NFC Notes: Eagles, Giants, Washington

Eagles

• SiriusXM’s John McMullen says the rumors of a potential coach being traded involved Eagles HC Doug Pederson, whose job status came into question on Sunday. 
• Per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Pederson was not happy about potentially needing to make major offensive coaching changes again. He was high on QB coach Press Taylor as a potential offensive coordinator. 
• The dynamic between Pederson and GM Howie Roseman has also been strained in the past year, which is one of many issues the Eagles are trying to sort through before they move forward, per McLane.
• Alex Marvez is reporting that Eagles’ LB coach Ken Flajole will not return for 2021 and may in fact be retiring.

Giants

• Dan Duggan mentioned that some potential free agent targets to watch for the Giants this offseason include Ravens OLBs Yannick Ngakoue and Matt Judon along with Titans WR Corey Davis.
• Regarding Davis, Duggan points out that he’s an ascending young player who won’t cost as much as some of the top-end receivers like Allen Robinson, Kenny Golladay and Chris Godwin.

Washington

Though it wasn’t enough for Washington to earn the upset, QB Taylor Heinicke rejuvenated a career that was on ice while he worked on a math degree just a month ago with his performance in the wildcard round against Tampa Bay. He completed 26 of 44 passes for 306 yards, throwing one touchdown and rushing for another while gritting through a shoulder injury. He’s confident he won’t spend another year out of the NFL. 

“I deserve to be in this league a little longer,” Heinicke said via ESPN’s John Keim. “I’ve been on the other side not playing and it’s not fun, not as fun as this.”

Heinicke thoroughly won over his teammates in Washington in just a short time and has their support to be a part of the team in 2021. 

“I’ll take No. 4 on my team any day of the week, twice on Sunday,” Washington WR Terry McLaurin said. “I hope we’re teammates in the future. That dude plays with no fear. He’s going to give his players a chance to make plays. He extends plays, he runs, he takes hits. He does everything you ask a quarterback to do in this league. He gave us a chance.”

• Heinicke said he heard a click in his shoulder when diving into the end zone on his touchdown run and was later diagnosed with a sprained AC joint before returning to finish the game. (Rhiannon Walker)
• Washington DE Chase Young suffered a mild ankle sprain late in the loss to Tampa Bay. It would have been uncomfortable but not out of the question for him to play this week had they advanced. (Ian Rapoport) 
• Washington LB Kevin Pierre-Louis was complimentary of the direction the team is heading in after the first year under HC Ron Rivera: “I can truly recognize this organization is headed in the right direction.” (Ben Standig)
• Washington G Brandon Scherff, who played out this year under the franchise tag, said he would love to be back long-term: “Absolutely. I love it here. I love coach Rivera; I love coach Matsko. I love everybody, love the defensive guys here. We are building something to absolutely make a run for it in the future.” (Keim)
• After falling into a rotational role this year, DE Ryan Kerrigan said he’s looking to be a starter again, which might take him elsewhere: “I still feel like I have a lot of ball in me, a lot of good productive years ahead of me. I definitely want to be a starter. I think any player would say that.” (Nicki Jhabvala)
• Washington third-round RB Antonio Gibson said his turf toe won’t need surgery this offseason. His goal for 2021 is to slim down and become more explosive. (Keim)
• Washington QB Alex Smith said his comeback attempt was more about proving he could still play than any actual results: “To me it was more about the attempt and the journey than the outcome. More about that mindset of putting myself out there and really attempting this.” (JP Finlay)
• Regarding whether he would play in 2021 or retire, Smith told reporters his plan is to take a few weeks to discuss with his family: “I had so much fun this year…to be back in the locker room, to be on the field with the guys to play a game I love & to lose yourself in it is one of the greatest feelings….can’t duplicate it outside here.” (Keim)
• However, Washington TE Logan Thomas is bullish on the prospects of him coming back: “I can’t imagine him not playing next season.” (Jhabvala)
• Rivera said he has a meeting soon with owner Dan Snyder to discuss “intent” for Washington’s general manager opening and then they’ll start the search. (Finlay)
• Rivera doesn’t anticipate any major changes to his coaching staff. (Finlay)