NFC Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Washington

Cowboys

Cowboys’ EVP Stephen Jones thinks that the team has already made a lot of progress by replacing DC Mike Nolan with former Falcons’ HC Dan Quinn as their new defensive coordinator.

“We’ve already taken a major step with Dan Quinn,” Jones said, via Pro Football Talk. “I think he’s going to be very special. When we did our diligence, figuring it out with coach [Mike] McCarthy and Jerry [Jones] and myself, what he would be like as a defensive coordinator, it was nothing but rave reviews. His players want to lay it on the line for him. They want to play hard for him.”

Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones also spoke highly of Quinn.

“Quinn, in my view, has some great skins on the wall,” Jones said. “He’s got great experience. He is people-skilled. When you’re around him, you’ll see that. He’s certainly a dedicated football coach, and he’s covered a lot of ground. We have a lot of tapes, so to speak if you were talking about a player. We’ve got really a lot of information to look at to decide how he fits us. He was absolutely perfect for us in this situation to come in here. He’ll be extraordinarily influential in how we put together our personnel on defense. I think he’s got that kind of credibility.”

• Nebraska OL Brenden Jaimes made 40 consecutive starts and met in person with every team at the Senior Bowl, yet he is still scheduled to meet virtually with the Cowboys. (Justin Melo)

Giants

The offensive line has been a weakness that Giants GM Dave Gettleman has spent a lot of time and resources trying to shore up the past few seasons. A lot of talented youngsters have come in but the results have yet to come through for Gettleman as guys like LT Andrew Thomas and RT Matt Peart have played through growing pains. Gettleman didn’t sound like he was planning on bringing in more experienced options, though, specifically highlighting the former third-rounder Peart as someone he was comfortable with manning right tackle. 

“When he played, he played fine,” Gettleman said via the team website. “He played pretty damn well. At some point in time, you’ve got to let the young kids play. Listen, every player was a rookie at some point or a young player at some point. At some point in time, you have to have confidence in who’s on your club and you have to put him in there and let him play.”

Gettleman continues to preach patience with the development of the line. 

“We all want things to happen fast,” Gettleman said via NJ.com’s Zack Rosenblatt. “Just for what it’s worth, in terms of where our offensive line is, they’re young and they’re talented. Things take time. I said it earlier, things take time. We believe in these guys.”

However, New York’s moves this offseason with the coaching staff show they understand there needs to be some sense of urgency. The Giants hired former Louisiana-Lafayette offensive coordinator Rob Sale as their new OL coach, and three other coaches — assistant OL coach Ben Wilkerson, senior consultant Pat Flaherty and senior assistant Freddie Kitchens — will work with the unit. Sale impressed the team by developing guys like Steelers G Kevin Dotson and Dolphins OL Robert Hunt the past few seasons. 

“What I’ve seen with Rob,” Giants HC Joe Judge said, “is some of the guys he’s developed in the programs he’s been in where he’s truly had to mold them and bring them along both from their physical development as well as their mental understanding and their on-field performance.”

• Ryan Dunleavy points out that the Giants never approached G Kevin Zeitler about a restructured contract like they recently did with OT Nate Solder. 
• Matt Lombardo thinks that the Giants need to sign a veteran receiver and also select one in the first two rounds of the 2021 draft.
• Lombardo also says that he can’t imagine a better receiver to fit New York’s scheme than impending free-agent WR Corey Davis.

Washington

• John Keim says that Washington HC Ron Rivera is doing his due diligence and exhausting all options while searching for a quarterback, including sending representatives to the Pro Day for North Dakota State QB Trey Lance.
• Ben Standig reports that Washington is not expected to tender restricted free-agent WR Robert Foster but they are interested in re-signing him on the open market.
• Washington HC Ron Rivera said they are not “desperate” to make drastic changes to their roster this offseason and will avoid overspending on players: “We’re not desperate. There’s no immediate need to have to, got to, must. We’re looking to build a winning, sustainable culture.” (John Keim)