NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Washington

Cowboys

• Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Cowboys LB Keanu Neal is considered a high-risk close contact for COVID-19 and has not tested positive. He is not fully vaccinated. 

Eagles

• Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon said third-round DT Milton Williams could earn more playing time now that DE Brandon Graham is on the injured reserve: “He will be a piece we continue to use and move around.” (Josh Tolentino)
• The Eagles hosted DE Cameron Malveaux, WR Deon Cain and LB Dylan Cole for workouts on Tuesday.  (Aaron Wilson)

Giants

The Giants are planning on working OT Matt Peart inside at guard, according to Giants HC Joe Judge. Peart has served as the team’s swing tackle and was drafted as a developmental tackle project, and has not played any meaningful reps at guard outside or practice scenarios.

“We’re going to rotate Matt on through the tackle position,” Judge said, via NJ.com. “We’ll kind of take a look at him maybe playing some stuff inside as we get going right here. We’ll kind of work around through practice these next few days and kind of see where things shake out.”

Peart is taking his role in stride, and says that he’s here to play football and do whatever he can to help the team win games.

“I’m coming out every day and working,” Peart said. “At the end of the day, all we know is work. For me, coaches call on me to do something, I’m gonna do it. I’m one of many on this field. I’m one of 11 and I’m one guy on this team. Whatever I need to do to benefit this team I’ll do it. At the end of the day, it’s football.”

Washington

Washington LB Jamin Davis recalled a play in Week 1 Chargers G Matt Feiler put a big block on him. 

“I got put on my butt,” Davis said, via Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. “My alignment was completely wrong, and the way I reacted, it just wasn’t my kind of ball at all.”

Washington LB Brandon Marshall points out that linebackers have many responsibilities in DC Jack Del Rio‘s system. 

“If I’m a corner, they tell me cover-three, cover-two, cover-one or some type of zone — all right, cool; I know what to do,” said Marshall. “At linebacker, you got to get everybody lined up, then you have to find the open gap or the two open gaps. I have to know if it’s cover-two, and I might have to two-gap it and hit the ‘A,’ then fall back to the ‘B.’ If it’s man coverage, I know I got this back out of the backfield. I think it’s pretty tough from a mental standpoint, but if you’re on your stuff, then you’ll be fine.”

Washington HC Ron Rivera said that Davis is progressively becoming “more comfortable” with their scheme. 

“He’s getting a little bit more comfortable, a little bit better feel,” Rivera said. “You could see him really starting to flow and understanding those things. He’s going to make mistakes, and that’s what rookies do. It was a nice, vast improvement to last week.”

• Washington protected the following four practice-squad players ahead of Week 3: QB Kyle Shurmur, G Wes Martin, DE Bunmi Rotimi, DE Daniel Wise. (Nicki Jhabvala)