NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Redskins

Cowboys

For most of this past coaching cycle, the most prominent names linked to the Cowboys were from the college coaching ranks. Oklahoma HC Lincoln Riley, former Baylor HC Matt Rhule and former Ohio State HC Urban Meyer all received some buzz as candidates for Dallas, but none were brought in for formal interviews. Cowboys COO Stephen Jones revealed the Cowboys did consider college coaches for their vacancy despite the lack of interviews, though. 

“I won’t say specific names, but Jerry and I spent a lot of time talking about college head football coaches,” Jones said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “We talked about specific ones. We went down that road hard, internally, between the two of us in particular, but my brother weighed in and we talked to [VP of Player Personnel] Will [McClay]. We did our diligence. We just didn’t have anybody in for a formal interview. And in a lot of ways, that was by design, because these guys have jobs, they’re recruiting and you don’t want to rock boats.”

• According to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports, the Cowboys have hired Texas A&M cornerbacks coach Maurice Linguist to be their new secondary coach. 
• Dallas is also hiring Scott McCurley as DL coach and Jeff Blasko as assistant OL coach. Both worked with HC Mike McCarthy in Green Bay. (Todd Archer)

Eagles

• 94WIP’s Eliot Shorr-Parks points out the Eagles could actually come out a little bit in the black in terms of cap space if they’re able to trade both WRs DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery.
• Because both carry a significant dead money hit, a trade is more likely than a release, per Shorr-Parks. 
• Philadelphia can also save $4.6 million by releasing LB Nigel Bradham and $4.7 million by releasing S Malcolm Jenkins, who has said he wants a new deal in 2020. 
• Shorr-Parks lists the Jets, Jaguars and Bills as potential trade destinations for Jeffery.
• The Athletic’s Zach Berman writes that unless Eagles RB Jordan Howard can’t find a team to offer him significant playing time in 2020, he’s unlikely to be back in Philadelphia.
• Berman believes the Eagles bring back Jackson in 2020 while also making sure they add more speed at wideout. He also mentions TE Zach Ertz as being in line for an extension this offseason. 
• Berman expects the Eagles to let both OT Jason Peters and OL Halapoulivaati Vaitai leave in free agency, as well as LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, S Rodney McLeod and CB Ronald Darby. 
• Eagles DE Derek Barnett set a career-high with 6.5 sacks in 2019 and Berman thinks the team will exercise his fifth-year option this offseason. 
• Berman identifies CB Sidney Jones as a potential trade candidate this offseason. 

Giants

• According to SiriusXM NFL Radio’s Alex Marvez, the Giants are hiring Ole Miss DL coach Freddie Roach to the same position. 

Redskins

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes the Redskins could be preparing to make a run at Vikings GM Rick Spielman after the draft. 
• Washington announced the promotion of Kyle Smith to vice president of player personnel. (Twitter)
• The Redskins could potentially hire former TE Chris Cooley as a quality control offensive assistant. (Chuck Sapienza)