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A look at key players for each NFC East team who are coming back from injuries:

Dallas Cowboys: LB Sean Lee

Lee has been a breakout defensive star for the Cowboys the past two seasons, but he hasn't been able to stay healthy. A wrist injury limited him after a raging hot start in 2011, and after another hot start in 2012 he injured a toe in Week 7 and missed the remainder of the season. The Cowboys' defense is different when Lee is on the field and at his instinctive, playmaking best, and it misses him terribly when he's not. Now set to play the middle linebacker position in Dallas' new 4-3 defensive alignment, Lee is more important than ever to the every-down success of the defense. We easily could have picked running back DeMarco Murray or even perpetually nicked-up wide receiver Miles Austin for this exercise, but the Cowboys' biggest question marks lie on defense, where six starters missed time last year because of injury. Improved health on defense is the surest way for the Cowboys as a whole to improve in 2013, and Lee is right in the middle of it all.

New York Giants: WR Hakeem Nicks

Nicks broke a bone in his foot during minicamp last year, and while he made it back in time for the start of the season, he was not himself all year. Foot and knee problems cost him three games and limited him to 692 yards and three touchdowns on 53 catches (10 catches and 199 yards of which came in a Week 2 game for which he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week). Without his top wide receiver healthy for much of the year, Giants quarterback Eli Manning was unable to duplicate the Super Bowl-winning magic of the previous season. With Nicks hobbled, defenses were often able to focus more on Victor Cruz, whose production dropped from the previous year's dazzling yardage numbers. Nicks is a vital part of the Giants' passing game, which is the vital part of their offense. When he's at his best, he's among the top all-around wide receivers in the league. He needs to stay healthy for the Giants to function at peak levels.

Philadelphia Eagles: LT Jason Peters

Peters tore his right Achilles tendon twice during the 2012 offseason and was obviously unable to play at all as a result. He was the first of three Eagles starting offensive linemen to land on injured reserve last year, but after the year he had in 2011, his was the absence they had the greatest difficulty overcoming. Peters was essential to the Eagles offense in 2011 as a multi-level blocker who could take out his man at the line and then get upfield quickly and block a linebacker or a safety as well. Without him, the run game suffered, the screen game suffered, and quarterback Michael Vick's ability to succeed when he extended plays suffered. The Eagles need Todd Herremans and Jason Kelce back on the offensive line, and they need first-round pick Lane Johnson to play well at right tackle. But the most important offensive line recovery is that of Peters, who brings something to the equation no one else brings. He needs not only to be healthy, but to play like his old, spry self.

Washington Redskins: QB Robert Griffin III

If you've been living in a cave without access to TV or the Internet for the past six months, it will come as news to you that Griffin tore his ACL in the Redskins' playoff game (yes, they made the playoffs) and had reconstructive surgery in January. While the Redskins believe they have a capable backup in Kirk Cousins, much of their 2012 success was because of Griffin's unique talents and abilities. Even if Griffin is back to 100 percent, the Redskins probably will take greater care with how they use him in the read-option this year. But the threat he poses to defenses as a runner and a passer is not something Cousins or very many other quarterbacks in the league can replicate. The Redskins must be careful not to rush Griffin back from his injury, as he's their franchise quarterback and vital to the long-term success and health of the team. But their 2013 fortunes are tightly tied to the timing and extent of his recovery.

This Friday's links are sorted in order of the populations of the states in which the teams play their home games. Enjoy.

Dallas Cowboys

Jason Witten will be happy to welcome second-round pick Gavin Escobar as a teammate and fellow Cowboys tight end. He'll be happy to help him get acclimated to life in the NFL. But make no mistake: Witten does not believe he's training his replacement. He believes he's got a lot of good years left.

Monte Kiffin will be the fifth different defensive coordinator for whom Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr has played in six years in the NFL. Carr is used to change.

Philadelphia Eagles

There's apparently a new documentary series about DeSean Jackson, and one of the things that's revealed in it is that his relationship with former Eagles coach Andy Reid got off to a shaky start due to some things Reid said about Jackson's family in their first conversation.

