NFC Notes: Eagles, Lions, Redskins

Eagles

• Les Bowen points out that the Eagles will reevaluate RB Ryan Mathews‘ neck fusion once veterans report in time for the start of training camp.
• Bowen adds that Mathews will have to pass the evaluation in order for the Eagles to release him.
• According to OverTheCap.com, releasing Mathews will free up $4 million of available cap space while creating $1 million in dead money.

Lions

• Lions TE Eric Ebron tells Sirius XM NFL Radio that the way the team plans to use him this year has him “overly excited” for the 2017 season: “The way they are going to go about using me this year has me ‘overly excited.’ It’s going to be fun for me.”
• Ebron added that the Lions are clearly confident in what he can do for their offense this season, which is evident from their decision to pick up his fifth-year option: “Just picking up my fifth-year option it just showed they have confidence and faith in me to continue to excel like I have.” (Sirius XM NFL Radio)
• Ebron also said he’s hoping QB Matthew Stafford “gets paid what he deserves.” (Sirius XM NFL Radio)

Redskins

Redskins franchise QB Kirk Cousins told WAVY.com during his football camp thinking about contract situation while playing football isn’t something he ever wants to do.

“I never want to play football thinking about money,” Cousins said, via the Washington Post. “I think that you get in trouble doing that. I put my confidence in the Lord, in my faith. If I’m gonna build my life [based] on money shame on me. That’s not where I draw my security from, never should be. My parents didn’t raise me that way.”

Cousins reiterated that he’s leaving contract negotiations up to his agent and plans to focus on playing to the best of his ability in 2017.

“I hired my agent to do his job,” Cousins said. “I gotta go play football and throw touchdown passes and help our team win. I’ve got plenty to work on there so I’ll let my agent do his job. I’ll do mine and the good news is I’m under contract for this season and in a good place.”

“[I]f you don’t take a deal that’s fair to you, then you’re also taking a deal that’s not fair to them and you’re setting them back as well,” Cousins said.