NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Saquon Barkley

Cowboys

• According to NFL Media’s Jane Slater, the Cowboys have made “zero contact” with former Saints HC Sean Payton. 

Eagles

Eagles WR A.J. Brown said he’s going to continue to want a lofty share of targets because he feels he can impact the game on every touch.

“They throw the ball to me 100 times, I’m going to want it 101 times,” Brown said, via ESPN. “Me personally, I just feel like I can change the game at any moment. Getting the ball often keeps you going, keeps you in a rhythm. It definitely puts you in a zone; you’re locked in. Of course I want the ball.”

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni defended Brown and said him wanting the ball is exactly what he wants out of his receivers.

“Of course he’s always going to want the ball. He’s a really good player,” Sirianni said. “Not really anybody in the pass game really got a lot of targets or a lot of opportunities because we were running the ball so well. But that’s what you want from your receivers, to want to have the football. Part of the reason why receivers are good is because they want and crave the football.”

Brown said he plans to go about it the right way if he wants more touches, instead of causing a scene on the sideline.

“I’m never the receiver to go on the sideline or try to cause problems on the sideline. I’m not that guy,” Brown said. “I think that’s what you could describe as a diva, but I’m not that person. I’m a guy who goes up and talks to the quarterback and talk to the [offensive coordinator] and do it that way. I’m not a guy that’s going to cause commotion on the sideline. That’s not who I am. I’ll never be that guy.”

Giants

Giants GM Joe Schoen admitted that when the team and RB Saquon Barkley were negotiating a new contract in November, the two sides weren’t very close.

“We had productive conversations and we were off on the value, and we said we would circle back up at the end of the season and continue those conversations,” Schoen said, via NY Daily News. “But that time of year, we weren’t really that close I think.”

Schoen added that the team would love to have Barkley back, but he also understands the importance of building a well-rounded roster.

“Saquon’s a good player and he’s a great teammate,” Schoen said. “I loved getting to know him this season. And he’s a guy we would like to have back…Everybody’s gonna step back, take emotion out of it, evaluate the roster. And then we gotta operate under the salary cap: how are we gonna upgrade the roster, what are the priority positions, and how are we gonna move forward.”

Schoen believes that Barkley is not only a great player but fits in well with their locker room.

“You can look at how many yards, touchdowns, Pro Bowls, games played, games missed,” Schoen said. “Those are more markers that we can establish value on. But we wouldn’t approach someone if he didn’t fit our culture.”

While Barkley wants to be fairly compensated, he isn’t interested in securing a record-breaking contract.

“I’m not really too concerned about resetting any markets or anything like that,” Barkley said. “I’m realistic. I know what I was on pace to do, but having two years filled up with injuries and not performing to the level I know I can perform doesn’t help. I think I was able to show the type of caliber player I am.”

• CBS Sports analyst and former agent Joel Corry looks at what a potential deal between the Giants and Barkley could look like under these parameters. He highlights the deal the Jets gave RB Le’Veon Bell as a free agent in 2018 which was worth a little more than $13 million a year. 
• The deal also included $27 million in guaranteed money, which were basically the first two years of the deal. Corry adds there were significant incentives that could have upped the value to $15 million a year.