NFC Notes: Eagles, Falcons, Rams

Eagles

• NJ.com’s Zack Rosenblatt ranks RB Jordan Howard as the No. 20 most important player for the Eagles’ 2019 season. The Bears traded Howard because of perceived deficiencies as a receiver, but Howard says that was due to usage, not ability: “I feel like they’re allowing me to do more, show my game off more instead of just being one-dimensional like Chicago had me.”

Falcons

Atlanta hasn’t had a punt return touchdown since 2014 or a kickoff return touchdown since 2010. The Falcons signed RB Kenjon Barner and drafted WR Marcus Green in the hopes one of them could break that streak. 

“It’s very important (to bring the return game back to life),” Falcons ST coordinator Ben Kotwica said via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I think the way the game is structured especially in the punt return side, especially if you’re able to get them stopped with good defense and field position, that’s the area where you can do a good amount of damage.”

Rams

• Vincent Bonsignore of The Athletic believes Rams LB Cory Littleton will “exceed” his performance last season and could “emerge as a star” on Los Angeles’ defense. 
• Bonsignore writes that Rams OLB Samson Ebukam must improve winning “one-on-one” situations against blockers, while the team wants “improvement and more consistency” from him. 
• According to Bonsignore, Rams ILB Micah Kiser is the “odds-on favorite” to start opposite of Littleton. 
• The Athletic’s Lindsay Jones says it’s reasonable to expect some regression from the Rams if RB Todd Gurley is not able to be a 25-touch-per-game engine like the team is used to.