Commanders
New Commanders TE Zach Ertz cited new OC Kliff Kingsbury as a huge reason he decided to sign in Washington. Ertz and Kingsbury worked together in Arizona in the 2021 season, where Ertz totaled 980 yards and seven touchdowns.
“Kliff has been a huge part of my success the past few years in Arizona and so when he got the job in Washington and I was a free agent, it was very easy for me to say, ‘hey, this is a place that I would love to play for,'” Ertz said, via The Pat McAfee Show. “They’ve essentially redone the entire building since I came into the league. New owner, new G.M., a new head coach and I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about Dan Quinn and so I’m extremely excited to play for him and to get back on the East Coast is going to be fun.”
Cowboys
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said the team has had productive conversations with QB Dak Prescott regarding a contract extension and is confident the two can come to an agreement that benefits both sides.
“I feel like we are able to cut and shoot,” Jones said, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “Dak’s been willing to work with us. We’ve had good discussions about him and his contract. He’s all-in in working with us, and we’ve had personal discussions with Dak as well. Other than that, that’s all we’ll say about that, our negotiations with him. We want to keep that private. Won’t get into timelines, but certainly a priority of ours.”
Jones added that the team is taking a big-picture view to free-agency.
“There’s a lot to be played out between now and our first game next year,” Jones said. “I don’t think you win a Super Bowl championship on the first, second or third day of the league year.”
Jones understands the frustration surrounding the team and their lack of success in the playoffs but said that they will stick to their guns in terms of how they best believe to build and shape their roster.
“Everybody certainly has that right,” Jones said. “I know where the frustration is; it’s the fact that we have not had a lot of success in the playoffs to their satisfaction. Until we do that, the criticism is certainly something that’s going to be there … but we are going to stick with what we believe will ultimately get us a championship for our fans. We don’t define all-in by what you spend in free agency.”
Jones also added that the team’s current cap situation meant that they wouldn’t invest heavily in the FA running back market.
“This is an organization that has been built on great backs, whether it’s Tony Dorsett, Herschel Walker, Emmitt Smith, Ezekiel Elliott or Tony Pollard. We’re big believers in backs. They bring a lot to the table,” Jones said. “Unfortunately, we’re at a point where we have to make some decisions in terms of where we allocate dollars. … We feel like there’s going to be ways to address the running back situation in a more efficient way. We’ll see how that works out.”
Eagles
Former Eagles C Jason Kelce raved about the signing of RB Saquon Barkley and the impact he thought it would have on Philadelphia in 2024.
“Huge, huge signing for Philadelphia, and I’m happy for Saquon,” Kelce said on the New Heights podcast. “I’m not trying to talk trash … you’re coming to a team that has had a legitimate offensive line established for a very long time.”
Kelce joked that signing Barkley might be enough to bring him out of retirement.
“I could not be more bullish,” he said. “We talked about it last week: This is what I’m regretting. I knew when I retired that I was going to miss just an outstanding season for the Philadelphia Eagles. It sucks, it really does. I wanna be a part of this so bad. I wish I could. But it doesn’t suck in the way that, hey, I’m a Philadelphian, I get to watch it and celebrate it just like everybody else. So I’m excited for that.”
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