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NFC East Notes: Moss, Pierre-Paul, Cowboys

May 27th, 2015 at 7:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Darren McFadden‘s new Cowboys teammates are bringing out the best in him, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News writes. “Once you’ve been in a place so long like Oakland you get set in your ways,” the running back said. “Coming out here and just being around guys who are working so hard, it just brings out the best in you and that’s something I really look forward to.”

Dallas boasted the league’s second-best rushing offense in 2014, averaging 147.1 yards per game with star DeMarco Murray in the backfield. Now, it’ll be up to Dallas’ new group of running backs to try and replicate that production. Here’s more from the NFC East..

  • Santana Moss says that he still wants to play in the NFL, but he might have to settle for an off-field role. As it turns out, Washington owner Daniel Snyder has already spoken with the veteran about a potential job, Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post writes. “I went up there and met with Dan a little before the draft, and we just talked basically about life, football, everything,” Moss told 106.7 The Fan’s Chad Dukes. “Dan has always been special to me from Day One when I became a Redskin, and he knows how much I love him and I appreciate him. So we sat down and talked for hours, and he just told me, ‘I know that you want to play so I’m not sure how things are gonna go, but if you’re not a ‘Skin, whenever you’re done, I want you back here to retire and everything. And when you’re done with that, if you want to do something with the team, give me a holler.’”
  • Giants coach Tom Coughlin told reporters, including Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (on Twitter), that he expects Jason Pierre-Paul will be at the mandatory minicamp in mid-June. However, he also knows that the star defensive end might not show.
  • Cowboys exec Will McClay has been given a new title for the third time in three years, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. McClay is now the team’s senior director of college and pro scouting after being given the assistant director of player personnel title in 2014. The position is roughly the same as McClay will run the personnel department as he did last year.
  • The Giants got some good news on Robert Ayers, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Tests revealed no major damage to the defensive end’s knee or ankle. The defensive end was carted off the practice field earlier today.
  • The injury to left tackle Will Beatty forced the Giants to remake an offensive line that had received a makeover just a few months ago, Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News writes. Beatty tore a pectoral muscle while in the weight room and is expected to be out until November.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Moss, Hardy

May 16th, 2015 at 11:15am CST by Zachary Links

Malcolm Bunche started the first nine games of UCLA’s 2014 season before being benched, and missed the Alamo Bowl for academic reasons. Now, as a UDFA with the Eagles, the offensive lineman says that he’s ready to start a new chapter of his career, Tucker Bagley of Philadelphia Magazine writes. “It was disappointing, obviously, but like I said, things happen,” Bunche said when explaining his problems at UCLA. “You can’t just pout, you can’t get under the bus, you can’t blame anybody but yourself and that’s what I did. I did some things, I messed up and I dealt with it, but I have an opportunity here and I’m going to run with it.” More from the NFC East..

  • Santana Moss has played 14 NFL seasons and he wants to go for 15, the wide receiver tells 247Sports.com. “I’m a free agent right now, you know how they do us old guys,” Moss said. “I’m going on my 15th year. Right now my agent is talking with some teams to see what’s going to be my best scenario. Right now I’m just chilling, just enjoying life, and enjoying this off time.” Things have been quiet for Moss, who is coming off a season in which he caught just 10 passes for 116 yards in ten games for Washington.
  • Lawyers for Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy asked NFL appeals officer Harold Henderson to recuse himself from the May 28th hearing on Hardy and he declined, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).
  • If the Cowboys trade for a running back, they should focus on a certain set of players, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News opines. Machota suggest that Dallas should focus on guys that are going to be free agents next season such as Matt Forte, Lamar Miller, and Doug Martin.

Extra Points: Glennon, Pats, Panthers, S. Moss

May 2nd, 2015 at 5:19pm CST by Rob DiRe

As soon as the 2015 NFL concludes, there will be a flurry of news related to undrafted free agent signings. Each team will add 10-12 extra players in the coming days, and while we’ll cover each transaction, we won’t rush to get all the information out as quickly as possible. As we did last year at this time, we’ll wait until a club confirms its UDFA moves before we post them — it’s a policy that will make the information a bit more palatable for readers (and surely, for us as well).

