NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Cowboys

When the Cowboys started the season on a tear and QB Dak Prescott appeared to be setting himself up as an early MVP candidate, the question was if Prescott’s play was driving up the price in his ongoing extension talks with the team. Now that the Cowboys have dropped two straight and Prescott’s play has dipped, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says the price tag for their franchise quarterback doesn’t fluctuate based on his play.

“Let me get that real clear. It’s not impacting that with me at all,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “But I do see Dak showing the ability to handle adversity and basically go out and make the kind of plays that win important games for the Cowboys in the future. I see that.”

• Jones is optimistic about having both starting offensive tackles, Tyron Smith and La’el Collins, back this week: “I’m optimistic. Tyron is looking promising. We’ll see how this week goes. (La’el) is going to be hard to keep out of there.” (Jon Machota)

Eagles

Eagles DE Derek Barnett has already picked up a fine for an unnecessary roughness penalty stemming from a hit on Packers RB Jamaal Williams last week that knocked him out of the game. The trend continued Sunday as Barnett picked up another personal foul for a low block during an interception return.

“Derek and I have talked. We talk during the week. We talked during the game yesterday about it,” Eagles HC Doug Pederson said via Pro Football Talk. “Listen, it’s an emotional game and sometimes things escalate during the game. Having been out there and being around those guys, obviously you don’t ever want to be labeled as one of those type of athletes, but he’s aggressive. He plays hard. He plays to the whistle. I’m not going to take that away from him, obviously. We’ve just got to be smarter and it starts with me communicating that with the team and being a more disciplined football team that way.”

• The Eagles worked out linebacker Paul Worrilow on Tuesday. (Aaron Wilson)

Giants

• Per NJ.com’s Matt Lombardo, Giants HC Pat Shurmur pushed back against some reports that RB Saquon Barkley and TE Evan Engram are unlikely to play Thursday night: “You didn’t hear that from me. Some of the stuff that’s out there isn’t what we put out there.”
• However, Barkley, Engram and RB Wayne Gallman who’s in the concussion protocol were among the only players who did not have a travel bag with uniform and helmet packed in front of their lockers. (Lombardo)
• Giants LB Alec Ogletree was a full participant in practice and appears ready to play Thursday. (Dan Duggan)