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NFC East Notes: Commanders, Kearse, Giants

August 24th, 2023 at 10:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Battling a turf toe issue sustained Monday night, Terry McLaurin will not need surgery. But an extended rest period is underway. This hiatus has the top Commanders skill-position talent uncertain to be ready by Week 1, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler (Twitter links). McLaurin has not missed a game due to injury since 2020. The Commanders have made some big investments at wide receiver since starting McLaurin’s tenure off with little around him. Curtis Samuel is going into the final season of his three-year, $34.5MM contract, and the team has first-rounder Jahan Dotson going into his second season. But McLaurin has been one of the NFL’s best receivers, totaling his third straight 1,000-yard season months after signing a three-year, $69.6MM extension.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Addresses Zack Martin Raise

August 20th, 2023 at 3:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys dealt with a growing training camp issue by reworking guard Zack Martin‘s contract. As a result, the six-time All-Pro will see $36.85MM in fully guaranteed money over the final two years of his deal.

Owner Jerry Jones made a number of public remarks which suggested the Cowboys were not particularly interested in renegotiating Martin’s pact, one which originally set the market for guards but had been overtaken in recent years by other mega-contracts at the position. A lengthy (and expensive) holdout by the 32-year-old came to an end shortly after face-to-face conversations with Jones produced an agreement on a raise.

As Jones indicated recently, the extra money given to Martin alters the spending power the team has when it comes time to negotiate new deals for other internal priorities. A number of players in that category – including, most notably, cornerback Trevon Diggs – have already inked an extension this offseason, but plenty more work remains in that regard. The likes of quarterback Dak Prescott, edge rusher Micah Parsons and wideout CeeDee Lamb will all be eligible for either a restructured pact or an extension next offseason.

“It’s going to be more difficult” Jones said, when asked about the effects of the Martin deal as it pertains to future financial commitments. “We have less money but that’s OK; we made [do with what] we don’t have. We put it to good use. It’s going to the right man” (h/t the Dallas News’ Calvin Watkins).

Martin will be counted on to remain amongst the league’s top O-linemen with his new deal in hand, especially given the cap spike (up to $28.5MM) it calls for in 2024. Lowering Prescott’s cap figure for that year – currently set at just under $59.5MM – and getting Parsons and Lamb on the books for the long-term future will be high on the team’s to-do list. In spite of the slightly increased challenge presented by the Martin agreement (and his own remarks foreshadowing it), Jones remains pleased with the Cowboys’ current financial situation.

“That is the point and that’s what I expressed,” he added. “The facts are, if somebody was going to get it, he’s the right kind [of player at] the right time, obviously he’s the right kind. It’s the right way to do it. I’m satisfied and I’m comfortable with it.”

Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown Suffers Torn ACL

August 20th, 2023 at 3:10pm CST by Rory Parks

3:10pm: Gehlken reports that Overshown has indeed torn his ACL (Twitter link). The news confirms the worst-case scenario, and that he will miss his entire rookie campaign. Overshown will now turn his attention to rehab ahead of an attempt to replicate his impressive showings next offseason, while the Cowboys may now find themselves on the market for a depth LB addition in the near future. Undrafted rookie tight end John Stephens also tore his ACL last night, per Gehlken.

8:28am: The Cowboys fear that third-round rookie linebacker DeMarvion Overshown tore his ACL during last night’s preseason loss to the Seahawks, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). The club will know the full extent of the damage after an MRI.

Overshown suffered the injury while making an open-field tackle of Seattle running back Zach Charbonnet during the first quarter of the game. An ACL tear, of course, would force him to miss the entirety of his first professional season, which would be an especially difficult blow given that he appeared ticketed for a significant role right out of the gate.

On paper, Dallas’ linebacking corps is the weakest part of its defense, so there was plenty of opportunity for Overshown to establish himself as at least a key rotational player and special teams contributor. He had put together an impressive training camp and was seen as an ascending talent.

“He was climbing. He was climbing the charts,” head coach Mike McCarthy said of Overshown after the game (Twitter link via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). “He showed up right away in the offseason program, just his ability to fly around. Really has excellent command. So just hopeful. See how tomorrow goes.”

Leighton Vander Esch, who re-upped with the Cowboys on a two-year, $11MM contract in March, will likely operate as Dallas’ starter at middle linebacker (despite some recent run as an edge defender). Lining up next to him will be recent Day 3 draft choices Damone Clark (fifth round, 2022), Devin Harper (sixth round, 2022), and Jabril Cox (fourth round, 2021), all of whom will see an uptick in playing time if Overshown is indeed out for the year.

