NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Redskins

Cowboys

Cowboys WR Amari Cooper says he would “love” to play with Dez Bryant, should the team elect to re-sign him for the 2020 season. 

“Obviously, Dez is a great player,” Cooper said, via The Athletic. “He’s one of those guys that goes up and attacks the ball, and I think he still has that – that’s not something you just lose. I think he can come back and be a dominant player, really, if he’s given the opportunity to do so.

“Of course I’d want to play with him. I would definitely have some questions for him because I think he’s a phenomenal player. … I know I can learn something from him.”

• According to Ian Rapoport, it sounds like the Cowboys are focused on getting a long-term deal in place with WR Amari Cooper before the start of free agency
• Rapoport says that the question is whether Cooper is going to eclipse $20 million per year.

Eagles

Eagles WR DeSean Jackson was limited to appearing in just three games last season due to injuries. 

Jackson said in a recent interview with Thai Floyd of Bar None Media that he expects to be back “stronger than ever” in 2020. 

“I’ll be back stronger than ever,” Jackson said, via NBC Philadelphia.

“Feels good,” Jackson said. “Being able to have like three months to train and build and do rehab, so I feel like now I’m back at 100 percent. So just trying to train and take it day by day without rushing and getting back right. But I have a lot of time on my hands so trying to prepare and take every step I can to get back to where I need to be.”

Redskins 

Matt Miller of B/R says every scout or coach he spoke to prefers Tua Tagovailoa to Dwayne Haskins.

“It’s really not even close,” said one scout tells Miller. “Even when you factor in injuries, I’d take Tua. The medicals all sound great. He’s more accurate, moves better, has more touch. He’s simply better.”

Even so, sources made it clear to Miller that they believe Haskins is good enough to build around and has shown enough promise to have a chance to develop in a stable environment.

There has been buzz about the Redskins possibly taking another quarterback at No. 2 overall, but Miller says he couldn’t find anyone around the league who is buying the talk.

“It’s smart, really. Let it out there you are doing quarterback work and hope someone offers you three first-rounders for the pick—because that’s game-changing capital. Otherwise you draft Young and feel pretty damn good about it,” said a rival GM.

• Jeremy Fowler of ESPN notes that an extension would likely be part of trade discussions for LT Trent Williams. Williams still has one year left on his current contract, which is worth $12.5 million with a $2 million bonus. He is in the final year of a five-year, $66 million extension he signed in 2015.
• John Keim notes on Twitter that the Redskins will clear $12.5 million in cap space by trading Williams. He told Keim via text message: “I’m just happy this situation seems to be heading towards an end.”
• Les Carpenter of the Washington Post says that when asked via text message if he was done with the Redskins, Williams replied: “Yeah pretty much.”
• J.P. Finlay mentions that the Redskins would have nearly $72 million in cap space if they moved Williams prior to the start of free agency.