NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Jason Peters

Cowboys

  • Jane Slater of NFL Network reports that talks between Cowboys’ executive Stephen Jones and Dak Prescott‘s representation have been “good” and “better” than in the past. 
  • Slater points out that Prescott wants a contract slightly “behind” Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes after her initial report was misconstrued that the Cowboys’ quarterback wants as Patrick Mahomes-money.” 
  • Slater expects the Cowboys’ starting point for negotiations to be around what they offered last season, which was $35 million per year, a $50 million signing bonus, and roughly $110 million guaranteed. 
  • According to Slater, the Cowboys will likely look to restructure several contracts this offseason like DE Demarcus Lawrence, OT Tyron Smith and LB Jaylon Smith

Eagles

With his team facing a long rebuild and his NFL mortality in sight, J.J. Watt pushed for the Texans to move on from him and let him chase a Super Bowl elsewhere. While the Eagles are facing a similar transition, 32-year-old DE Brandon Graham wants to stay as long as the organization wants him around. 

โ€œI donโ€™t want to go anywhere,โ€ Graham said via the Athletic’s Zach Berman. โ€œI know I donโ€™t have long, but I know for me, Iโ€™m here in Philly. So when Iโ€™m (retired, Iโ€™m) either going to be working here or doing something in Philly to stay connected to the team. I donโ€™t want to mess that up by just dipping out when things got a little tough. But who knows how itโ€™s gonna go this year? Jalen might go in there and rock our world and lead this team down a road that I feel we could (go).โ€

Graham is bullish on what Eagles 2020 second-round QB Jalen Hurts can do as the starter even if he’s not guaranteed to be in that role yet. 

โ€œI do think Jalen can play,โ€ Graham said. โ€œThe preparation just knowing in your head that youโ€™re the guy, it definitely brings out a different beast in you. So hopefully thatโ€™s the case, then heโ€™d be the guy. And so he can go into this offseason, knowing, โ€˜OK, hereโ€™s my shot. Let me go ahead and take full advantage.โ€™โ€

Graham added he wasn’t necessarily surprised that the Eagles traded away Carson Wentz despite him being seen as the franchise quarterback for a long time, and he thought it was “good for both parties.”

โ€œPhilly is a tough market and tough place to play in, and so when things werenโ€™t going right, I know it was โ€ฆ probably tough on him and his family to have to live through that,โ€ Graham said. โ€œSo itโ€™s a breath of fresh air for all of us.โ€

Eagles LT Jason Peters echoed a similar sentiment regarding Wentz. 

โ€œNothing really went wrong on that. He was just in Philadelphia. Itโ€™s a hard city to play for,โ€ Peters said via NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo. โ€œYou gotta bring it every year or Philadelphia will eat you up.โ€

Jason P eters

Longtime Eagles LT Jason Peters confirmed he plans on playing an 18th season in 2021 even if it means leaving Philadelphia. The 39-year-old veteran acknowledged he’s not a long-term answer for any team but he brings more than just his still-solid skill level, noting he can be a valuable mentor to younger players. 

“I don’t know about ‘a whole lot,’ but I still got some in the tank, and I can definitely show some of the young guys how to play the game of football,” he said on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. “You can know the Xs and Os, but I’m gonna be the one to stay with ’em after practice and show ’em how to really play the game, the technique, and the things about the detail of the football game throughout the course of the season.”

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