The Eagles' other starting wide receiver, Jeremy Maclin, could get a look on punt returns this season. Another chance for Maclin to make the right kind of impression in his contract year. Maclin was a brilliant return man in college.

New York Giants

Dwight Freeney's father says the veteran defensive end would love to play for the Giants but can't because the Giants are "broke." It was a day for connecting veterans still looking for jobs with the Giants, as Charles Woodson's agent said something about them being interested in his client. I have to believe, if the Giants wanted Freeney, they'd have found the money to sign him.

As for the pass-rushers the Giants do have, veteran Justin Tuck is trying to get rookie Damontre Moore in the right frame of mind to contribute right away.

Washington Redskins

Apparently the Redskins remain interested in running back Tim Hightower, who was their starter in 2011 before blowing out his knee and was cut late in training camp last year because the knee couldn't get healthy. The Giants have had some interest in Hightower this offseason as well. Whether Washington, New York or anyone else signs him has to depend on his health. He's well liked and well respected as a multi-talented back who could fill a variety of roles.

Remember that odd burgundy stripe around the collars of the Redskins' white jerseys last year? Yeah, they're not doing that again.

As this Washington Redskins offseason unfolds, the former first-round pick on whom everyone will be focused will be Robert Griffin III, the dazzling young quarterback who followed up his rookie season with reconstructive knee surgery in January. But there are two other former first-rounders who hold the key for the Redskins on the defensive side of the ball. If the Redskins are to defend their NFC East title, Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan could be just as important to the effort as Griffin and his recovering right knee.

Ever since Mike Shanahan and Jim Haslett arrived in 2010 and changed the Redskins to a 3-4 defense, the outside linebacker position has taken on increased importance. Orakpo and Kerrigan are the starters at outside linebacker, and as such are tasked with the pass rush. The team has invested a first-round pick in each of them and constructed a defense designed to maximize their ability to get to the opposing quarterback. This means the plan is not simply to have a good pass rush, but a dominant one. Haslett's scheme calls for Orakpo and Kerrigan to be speedy, relentless predators who harass quarterbacks on every play and roll up the sacks. And 2013 is the year for them to flourish in that scheme.

Orakpo, the 13th overall pick in the 2009 draft, turns 27 in July, and as of now is heading into the final year of his contract. He could, conceivably, get an extension from the Redskins prior to the start of the season, but that's no sure thing. Drafted to be a dominant pass-rusher, Orakpo has flashed that ability during his career, averaging 9.5 sacks in his first three seasons before last season was cut short by a Week 2 pectoral muscle injury.

Prior to last season, the questions about Orakpo were whether he could elevate his game from very good to to great -- joining the elite pass-rushers in the league with a double-digit sack total. He hasn't had that since his rookie season, when he was a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme. Though Pro Football Focus ranked him as the No. 4 rush linebacker in the league in 2011 (behind only Aldon Smith, DeMarcus Ware and Cameron Wake), nine sacks didn't feel like enough for a player drafted that high and playing in a defense designed to make stars out of outside linebackers.

On the other side is Kerrigan, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2011 draft. The night the Redskins picked Kerrigan, their vision was of a hyper-athletic, two-pronged pass-rush that would force teams to pick their poison. Commit extra blockers to Orakpo, Kerrigan and his incredible raw pass-rushing instincts would get you. Commit extra blockers to Kerrigan, and Orakpo feasts. Kerrigan collected 7.5 sacks as a rookie and 8.5 more last season, in spite of having to play without Orakpo in the final 14 games. With the fear of Orakpo removed, teams were able to commit those extra blockers to Kerrigan all season long. Though he flashed his playmaking ability, the Redskins didn't get the consistent, week-to-week quarterback pressure on which their defense is designed to rely.

Washington finished the 2012 season with 32 sacks, more than only eight other teams in the league. The Redskins' pass defense ranked 30th in the NFL for the season, and during the seven-game win streak that delivered the division title it relied on the ability of the coaches and defensive backs to design and adjust to game plans that would change from week to week or even, sometimes, from quarter to quarter. They were able to play well enough against the pass to win games, though they all admit they would rather give up fewer yards this season through the air than 4,511.

