NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Washington

Cowboys

• Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy told reporters that G Zack Martin will not play Sunday at Washington because of a concussion. (Todd Archer)
• The Cowboys are expected to have Connor McGovern start at right guard in place of Martin. 
• According to McCarthy, special teams will factor into whether DE Randy Gregory will be active Sunday: “We’re all excited about Randy coming back, but we have to look at the whole week’s preparation. …He’s definitely had a good week and is definitely worthy of being on the 48.” (Michael Gehlken)
• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked about trading for offensive line help: “How many strong LTs do you want to trade for and give the kind of consideration to get a good left or right tackle when you’ve got La’el Collins and Smith coming back? How much do you want to give for that? You don’t.” (Michael Gehlken)
• Jones did say that they’re “more likely to add” to the roster before the trade deadline and then to sell.
• OUT for Week 7: T Brandon Knight (knee), G Zack Martin (concussion)

Eagles

• Adam Schefter reports that the Eagles believe WR DeSean Jackson suffered a high ankle sprain during Thursday’s game. He’s undergoing an MRI today and may need surgery.
• According to Ian Rapoport, Jackson could be out several weeks.
• Jeff McLane reports that Eagles RT Lane Johnson is undergoing an MRI Friday morning on his knee, but the initially diagnosis is that he suffered an MCL sprain.
• Mike Kaye reports that Eagles LB T.J. Edwards has recovered from his hamstring injury and is eligible to return from injured reserve for the team’s Week 8 game against the Cowboys.
• Eagles HC Doug Pederson said that DT Hassan Ridgeway will miss the rest of the season with a biceps injury. (Tim McManus)
• John Clark reports that Eagles rookie WR Jalen Reagor had the cast removed from his thumb and he was catching balls in practice. Clark says Reagor is ahead of schedule from the original timeline that had him set to return in mid-November.
• Charles Casserly of NFL.com mentions that Browns’ TE David Njoku is likely on the move following his trade request and believes the Eagles could be a good fit if they’re willing to trade something in the range of a sixth-round pick for Njoku and a seventh-rounder.
• Mike Kaye reports that former Temple K Austin Jones is scheduled to work out with the Philadelphia Eagles this week.

Giants

Matt Lombardo of Fansided reports that if the Giants decide to make TE Evan Engram available for trade ahead of the upcoming deadline, NFL executives and general managers expect there to be a robust market for him.

“He’s definitely someone teams would have significant interest in,” an NFC personnel executive tells Lombardo.

While Engram dropped a potential game-winning catch last night, a GM says teams will evaluate him on his full body of work.

“Teams always look at the full body of work,” the GM said. “One drop or big play won’t make or break Evan’s trade value.”

“He can still run and is very athletic. The question for buying teams becomes whether the team thinks they can develop his traits. Teams have to ask themselves if he’s a scheme fit, and if they have a need that they are willing to give up for a non-value position over the final eight games of the season.”

• Andrea Kremer reports that Giants RB Saquon Barkley is scheduled to undergo ACL surgery next week now that his MCL has healed. 
• According to Kremer, doctors are hopeful that Barkley will be fully healed in time for training camp next year. 
• Giants HC Joe Judge said of the upcoming trade deadline: “I don’t know there needs to be an assumption there is going to be a string of moves.” Judge added that the Giants are trying to win games and are “not racing for some kind of a draft pick.” (Jordan Raanan)
• Judge added: “Just because there is a trade deadline coming up doesn’t mean there is going to be a string of moves or something we’re going to have to look to go ahead and do and flip a lot of things.” (Ralph Vacchiano)

Washington

Washington backup QB Alex Smith has been credited with playing a major role in the development of other quarterback teammates in the past, particularly Patrick Mahomes with the Chiefs. So while Smith isn’t contributing much on the field for Washington at the moment, current starting QB Kyle Allen says Smith has still been “extremely helpful for me and everybody in that room.”

“I think even though he’s done everything in his power to get back to the active roster and even when he wasn’t suiting out for game day earlier in the year, he was preparing his ass off,” Allen said via NBC Sports’ Ryan Homler. “He was having those conversations on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Thursdays. We’re in there grinding on tape and talking about different looks and talking about different situations. He’s been as locked in as anybody in this building.”

• Ron Rivera told reporters that his last day of cancer treatment is Monday, Oct. 26. From there, he will have to undergo scans, but he said that “what I’ve been told is it’s headed in the right direction.” (Nicki Jhabvala)
• According to Albert Breer, Washington plans to dress Kyle Allen and Alex Smith with  Dwayne Haskins once again being inactive on Sunday.
• OUT for Week 7: T Saahdiq Charles (knee), WR Antonio Gandy-Golden (hamstring), DE James Smith-Williams (concussion), WR Isaiah Wright (shoulder)
• QUESTIONABLE for Week 7: T Geron Christian (knee)