With that said, let’s take a look at some notes as the draft wraps up:

  • Despite their selection of Jameis Winston with the first overall pick, the Buccaneers did not receive any calls about backup quarterback Mike Glennon, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter). As Cummings notes, Tampa has made it clear that Glennon isn’t on the trade block, so it’s not a total surprise that no other clubs expressed interest.
  • The Patriots selected Navy long snapper Joe Cardona with their fifth-round pick, but might not have the four-year starter when they open up the regular season in September, Cardona has a pending military service commitment, and is required to serve five years as a Naval Officer following his graduation and commission in May, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Cardona will apply for an exemption that will allow him to postpone his service in order to pursue an NFL career.
  • The Panthers selected linebacker/safety hybrid Shaq Thompson with their first-round pick, but drew some criticism about not trading down and selecting him where he was likely to be available early in round two. General manager David Gettleman defended the pick, noting the value of having the fifth-year option on a first-round pick, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
  • Washington drafted a pair of receivers in Jamison Crowder and Evan Spencer, but that doesn’t mean the end of the line for Santana Moss, writes John Keim of ESPN (via Twitter). Crowder specifically poses a threat to Moss, at 5’8″ and with speed and value returning punts and kicks. Moss caught only 10 passes for 116 yards in 2014, all in the last five games of the season.
  • The Saints were prepared to trade up to select linebacker Davis Tull, said head coach Sean Payton, according to Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com (Twitter link). The Chattanooga product ultimately fell to New Orleans in the fifth round.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

NFC East Notes: Moss, RG3, Gregory, Giants

March 29th, 2015 at 3:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although Washington head coach Jay Gruden said last week that the club would be open to re-signing receiver Santana Moss, Zac Boyer of the Washington Times writes that the team won’t bring back the veteran until mid-summer at the earliest. As Boyer adds, offseason workouts end in mid-June — if Washington decides it could use a reliable slot receiver at the point, Moss would probably be brought into the fold. The 35-year-old Moss said last December that he wouldn’t hesitate to retire if the right opportunity didn’t present itself.

Here’s more from the nation’s capital and the rest of the NFC East:

  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Washington executive Doug Williams said the club still has high hopes for quarterback Robert Griffin III. “This is a young guy that’s got some talent,” said Williams, via Chase Hughes of CSNWashington.com. “There are adjustments that he has to make if think given time, and I think that’s one of the reasons why nobody has given up on him. With the talent that he does have, you’re hoping that the last couple of years with the injuries and everything is out of the way, that he will develop into the guy that we all hope for him to be. I think it’s fair to give him that opportunity.”
  • Though the Giants are rumored to have interest in Nebraska edge rusher Randy Gregory, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com isn’t so sure New York would pull the trigger come draft day, noting the club’s aversion to smaller defenders (Gregory weighed in at 235 pounds at the combine). Gregory, who failed a drug test at the combine, won’t be an option for the Giants at pick No. 9, writes Raanan, but he could be NY’s choice if he falls to the second round.
  • In his most recent mailbag at ESPN.com, John Keim lists free safety and right tackle as Washington‘s most glaring needs. Right tackle, adds Keim, could be turned over to 2014 draftee Morgan Moses, but health questions have made his availability uncertain.

FA Notes: Moss, Copeland, Lloyd, Bishop

March 28th, 2015 at 12:48pm CST by Ben Levine

As we heard yesterday, Washington coach Jay Gruden wouldn’t hesitate in bringing back veteran wideout Santana Moss. The 35-year-old has played in Washington for the past ten seasons, and he finished last season with ten catches for 116 yards. If he returns, Moss can expect to continue to contribute at a reduced role, considering the presence of fellow receivers DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, and Andre Roberts. Still, Gruden appreciates the veteran’s role on the field and in the locker room:

“You know what? I could always play with Santana,” Gruden told Mike Jones of the Washington Post. “Santana’s a great person. He’s great in the locker room for us. He knows all the positions. I know he’s going to be in great shape, and I would not hesitate one bit to call him.”

“We’ve talked about everybody. It’s just about when, how. We don’t want — we’ll wait until the draft to see what we have as far as numbers at every position and go from there. You know, that’s something that we know where Santana is, and he knows where we are, and something may work out down the road.”

