NFC Notes: Jalen Hurts, Chase Young, Commanders, Cowboys,

Commanders

Commanders DE Chase Young said he wasn’t disappointed by the team declining his fifth-year option and is “ready to go” for next season. 

“Not disappointing at all,” Young said, via John Keim of ESPN. “I’m ready to go.”

Young feels like he’s regained confidence after recovering from his knee injury. 

“Night and day,” said Young. “Night and day… My confidence, my strength. Everything.”

Commanders HC Ron Rivera hopes Young can be the same player he was prior to his torn ACL. 

“We just want to see him pick up where he left off,” Rivera said. “He was starting to play faster and faster and just love to see him get out there and really run around and kind of cut a loose and not be tentative. And that’s probably the biggest thing for him.”

Cowboys

Cowboys WR Jalen Tolbert didn’t have the rookie year either he or the team envisioned when they took him in the third round out of South Alabama last year. His jump to the NFL was steep. But OC Brian Schottenheimer said Tolbert looks like a new man so far this spring and a big reason why was the addition of veteran WR Brandin Cooks.

“Jalen Tolbert has had an incredible camp. If you talk to Jalen, what he’s gonna tell you is he has spent a ton of time with Brandin,” Schottenheimer said via the Athletic’s Jon Machota. “Here’s a guy who has been there, done that, and he wants to encourage and invest in the younger guys. Those guys spend a lot of time together. What Brandin brings us is way more than just speed. It’s really fun to watch him run, but what I love is the competitor and the way he’s encouraging that entire room of receivers. It’s been awesome.”

Eagles

Eagles RT Lane Johnson has been with the team for his entire career and has great things to say about QB Jalen Hurts given what he has been able to bring both on and off the field.

“I just think his maturity for his age is exceptional,” Johnson told Jim Rome. “Man, he does a good job with getting our guys fired up. Really, when he speaks, a lot of substance is in it. Yeah, man, I just continue to see him climbing and climbing.”

“He’s a unique player,” Johnson continued. “I’ve had the ability to play with some mobile quarterbacks, from (Michael) Vick, you know Carson (Wentz) was able to do some things with his legs, and Jalen. Just having that guy that really gets into the minds of the defense. Gets into the linebacker’s head, it affects coverages. It really changes a lot of the things for the game. And so, I feel like for offensive linemen, it does make it easier. It makes it really tough for defenders to be right. I just feel like, how he’s developed, I feel like how he handled his situation in college really spoke volumes. He didn’t talk a whole lot, but he spoke a lot about how he worked. With the team at practice, in the weight room.”