NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Cowboys

Cowboys fourth-round RB Tony Pollard played only the first series during Dallas’ first preseason game, suggesting his role with the starters is solidified.

“He looks confident out there,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “We know he’s inordinately understanding what it is he does and what he can do,” Jones said “We’ve seen him do it. We know he’s capable, if he really needs to, carry the whole load.”

Cowboys DE Taco Charlton is facing a pivotal third season. The former first-round pick recorded three sacks his rookie season, but that number dropped to one last year. Charlton says it’s because he was asked to play a different role in the defense. 

“Last year, I really wasn’t asked to pass rush, that was Randy [Gregory’s] job,” Charlton said via the Athletic’s Jon Machota. “I was a run stopper. I played base end and then Randy would come in and rush the passer. That was just basically my responsibility. I had more responsibility to pass rush my rookie year. We look at it this way, I feel like I got better from my rookie to sophomore year, I just didn’t get as many opportunities as I got.”

• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport says the team saw Pollard as comparable to Saints RB Alvin Kamara, though he has a ways to go to reach that ceiling. 
• Former NFL executive Michael Lombardi hears that Cowboys QB Dak Prescott turned down a deal in the $30 million per year deal from the team. Lombardi says it would be
• is “nuts” for Prescott to turn down this contract, as he doesn’t believe Prescott is a top-five NFL quarterback. 

Eagles

Eagles QB Nate Sudfeld will be out for several weeks following a broken wrist suffered during Philadelphia’s preseason opener, but his spot as the Eagles’ primary backup quarterback is still safe. 

“I think so,” HC Doug Pederson said via Pro Football Talk. “I mean, obviously we can go back and kind of look at what he did last year a little bit in some of the games. Obviously, the pre-season game [on Thursday night]. Would you like more time? Yeah, you’d like to get another game or two to see him in a little more action. But what he’s proven to us in practice the last couple of years, what he’s done out here, what he did in the game the other night, again he was smart with the football, made great decisions, threw the ball with accuracy. Those are all things you look for in the backup. . . . He did a nice job in kind of solidifying that spot.”

• Eagles OT Lane Johnson (knee) and TE Dallas Goedert (calf) are both expected to miss the rest of the preseason with the aim of having them ready for Week 1. (Pro Football Talk)
• Other Eagles injuries include S Blake Countess (hamstring) out for multiple weeks and both DE Daeshon Hall and WR DeAndre Thompkins day-to-day with shoulder injuries. (Zack Rosenblatt)
• Eagles DT Hassan Ridgeway suffered a concussion. 
• The Eagles are hopeful DE Eli Harold can solidify their defensive end rotation, as he’s a better fit in their 4-3 scheme as a defensive end, per DC Jim Schwartz: “Good body for what we are looking for. Our scouts had liked him a couple years ago. He has had a little bit of production. …Put his hand in the ground and let him come. He’s big, he’s strong and we will add him to the mix.” (Zach Berman)
• Schwartz says Eagles LB Nigel Bradham won’t necessarily play middle linebacker but will still take on a lot of traditional middle linebacker duties: “He’s a real good communicator. He’s good against the run and the pass. He’s tough. I think he runs our show really well. …If that’s where it ends up, we have a lot of confidence in Nigel.” (Berman)

Giants

• According to Art Stapleton, Giants first-round CB DeAndre Baker sprained his knee during individual drills and had an MRI on his knee. 
• Baker will undergo further evaluation Monday. There’s no word on the severity of the injury.