Some more assorted notes from around the NFL…

  • As we previously heard, linebacker Brandon Copeland has received interest from multiple teams following his performance at the Veteran Combine. “My phone’s been ringing,” he told Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “It’s been pretty good so far. I’m not going to say what teams, but four teams have offered me contracts so far. It was definitely successful for me to go to the veteran combine.” Among the teams showing interest in Copeland are the Lions, Eagles, Bengals, Chiefs, Colts, Giants and Titans.
  • Meanwhile, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that the 49ers are not among the estimated 13 teams to have shown some level of interest in Copeland.
  • ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez says the 49ers haven’t had any conversations with wideout Brandon Lloyd. He notes that the team previously has little interest in bringing back linebacker Desmond Bishop, but he acknowledges that the mindset may have changed following the roster overhaul.
  • Some have drawn comparisons between the Texans signing of Ed Reed last offseason and their addition of free agent Vince Wilfork this year. Texans owner Bob McNair recognizes the difference, however. “I think the difference is when you have someone at a position where they have to be able to run, then age is more of a consideration,” McNair told ESPN.com’s Tania Ganguli. “We thought Ed was in good shape and was going to be able to come down and play and he was a big disappointment. At nose tackle, you don’t have to run that much. He’s got to be strong. So there’s some positions you can play for more years and you aren’t taking as much risk.

Gruden On Draft, Culliver, Kerrigan, Williams

March 25th, 2015 at 6:09pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Second-year Washington head coach Jay Gruden had plenty to say Wednesday as he and the club continue focusing on ways to improve on their 4-12 record from last season. Let’s take a look at some of the salient points Gruden addressed:

  • New general manager Scot McCloughan didn’t exactly give a ringing endorsement to much-maligned quarterback Robert Griffin III on Tuesday. Neither did Gruden on Wednesday, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Per Jones, Gruden said he’s been studying the draft’s top two quarterbacks – Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and Florida State’s Jameis Winston – in case one falls to Washington at fifth overall.
  • Despite Gruden’s statement, Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (Twitter link) doesn’t believe Washington will take a quarterback at No. 5 based on the coach’s tone.
  • In other draft news, Boyer tweets that Washington will likely go that route to address outside linebacker, per Gruden. Washington has a hole to fill at OLB after losing Brian Orakpo to free agency earlier this month.
  • Cornerback Chris Culliver, whom Washington signed to a big contract in free agency, drew praise from Gruden. According to Boyer (Twitter link), Gruden considered Culliver second only to Darrelle Revis among free agent corners. Culliver spent the first three years of his career in San Francisco, intercepting seven passes for the 49ers. He had a career-best four picks last year, when Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him a terrific 14th among 108 qualifying corners.
  • Regarding the future of free agent wide receiver Santana Moss, Gruden said, “I would not hesitate to call him,” tweeted Boyer. Moss, who will turn 36 in June, is mulling retirement after 14 NFL seasons. He has spent the last decade in Washington and totaled nearly 600 catches and 47 touchdowns. Moss went scoreless last year and had just 10 receptions in 10 games.
  • Moss aside, Gruden sounded less interested in bringing back other unsigned players who were previously with Washington, according to Boyer (via Twitter). “If they’re not on our roster right now, we don’t have any plans for them to be with us,” said Gruden.
  • Finally, Gruden indicated that Washington is discussing long-term extensions with the agents for outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan and offensive tackle Trent Williams, tweeted Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com. The duo will eat up over $20MM in cap space in 2015, the final year of their respective deals. Kerrigan, 26, is coming off a career campaign that saw him rack up 13.5 sacks, giving him 38 over his four-year career. Williams, also 26, has made three straight Pro Bowls and finished last season ranked 18th out of 84 qualifying tackles, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

NFC Mailbags: Newton, Lions, McCarthy, Giants

February 14th, 2015 at 10:00am CST by Ben Levine

We checked out ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…

  • If quarterbacks like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco can average $20MM annually, David Newton believes Cam Newton could certainly be included in that group. Ultimately, the writer believes the Panthers quarterback will receive a contract totaling about $100MM.
  • Kicker Matt Prater and defensive back Rashean Mathis want to return to the Lions next season, according to Michael Rothstein. There has been some contact between the organization and the agents for the team’s multiple free agents, but the writer cautions that nothing’s been “locked down.”
  • Despite Mike McCarthy‘s interest in the personnel aspect of the league, the Packers head coach does not want to be the team’s general manager, writes Rob Demovsky. The writer says the coach’s recent shuffling of the coaching staff indicates that he’d like to get involved in other areas of coaching.
  • Dan Graziano doesn’t see any incentive for the Giants to pursue Ray Rice over any other running back.
  • Considering the linebacker’s age and injury history, John Keim can’t envision Washington investing too much money in Brian Orakpo. Meanwhile, the writer could see the team bringing back quarterback Colt McCoy, tight end Niles Paul, and “perhaps” running back Roy Helu and wideout Leonard Hankerson. Santana Moss is among the players Keim would be surprised to see return.

