NFC Notes: George Pickens, DeVonta Smith, A.J. Brown, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Cowboys

  • Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer didn’t have any guarantees about WR George Pickens‘ offseason availability: “We love GP. We have plans for GP.” (Kimberly A. Martin
  • Schottenheimer called new DC Christian Parker a superstar and spoke about how players are always in his office talking about scheme. (Calvin Watkins)
  • He also said “we got a good plan, got firepower going into the draft,” despite not getting an inside LB in free agency. (Watkins)
  • Per Jon Machota, the Cowboys are still looking for a nickel coenerback, as they would prefer to play DaRon Bland on the outside. 
  • Schottenheimer talked about Joe Milton and Sam Howell competing for the backup QB spot: “It’s an open competition. We’re excited for both those guys to go. You can never have enough quarterbacks to develop. I think we develop the quarterback at a very high rate in our system.” (Machota)
  • Schottenheimer thinks OL Tyler Guyton has “got a chance to be an elite player, but he’s got to take that next step,” and their plan for him will focus on footwork, balance and hand usage. (Todd Archer)
  • Regarding a potential trade up in the draft, Schottenheimer said they “absolutely” have the resources to get it done and “Jerry [Jones] is never afraid of making deals.” (Machota)
  • At running back, Schotteheimer doesn’t feel like they need any young additions, as he spoke highly of Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah and Malik Davis: “That should be a very competitive position, but we gotta get those young guys going.” (Machota)

Eagles

  • Eagles GM Howie Roseman on WR A.J. Brown: “I understand that there’s interest in the A.J. Brown story. Unfortunately, I don’t have a home under a rock. But my answer to any question on A.J. Brown is that A.J. Brown is a member of the Eagles. From my perspective, anything you ask me about A.J. Brown, I’m going to go right back to that answer. But I understand the interest. I put on TV and I see that there’s interest. But my answer is A.J. Brown is a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.” (McLane)
  • Roseman noted that the Eagles wanted to keep LB Jaelan Phillips but understood the risk of allowing him to hit free agency: “At some point you’ve got to have a kind of parameters of what you would do, what you wouldn’t do, so you’re doing it in calm times. Happy for him and his family. Really enjoyed having him as part of our team. Understood why he’s in Carolina.” (Berman)
  • Roseman on trading for veteran QB Andy Dalton: “Independent of Tanner. We’ve talked about how much we like Tanner. I thought it was a good opportunity for us to bring in Andy, a guy that we’ve known for a long time, a guy that’s getting to add a lot on and off the field. He can still throw it. He can still really make quick decisions. We’ve liked him for a long time, watching for a long time, and we always like three QBs. …You’re one injury away from being one injury away. We take that seriously.” (Berman)
  • Eagles HC Nick Sirianni on LB Jihaad Campbell‘s rehab from shoulder surgery: “He loves football. He wants to be the best football player he possibly can be. And the way he attacks being on the field is the same way he attacks his rehab and everything like that to get himself healthy.” (Reiner)
  • Sirianni on if DeVonta Smith can become the No. 1 wide receiver: “Both those players — keep A.J. in it. Both those players are phenomenal players that contributed to a lot of wins over the past four years here, DeVonta, A.J., both… it’s not like we have a 1A and a 1B. We got two ones there.” (Berman)
  • Sirianni on wide receivers Marquise Brown and Elijah Moore: “It’s been fun watching those guys throughout their career, after seeing them, not too long ago, come out in the draft, and always been a fan of those guys and their game and their style of play. …Just adding depth. This game is there’s so many ups and downs throughout the year. There’s bumps and bruises throughout the way. So you’re always looking to add depth at every position, and competition in every position. ..I love their speed, their ability to get in and out of breaks and create separation, how they are with the ball on their hands. I’ve really enjoyed talking to both of them.” (Berman)
  • Sirianni on his conversations with QB Jalen Hurts about the offseason changes: “I think it’s really important that these guys get some time away from us. The conversations I’ve had with Jalen since the end of the season are more just checking in and see how everything’s going, and there’ll be a time and place to talk about that. …Because right now we’re limited (by league rules) in what we can talk to them about and everything like that, but I think it’s really important that they get some time.” (Berman)

Giants

  • Giants HC John Harbaugh said QB Jaxson Dart is going to like new TE Isaiah Likely: “He’s going to bring a lot to the table… He’s going to make a lot of plays for us.” (Connor Hughes)
  • Harbaugh called the offensive line a “work in progress.” (Hughes)

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