NFC Notes: Tyron Smith, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Saquon Barkley

Cowboys

• The Athletic’s Jon Machota looks at the Cowboys’ external options for replacing LT Tyron Smith, noting Patriots OT Isaiah Wynn is someone who’s come up in trade rumors who Dallas could pursue. 
• There are also some veteran free agent options if Dallas doesn’t think first-round OL Tyler Smith is ready to step in. Machota says former Colts and Chiefs LT Eric Fisher is the consensus best available. 
• Other options include veteran OT Jason Peters or OT Ty Nsekhe, the latter of whom has been a veteran backup for the Cowboys in the past. 
• NFL Media’s Jenny Slater, citing league sources, reports that a hypothetical trade scenario could be acquiring Cardinals OT Josh Jones. Slater also names Fisher and Peters as possibilities. 
• On Wednesday night, Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy said if the season started right now, G Connor McGovern would be the team’s starting left guard with the rookie Smith working in a backup role. (Michael Gehlken)
• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones announced WR Michael Gallup will not begin the season on the PUP list. (Gehlken)
• Jones also expressed confidence in McCarthy’s ability to lead the team: “If there was another person on this planet that I thought I could put in Mike’s spot and do a better job of getting us to a Super Bowl, (that coach) would be here.” (Machota)

Eagles

• Eagles HC Nick Sirianni said Wednesday’s practice was QB Jalen Hurts‘ best performance he’s seen from the quarterback: “It seemed like everything had slowed down for him…that’s a great development for us.” (Tim McManus)

Giants

Giants RB Saquon Barkley spoke about his recovery from a torn ACL and thinks that skeptics are writing him off as a capable running back. 

“Do I feel like I’m back? I feel like I’m better,” Barkley said, via Pat Leonard. “To be completely honest. I’m older now. I’m 25. I’ve been through some stuff, ups and downs. And now I’m in a situation where – you know me, I always have a mindset of always being counted out – but now it’s actually here. It’s actually real. People are really counting me out. People are trying to write me off.”

Barkley continued that he feels extra motivation to play well this season and to “shut everyone up” who is counting him out.

“And I don’t really do it for the pleasure of others or making other people satisfied,” said Barkley. “I do it because I just want to be great. But now I have that extra motivation, the extra motivation to push me to go out there and kinda just be like you know what, shut everyone up.”

Barkley added that he has a “kill mindset” going into this season. 

“Cause last year was more like dang, the game was taken away from me,” Barkley said. “I’d never had a season where I didn’t go play football. Now it’s kill mindset. Now it’s like, ya know what, f–k everybody. I’m ready to go crazy, and I’m gonna let the world feel me.”