That will have to start up front. The Redskins return basically the same secondary they had last season. They hope Brandon Meriweather can be healthy and give them what they need at strong safety, and it's possible that one or more of the mid-round rookies they drafted could help, but those are not sure things. That's why they need Orakpo back healthy (as well as defensive lineman Adam Carriker, who suffered a season-ending injury in that same game) and they need Orakpo and Kerrigan to play to their draft pedigrees -- i.e., dominate.

The NFC East has long been known for its pass-rushers, and even in recent seasons it has boasted some of the top pass-rush performances in the league. Everyone knows about the way the Giants sacked quarterbacks en route to two Super Bowl titles in five years. Everyone knows Ware is one of the best. The Eagles led the league in sacks two years ago.

It's time for the Redskins to take their place in that pass-rush hierarchy. With Kerrigan and a healthy Orakpo starting at outside linebacker, they have the talent to be the best pass rush in the division, and one of the best in the league. In 2013, if the Redskins want to remain a playoff team, Orakpo and Kerrigan are going to have to make the leap from good to elite.

Greetings and welcome to your Thursday edition of the breakfast links, where we work to keep you abreast of what folks around the league are writing about our division's teams. I hope you enjoy.

Washington Redskins

DeAngelo Hall says the plan all along for him was to return to Washington this year at a drastically reduced salary. He says he felt responsible for the salary-cap mess in which the Redskins found themselves, since he believed his contract and Albert Haynesworth's were the ones for which the other teams' owners penalized them. Says he's made enough money.

Robert Griffin III's knee isn't the only injury concern for the Redskins on offense as the offseason program gets underway. Tark El-Bashir runs down the list of the walking wounded that surround Griffin, or Kirk Cousins, as the case may be.

Dallas Cowboys

It is assumed that DeMarcus Ware will make an easy transition from 3-4 outside linebacker to 4-3 defensive end, and he very well might. Players of Ware's talent are capable of more things that we sometimes give them credit for. But Jean-Jacques Taylor writes that the move does carry some risk.

Yes, Phil Costa knows the Cowboys' first-round draft pick could take his job as the starting center. No, Costa does not plan to be a jerk about it to Travis Frederick. Just doesn't think that's the way to do things. Obviously, it's possible that whoever from the duo of Frederick or Costa doesn't win the center's job could win a job as a starting guard, too.

New York Giants

If you believe that the presence of smoke indicates the presence of fire, then you have reason to be optimistic about the state of the Victor Cruz contract talks. Again, I expect that this will get done to the satisfaction of both sides, but if it doesn't get done in the next couple of days, that's no reason to think anything's necessarily gone wrong.

The Giants were hoping to lure free-agent Josh Cribbs to help their kick-return game, but he has instead signed with the Raiders. This likely means running back David Wilson remains the primary kick returner in spite of what's expected to be an increased role in the running game.

Philadelphia Eagles

There are a few Philadelphia Eagles players for whom Chip Kelly's methods and mannerisms are not new or unfamiliar. Those players who knew him at the University of Oregon say he's the same guy he was there.

Matt Barkley is making a strong first impression on the Eagles' coaches and his fellow competitors at quarterback, and it's not crazy to think he's not in the mix to play that position as early as this season.

Some highlights from our regular weekly NFC East chat, which took place Tuesday:

Les (East Windsor, NJ): Assuming Victor Cruz returns to the Giants, what do you see as the pecking order behind him and Hakeem Nicks?

Dan Graziano: I think they'd like Rueben Randle to take a big jump forward and be the next guy in that pecking order. But they brought in Louis Murphy for returns and he could factor in. And they still think Jerrel Jernigan has something to offer. Competition will decide.

Tony D (Guam): Am I the only one that doesn't get all the hate for Doug Free. After getting flip flopped on the line the past couple of years, this might be the reason for his skid. I was watching highlights from just 3 years ago and the dude was mean. Best case scenario, I would like to see a pay cut and stay on the roster. Thoughts?

