NFC Notes: Jalen Hurts, Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles

Commanders

Commanders DC Jack Del Rio is very happy about the team drafting CB Emmanuel Forbes and thinks that his production in college can easily translate to the NFL. 

“Really fired up about getting him, adding him to the squad,” Del Rio said, via CommandersWire.com. “I think he’s a tremendous football player. You know, he’s fast. He’s got great ball skills. He’s very bright, and he played against some of the best competition that you can in the SEC and held up week in and week out as a playmaker. Very productive. So happy to get ’em.”

Cowboys

Cowboys DL coach Aden Durde said their defensive line can’t participate in a lot of drills in minicamp in order to avoid fines for a third straight year for practices being too physical. 

“There’s a lot of drills- team drills- that the D-line can’t be part of,” Durde said, via CowboysWire. “But you feel comfortable with where we are because in the walkthroughs, the guys are getting deliberate practice. And then when we’re out on the field, their conditioning is going through the roof. You can work on the fundamentals, the techniques, certain little things are more individualized teaching because of the time you have with the guys. So I feel really good with where were at.”

Durde said first-round DL Mazi Smith has done well transitioning into Dallas’ defensive system. 

“He’s done a great job so far. It’s just like any rookie, when they come in, they come from a completely different system, completely different language. We have to give these guys some time to develop. This period’s been good for them. As much as you want to get old-school, go out there and practice against the offense, this is actually good for them because you can do way more walkthroughs, you can talk about it, you can talk about techniques we use, the language we talk, how we communicate. I like where they’re at now. Obviously, you want to see them in pads, and that will come this summer.”

Eagles

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts made sure his team was focused heading into the offseason and said that everything they accomplished last year is in the past now.

“Thinking about it holistically, last year is over,” Hurts said, via The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Anything that we were able to do last year…nothing that’s been done prior will get us to where we want to be now.”

Hurts added that while the team needs to reset and shift their focus towards the upcoming season, they gained valuable experience and learned from mistakes from last year.

“There are a ton of experiences that we documented and deposited in the bank to learn from — that we will learn from and have learned from — but it’s a day-by-day thing,” he said. “It’s the truth. Every team has their own opportunity to do something special, and this is a whole entire new team. It’s something I’ve embraced. It takes a special type of discipline to achieve what you want to achieve. You have to completely reset that but also allow the things you’ve experienced to fuel you, fuel that fire, and grow.”

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni said Hurts continues to improve and the sky is the limit for what his potential is.

“He’s just always looking to get better,” Sirianni said. “He’s so coachable; he just keeps getting better and he keeps getting better and he keeps getting better. I see another jump in everything that he’s done. … We’re doing seven-on-seven, so there’s no pass rush except for the guys that are walking at him with the bags. But I do see his development continuing. That’s what we talk about with Jalen all the time. I don’t know what his ceiling is because he just keeps getting better, and he’s going to continue to do that. I’ve seen that same jump, the speed with which he makes the decision, the accuracy of his throws. He’s really had a good spring.”