NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Redskins

Cowboys

Cowboys HC Jason Garrett said he is hopeful that LB Leighton Vander Esch (neck) will improve as the week progresses after the linebacker missed Week 9. 

“Hopefully Leighton will do better as the week goes on,” Garrett said, via ProFootballTalk. “We are not going to do a whole lot of football or hitting each other [in Wednesday’s] practice, but he improved last week and hopefully that continues as the week goes on, and depending on what his availability is we have to find a way to get them both out there. We will have discussions about that as week goes on how to use each of those guys because they are both good football players.”

• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said of whether he expects LB Leighton Vander Esch (neck) to play on Sunday: “Oh yeah. I do. He’s practicing, and he’s feeling better. No one has been champing at the bit more “[to return].” (Michael Gehlken)
• Jones on said the MRI for WR Amari Cooper (knee) “would give him a total clean bill of health if we were drafting him tonight or signing him tonight.” (Michael Gehlken)
• Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said Friday that LB Sean Lee approached them about taking a pay cut: “Sean came to us. He wanted to play. We didn’t even ask. He just said, ‘Look, I want to adjust. I’ve missed a lot. I know you’ve got these two young guys that are going to need to be on the field. I think I can help.’” (Jon Machota)
• The Dallas Cowboys officially ruled out T Cameron Fleming (calf) for Week 10’s game and list WR Amari Cooper (knee, ankle) as questionable.

Giants

New Giants DL Leonard Williams is looking forward to playing against his old team and QB Sam Darnold. 

“That’s funny, because I actually like randomly thought in my head what if I beat somebody and go to tackle Sam and I let up, because I’m, like ‘Oh, I can’t hit him,’ ” Williams said, via the New York Post. “But no, that won’t happen, though. I’ll finally get to tackle him and that’s gonna be fun.”

• The New York Giants officially ruled out TE Evan Engram (foot), C Jon Halapio (hamstring), and WR Sterling Shepard (concussion) for Week 10’s game and list T Mike Remmers (back) as doubtful.

Redskins

• Trent Williams tells Dan Graziano that he didn’t want to comment on whether he and/or the NFLPA would file a grievance against the Redskins, but said: “Shoot, that’s their discretion. Non-football Illness, you know, it’s cancer, you can’t say it’s related to football. So I don’t know how much argument we have.“
• Williams did, however, say that he wants to play again next year: “It’s what I do. I want to continue my Pro Bowl streak. I want to win a Super Bowl. I’ve got a lot of stuff I want to accomplish. I hate that I got derailed, but I’m blessed and I’m back. Looking for that helmet that can fit.” (Dan Graziano)
• Williams mentioned that he felt “football-ready” in Week 2 but couldn’t work out all summer while recovering from three surgeries relating to the cancer on his scalp “and then just mentally having to repair my mind from the thought of, ‘Shit, it’s over with.’ That took a long time and that’s a toll that money can’t really fix.” (Dan Graziano)