NFC Notes: Nick Sirianni, Saquon Barkley, Commanders, Eagles, Giants

Commanders

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler mentions that many around the league expect Lions OC Ben Johnson to be the Commanders’ target for head coach.
• However, Fowler says he thinks things are still “wide open” at this point.
• Dan Graziano agrees that most people consider Johnson to be the favorite, but Texans OC Bobby Slowik is worth watching as well.
• Ben Standig reports the Commanders are hosting Cowboys DC Dan Quinn for his second in-person interview next week. 

Eagles

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni feels like he needs to “re-prove” himself as a coach after going 1-6 to end the season. 

“In my mind, you’d better believe I’m thinking how do I re-prove myself,” Sirianni said, via Zach Berman of AllPhly.com. “I was a young coach that Mr. Lurie and Howie and this organization trusted to give the job to. I had to prove myself that this guy can lead the organization like they asked me to, and I had to prove myself from then.”

Sirinni reiterated that they need to prove they are a strong football team. 

“I think you ask me that question, did I have to sell my vision, no, because it was business as usual, but you’d better believe that I’m thinking after that 1-6 finish after starting the way we started and doing the things that we’ve done in the past that I’m thinking I’m going to prove them right again, and we’re going to prove them right. We’ve got to re-prove ourselves. We’ve got to go prove it again. That’s how I feel right now. That’s how I’m attacking this off-season. That’s how I’m attacking this upcoming season as we get ready for it. Just hungry to be able to prove myself again to Mr. Lurie and the faith that he’s had in me and Howie and the faith he’s had in me and the rest of the team and the city.”

Eagles GM Howie Roseman pointed out they are 26-5 over 31 games before their 1-6 end to the season and made the playoffs for three consecutive years. 

“I’m not diminishing the 1-6 stretch at the end – [but] we were 26-5 over the last 31 games. That’s four times the amount of games that we played over this stretch,” Roseman said. “That is hard to do in the National Football League. That is hard to find a head coach in this league who has that record of success. I think we were 33-11 up until that point with Nick. We’ve made the playoffs three straight years. Again, not OK finishing 1-6, so I’m not sitting up here saying that, but it is hard to find somebody who can do those sort of things.”

Giants

Giants EDGE rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux isn’t happy about how the team has handled RB Saquon Barkley’s contract situation.

“I believe in Daniel Jones. What I’m mad about is that Saquon – because if you look at the game, the tape, Saquon was responsible for at least 30 percent of our explosive plays, talking about the year [2022] we won the playoff game. “So, for me and for the integrity of working together and hard work, and we all believe the same things, I feel like Saquon should have got paid first. That’s what I feel,” Thibodeaux said, per Ryan Dunleavy.