NFL Notes: Eagles, Lions, Raiders

Eagles

Eagles QB Carson Wentz tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com that he’s “way more comfortable” now that he’s in his second year with Philadelphia.

“Way more comfortable,” Wentz said. “It’s OTAs, I know. But things have slowed down. I’m not thinking about everything anymore — last year I was. Now I can feel the important things early in the play — where’s my answer, what are my options, what will work? It’s a different game when you can dial it down and feel you know what’s important to look for, and you’re not looking at every little thing out there. I mean, cover-2 is cover-2.”

Lions

Before signing a future/reserve contract this past January with the Lions, WR Jared Abbrederis explained that he had interest from other teams, but he wanted to be patient and focus on making the right decision for his future.

“I was confident in myself and my decision,” Abbrederis said, via Michael Rothstein of ESPN. “That was kind of what I talked to my agent about. I said I’m confident in what I’m doing. I’m investing in my future, obviously training and getting myself ready so hopefully the injury bug will stay away.

“I told him I would be confident in my decision, so that was the biggest thing I had to do. Obviously, if I wouldn’t have gotten a call, that would have been on me. But I took the risk of making sure I was developing and ready to go.”

Abbrederis explained that by waiting until the offseason to sign with a new team, it allowed him to get a better handle on the team’s offense before practicing.

“I just wanted to wait until the season was over because it would give me an opportunity to learn a playbook in the offseason, when it’s a little bit less, not that you’re going in a game right away,” Abbrederis said. “So I just figured that would give me the best opportunity. Then, I would get fully healthy, develop a little bit, get myself ready to go.”

Abbrederis has been an early standout for the Lions in OTAs.

Raiders

Raiders veteran CB Sean Smith says he expects to get back to playing at the high level he was at when he signed a four-year, $38 million contract with the Raiders last March.

“With careers of seven-, eight-plus (years), there is always going to be that one year that everyone looks at like, ‘Oh, man. Did he lose it? What’s going on?’” Smith explained, via Michael Gehlken of the Review-Journal. “The coaches have said I’m flying around. I’ve got speed still. I feel great. That one year doesn’t define me. I know I’m way better than that. And I know what people are used to (from me), and I get it. Everyone wants the Sean of old. No problem. …Two-one is back.”