“You never want to see any of your guys get hurt, that’s what’s so tough about these preseason games,” McCarthy added (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News). “We had a couple of young guys go down, you say your prayers and hopefully the imaging points in the right direction. He’s had an incredible camp, we’ve talked about him almost every other day. I just hope he’s OK.”

Overshown, a Texas product, received First Team All-Big 12 acclaim following his final season with the Longhorns, a season in which he compiled 96 tackles (10 TFL), four sacks, and five passes defensed.

Latest On Zack Martin’s Reworked Deal

August 16th, 2023 at 12:04pm CST by Ben Levine

AUGUST 16: This reworking will come out to $36.85MM guaranteed for Martin over the next two seasons, Archer tweets. The Cowboys already restructured Martin’s deal this offseason, and after authorizing this significant guarantee bump, the team may need to address the contract again in 2024. While Martin’s 2023 cap number checks in at $11.75MM — up $710K from where it was coming into this week — Archer adds the All-Pro guard’s 2024 cap hit is now $28.5MM (Twitter link). To secure this payout, Martin incurred $850K in fines for his holdout.

AUGUST 15: Zack Martin‘s holdout came to an end yesterday, with the Cowboys inking the lineman to a revised contract. The two sides finally broke their impasse this past weekend, with ESPN’s Todd Archer writing that Martin’s meeting with Jerry Jones this past weekend helped bridge the gap.

[RELATED: Cowboys, Zack Martin Agree To Revised Deal]

“He was great,” Martin told Archer. “We were able to have that one-on-one time, and I think that helped, just being able to talk face-to-face. I think ultimately that’s what made me feel more comfortable and how he felt more comfortable and then we started talking about this and numbers and where we eventually headed.”

Jones made it pretty clear that a Martin raise wasn’t atop the front office’s list of priorities, but the owner/GM was apparently instrumental in getting the new pact over the finish line. While Martin is still in the midst of a six-year, $84MM deal that once made him the NFL’s highest-paid guard, he’ll now get $36MM in guaranteed money over the next two years vs. the $27.5MM he was set to make.

“I just think I’ve been here a long time. I’ve accomplished some great things but just felt like where I was in the market that it’s something that had been deserved and felt strongly about it,” said Martin. “Obviously it took a little time, but I’m super grateful to the Joneses. Once we started talking and having that connection we were able to figure something out that worked for both of us.”

It sounds like guaranteed money was always the holdup. Martin told reporters today that he wasn’t looking to reset the market at his position (per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News on Twitter). The veteran still ranks eighth at his position for average annual value, but his guaranteed money now ranks third (behind Chris Lindstrom and Quenton Nelson).

While Martin’s three-week absence has come to an end, the lineman will still have to wait for punishment regarding his holdout. As David Moore of the Dallas Morning News writes, the Cowboys are seeking clarification from the league office on whether the lineman will be fined for three off-days that took place during his absence. The Cowboys couldn’t forgive his $50K fines, meaning Martin is either facing punishment of $1M or $850K.

With Martin solidifying right guard, focus will shift to the other side of the line. As Moore writes in the same piece, the Cowboys feel good about Tyler Smith at LG despite the lineman having never played the position. However, the 2022 first-round pick could easily go back to his more natural OT position if Tyron Smith or Terence Steele suffer injuries.

Cowboys, Zack Martin Agree To Revised Deal

August 14th, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the league’s high-profile holdouts is coming to an end. A deal has been worked out between guard Zack Martin and the Cowboys, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). Martin will now rejoin the team.

Rapoport adds that Martin will receive a raise across the two years remaining on his existing pact. The new contract will see him earn over $18MM per year, which represents an increase of more than $8MM total compared to what he was previously due. ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that the compensation in both years is also guaranteed in full (Twitter link). Now, the parties can move forward with the All-Pro’s compensation again falling in line with how he ranks amongst the league’s top linemen.

Martin had been absent throughout training camp while seeking a new contract or a revision to his existing one to reflect the upward movement in the guard market. The latter scenario, which was always the likelier one, has now played out. The 32-year-old was the league’s top-paid guard at the time his six-year, $84MM pact was signed. With his new agreement in place, Martin will now rank third in the league in annual compensation behind Chris Lindstrom and Quenton Nelson, the only guards to reach the $20MM-per-year plateau.

