NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Washington

Cowboys

• Per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy has high expectations for TE Blake Jarwin: “I think Blake is going to make a real impact on our offense. …The ability to attack the middle of the field, in my view, is always critical to the passing game. …I’ve been so impressed with him and really the entire tight end group.”
• McCarthy said moving Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith from weakside linebacker to the middle “gives him a chance to be a little more free” and make plays on the ball. (Gehlken)
• McCarthy notes Cowboys DE Demarcus Lawrence will stand up more in the new scheme on first and second down and should adjust to it as well as Julius Peppers did with the Packers: “I think he’s really gonna like it.” (Jon Machota)
• Cowboys CB Chidobe Awuzie says the coaching staff hasn’t talked with him about moving to safety and he anticipates staying at first-team cornerback. (Gehlken)
• Awuzie said he didn’t consider opting out of the season: “Contract year, baby!” (Gehlken)
• A return to the Cowboys for WR Dez Bryant is termed as “unlikely” by sources, although there have been discussions between the two sides. (Josina Anderson)
• Dallas will rely on young DTs Trysten Hill and rookie Neville Gallimore to replace Gerald McCoy and is not planning on making an outside addition. (David Moore)
• Cowboys worked out OT Dieugot Joseph, OT Pace Murphy and G Bryan Witzmann, according to Albert Breer.

Eagles

• Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice says Eagles sixth-round OT Prince Tega Wanogho would be his top “phantom-injury IR” candidate given he was flagged for injuries at the Senior Bowl.
• Kempski adds rookie WRs Quez Watkins and John Hightower would likely have to be really bad to be cut as draft picks. Sixth-round LB Shaun Bradley is also in good position to make the roster. 
• Kempski thinks seventh-round DE Casey Toohill is the only draft pick with higher odds to be cut than to make the team given the Eagles’ depth there. 
• As far as undrafted free agents, Kempski pegs S Grayland Arnold as having a good shot to make the team, while RBs Michael Warren and second-year UDFA Elijah Holyfield need to definitively outplay RB Corey Clement to beat him for a roster spot. 
• Eagles RT Lane Johnson said that G Brandon Brooks’ recovery from an Achilles rupture has been going well and that he thinks it’s possible he could return before the end of the season. (Jeff McLane)
• Eagles DT Javon Hargrave, signed in free agency this offseason, will miss multiple weeks with an upper-body injury. (Les Bowen)
• Eagles DE Derek Barnett was also listed as week-to-week on Monday with a lower-body injury. Both WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside and G Jason Peters were day-to-day with lower-body injuries and LB Duke Riley missed practice with an illness. 
• Eagles QB Carson Wentz confirmed he bulked up this offseason and is about 250 pounds right now: “I feel good. Definitely put on some strength. Definitely worked hard this offseason.” (Zach Berman)

Giants

• Per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, Giants first-round CB Deandre Baker has his arraignment hearing scheduled for September 15, which means his legal situation won’t resolve before the start of the season. 
• Baker doesn’t count against the roster limit as long as he’s on the commissioner’s exempt list but he does get paid once the regular season starts. 

Washington

• NBC Sports’ JP Finlay says that now that Washington QB Alex Smith is back, he should be expected to compete for the starting job and he is a serious challenger to 2019 first-round QB Dwayne Haskins. 
• ESPN’s John Keim says he’s been told Smith will have a “gradual re-introduction” to team activity and Washington plans to take it slow to see what he can handle. 
• Smith said he’s going to push his rehab as far as he can: “At some point, I’ll find out what my limitations are. But I haven’t found them yet.” (JP Finlay)
• The Washington Football Team announced it has hired former NFL RB Jason Wright as its new team president.
• Wright was working for the consulting firm McKinsey & Company and will oversee all the franchise’s business operations. He’s the first-ever Black team president in the NFL and also the youngest at 38. (Twitter)
• Wright said “there’s a clear dividing line” between what he will do on the business side and what HC Ron Rivera will do to run football operations. (Keim)