NFC East Notes: Dez, Eagles, Washington

December 29th, 2014 at 9:57am CST by Luke Adams

Suggesting that reports about the Cowboys‘ off-field concerns about Dez Bryant are exaggerated, team owner Jerry Jones tells Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com that “nobody in the world” knows about his concerns for a potential Bryant contract extension besides Jones and executive VP Stephen Jones. As Jones puts it, there are concerns for any pricey, long-term deal, not just Bryant’s.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever signed a contract that I didn’t have things to worry about, but nobody talked about them,” Jones said. “You can’t make business decisions, especially multi-million dollar business decisions without having a nice little worry list over on the right. Everybody does. So it’s wrong to say that that is an issue. That’s not an issue relative to overall getting it done. We just want to get it done.”

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

  • Eagles general manager Howie Roseman received praise from head coach Chip Kelly, who says Roseman does “an outstanding job” managing the cap, as Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com details. More importantly, Roseman got an endorsement from owner Jeffrey Lurie, who said the GM has done a great job, and will be back for 2015, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • Speaking today to reporters, including Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link), Kelly said it will be a priority for the team to retain running back LeSean McCoy, wideout Jeremy Maclin, and outside linebacker Brandon Graham this offseason. Meanwhile, as McLane tweets (Twitter link), Trent Cole said he’d be willing to rework his contract to return to the Eagles.
  • Washington wide receiver Santana Moss will turn 36 in the summer, and doesn’t have a contract for 2015, but he thinks he can still play in the NFL, and will attempt to continue his career, preferably in Washington, writes Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com.
  • Quarterback Robert Griffin III would also like to stick with Washington, despite an up and down 2014 season, says Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Unlike Moss, Griffin is under contract for another year, but he has been cited as a potential trade candidate, given his seemingly shaky relationship with head coach Jay Gruden.
  • Washington running back Roy Helu believes there’s a 50/50 chance he re-signs with the team, telling John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that he’s excited about the possibility of hitting the open market.
  • Washington will take a few days before making any decisions one way or the other on the members of Gruden’s staff, including defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, Jones writes for the Post.

NFC East Notes: Thurmond, Eagles, Cowboys

August 9th, 2014 at 10:19am CST by Matt Feminis

When asked about the most impressive player he’s seen in Giants camp, ESPN’s Dan Graziano identified cornerback Walter Thurmond, saying the free-agent acquisition has been “making life miserable for slot receiver Victor Cruz in practice. Thurmond could be a difference-maker at that nickel corner position for the Giants this year.” Thurmond, 26, signed a one-year, $3MM deal in March, at which time ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, a former director of pro personnel for the Eagles, lauded the signing as a potential steal: “If he can stay healthy and out of trouble, it’s a tremendous value signing. . .He’s a dynamite press corner, who is as good with his technique as [Seattle’s] Byron Maxwell, as [Seattle’s] Richard Sherman. Walter is very good. He can play in the nickel because he’s big enough, because he can tackle, because he’s a good blitzer. And he can play on the outside. Not only can he press, he can play them all.”

The numbers back up Riddick’s assessment. Despite starting just three of 12 games played last season for the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, Thurmond tallied 24 tackles, six pass breakups, an interception (29-yard TD) and a forced fumble. Additionally, his 5.7 coverage rating was higher than teammate Brandon Browner, who signed for three years and $16.8MM in New England.

So why did the Giants land such a good player at such an affordable deal? He’s been plagued by injuries since entering the league, and was popped for a four-game suspension last season for violating the substance-abuse policy. Nevertheless, he brings supreme confidence to the Giants secondary. In April Thurmond proclaimed himself the best slot corner in the league. By July, he was drawing praise from teammates and coaches, including head man Tom Coughlin, who likes Thurmond’s attitude. Now, a week into August, he’s established himself as the ‘Quiet Assassin.”

Here’s a few more NFC East links:

NFC Mailbags: Giants, Redskins, Packers, Rams

July 19th, 2014 at 5:06pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening up their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s check out some interesting tidbits from the NFC…

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