NFC Notes: Daniel Jones, Jerry Jones, Jason Kelce, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

“What I would say is, I hope it’s not different going into the first playoff game where we’ve got the second seed. I hope it’s not different at all, to that point, where we got the second seed,” Jones said, via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. “Now, let’s talk about how we might make it different when we play in that game and get a win, OK? We need to stop the run better, we need to be more physical, and we need to run better, to be specific. We need to do those kinds of things. And so, my point is, I look at that and I thought we made a pretty good move four years ago when we hired Mike McCarthy, and he’s had some great in-season success. Now he’s come up short three times and advanced us in the playoff. But I like that fact that’s he’s hanging around the rim, and I like what the team has done to hang around the rim. So, I think, what the answer that I would have is, that I’m aware that we’re hanging around the rim. We’re not getting the ball in but when you hang around the rim – let’s don’t discount hanging around the rim – where we are right now with the players we’ve got, and I’m thinking about it from the whole look.”

Eagles

Eagles C Jason Kelce admits that he isn’t sure what lies ahead for him in the future after seeing brother TE Travis Kelce heading to the Super Bowl. He also recounted his unhappiness with the way Philadelphia’s season ended.

“As a Philadelphia Eagle, incredibly disappointing season, especially at the end of it,” Jason Kelce told Olivia Reiner of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “And I really, really look forward to next year. I look forward to trying to prove people wrong, especially with some of the recent hires and Nick Sirianni. And there’s a lot of things up in the air for the Philadelphia Eagles. But I think that, as a player, you always look forward to go into battle with your guys. And then as a brother, I mean, listen, this is an easy team to root for. This is a team that has not been … had their roses, and been the easiest road for them. They fought, they’ve overcome adversity, they’ve stayed together through all the nonsense. When everybody doubted them, when everybody said they don’t have the guys to get it done, they still find themselves going to the biggest game in the world for football.”

“You watch this and the emotion is so high,” Kelce added “It feels so great being here on this field right now for your teammates and for the guys that are going to get an opportunity to compete for a Super Bowl. These are emotions. And these are situations that you don’t get unless you continue to go. And I don’t know what’s going to happen for me. But I do know, I still want to be involved in the organization and still want to be a part of it, regardless of what the decision is. Because I don’t want to ever feel like I’m on the outside looking in on these achievements and these accolades and these opportunities that largely represent entire cities and fan bases and organizations. It’s too good a feeling to pass up.”

“I’m looking forward to watching him,” Jason noted on Travis heading back to the Super Bowl. “I’m looking forward to heading out to Vegas and cheering my brother on. Hopefully him and Pat [Mahomes] and Andy [Reid] and those guys can get the third one. And if it isn’t in the cards, hopefully blackjack is in the cards for me.”

Giants

Giants GM Joe Schoen said they will look at “every position” at No. 6 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft but expects Daniel Jones to be their starting quarterback going into training camp. 

“Where we are, we’re in a good spot at six, we’re gonna look at every position we have needs across the board, offensively and defensively,” Schoen said, via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. “Daniel’s in the building every day working hard. The expectation is for him to be the starter when he’s healthy going into camp, and we’re gonna be thorough with our process at every position during the draft — regardless whether it’s quarterback, running back, safety, corner, whatever it is. We’ll take a good player at six.”

Schoen said they plan on meeting with impending free-agent RB Saquon Barkley at the NFL Combine. 

“He was getting ready to go to Africa for a Super Bowl commercial,” Schoen said. “The plan is to circle up with his representatives when we get to the combine.”

• The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes how the Giants handle the quarterback position in free agency is likely to offer a clue for how things will unfold this offseason. For instance, if they go out and spend on a top-notch backup, Duggan thinks it’s far less likely they spend significant draft capital on a rookie. 
• New York owes Jones $35.5 million in guaranteed salary in 2024, so Duggan points out the Giants probably won’t draft a quarterback in the first few rounds with the intention of them being the third string behind a high-priced backup. 
• The Giants could still sign a veteran, per Duggan, but if they plan to draft a quarterback, it’s more likely they sign someone less heralded like Josh Johnson or Trevor Siemian.
• Schoen met with the media and announced that they hope to have a new defensive coordinator hired by the end of the week. (Connor Hughes)