DG: But come on. The reason for the flip flop was how bad he was on the left side in 2011. You're right about the way he played in 2010, but since the contract he hasn't been remotely the same. Judging on the last two years, he's one of the worst starting tackles in the entire league.

Fran Mc (Philly): A lot of experts are predicting that Eagles' Matt Barkley starts year 2 or 3. My question is why are they assuming his better than Nick Foles? They're from the same conference. Foles was drafted a round higher.

DG: But by a different coaching staff. Look, the plain fact is, anyone who's "predicting" anything about the Eagles' QB situation, this year, next year or the year after, is guessing.

Kenny J (Martinsburg): Has Dan Snyder finally grown into a very good and responsible owner, and will Jerry Jones ever do the same?

DG: I think Snyder has honored his contractual promise to stay in the background and let Shanahan run the team the way he wants to run it. I don't imagine Jones will ever make such a promise.

Blog might be light today, folks, just FYI. Heading up to Bristol for a meeting, and that means lots of time on the road. I promise I'll make it up to you tomorrow, or at least in September. Meantime, we have links.

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles running back LeSean McCoy is being sued for assault as a result of a December incident on a party bus. McCoy's attorney is saying the charges are false and merely an attempt to get money from McCoy, and certainly that does happen with pro athletes. If that's what this is, it'll blow over. But if he were to be found liable, yes, that could land him in trouble with the NFL as well.

One of the features of Chip Kelly's offense will be option routes for wide receivers that allow them to adjust the routes they run based on something they see in the coverage. It's going to put a lot of additional responsibility on DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin & Co., and is yet another aspect of the offense that will make it more complicated for the quarterback. There is much to learn and practice in these next four months.

Washington Redskins

Brad Gagnon recently wondered whether the healthy return of Brian Orakpo could make the Redskins' pass rush the best in the NFC East. It's not a ridiculous idea, what with the Giants having taken a step back in that department last season and the Eagles' and Cowboys' pass-rushers having to learn new positions.

Can you make a case for Alfred Morris as the Redskins' best player? One national writer recently ranked him that way. I guess the point is you can't assume a fully healthy Robert Griffin III, but obviously, if you could ...

Dallas Cowboys

Tim MacMahon says that the blame for the Doug Free fiasco belongs with Free, not with a front office that gave him a contract the market demanded after his big 2010 season. And I agree with Tim's basic point. Free is the one to blame for not living up to the deal. But the contract does appear to have been structured in a way that has caused the team more problems than it had to. And I still don't understand why Free hasn't been released or forced to take a pay cut.

And sticking with our friends at ESPNDallas.com, Calvin Watkins writes that the team has to be happy about what a quiet offseason wide receiver Dez Bryant is having. Those in the Cowboys front office who believe in jinxes can't be happy with Calvin.

New York Giants

The World Wide Web was buzzing Tuesday with a lot of rumor and innuendo about the Victor Cruz contract situation nearing a resolution. But Ohm writes that there's nothing new to report and nothing imminent.

Cooper Taylor is a rookie to watch this offseason, as the manner in which he ultimately fits in the NFL is a matter of some question. Is he too big to play safety and too small to play linebacker? I'm thinking he's a special-teams star right away and could factor into sub packages as early as 2014.

So if you're sitting around at work and you have an NFC East-related question that you just can't get out of your head and you want someone else's opinion on the answer, I have just the thing for you. It's our weekly NFC East chat, which takes place at noon ET every Tuesday, including today. All you do is you click on these little blue letters right here, any time between noon and 1 pm ET, and you arrive in a virtual chat room in which you can ask me anything you want about the division. It works great. Can't wait to see you there.

Can't talk right now. Limbering up my chat muscles. Preparing to make today's the greatest May chat in ESPN.com NFL history. You don't want to miss it. Make sure and get all of your links.

