NFC Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Washington

Cowboys

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy said that coaching Dak Prescott was a “big part” of why he signed with the Cowboys and that he’s hopeful to get Prescott’s contract resolved given he’s an impending free agent. 

“Dak was a big part of (my) interest to come here. Now having the chance to work with him personally, I’m very excited about the future with Dak Prescott. Hopefully, we can get the contract situation resolved. I’m excited about moving forward with him,” said McCarthy, via Machota. 

As for the Cowboys firing DC Mike Nolan and DL Jim Tomsula on Friday, McCarthy said he appreciates their efforts under “difficult circumstances” this season. 

“I am appreciative of my relationships with (them) and I am grateful for the contributions that both of them made to our team under difficult circumstances in 2020,” McCarthy said, via Jori Epstein. 

• Jon Machota of The Athletic expects the Cowboys to interview outside candidates for their defensive coordinator opening but adds to not rule out senior defensive assistant George Edwards as a potential internal hire. 

Giants

Giants’ owner John Mara said he expects Saquon Barkley to remain with the organization for a “very long time.” 

“I certainly expect him to be a Giant for a very long time,’’ said Mara, via Paul Schwartz of the NY Post. 

Mara added that he’s unsure of Barkley’s timetable to fully return from his knee injury and is confident the running back will “come back stronger” next season. 

“It was brutal to watch him go down in Week 2,” Mara said. “He’s such an important part of this team, not only for what he does on the field but the leadership and all of the intangibles he brings to us off the field. That was really a gut-punch. Listen, I’m still happy that we have him. I think knowing him, he’s going to come back stronger than ever and be a big part of this team next year. In terms of what the time table is, it’s hard to predict that right now. I know our medical people are very pleased with the progress he’s made.”

Washington

• Washington DE Ryan Kerrigan talked about potentially playing his last game with the team: “It’s tough to get much into that because it’s a lot of unknowns. Hopefully it’s not because that means we’re winning on Saturday.” (John Keim)
• According to John Keim, Washington QB Alex Smith (calf) was “feeling good” in Friday’s practice but his availability for Saturday’s Wildcard game will hinge on how Smith feels pre-game evaluation.
• Washington HC Ron Rivera said on Thursday that Smith was a “little sore” and he would’ve appreciated an extra day of rest with a Sunday game: “Alex is still a little sore…I wish we had an extra day just to be sure.” (Keim)