NFC Notes: Eagles, Giants, Washington

Eagles

• The Athletic’s Zach Berman and Bo Wulf think 2021 will finally be the year the Eagles move on from Jason Peters, as they have a promising battle at left tackle between former first-rounder Andre Dillard and Jordan Mailata.
• Despite some large cap hits, Berman and Wulf note the Eagles have little choice but to bring back DEs Derek Barnett and Brandon Graham. Barnett could be extended on a backloaded deal to spread out the hit from his fifth-year option while Graham is likely to be restructured despite being 33. 
• The two don’t expect the Eagles to bring back QB Nate Sudfeld, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, DE Vinny Curry, DT Hassan Ridgeway, LB Nathan Gerry, S Rudy Ford or RB Corey Clement. 
• As far as free-agent targets, Berman and Wulf mention Rams WR Josh Reynolds, Chargers QB Tyrod Taylor, Colts LB Anthony Walker, Packers CB Kevin King, Viking LB Eric Wilson and Bengals CB Mackensie Alexander as some potential options. 
• NJ.com’s Mike Kaye highlights Colts RB Marlon Mack and Jaguars TE James O’Shaughnessy as two strong targets for the Eagles on “prove-it” deals in free agency. 

Giants

• Rather than cutting G Kevin Zeitler, the Athletic’s Dan Duggan says the Giants can still create cap space by signing him to a short extension that converts his salary this year to a signing bonus and spreads it out, allowing them to keep Zeitler who is still a solid player. From the player’s standpoint, it gives him more guarantees than he’d likely get on the open market. 
• Duggan also thinks the Giants could offer S Jabrill Peppers an early extension this summer as he enters the final year of his deal, something in the neighborhood of three years and $18 million. Whether Peppers would accept or bet on himself in 2021 is another question. 
• A second franchise tag wouldn’t be ideal for Giants DL Leonard Williams, as it would put his salary at $19.3 million guaranteed in 2021 and make the floor for average annual salary on a long-term deal. But Duggan thinks the Giants might have to pay that anyway and a tag keeps Williams from walking. 
• That likely means the Giants will have to let DT Dalvin Tomlinson walk, however, as he could make more on the open market. 
• Duggan believes the Giants should exercise RB Saquon Barkley‘s fifth-year option and then hold off on extension talks unless Barkley is willing to take a major discount. 

Washington 

Washington QB Taylor Heinicke said he is grateful to receive his two-year, $8.75 million deal on Wednesday after signing with their practice squad in December while taking college classes at Old Dominion University. 

“It’s a good feeling,” said Heinicke, via Kyle Stackpole of the team’s official site. “Everyone knows I was at home taking math classes…so for this contact to come, it’s a big sigh of relief. I’m really excited. This is the place I wanted to be, so everything came together pretty smoothly, and I’m really excited to be back.”

Heinicke said he was eager to prove he’s capable of being an NFL starter when getting promoted to Washington’s active roster. 

“There’s a few times when you look back at your NFL career and you wonder, ‘Could I have worked harder, could I have prepared better?'” Heinicke said. “And when I came to Washington, that wasn’t going to be a thought I was going to have after this season. Every second that I was there, even when I got home, was dedicated to if I got this shot, I want to get back in. It’s a dream of mine. You learn some things throughout the years, and you take it and leave it, and I feel like I’m a better person because of that.”

Heinicke added that he wanted to re-sign with Washington after growing into the organization this year. 

“I love the group of guys that we have here. I just feel like the chemistry is there, and that’s not something you find at every team, so I definitely wanted to be back in Washington.”

• As for the Washington Football Team’s quarterback situation, Heinicke said to expect a “competition” for the starting job: “It’s going to be a competition.” (Ben Standig) 
• Heinicke added that he intends on adding more weight for next season in order to increase his durability. (Standig)
• As for his shoulder injury, Heinicke mentioned that he is nearly fully recovered: “[I am] pretty much 100 percent now.” (Nicki Jhabvala)
• Jhabvala points out that Heinicke’s two-year deal carries a max value of $8.75 million through incentives.