New York Giants

Steve Tisch, one of the Giants' owners, theorizes that going to the Jets was a bad thing for Tim Tebow's career. Which, duh. But lest you think (as I did upon reading that headline) that even the Giants' owners can't find interesting things to discuss about the Giants this time of year, Tisch also says he liked the Aaron Curry signing and the draft.

Whatever becomes of Ryan Nassib, he'll always be able to say his first day on the field with the Giants went better than Eli Manning's did back in 2004.

Philadelphia Eagles

Monday's was the first Chip Kelly practice that was open to the media. The reporters who were there spent the morning live-tweeting the music that was blaring and trying to track who was playing quarterback for which play. Les Bowen says the pace and the atmosphere lived up to the hype.

And remember the other day when Michael Vick supposedly beat LeSean McCoy in a 40-yard dash? Well, McCoy isn't going down like that. He claims Vick started early and won't agree to a rematch.

Washington Redskins

In his weekly mailbag, Mike Jones says the Redskins don't appear to have any interest in bringing back Chris Cooley and discusses replacement options for London Fletcher.

The Redskins' secondary, however the pieces end up fitting, is going to have to come together quickly this season. Rich Tandler looks at the early tests the schedule poses.

Dallas Cowboys

Tim MacMahon believes that the plan to involve Tony Romo in the game planning and playcalling more than in prior years is the latest erosion of the authority of head coach Jason Garrett, and I can see where Tim MacMahon's coming from. Thing is, though, if it works, Garrett's not on the "hot seat" anymore, right?

With rookie minicamp over, Cowboys first-round pick Travis Frederick has returned to Wisconsin to continue working on the Android app he's helping to develop. You know. That old story. Heard it a million times. I think Ray Nitschke had to miss part of his rookie minicamp for the same reason, but Google's coming up blank on that.

We spent much of today breaking down the remaining issues facing each NFC East team with the help of Football Outsiders' "red flags" series. In this Blogger Blitz video, Mike Sando and I discuss a few more aspects of the NFC East red flags, including the fact that three of the division's four teams were flagged for secondary issues (and many fans of the Giants, who were flagged for linebackers, are probably more concerned about the secondary than they are about the linebackers). I wonder whether the fact that the secondaries have declined division-wide has contributed to this down period the NFC East is enduring.

I also wonder, if I'd been picking "red flags" for each of the division's teams, if I might have picked quarterback for the Eagles. As Mike points out in the video, Michael Vick has some track record and the other options are intriguing in their own right, so it's not as though they have nothing at quarterback, the way the Cardinals did last year. But I think the fact that the Eagles don't currently know who their 2013 starting quarterback is or feel good about one of their current quarterbacks as a franchise anchor constitutes a "red flag" at the most important position on the field.

Football Outsiders is doing a series of posts called "Red Flags," which take a look at the biggest remaining issue facing each team with the draft behind us and minicamps getting underway. Today's post is on the NFC East teams , and I'm going to break it up into four smaller posts to examine the red flags team-by-team. We start with the Washington Redskins, for whom the Outsiders have identified the secondary as the biggest remaining issue.

Washington drafted cornerback David Amerson in the second round, safety Phillip Thomas in the fourth and safety Bacarri Rambo in the sixth. Yet, the Outsiders remain skeptical:

The general consensus seems to be that Amerson is a DeAngelo Hall clone, which begs the question: How many DeAngelo Halls can one team afford to play? Thomas and Rambo are the safety equivalents of Amerson -- Thomas led the nation in interceptions in 2012, while Rambo was second behind Amerson in 2011 -- but in each case, the ball-hawking ability is paired up with some questionable tackling skills.

As we have discussed here a few times, the Redskins' plan in the draft seemed to be to collect players they considered to be high-end talents but who might need their rough edges smoothed out. Their idea is that you can teach someone proper tackling technique and coverage discipline, but you can't teach the kinds of playmaking instincts that guys like Amerson, Thomas and Rambo showed when they were at their best as college players. That ability won't go away just because you teach a guy how to be a sure tackler, and the Redskins believe defensive backs coach Raheem Morris can help develop players quickly at the NFL level.

