NFC Notes: Jerry Jones Will Remain GM, Giants J.J. McCarthy Trade, Panthers

Cowboys

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after losing to the Commanders that he has no plans to give up his role as general manager and told reporters that when he purchased the team it was something he would be doing for life.

“No. Just, no,” Jones said when asked by Saad Yousaf of TheAthletic.com. “[When] I bought the team, I think the first thing to come out of my mouth…somebody asked, ‘Did you buy this for your kids?’ I said, ‘Hell no. I bought it for me.’ And I didn’t buy an investment. I bought an occupation, and I bought something I was going to do. I was 46 [years old]. I bought something I was going to do for the rest of my life. That’s what I’m doing. So, no. The facts are, since I have to decide where the money is spent, then you might as well cut all of the bullshit out. That’s who’s making the call anyways.”

Giants

Multiple league talent evaluators believe that the Giants should pursue a trade with Minnesota for Vikings rookie QB J.J. McCarthy.

“He wasn’t the same caliber as Caleb Williams, (Jayden) Daniels, (Drake) Maye.” one said, via SNY. “System and environment factor more with (McCarthy). This year, though? Yes. He’d be the top quarterback. No doubt.”

• Giants GM Joe Schoen on the team trying to figure out their draft process during his tenure: “Year 1, you come in and Brandon Brown was the only addition for that first draft. So, you’re working with a room full of people that you’re still trying to figure out. Some guys are really good at background. Some are really good at scouting and evaluation and the round value. You’re trying to figure that out Year 1.” (Art Stapleton)

Panthers

The Panthers are looking forward to not worrying about who will be under center or playing running back next season. While they still have questions and roster moves to make, the team won’t be facing a tumultuous offseason after a strong performance by QB Bryce Young to finish out the season. 

“That’s just building a culture, right?” Panthers LB Shaq Thompson said, via Joseph Person of The Athletic. “You can’t build if everything keeps leaving.”

The team is indeed trying to continue to build a winning culture and LS J.J. Jansen has taken notice after playing in his 260th game with Carolina in Week 18.

“The last few years have been kind of a wild ride,” Jansen noted. “All the key pieces are in place. Quarterback’s playing really well. Head coach did a really, really good job. GM gets Year 2 with all of the resources that you get from a draft and salary caps and there’s a common vision. When any one of those three pieces isn’t necessarily in place or there’s uncertainty, how timelines are different or it’s a little bit trickier to figure out what’s the goal of this offseason? Because not everything is necessarily aligned.”

“I think the biggest element of stability was who coach Canales was every day of the week. He was the same positive, energetic, encouraging, demanding guy every day. Whether we won, whether we lost, whether we had a good or bad day, he was the same guy,” Jansen continued. “And guys pick up on, hey, even in a wild ride — the first month of the season was a really wild ride — and the head coach is the same guy every day. The front office are the same people every day. That without even having to say anything, it exudes calm throughout the building in the face of some chaos.”

Panthers CB Jaycee Horn believes that starting next season, the sky is the limit, with GM Dan Morgan adding that the team is building something special for the coming seasons under HC Dave Canales.