NFC East Roundup: McAdoo ‘Turning Heads’
Ben McAdoo. (USA Today Sports)
Hope everyone is having a great weekend. For those in need of a quick fix, let’s take a spin around the NFC East to see what’s going on with the rest of the division:
New Giants head coach Ben McAdoo is hitting the right notes early, writes Thomas George of SB Nation.
Through the Giants camp workouts that ended on Thursday and resume on next Wednesday, McAdoo is turning heads.
Early impressions are he is humble, a hard worker and communicates effectively with players from this era and with people in general.
“He’s popped his head into my office three times this year already,” one Giants office staffer said. “Tom (Coughlin) never did that once in 12 years.”
An Giants assistant coach added, “These young players, you’ve got to let them know they are being heard. That something they have to add is useful and is at least considered. They can’t get everything they want, but you can listen and find something that works for both of you. That goes for on the field, in the games, in the locker room, on the plane, at the team hotels, the whole thing. It goes for things as little as the music they just asked for in practices that he just gave them. Now, they know, they owe him something a little extra in return.”
The absence of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie early in OTAs led to a big challenge early for Eli Apple, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.
Welcome to the NFL, Eli Apple. The New York Giants’ first-round pick found himself thrown right into the fire Monday when the team opened organized team activities. With regular starting cornerbackDominique Rodgers-Cromartie absent from the voluntary workout, Apple lined up on the outside covering Giants star wideout Odell Beckham Jr.
“It was interesting, for sure,” Apple said after practice Monday. “He runs his routes well. He’s a fast guy. It was fun going against him. They didn’t throw the ball his way when I was going against him, but you can tell, with his explosiveness and how he gets out of breaks. It’s impressive.”
DeSean Jackson has missed time this spring and it’s going to cost him, writes John Keim of ESPN.
The Washington Redskins want receiver DeSean Jackson to collect a lot of passes and touchdowns. As long as he does that, they’re OK with his spotty offseason attendance. What he won’t be collecting is his workout bonus.
Jackson’s contract included a $500,000 workout bonus tied to the number of workout sessions he attended, but he has already missed too much time to collect the money. He had to show up for 90 percent of the offseason workouts, which began April 18.
Jackson, 29, has a base salary of $3.75 million and is a free agent after the season, giving him another chance at a big contract. He received a $5 million signing bonus from Washington in 2014.
During a conference call held Friday by the National Congress of American Indians and “Change the Mascot” campaign, panelists voiced opposition to a Washington Post poll that surveyed 504 Native Americans, 90 percent of whom said the name doesn’t bother them.
James Fenelon, a California State San Bernardino sociology professor, called the poll “immoral,” adding it was not representative of Native American communities. Amanda Blackhorse, lead plaintiff in the trademark case against the Redskins, said the “misguided” poll will not affect attempts to change the name.
National Congress of American Indians executive director Jackie Pata said, “This issue is not about polling. This issue is about human rights.”
Micky Spagnola, writing for the Cowboys’ website, expresses concern over linebacker Rolando McClain‘s absence from OTAs.
No, this worry has to do with the absence of Rolando McClain, who always seems to have something getting in the way of offseason football, practicing or just simply weight and conditioning. This time it’s personal family issues he’s trying to take care of, though Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett says he should be back at The Ranch next week.
OK, that would be fine, or at least palatable. But his offseason work at The Ranch has been sporadic, and the biggest worry would be conditioning and physical shape. Last thing you need is for someone to jump back in there after extended inactivity and pull a hamstring or groin. We’ve seen similar nagging injuries occur with guys who hadn’t been working out diligently or returning from injury and then hurting something else.
Ugh!
Darren McFadden, not Ezekiel Elliott, is running with the first team at the moment per Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram.
“It’s definitely better to have the competition,” Elliott said. “It keeps you on your toes and makes sure you get your work done. The competition makes you better.”
The starting job is inevitable and will come in due time.
Elliott is just trying to adjust to the speed of the pro game after admittedly being shell-shocked by the tempo of practices on the first day of OTAs Tuesday.
“It’s a lot faster pace,” Elliott said Wednesday. “The game moves so much faster. Yesterday, I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit shell-shocked. But today I came out. I was a little bit more prepared and was more ready mentally so it was a little bit easier for me.”