NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Washington

Cowboys

• ESPN’s Todd Archer expects the Cowboys to franchise QB Dak Prescott this offseason, as he’s ESPN’s top-rated potential free agent available. 
• Cowboys DE Randy Gregory has missed practice the past two days while dealing with a non-COVID-19 related illness. (Jon Machota)
• Cowboys QB Andy Dalton said the concussion that knocked him out a few weeks ago was the first of his career. Then he got Covid and still hasn’t regained his sense of smell: “Right when I thought I was feeling normal, I got hit by COVID. …It was a crazy three weeks for me.” (Michael Gehlken)

Eagles

Eagles HC Doug Pederson said he has no regrets over trading for QB Carson Wentz in the 2016 NFL Draft and would do it again if given the opportunity. 

“Oh heck yeah, I’d do it all over again,” said Pederson, via Mary Kay Cabot. “He’s the guy we wanted back then, he’s still the guy we want today. And I love everything about Carson Wentz and he’s a great leader for our team and our city and I’d do it all over again.”

As for the Eagles dealing with injuries this season, Pederson praised Wentz for playing well despite being without receivers. 

“We’ve obviously had some players at the skill positions and receiver position that aren’t playing and it hasn’t been all perfect. You can force the issue at time. Last week he played a lot better. We didn’t turn the ball over. We just didn’t capitalize on third down and in the red zone. I think he’s really handled it. He’s working through it not only with himself but with the offense that’s what’s encouraging and we’ve still got seven games left and we’ll see.”

Giants

• Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, citing multiple sources familiar with the situation, reports that the Giants firing former OL coach Marc Colombo was “building up for a while” and that Colombo had no connection to Giants’ first-year HC Joe Judge before getting hired in the offseason. 
• According to Vacchiano, Colombo was “brought in at the urging” of Giants OC Jason Garrett, who worked with the former line coach with the Cowboys. 
• Vacchiano talked to Giants’ rookie LT Andrew Thomas‘ former trainer, former NFL OL Paul Alexander, who said Thomas had “all but abandoned” the techniques that made him successful in college. 
• Vacchiano reports that some around the Giants quietly blamed Colombo for Thomas’ technical issues, which led to Judge taking a “more hands-on” approach with the offensive line and spent more time with them in individual drills. 
• Vacchiano notes that Judge being more involved with the offensive line ultimately led to new OL coach Dave DeGuglielmo, who is being described as an “offensive consultant” for the Giants. 
• According to Vacchiano, Judge told Colombo they had “philosophical differences” with the offensive line and Colombo “wanted no part” of working with an assistant, leading to him getting fired. 

Washington

The process of naming the Washington franchise doesn’t look like it’s going to have a resolution anytime soon. But team president Jason Wright mentioned that the current moniker, the Washington Football Team, is one of the candidates to be the permanent name. 

“It’s definitely in the running,” Wright said via ESPN’s John Keim. “I don’t think anything is off the table. … With this one, people are excited about the idea of a club has an identity rooted solely in the area it represents. Maybe it’s Football Team or it’s Football Club. We need to get underneath the why, so no matter what direction we go, we can pull on the heartstrings of folks.”

Wright added the color scheme, burgundy and gold, isn’t going anywhere.