The CBA calls for mandatory daily fines of $50K for players who choose to remain absent from their team’s training camps. As a result, Martin has accrued nearly $1MM in penalties. Given the nature of his re-worked pact, though, his decision has proven to be one which will yield a net gain. Having delivered another Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro performance in 2022, the Notre Dame alum held notable leverage in angling for a bump in pay.

However, owner Jerry Jones made repeated remarks concerning the Cowboys’ lack of a need to address Martin’s wish for a raise, given the term remaining on his deal. Dallas does, as Jones has noted during this saga, have a number of other financial priorities in the short- and intermediate-term future. With no new years being tacked onto the Martin accord, though, the team should still have considerable flexibility moving forward as it eyes new deals for the likes of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons in the coming year or two. Schefter’s colleague Todd Archer tweets that negotiations picked up over the past 10 days, with Martin and Jones talking directly as part of the process. Both sides can now put this episode behind them.

With Martin back in the fold, offensive line should be a source of strength for the Cowboys in 2023, particularly if fellow All-Pro Tyron Smith can remain healthy. That pair, along with 2022 first-rounder Tyler Smith, will give Dallas flexibility and high-level play along the offensive front if they can repeat their previous performances. In Martin’s case, doing so will prove today’s investment to be a worthwhile one on the team’s part.

The Martin holdout has now come to a close, but others remain in the form of Nick Bosa (49ers) and Chris Jones (Chiefs). Both defenders are seeking long-term deals from their respective teams in the wake of continued top-end production, while accumulating daily fines in the process. It will be interesting to see if the Martin agreement provides a blueprint for a resolution to those cases. In any event, the Cowboys can proceed with the remainder of the offseason at full strength.

Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Addresses G Zack Martin’s Holdout

August 12th, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

With their preseason now officially underway, the top talking point around the Cowboys is the ongoing holdout of Zack Martin. The All-Pro guard does not appear to be close to working out a resolution with his contract status, as owner Jerry Jones recently touched on again.

The latter made it clear last month that Dallas is not interested in discussing a new deal, something Martin is seeking in the wake of the upward movement seen recently in the guard market. Two years remain on his current contract, and Jones has alluded to that fact when speaking about why the Cowboys expect him to report to the team ahead of the regular season.

Dallas also has a number of extensions on the radar, even with the likes of cornerback Trevon Diggs and safety Malik Hooker signing multi-year deals this offseason. A number of other high-profile players (including wideout CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott) are either eligible for a second contract or need years added onto their existing one for the sake of smoothing out cap charges. As a result, no traction has been made on the Martin front.

When asked if he is surprised that is the case, Jones said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota (on Twitter), “Not really. Surprised is really not the word there. It’s very costly. That’s just where we are. There are huge, significant ramifications happening here by anybody’s measure, financially. So , you realize that not having him here, it could happen [via injury] on the next play. You got to put that one on and say you just move on here without him. You say that sounds like a concern. No, I’m just trying to give you how you really have to look at it.”

Martin has remained one of the league’s top O-lineman at any position throughout his Cowboys career. That included Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in 2022, adding to his case for a raise commensurate with the new financial landscape of the guard position. With a number of other producers whose Dallas tenures are not accounted for, though, a firm stance is also understandable from the team’s perspective.

“It’s not about precedent, it’s about facts,” Jones added, via Sports Illustrated’s Mike Fisher. “We need the money to pay [Micah] Parsons [in the future]. We need the money to pay the players that we got to pay in the future. That’s a fact.”

Martin is accumulating $50K per day in mandatory fines, which has quickly resulted in six-figure penalties for the 32-year-old. His absence has also left the Cowboys in need of a replacement starter at the right guard spot during camp practices and today’s preseason opener. A pair of contenders are in play to win the first-team role.

Josh Ball had the inside track for the title of Martin fill-in, but former UDFA Brock Hoffman has made a case as well, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. The latter played three games in the regular season and one in the playoffs as a rookie last year, putting him at a slight disadvantage compared to Ball. Neither option has the pedigree of Martin, though, so the status of the holdout will remain a major storyline for the foreseeable future.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Pinnock, Cowboys

August 9th, 2023 at 11:58am CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles both signed five-year starter Terrell Edmunds and used a third-round pick on Sydney Brown. Both safeties factor into the team’s plans, but they are not outflanking Reed Blankenship thus far through training camp. Blankenship has been a first-team mainstay, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, who adds Edmunds and Brown have rotated at the other safety spot. Indeed, The Athletic’s Zach Berman notes Blankenship — a 2022 UDFA out of Middle Tennessee State — has been the Eagles’ top safety in camp (subscription required).

