NFC Notes: Dak Prescott, Commanders, Cowboys, Giants

Commanders

Commanders HC Ron Rivera mentioned that veteran QB Jacoby Brissett being in attendance for voluntary OTAs has been helpful for Sam Howell.

“He’s got a great sense and feel for what coach Bieniemy wants and in fact all the quarterbacks too,” Rivera said, via Commanders.com. “I think having Jacoby out here pushing him and working with him at the same time has been a really good thing because you do see his growth.”

Cowboys

Despite turnover on the offensive coaching staff, Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy believes the team’s offense in 2023 will be a continuation in terms of language and philosophy for QB Dak Prescott.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a transition; I think it’s a continuation,” McCarthy said, via Cowboys Wire.

The heavy lifting of the day to day communication with Prescott will be done by QB coach Scott Tolzien, who was a quarterback under McCarthy in Green Bay.

“The quarterback room is a critical room in your coaching operations, as far as the design of it, the responsibility,” McCarthy continued. “Really, it’s no different than it was back in the early ’90s: the way I view it, the way we define it, the job description, job responsibility. The quarterback coach is a very significant component of that, maybe one of the most important components. The quarterbacks coach does the heavy lifting. That’s the way I’ve always set it up. That’s the way I was fortunate to go through it when I was a quarterbacks coach. All the extra time on the phone that you spend communicating with your quarterbacks, the little things.”

McCarthy pointed at Tolzien’s work ethic and believes he’s the right man for the job.

“Scott is built for this. He was the quarterback, as a player, that if everybody was averaging 150 minutes a week on his iPad, Scott was at 480. Just the way he’s wired. And he has the magnetic personality. Brian Schottenheimer has a great personality. The way that room’s structured is similar to the way I’ve always done it in my past experience. It was a little different with Kellen and Doug, but I just look at it as more of a continuation of what’s already been established.”

Giants

Giants LB Bobby Okereke was asked by reporters about the possibility that he wears the green dot this season as the defensive play caller. 

“I don’t expect to,” Okereke replied when asked about the green dot, via GiantsWire.com. “Whatever is best for the team. I don’t have an ego about it. I know a couple of different guys are wearing it throughout this process… I’ve worn it a couple games in the past.”

Okereke also addressed what he expects to bring to the Giants’ defense. 

“I think just my athleticism,” Okereke said. “I’m big, I’m fast and long. But then just from a mental processing standpoint, understand how offenses are trying to attack you and where I fit in coverage with my teammates. Just kind of putting it all together.”

Given his contract, the expectation is Okereke will take one starting job at linebacker. The other is up for grabs. Okereke highlighted a few of his new teammates who have been standing out to him so far. 

“I love Micah McFadden. I think he’s a technician, great player, smart guy. Obviously, Jarrad Davis is a great leader. And Darrian Beavers is a guy who has a lot of potential,” Okereke said.

• Pat Leonard reports the Bills, Chiefs, Giants, Jets, and Patriots are all teams that could be in the mix for the services of WR DeAndre Hopkins.