NFC Notes: T.Y. Hilton, Cowboys, Giants, Saquon Barkley

Cowboys

Cowboys’ recently signed WR T.Y. Hilton said he was glad to spend time with his family while he was a free agent and was waiting for the “right situation” to play again. 

“I never got a chance to, especially when you’re dealing with this profession, spend some time watching them,” Hilton said, via Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News. “I had a great offseason just watching them and I got a couple of calls, a lot of calls. I told my agent if I get the right call, the right situation, I’m interested. I feel like this is the right situation.”

Hilton mentioned that his body felt good at the end of last season, which inspired him to continue his career. 

“I felt good toward the end of the (2021) season and I felt good going into the offseason,” Hilton said. “That’s the only reason I decided to play. I’m healthy, my body feels really good, so that’s all I was looking forward to.”

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy doesn’t think it’ll take Hilton long to get acclimated to their offense. 

“He’s very bright,” McCarthy said. “I know he’s wearing Kyle Valero out, they spend a lot of time together. I don’t think its going take T.Y. very long. We’ll see how the week goes.”

• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believes WR T.Y. Hilton should be prepared to make his season debut Sunday against Jacksonville. (Ed Werder)

Giants

Giants’ owner John Mara said he still feels good about the team despite being 0-3-1 over the last four games and thinks the energy in the locker room is the “best that it has been in a long time.” 

“We’ll see how it finishes out,” Mara said, via Mike Rosenstein of NJ Advance Media. “But right now I feel good about the team, the direction we are going. You are always disappointed if you don’t make the playoffs but we are trying to take it one week at a time at this point. I know that sounds like coachspeak but that’s really the only way you can look at it right now. I just know the vibe in the building is the best that it has been in a long time. People are all pulling in the same direction.”

Saquon Barkley

Giants RB Saquon Barkley feels like he’s struggled to make explosive plays over the last couple of weeks and is hoping to turn things around. 

“My perspective on that is ‘try to make a change. Try to be helpful. Try to make plays.’ That’s where I feel like I’ve got to get back to,” Barkley said, via ProFootballTalk. “I feel like I’ve been lacking the last couple of weeks – being the guy, and making explosive plays, especially when it matters most. The only thing I can do there is come here and practice, try to have the best practice I can have. And then when the games come, when the opportunity presents itself, got to capitalize on it.”

• Dan Duggan reports that the Giants are expected to elevate LB Landon Collins from the practice squad for Week 15.
• Duggan adds that LB Tae Crowder is expected to be a healthy scratch.