NFC Notes: Dan Snyder, Jeff Bezos, Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Commanders

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes the sense is that Commanders owner Dan Snyder might really be considering selling the team, as the team’s tenor around the news that they’re exploring potential options is much different than the defiant “I’ll never sell, all caps never”-stance Snyder has adopted for years. One team president told Breer: “You don’t go down this path, and make this big a deal of it, over an LP [limited partner] share.”
• If Snyder sells, Breer says he’ll make out with a windfall of at least $5 billion, and the price tag could even climb to $6 billion or more. Breer explains that while a new stadium is needed, the pieces are all in place to make D.C. a premier venue capable of hosting Super Bowls and other major events. 
• As far as who the new owner could be, former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is one option, per Breer, as he can obviously easily afford the price and already has ties to the area and to the NFL given their partnership with Amazon. However, Breer points out Snyder may not want to sell to Bezos given how much he hates the Washington Post. 
• Other names Breer lists to know include a batch of billionaires who lost in the bidding for the Broncos, including Sixers co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer, businessman Matt Ishbia, Clearlake Capital hedge fund leaders Jose Feliciano and Behdad Eghbali, and Dodgers owners Mark Walter and Todd Boehly. Breer adds tech billionaire Michael Dell and private equity mogul Robert Smith could be options. 
• People Magazine reported Bezos and rapper Jay Z are looking at partnering to buy the Commanders. 
• The U.S. attorney in the Eastern District in Virginia has opened a criminal investigation into the Washington Commanders for financial improprieties, per ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr.
• This stems from a letter sent by the House Oversight Committee, which has been conducting its own investigation into the Commanders, about evidence of the team withholding ticket revenue that was supposed to be shared with the NFL and refundable deposits that were supposed to be given back to fans. 
• The NFL is also investigating these claims, along with others, in a case spearheaded by Mary Jo White. That makes three active investigations into deceptive business practices and other issues for Snyder and the Washington franchise. 

Cowboys

• Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said they were “working on a few things” with DT Trysten Hill at the trade deadline, but ultimately weren’t able to close a deal: “We were working on a couple things with him yesterday. We had some opportunities that just didn’t quite fit on player-for-player type situations. We’re a little heavy (at DT). Just had to make a tough decision from a numbers standpoint.” (Jon Machota)
• Jones said they were working on a number of deals but ultimately weren’t able to come to an agreement on anything: “You’re never there until you’re there. It was an intense day and really felt like we had some things that might workout but unfortunately they didn’t and on several fronts and we just weren’t able to get it done.” (Calvin Watkins)
• Jones estimates LT Tyron Smith is about three to four weeks away from activating his 21-day practice window, though did acknowledge that could change. (Watkins)
• When he comes back, the Cowboys will have to figure out the best arrangement between him, first-round OL Tyler Smith and OL Jason Peters. The rookie has been at left tackle and Peters has been splitting time at guard. 

Eagles

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano note the value for a potential contract extension for Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is still in flux, but it’s higher than it would have been during the summer and still on the way up. 
• Graziano believes the floor for Hurts is the $46 million a year the Cardinals gave QB Kyler Murray, and if he keeps playing well and leads a deep playoff run, that could rise even more. 
• Another factor Graziano points out is if Hurts wants to push for a fully-guaranteed contract. Because he wasn’t a first-round pick, 2023 will be the final year of his deal, meaning there’s more of a rush for Philadelphia to get a deal done. 

Giants

Giants GM Joe Schoen mentioned that he’s open to signing QB Daniel Jones and RB Saquon Barkley to contract extensions and would ideally come to a decision over their Week 9 bye. 

“We’ll have those meetings this week,” Schoen said, via NFL.com. “We’ll talk about it if we want to, we had to get through the trade deadline today and those conversations, then we’ll kind of circle up with some strategy meetings as we move forward on contract extensions and if we may or may not do anybody. If I did, this would be the week. I would want to entertain it during the bye week and then I probably won’t do anything after that. I don’t want anything to be a distraction to the players or the organization. So, if we do something, it would be probably before Monday with any of our guys, I’m not saying him, but when we have those conversations.”

However, Schoen added that they want to continue evaluating players over their final nine games and determine what the market may look like. 

“We’ve got nine games left,” Schoen said. “For all these guys, it’s going to be a continuing evaluation. We’ll talk through it, what the market looks like, we’ll have those meetings, but it’s going to be an ongoing evaluation. We’ve had Daniel for eight games.”