NFC Notes: Ron Rivera, Darren Waller, Commanders, Cowboys, Giants

Commanders

Commanders HC Ron Rivera isn’t sure what will happen regarding his future with the team next season but is confident the franchise is in better shape than it was when he joined the team regarding the culture.

“Well, I’d like to think we’re in a better place, probably a fair way to say it,” Rivera said on Tuesday, via NFL.com. “I most certainly do appreciate my time here, and we’ll see what happens. And again, we’ll focus in on what’s coming first on Sunday, and that’s getting ready for Dallas.”

“What we’ve done with the culture,” Rivera added. “I think that was one of the things that somebody asked me the same question, I said, the biggest thing more so than anything else I think is I kind of like where we are. Obviously, it’s not where we want to be, but that’s just the nature of this game sometimes.”

Cowboys

• Cowboys’ recently signed OT La’el Collins said that Vice President of Player Personnel Will McClay called him one day after LG Tyler Smith suffered a torn plantar fascia, via Michael Gehlken. 
• Gehlken points out Collins practiced at left guard on Thursday. 
• Collins said he was eager to join Dallas after they reached out to him and he’s feeling strong going into Week 18: “Hey, let’s make it happen. Let’s go win this thing… Right time. Right place. I’m just ready to play ball again. I’m super excited, 2024 couldn’t have started off any better,” per Jon Machota.
• Collins said he’s open to playing any offensive line position. “I’ll play fullback, I don’t care. I’m just happy to be here and I just want to help these guys win. … There are a lot of great things that this team has to offer. You can feel it when you walk in this building.”
• Collins added this is the best he’s felt physically in a long time and feels his time away from the game has helped prolong his career: “This is the best my body has felt in a long time. I really feel like this is the reset button that’s gonna help prolong my career.”
• Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb, who is entering his fifth-year option in 2024, hopes his impending extension will “ideally” put him among the highest-paid players at his position: “Ideally for sure. At the end of it all obviously once again I got a goal in mind and that’s to get a ring. At the end of that, then we’ll start talking about everything else,” via Calvin Watkins. 

Giants

Giants TE Darren Waller, who has a potential out in his contract for 2024, said he plans on continuing his career in New York. 

“Nothing is ever guaranteed,” Waller said, via Art Stapleton. “But I plan on being here and I love being here.”

Waller has been taken aback by the amount of former players who still come around the Giants organization. 

“Seeing how the people that are higher up [in the Giants’ organization] treat everyone, how the legends come back around and how proud they are to play here,” said Waller. “I’m still blown away.”

Waller has been trying to figure out a solution for his pesky hamstring issues including changing his diet. 

“If the same things keep bothering you, the same things keep showing up – whether that’s me or anybody on the team – you have to find a way to sit down and be like, ‘Why is this happening?’ and figure out a solution,” Waller said. “I don’t know if it’s getting even more precise with diet. Whatever it may be, throwing things on the board, seeing what it is. I don’t have the answers right now.”

• Dan Duggan confirmed all of the Giants’ assistant coaches are under contract through 2024, including ST coordinator Thomas McGaughey.