NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Redskins

Cowboys

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy stressed the importance of tailoring offensive and defensive schemes to the players they have.

“I feel like player acquisition and coaching instruction is a two-way street,” McCarthy said, via The Athletic. “I think if you have a system of defense where you need a certain player to fit your scheme, you’re limiting your personnel department. We know what a Dallas Cowboys football player looks like; the length, the athletic ability. Let’s get as many good football players as we possibly can. It’s our job as coaches to make sure our scheme boundaries are plenty wide enough to fit any excellent football player into our program. That’s always been a philosophy of mine on offense and that’ll continue to be so on defense.”

• ESPN’s Ed Werder thinks it’s unlikely that McCarthy brings WR Dez Bryant back to the Cowboys after he’s been out of the game as long as he has. 
• The Athletic’s Jon Machota doesn’t see Cowboys TE Jason Witten playing another season with Jason Garrett and the Giants, though he could join New York as an assistant coach. 
• Machota expects the Cowboys to bring in competition this offseason for both K Kai Forbath and P Chris Jones.
• Cowboys OL Connor Williams and Connor McGovern will also battle to be the starting left guard in 2020. 
• Per the Maven’s Rick Gosselin, the Cowboys’ special teams unit finished 2019 ranked 31st in the league. 

Eagles

• According to Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice, while the Eagles likely won’t give S Malcolm Jenkins a major extension since he’s 32, they could bump his pay and guaranteed money for the next two seasons. 
• Kempski doesn’t think the Eagles should re-sign S Rodney McLeod, though the veteran is a favorite of Eagles DC Jim Schwartz.
• The Athletic’s Zach Berman believes the Eagles will turn the keys over at left tackle to Andre Dillard and let Jason Peters move on. 
• Berman adds that signing TE Zach Ertz to an extension will be a priority for the Eagles this offseason. He also anticipates them exercising DE Derek Barnett‘s fifth-year option.
• Per Berman, cornerback, linebacker and an experienced backup quarterback are on Philadelphia’s free-agent shopping list. Defensive tackle and wide receiver are needs in the draft. 
• Per the Maven’s Rick Gosselin, the Eagles’ special teams unit finished 2019 ranked 15th in the league. 

Giants

New Giants OC Jason Garrett‘s time as a head coach for the Cowboys was a major factor in his addition to HC Joe Judge‘s staff in New York, as the team wanted experience on Judge’s staff to help his transition. But Garrett’s time before that as an offensive coordinator for three seasons might be more instructive for Giants fans. He helped Tony Romo blossom into a franchise quarterback for Dallas and is looking forward to working with potential Giants franchise QB Daniel Jones. 

“I really liked how he played when we played against him and when we saw him on film this year,” Garrett said via the team’s website. “He was tough, he was competitive, playing the game the right way, which is not easy to do as a rookie quarterback in the NFL, but certainly excited to work with Daniel.”

• Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes that all signs point to Giants QB Eli Manning retiring this offseason. 
• The Athletic’s Jon Machota doesn’t see Cowboys TE Jason Witten playing another season with Garrett and the Giants, though he could join New York as an assistant coach. 
• Per the Maven’s Rick Gosselin, the Giants’ special teams unit finished 2019 ranked 7th in the league. 
• Former Raiders DL coach Brenston Buckner is not a candidate for the same position with the Giants. (Art Stapleton)
• The Giants will interview former Dolphins OL coach Dave DeGuglielmo for their vacancy at the position. (Dan Graziano)

Redskins

• According to NBC Sports’ JP Finlay, the Redskins hired Scott Turner as offensive coordinator over previous OC Kevin O’Connell because Turner interviewed better, not because O’Connell passed on the job. 
• Finlay notes Turner’s heavier use of play-action passing in his gameplans along with his experience working with Cam Newton and Teddy Bridgewater helped set him apart from O’Connell.
• Finlay also acknowledged new Redskins HC Ron Rivera‘s experience with Turner from their time together with the Panthers influenced the decision, as Rivera “believes” in Turner’s potential.
• Per the Maven’s Rick Gosselin, the Redskins’ special teams unit finished 2019 ranked 4th in the league.