NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Redskins

Cowboys

Cowboys’ executive Stephen Jones reiterated that they would like QB Dak Prescott to work with them on a team-friendly contract in order to “keep a young football team together.” 

“In my mind, he’s flawless,” said Jones, via ProFootballTalk. “So the only thing we need him to do is work with us a little bit, and I understand because it’s his money and easy for someone else to say. But the only reason we’re having a negotiation is to talk him into all the reasons as to why it’s good to have a supporting cast around him. Other than that, it would be really easy to write the check. It’s not saving Jerry [Jones] and I any money. What we’re trying to do is keep this young football team together. We think it’s a really good one, and we think it’s only going to get better because it is young. Other than that, this negotiation would have been over with months ago. But I think he understands where we’re coming from. We understand where he’s coming from, and ultimately, we’ll figure this out.”

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones added that a deal is not imminent for Prescott or WR Amari Cooper but they are continuing to negotiate. 

“We are just where we were and where we’ve been, and that is we don’t have anything done, but how close we are to getting it done is really not identifiable because it takes two, and it takes the will of two looking at it from two different perspectives,” Jones said. “You never know what that is, and the other one never knows where that is until it’s actually done. And, so, we are continuing to operate with the — continuing, and I meant that, not as some type of complaint at all. But both parties are continuing to operate as though we’re going to get something done at some point.”

Giants

• The Giants signed S Deone Bucannon to a one-year contract worth the league minimum of $805,000. (Art Stapleton)

Redskins

Redskins’ interim HC Bill Callahan reiterated that rookie QB Dwayne Haskins still needs “a little bit more work” before earning the starting role. 

“I think he needs a little bit more work,” Callahan said, via Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports. “I think time is invaluable where he can sit back and learn from quarterbacks like Case [Keenum] and Colt [McCoy] as well as players like [QB] Alex [Smith] who is around the building. It is a fine line. We are trying to win games still.”

Callahan compared Haskins’ situation to Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and 49ers’ Hall of Fame QB Steve Young, who both sat during their rookie years. 

“It’s very similar to quarterbacks like [Aaron] Rodgers, Steve Young, you know really good quarterbacks in our league that have sat back not only for one season but several and learned and grew and got the experience and the knowledge to go out and execute at a high level,” Callahan said. “When you’re thrust into a situation as a young rookie, boy it’s challenging.”