This reminds of Marcus Epps‘ rise last year. Despite the Eagles re-signing Anthony Harris and adding Jaquiski Tartt in 2022, Epps earned a starting job — one that eventually led to a two-year, $12MM Raiders payday. The Eagles brought in C.J. Gardner-Johnson via trade just before last season. That transaction could signal none of Philly’s safeties should be too comfortable, but Blankenship — Gardner-Johnson’s injury sub last year who played 291 defensive snaps — looks like the best bet to start among the in-house group.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • Staying on the subject of safeties in this division, the Giants may be moving toward giving Jason Pinnock the starting job alongside Xavier McKinney. A Jets fifth-round pick in 2021, Pinnock started five games for the Giants last year, operating as McKinney’s injury fill-in. He has received consistent first-team work in camp, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes. Pinnock has distanced himself from Dane Belton and veteran Bobby McCain, having been Big Blue’s first-teamer since the fourth training camp practice. The Giants, who lost Julian Love in free agency, claimed Pinnock shortly after the Jets waived the converted cornerback on cutdown day last year. Two seasons remain on Pinnock’s rookie contract.
  • Malik Hooker‘s 2023 Cowboys cap hit climbed from $4.32MM to $4.57MM as a result of his recent extension, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. The incentives in the three-year, $21MM contract include $500K bumps involving playing time and INT production. Five picks and the Cowboys making the playoffs would result in a $500K increase, Archer adds, noting the other incentive requires Hooker to play 85% of Dallas’ defensive snaps and the team to make the postseason (Twitter link).
  • The Cowboys, who turned Micah Parsons from an off-ball linebacker to a fearsome edge rusher, are giving Leighton Vander Esch some reps on the edge, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News notes. While the sixth-year linebacker received sparse edge work in games last season, Gehlken adds this is the first time he has received extensive instruction in a defensive end role. Rostering Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler and Sam Williams, the Cowboys are much deeper on the edge than at linebacker. It would stand to reason LVE’s role will likely remain mostly as an off-ball defender.
  • The Giants recently added longtime safety Mike Adams to their coaching staff, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tweets. A 16-year veteran, Adams will replace Anthony Blevins as the Giants’ assistant defensive backs coach, the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard adds (on Twitter). Adams, 42, hung up his cleats after the 2019 season. Blevins left the Giants during the summer to accept an XFL HC position.
  • While Devon Allen did not see any game action for the Eagles last season, Berman writes the two-time Olympian hurdler is in play to make the team as a backup this year. Allen, 28, has not played in a game since working as an Oregon slot receiver in 2016. Shifting to track full-time proved beneficial for Allen, who is one of the best 110-meter hurdlers in U.S. history. But he opted to give football another try last year. He suffered an injury at the U.S. Championships last month, exiting the 110 hurdles competition before the finals in order to preserve his body for his second Eagles camp. The Eagles activated Allen from the PUP list Tuesday.
  • Given a reserve/futures deal along with Allen in February, Matt Leo landed on the Eagles’ reserve/retired list last month. The team hired the former practice squad defensive end a defensive and football operations assistant.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/23

August 7th, 2023 at 8:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OL LaColby Tucker
  • Activated from active/PUP list: DL Calais Campbell
  • Waived: DL Matthew Gotel

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Placed on IR: DT Devonnsha Maxwell

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Waived: OL Trevor Reid

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: LB Jordan Ferguson

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Streveler is currently dealing with an injury, ESPN’s Dianna Russini tweets. The Jets used Streveler as their top backup QB to close last season, inserting him into a Week 16 game ahead of Joe Flacco. Streveler stuck around via reserve/futures contract in January. But the Jets have since traded for Aaron Rodgers and signed Tim Boyle, marking a new era at quarterback. With Zach Wilson still around, the team does not appear to have any room — potentially even on the practice squad — for Streveler, who has played for the Jets and Cardinals in a three-year NFL career.

Apke has been with Washington since being chosen in the 2018 fourth round. He re-signed with the team in 2022 and stayed via reserve/futures contract in January. A shoulder injury, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, will move Apke to IR, which will end his chances of playing a sixth season with the Commanders this year. Kalu started five games for the Titans last season, playing 494 defensive snaps. Over his first three seasons, Kalu had never cleared the 100-snap barrier on defense.

