NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Redskins

Cowboys

• Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports expects the Cowboys and RB Ezekiel Elliott to finalize a contract extension by Week 1. 
• La Canfora notes that Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith‘s recent extension does not mean there is less money available for Elliott, Dak Prescott, or Amari Cooper.
• La Canfora also points out that Dallas has consistently been among the lowest spending team’s in the league and has “sufficient budgets” to pay emerging talent. 
• ESPN’s Josina Anderson draws a link between Elliott’s recent, brief return from Mexico and the change in tone in negotiations between him and the team. 
• Anderson speculates that Elliott was expecting something to happen during his return that didn’t happen and that caused the public tenor of discussions to shift following Cowboys owner Jerry Jones‘ “Zeke who?” joke. 
• Anderson says her understanding is Elliott hoped this situation would be resolved by the third preseason game, which is Saturday. 
• Cowboys WR Amari Cooper said he’s confident he can be “real effective” playing through his plantar fascia injury, though he hopes rest will take care of it: “I played with a lot of foot injuries, high ankle sprains, all those things, so I’m pretty good at playing with foot injuries. But I don’t think I’m going to have to play with it.” (Jon Machota)
• Cowboys DE Demarcus Lawrence says he’s ahead of schedule in his rehab from shoulder surgery, but is confident in his ability to play this season given he’s played through injury the past two seasons: “Y’all forget I played two seasons with a torn labrum, so it really wasn’t about how ready the arm was going to be. I know I’m ready mentally and physically. You only need one arm to beat two.” (Machota)

Eagles

Eagles LB Nigel Bradham has been working his way back from torn toe ligaments suffered in Philadelphia’s playoff loss but says he’s “not really” close to being ready to participate in team drills during practice. At this point, Bradham is looking iffy to be ready to play at the start of the season. 

“I just have to get comfortable, real comfortable, with my feet,” Bradham said via Paul Domowitch and E.J. Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I’ve got to get my power back and stuff like that.”

Eagles OT Jason Peters has a Super Bowl ring, but he didn’t play in Philadelphia’s Super Bowl win against the Patriots after tearing his ACL in October of 2017. Peters returned to full health in 2018 and was a steady presence at left tackle even as the Eagles’ fell short of a second Super Bowl. A chance at another championship played a big role in the 37-year-old’s decision to return for another year. 

“I finished up last year in the playoffs against the Saints and went out the last series, but we could have made another run to the Super Bowl,” Peters said via NBC Sports’ John Clark. “I just played all year last year hurt, you know, trying to just grind it out. I gave up a couple plays here and there and you know how it is in Philly: ‘He ain’t got it no more.’ It’s just a big comeback year for me. Just to show everybody I still got it. I shouldn’t have to. But I had a down year last year with that knee injury. . . . You know how it is. Every year you’ve got to have a good year here in Philly or you’re going to get down-talked.”

Giants

• Ian Rapoport points out that the Giants’ staff was “confident and optimistic” with first-round QB Daniel Jones during training camp, but veteran QB Eli Manning remains the starter, “period.” 
• Giants GM Dave Gettleman told Rapoport that Jones has been “what they thought and a lot more.”

Redskins

• According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, the report that the Redskins turned down a first-round pick from the Patriots for OT Trent Williams indicates that Washington is finally ready to part with Williams. 
• Florio says if the Redskins leaked they rebuffed New England, it lets other teams know Williams is available and the offer to beat is a late 2020 first-round pick. 
• Florio mentions one hypothesis floating around in league circles is that the Redskins want Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill. However, Kansas City likely won’t deal Hill and doesn’t need a left tackle. 
• Florio adds Washington’s leverage is hurt by the fact Williams has made it clear he won’t play for the team again and appears to be prepared to carry out that threat.