NFC Notes: Commanders, Cowboys, Brandin Cooks, Darren Waller, Giants

Commanders

• The Athletic’s Ben Standig notes the Commanders have pushed the due date for signing bonuses and other guarantees for some new contracts signed this offseason to May 12, a departure from previous precedent. Normally signing bonuses are due 15 to 30 days after the deal is signed. 
• The belief among sources Standig discussed this with is that it indicates the timeline for owner Dan Snyder to process the sale of the team and not be responsible for cutting the check for the guarantees: “It’s kind of obvious, isn’t it?”
• The upcoming NFL owners meetings at the end of March are a potential date when a sale could be announced, per Standig. 
• According to Aaron Wilson, the Commanders’ new deal with CB Danny Johnson is for two years at $5 million with $2.75 million guaranteed. The deal also includes a $1.75 million signing bonus.
• Wilson also mentions that the team re-signed C Tyler Larsen to a one-year, $1.317 million deal that includes a signing bonus of $152,500 and a salary of $1.165 million.
• The Commanders hosted Texas LB DeMarvion Overshown on a top 30 visit. (Ryan Fowler)
• The Commanders will host Florida G O’Cyrus Torrence on a top 30 visit. (Justin Melo)

Cowboys

• Per ESPN’s Ed Werder, a source notes the Cowboys’ trade for WR Brandin Cooks will probably take them out of the running for WR Odell Beckham Jr.: “Hard to do Cooks and OBJ.”
• Cooks was thrilled to be joining Dallas after requesting a trade this offseason: “Man, honestly, I just feel blessed for this opportunity to contribute to something that’s already special. For the Jones family to believe in me, I look forward to joining something special and I bring that mindset everywhere I go.” (Aaron Wilson)
• Cooks added he thinks he has a lot left in the tank at 29: “No doubt, I don’t really talk about it, but my body feels better at this age (29) than I’ve ever felt. The way I take care of my body, there’s no slowing down anytime.” (Wilson)

Giants

Giants’ recently acquired TE Darren Waller said he was surprised to be traded from the Raiders and was preparing for their offseason program. 

“I did not see this coming,” said Waller, via NFL.com. “I was getting ready to just do everything I could to make myself available for the Raiders and get ready for everything that was going to start in mid-April. It caught me off guard, but it’s the nature of the business.”

Regarding questions about his health after missing time in 2021 and 2022, Waller thinks those are “legitimate concerns” but is confident in his ability to stay healthy. 

“I believe wholeheartedly in myself, and I believe that through action and through consistent performance, Giants fans will believe as well,” Waller said. “They can have questions at this moment about my health. Those are legitimate concerns, but I’m somebody that I believe I’ve addressed those issues. I’m willing to come out here and be the best I can be to be a weapon for this team, a tool that this team can use to get to that next level that they want to go to. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Waller wants to make sure he is “peaking when the season starts” and is ready to perform quickly. 

“I’m feeling great right now,” Waller said. “I know for me, the biggest adjustment I’ve had to make going into this offseason is making sure that I’m peaking at the right time. Something that helped me to elevate my game at such a high level was working myself so hard in those 2018, 2019, and 2020 offseasons, to where it was almost too hard, and that became my norm. Now it’s about how do I become more efficient with it and making sure I’m peaking when the season starts, not showing up to training camp having worked so hard that I’m almost exhausted.”

• Giants LB Bobby Okereke signed a four-year, $40 million deal that includes a $12 million signing bonus, base salaries of $1.9 million, $7.9 million, $5.8 million, and $5.8 million, and roster bonuses of $3 million due on the fifth day of the league year in 2025 and 2026. (Aaron Wilson)
• Okereke’s 2023 and 2024 base salaries are guaranteed. There are also $100,000 workout bonuses in 2023 and 2024 and $200,000 workout bonuses in 2025 and 2026. 
• Tulane RB Tyjae Spears met with the Giants before his pro day. (Ryan Fowler)