NFC Notes: Dan Snyder, Ron Rivera, Carson Wentz, Commanders, Giants

Commanders

• In an explosive, wide-ranging article from ESPN, Commanders owner Dan Snyder has reportedly told close associates he has gathered dirt to “blow up” other owners and commissioner Roger Goodell if they try to kick him out of the league. Multiple league, team and ownership sources say they’ve been told Snyder’s law firm hired private investigators to look for info: “They can’t f— with me.” 
• None of the sources would tell ESPN how they learned that. One said they thought Snyder had targeted at least six owners, including Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Snyder’s biggest ally among ownership ranks. He justified his approach to an associate recently: “The NFL is a mafia. All the owners hate each other.”
• One owner responded to ESPN: “That’s not true. All the owners hate Dan.”
• Another owner said they think Snyder could be bluffing in an attempt to avoid being ousted, a proposition that has gained quite a bit more steam in the past year: “He’s backed into a corner. He’s behaving like a mad dog cornered.”
• There are almost too many issues with Snyder’s tenure to name, but what has pushed the other owners to the brink of removing him have been multiple workplace toxicity and sexual harassment scandals, some implicating Snyder, that are being investigated by the NFL and Congress. Perhaps more importantly to the other owners, Snyder’s failure to secure funding for a new stadium and other business woes have sapped any goodwill he might have had. One veteran owner told ESPN: “His gate is the lowest in the league, his revenues are significantly low and trending lower. He is costing his fellow owners significant money.”
• Another owner said all would be forgiven if Snyder could build a new stadium — and that’s something Snyder is aware of. However, he’s botched negotiations with Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. and he’s so toxic that he might not be able to secure public assistance for a stadium at all. 
• Some league and team sources told ESPN that ultimately could give the other owners the cover they need to vote Snyder out, essentially starving him of the funds he needs. 
• Another issue is how much Snyder remains involved in the day-to-day operations of the team despite a pseudo-suspension by Goodell. A number of sources told ESPN that Snyder is basically disregarding that and not much has changed with his involvement. 
• Snyder has long believed and said to an associate last year, per ESPN, that, “All my problems will be solved if I can just get a marquee quarterback.” Sources familiar with the Commanders’ trade for QB Carson Wentz say it was Snyder who pushed for the deal and Commanders staffers have told other people around the league the same: “It was 100% a Dan move.”
• The Athletic’s Ben Standig reports the NFL has no plans to vote on Snyder at the owner’s meeting next week. 

Commanders

• The Athletic’s Jeff Howe lists Commanders HC Ron Rivera as one of the next coaches to potentially be on the hot seat. He says rival talent evaluators don’t think Rivera, who has the final say on the roster, has upgraded the team’s talent in the past few years. 
• Rivera has said if the team doesn’t start winning, big changes could be coming. The Athletic’s Ben Standig writes that outside observers interpret that to mean a change at quarterback or one of the coordinator spots. 
• Standig adds a consideration with firing OC Scott Turner or DC Jack Del Rio is who would replace them as the primary play-caller. Rivera has a defensive background but he has enough on his plate already and is unlikely to take over that role.
• Standig doubts Turner will get the axe, as he’s been generally good, though like anyone else on offense he hasn’t been perfect. He notes QB Carson Wentz isn’t in danger of being benched anytime soon but at some point the conditional pick Washington gave up for him becomes a consideration. If he plays more than 70 percent of the snaps, which works out to around Week 10 or 11, the Colts get a second in 2023 instead of a third. 
• Should the Commanders make a quarterback change, Standig expects fifth-round rookie Sam Howell to get the nod over No. 2 QB Taylor Heinicke, as Washington knows what it has with Heinicke already. 
• Standig thinks talks could reignite over Commanders DT Daron Payne ahead of the trade deadline given Washington is still unlikely to re-sign him but notes it will take a third-round pick at a minimum given Washington could get a comp pick for him this offseason. 
• Other potential trade candidates include veteran CB Kendall Fuller, who’s a cap casualty candidate in 2023, and DE Casey Toohill, who is in a contract year. 
• Wentz was limited early this week with a biceps tendon strain near his right, throwing shoulder and will be playing at less than 100 percent on Thursday, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero. The hope is he can recover after the team’s mini-bye with 10 days until their next game.

Giants

Giants S Julian Love reflected on the amount of former Ravens assistants on their coaching staff ahead of their Week 6 game against Baltimore, including DC Wink Martindale. 

“Yeah, I think it’s tough,” Love said, via ProFootballTalk. “We talk all the time about outside focus and inside focus. Him and all the other people who came from Baltimore — that’s an outside focus type of thing. Yeah, it’s there, it’s present and people will talk about it but at the end of the day, we’ve got to match up against who they have. It’s not really about Wink, it’s about us executing against their players.”

• Martindale said there are no ill feelings between himself and Ravens HC John Harbaugh after he elected to part ways with Baltimore over the offseason: “John and I, we’re family. It was nothing negative. It was just time. For both of us.” (Kimberley A. Martin)
• Martindale added that he felt it was time to move on from Baltimore after spending 10 years with the organization: “It was just time. When I say it was just time, it was time for both of us.” (Jordan Raanan)
• Giants P Jamie Gillan is back with the team on Thursday after briefly being stuck in London due to a passport issue. (Jordan Raanan)
• Giants OC Mike Kafka said fourth-round TE Daniel Bellinger has “flexibility” in their offense and his role continues to expand: “He’s got flexibility.”  (Dan Salomone)
• Giants HC Brian Daboll said QB Tyrod Taylor has cleared the league’s concussion protocol. (Art Stapleton)
• Giants second-round WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee) said he’s been “feeling good” and is hopeful to play in Week 6 barring any setbacks.  (Charlotte Carroll)