Schoonmaker suffered a foot injury, a plantar fascia tear, during his final year at Michigan. The Cowboys’ top post-Dalton Schultz tight end investment will aim to make a push for a regular role to begin the season.

The Dolphins made Blackman part of their UDFA class this year. The former Florida State starter spent six years in college, finishing up with Arkansas State. The Dolphins swapped out Teddy Bridgewater for Mike White this offseason, but Skylar Thompson has made a push to be Tua Tagovailoa‘s backup. Regardless of that competition’s outcome, Blackman’s ceiling appeared to be practice squad QB in Miami. But the Dolphins may be looking into outside help for that developmental role — provided the team plans on stashing a fourth passer on its taxi squad.

Cowboys To Release K Tristan Vizcaino

August 7th, 2023 at 12:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys’ kicking competition has, at least for now, come to an end. Dallas is moving on from Tristan Vizcaino, reports Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. That leaves only one kicker on the active roster.

Vizcaino joined the Cowboys in January after incumbent Brett Maher missed four extra points in the team’s wild-card victory. The latter is no longer in the picture, but it was clear that Vizcaino would not be unopposed during the offseason as Dallas looked for a long-term solution at the position.

The 27-year-old has seen game time with four different teams, but his longest stretch of action in one place has been only six games (with the Chargers in 2021). Vizcaino has converted 11 of his 12 career field goal attempts, but he was unable to carry over that success during this offseason. He went a combined 22-for-35 during training camp, as noted (on Twitter) by ESPN’s Todd Archer. That total includes a poor showing during Saturday’s practice As a result, the Cowboys have quickly decided to cut bait.

Today’s move leaves only Brandon Aubrey on the roster at the moment, though he too struggled over the weekend. As Gehlken recently noted, Aubrey (who signed in July after spending time in the USFL) had been the more consistent performer during camp, making it little surprise that he is still in the fold. The 28-year-old has yet to play a regular season NFL game, however, so further moves at the position should be expected.

The Cowboys demonstrated with the Aubrey addition that they are willing to look at options from the XFL and USFL. A number of veterans with considerable NFL experience are still on the market, though, including Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby and Ryan Succop. Dallas currently has just under $19.5MM in cap space, so they will have plenty of spending power if they look to add a more experienced competitor for Aubrey. Vizcaino, meanwhile, will look to find another new opportunity with training camps well underway around the league.

Latest On RBs Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook

August 6th, 2023 at 11:45am CST by Adam La Rose

A number of notable names remain on the open market into August, especially at the running back position. The futures of both Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook remain uncertain, despite the overlapping interest shown in them in some cases.

Elliott has been available since his expected Cowboys release, but he has not seen much of a market after his career-worst performance in 2022. A reunion in Dallas has been floated on a number of occasions during the offseason, with owner Jerry Jones publicly keeping the door open to a deal at a highly reduced rate. The latest reports on the matter, however, pointed to Dallas focusing more on its younger options behind franchise-tagged starter Tony Pollard.

In spite of that, Jeff Howe of The Athletic notes that the Cowboys are still in the running to re-acquire Elliott (subscription required). The team which appears more likely to sign the former rushing champion, though, remains the Patriots. New England hosted Elliott – after conversations between Bill Belichick and Stephen Jones – as one of several established backs they have kicked the tires on, and Howe reports the team is still “highly interested” in him. A agreement sending Elliott to New England would come as much less of a surprise than one with Cook.

The latter has been connected to every AFC East team except the Bills this offseason, including passing interest shown by the Patriots. Howe adds that New England is “almost certainly not going in that direction” with respect to signing the ex-Vikings starter. Cook’s only free agent visit to date has been with the Jets, a team which (like the Patriots) already has an established No. 1 option in the backfield.

The situation is different regarding the Dolphins, but they are not believed to view Cook, a Miami native, as a necessity. That could point Cook back in the direction of the Jets, a team which is in win-now mode as the Aaron Rodgers era is set to begin. Cook is thought to be looking for guaranteed money across two seasons, but no team has appeared enthusiastic about making such a commitment. Elliott, likewise, is unlikely to secure any long-term deal while being brought in to serve as a high-end backup.

Elliott’s and Cook’s fates are not doubt linked, and the RB dominoes will likely fall in quick succession once one makes a decision on their next landing spot. The Cowboys, Patriots and Jets are among the teams to watch closely, but there is still little clarity with respect to how willing those clubs, and others, are to make a sizeable commitment at the position.

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