NFL Notes: Browns, Cowboys, Panthers

Browns

Hall of Fame pass-rusher Bruce Smith says he would like to mentor Browns No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett and help him reach his potential in the NFL.

“He’s going to be successful,” Smith told the Akron Beacon-Journal. “It’s just the level of success that he reaches could be contingent upon the decisions that are made for him at an early stage of his career. The advice, the coaching, the tutelage that he gets right now could determine whether he’s an impact player in his first or second year or his fourth or fifth year.”

From what Smith has seen of Garrett, he believes there some things he could help him with to ultimately improve his production.

“There were occasions in which he was just a little slow off the ball, and that fraction of a second of being slow off the ball is the difference of whether that offensive lineman is set in a certain position to be able to take you on,” Smith said. “If you get off the ball simultaneously to that ball being snapped, sometimes you’re going to beat that offensive lineman out of his stance, and then on other occasions, it’s going to be the difference of whether you get a sack, forced fumble or just a hit on the quarterback or just a hurry.”

Cowboys

Cowboys second-year QB Dak Prescott mentioned during an interview with Rich Eisen that Tony Romo “did an amazing job of helping [him] out” last year.

“I mean, Tony did an amazing job of helping me out. I think that’s what Tony realized is that, he couldn’t necessarily control whether he was going to play or not. But what he can control is our relationship,” Prescott said Wednesday, via NFL.com.

“And I think Tony did a great job, and I commend Tony and thank him so much for that — of being another coach for me, of helping me out, of in the middle of the game, at practice, on the field [and] off the field, giving me advice. And as a guy who went through exactly what I went through — taking over the position from an older veteran, and knowing what it’s like to be the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, and just helping me out.”

Despite the fact that it could have been an awkward situation with a rookie taking veteran’s job due to injury, Romo didn’t make thing uncomfortable for him.

“It truly never did [get uncomfortable]. And that’s why I say I commend him,” Prescott said. “I don’t know how he felt personally. I mean, obviously I know as much of a competitor he is, that he wanted to play. That as much success that he had in this league, that he probably felt that he should play. But it never [got uncomfortable]. And as I said, he always was so helpful to me. And I felt it was genuine, and I commend him for that.”

Panthers

Long-time Panthers WR Steve Smith was asked about the possibility of signing a one-day contract with Carolina during an interview with Rich Eisen.

“I work for NFL Network, and it’s really not on my radar as of today,” Smith said.