects late-round additions like DEs William Bradley-King and Shaka Toney to contribute immediately. 

“We drafted these guys with the idea that these guys can contribute this year,” Mayhew said.

Washington HC Ron Rivera mentioned that some free-agent edge rushers were not interested in signing with them due to Chase Young and Montez Sweat eating up playing time. 

“One of the hardest things we struggled with during free agency was trying to get guys to come and be a part of what we’re trying to do because of the two guys we have [in Young and Sweat]. We have two quality guys,” Rivera said.