NFC Notes: Eagles, Saints, Washington

Eagles

• Mike Kaye of NJ.com looks at the Eagles’ guards heading into the 2021 season, noting that this is a massive year for veteran G Brandon Brooks. Kaye notes that Brooks is currently in the best shape of his life and should provide a strong option at right guard for the Eagles as he returns from a torn Achilles.
• When it comes to left guard, Kaye says that starter Isaac Seumalo will have to improve and stay healthy all season long in order to stave off rookie OL Landon Dickerson, who will push him for playing time.
• Kaye points out that while Dickerson may not play right away, he will eventually start for the Eagles and will likely begin the season as the team’s top backup lineman. Eventually, Kaye theorizes that Seumalo and Dickerson will start next to each other on the offensive line.
• According to Kaye, some players on the bubble include Nate Herbig, Matt Pryor, Ross Pierschbacher, Sua Opeta, and undrafted rookie Kayode Awosika.
• For Herbig, this could be a make or break year, as Kaye says he could be viewed as an eventual replacement for Brooks or C Jason Kelce who Kaye believes is likely to retire in 2022.

Saints

• While the widespread expectation is that Saints QB Jameis Winston is the early favorite in this summer’s pending quarterback competition, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes league sources tell him not to discount QB Taysom Hill just yet. 
• Volin points out Hill’s dual-threat skillset is unique enough to try for the start of the season, and if it fails the Saints can fall back on a more traditional scheme led by Winston with Hill going back to his Swiss army knife role. 
• If the Dolphins decide to trade CB Xavien Howard, the Athletic’s Jeff Duncan expects the Saints to be one of the teams to make a run at him. 

Washington

Washington made it a point to juice their receiving corps this offseason after featuring Terry McLaurin and not much else last season. They signed Curtis Samuel and Adam Humphries in free agency and spent a third-round pick on WR Dyami Brown. The rookie is working on learning multiple receiver spots to help him get on the field in a suddenly deep position group. 

“That’s why we talk about guys having position flex, too,” Washington HC Ron Rivera said via the Athletic’s Ben Standig. “You don’t want a receiver to be able to play the X. You want him to be able to play the Z as well. That’s important. That’s why we make sure guys can do more than one thing because if … one of your best players is playing the same spot, that guy will never get an opportunity. But if he can play the different positions, we’ll find a way to get him more on the field.”