Commanders
Plenty of eyes are on Commanders QB Sam Howell as the former fifth-round pick with just one career start under his belt continues to look like the likely Week 1 starter for Washington. As optimistic as the team is about Howell, they still really don’t know what’s going to happen. Howell has had highs and lows during training camp just like any young player.
“Sam’s still learning everything in this offense, just like the rest of us,” Washington TE Logan Thomas said via ESPN’s John Keim. “He’s made his fair share of mistakes, just like the rest of us.”
There are some encouraging components to Howell’s camp performance, however. Commanders HC Ron Rivera mentioned how Howell has been testing the boundaries of what he can get away with on more difficult throws when easier ones are available, which is what practice is for. He also has shown a tendency to want to attack down the field, which the receivers appreciate.
“He just has a really good feel of throwing the ball down the field,” Commanders WR Terry McLaurin said. “He’s going to give guys a chance to make the play down the field and he throws a really nice deep ball. It’s really cool to see a young guy who’s not afraid to continue to give his guys catches or guys opportunities down the field.”
McLaurin added Howell has stepped up as a leader as well, taking more ownership of the offense. He has a calm demeanor as well which helps steady things even as the offense as a whole works through growing pains.
“You really don’t even see him get flustered even when he’s had a few, maybe rough patches during practice. He doesn’t hang his head,” McLaurin said. “He’s not yelling, cussing things like that. He said he’s pretty even keel, which is really unique for a young guy like that.”
Cowboys
Cowboys LB Micah Parsons has already set the bar incredibly high in the first two years of his career, asserting himself as one of the best defensive players in the NFL, period, in just a short time. His personal bar for the rest of his career is even higher.
“When you talk about great careers, (when) you talk about the Hall of Fame, like I don’t think I just want to make the Hall of Fame. I just want to be known as one of the greatest Hall of Famers,” Parsons said via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “There’s categories to everything. There’s good. There’s great and there’s like, perfect. … When you talk about me, I don’t want to just be mentioned in the Hall of Fame. Yeah, that’s a great accolade, but I want to be one of the greatest in the Hall of Fame.”
Eagles
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts says he’s aiming to continue to defy stereotypes about what quarterbacks who look and play like him can do.
“For a long time, the world told guys like me that they couldn’t process and they couldn’t have that approach to the game and have the fundamental and mental awareness to execute and play the game at a high level,” Hurts said via the Athletic’s Zach Berman.
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