NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Redskins

Cowboys

New Cowboys WR Amari Cooper said he wasn’t all that surprised to be traded after rumors had mentioned him being available in recent weeks.

“I wasn’t really surprised because there were rumors,” Cooper said Wednesday, via Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk.

Cooper added that he’s excited about having a fresh start in Dallas.

“It feels great,” Cooper said, via the Dallas Morning News. “It feels like a fresh start, just like a freshman year in college or something like that.

“I mean the first thing you think about when you hear the Cowboys is that star, ‘America’s Team,’ and all of that. It’s a great franchise,” Cooper continued. “When I found out I was going to be a Dallas Cowboy, I don’t know, I just knew I would have to adapt fast.

“I knew everything would happen real fast.”

Eagles

Mike Kaye of NJ Advance Media takes a look at six trade candidates and three free agents for the Eagles to consider following DE Derek Barnett‘s season-ending injury.

• Falcons DE Steven Means
• Raiders OLB Bruce Irvin
• Bills DE Jerry Hughes
• Broncos DE Derek Wolfe
• Titans DE Derrick Morgan
• Browns DE Chris Smith
• Free agent OLB Ryan Davis
• Free agent DE Will Clarke
• Free agent DE Kony Ealy

• Eagles HC Doug Pederson said Wednesday that rookie DE Josh Sweat will have an expanded role with Derek Barnett out for the year. (Reuben Frank)
• Eagles CB Sidney Jones (hamstring) said Wednesday that he doesn’t expect to be back until sometime after the bye and he won’t travel with the team to London. (Jeff McLane)

Giants

• Matt Lombardo reports that the Giants are not shopping DE Olivier Vernon ahead of the Week 8 trade deadline.
• Nick Korte mentions that if the Giants are really focused on a rebuild, they should cut WR Cody Latimer and S Michael Thomas before Week 10, as this would guarantee them a fourth-round 2019 compensatory pick for losing Justin Pugh and maybe possibly net them a fifth-rounder for Devon Kennard.

Redskins

• Redskins HC Jay Gruden said Wednesday that if a trade opportunity arises they will explore it. However, Gruden mentioned that he likes what they have and doesn’t think they need to make a move. (John Keim)