NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Cowboys

• A number of Cowboys players returned to practice Friday, including OTs Tyron Smith and La’el Collins, WRs Randall Cobb and Amari Cooper, CB Byron Jones and G Zack Martin, per Pro Football Talk.
• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says the team likes its depth at wide receiver even with the injuries and likely wouldn’t consider signing a receiver like Antonio Brown: “I don’t want to be talking about any other player. I like our depth. I’m not speaking to Antonio. I’m not speaking to anybody. But I believe we’d go with the depth we have.” (Jon Machota)
• The Dallas Cowboys officially ruled out CB Anthony Brown (hamstring) for Week 7 and list DE Dorance Armstrong (neck), WR Randall Cobb (back), T La’el Collins (knee), WR Amari Cooper (ankle, quadricep), CB Byron Jones (hamstring), C Joe Looney (back), G Zack Martin (back, ankle), and T Tyron Smith (ankle) as questionable.

Eagles

Eagles DT Fletcher Cox was ready to play in time for the start of the regular season despite spending most of the offseason, training camp and preseason rehabbing a foot injury. However, it appears the injury is still affecting Cox, as the former All-Pro defensive tackle still hasn’t recorded a sack this season despite recording 44.5 in the seven years before this. Cox isn’t using the injury as an excuse though. 

“We’ve got to stop making excuses and just fight through it,” Cox said via the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Paul Domowitch. “That has to start with me. I have to be better. I know I will be better. I’ve been getting better every week.”

• The Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski writes the Eagles tried to trade back from their second-round pick this past draft before eventually selecting WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside.
• Eagles LB Nigel Bradham is a “long shot” to play Sunday per HC Doug Pederson. (Zack Rosenblatt)
• Eagles WR DeSean Jackson will also miss this week according to Pederson: “When he’s ready, he’s ready.” (Mike Kaye)
• Pederson called Jackson’s injury “tricky” and said they’re not rushing the veteran receiver. (Jeff McLane)
• When healthy, Pederson says the starters at cornerback will be Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills. (Rosenblatt)
• Mills says he will play and start this week. (Eliot Shorr-Parks)
• The Philadelphia Eagles officially ruled out LB Nigel Bradham (ankle), WR DeSean Jackson (abdomen), DT Timmy Jernigan (foot), CB Avonte Maddox (concussion, neck), T Jason Peters (knee), and RB Darren Sproles (quadricep) for Week 7 and list CB Ronald Darby (hamstring) as questionable.

Giants

The Giants signed DE Markus Golden this offseason to a low-risk, high-reward deal banking he could recapture his previous form from 2016. Golden had 12.5 sacks with the Cardinals under DC James Bettcher, his current DC in New York, before an ACL tear the following season derailed his progress. So far, Golden has looked more like his pre-injury self with five sacks in six games for the Giants. 

“I think he is really close to being that same guy,” Bettcher said via NorthJersey.com’s Art Stapleton. “Markus and I talked at the beginning of the year and the goal wasn’t to get back to that guy, it was to be better than that guy. I think if you have gotten to know Markus, you’ve gotten to see how he works, how he plays the game. I think if there is anybody that’s going to come off of an injury like he had and be able to become a better player, it’s this guy. He loves the game, he works tirelessly. A lot of the plays that he makes are just second-effort plays, are just beyond skills, talent. It’s just mindset and purpose. That’s one of the reasons I have always loved him.”

• Giants HC Pat Shurmur refused to confirm if RB Saquon Barkley would play Sunday against the Cardinals: “He’s available. We’ll see if he’s back. If he is, he’ll be ready to go. I just choose not to tell you right now.” (Ralph Vacchiano)
• Shurmur added TE Evan Engram was also available, but he would evaluate both leading up to Sunday since they’re coming off injuries. (Pat Leonard)
• The New York Giants officially ruled out CB Corey Ballentine (concussion) and WR Sterling Shepard (concussion) for Week 7.