So yes, the secondary for Washington remains the biggest question area (other than the health of the surgically repaired right knee of starting quarterback Robert Griffin III). But considering the cap penalties that prevented them from addressing it in free agency, and considering they didn't have a first-round draft pick, I think they were wise to try and reach for high-upside guys they believe they can coach up rather than looking for "safe," NFL-ready starters in the middle and late rounds.

Sean McCormick, who wrote this piece for Outsiders, also points out the return of a healthy Brian Orakpo at linebacker could be the biggest boost to the secondary, no matter who's playing in it. And he's right that the ability to get pressure on the quarterback takes some of the pressure off of the guys who are covering the receivers. Washington was able to piece things together in the secondary last year and will have to do so again, but it'll surely be helpful if they can stay healthier up front.

Good morning and welcome to another offseason week on the NFC East blog. I was trying to count the weeks left until the regular-season opener, but then I got tired. So it's a little more than three weeks until Eagles minicamp, and then as the athletes say when they want their interview answers to end early, we'll go from there. Links.

Dallas Cowboys

Clarence Hill writes that the newcomer who made the biggest impression at Cowboys rookie minicamp was 73-year-old defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. Along with defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, Kiffin could indeed be the most important addition the Cowboys made this offseason, one way or another.

Jean-Jacques Taylor still can't figure out why the Cowboys refuse to draft quarterbacks. Even teams that are set at the position, like the Giants and the Steelers, drafted guys to develop in that bargain-bin fourth round this year. But the Cowboys never draft one. I mean, like, never. Even the guy they have starting for them wasn't drafted.

New York Giants

The Giants did sign linebacker Aaron Curry over the weekend. He was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2009 draft. I remember he was thought of as the "safest" pick at the top of that draft. But he's washed out with two teams -- the Seahawks and the Raiders -- and now the Giants will hope they can draw out some of the talent that made him such a high pick. When you don't invest in linebackers, this is what you do. You hunt for bargains you hope can outplay their cost. If Curry doesn't play well, the Giants won't have lost much. But if he does ...

This year's Giants first-rounder, Justin Pugh, lined up at right tackle during rookie camp after playing left tackle at Syracuse. As you know, the Giants don't know yet where they'll use Pugh, but one of the reasons they drafted him was because they believed he could line up at any of the five offensive line positions. Surely, if he performs at right tackle throughout the offseason, he could find opportunity there.

Philadelphia Eagles

Jeff McLane considers fourth-round pick Matt Barkley a legitimate contender for the Eagles' starting quarterback job. And yes, Jeff knows full well that fourth-round picks rarely make it as starting NFL quarterbacks. But one of the guys ahead of him was only a third-rounder last year, and the other turns 33 next month. So anything's possible.

Whoever the quarterback is, the Eagles' first-round pick will be one of the key men in charge of keeping him safe. Lane Johnson said he enjoyed rookie camp but is eager to get going this week with the veterans around for OTAs.

Washington Redskins

Rich Tandler poses the question of whether the defending NFC East champions are prepared to handle the higher expectations they face in 2013. Not to oversimplify, but I think much of that answer depends on the health of quarterback Robert Griffin III, who is as you may have heard recovering from offseason knee surgery.

The Redskins drafted a couple of running backs in the late rounds this year, and with Mike Shanahan it's always worth wondering how the running backs will be deployed. Keith McMillan took a look at the two new guys.

You don't even have to wait for an invitation, though I do tend to tweet a few out toward the end of the week. You can always submit a question for the Twitter mailbag just by posting it on Twitter with the hashtag #nfceastmail. Once a week I sort through them and come up with something a little bit like this.

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at a key player from each NFC East team who needs to show something in offseason sessions:

Dallas Cowboys: DT Jay Ratliff

He missed 10 games in 2012 due to injury. He cursed out the team's owner after a game. He got busted for driving under the influence mere weeks after friend and defensive linemate Jerry Brown was killed in an accident for which friend and defensive linemate Josh Brent is facing intoxication manslaughter charges. He costs $4.072 million against the salary cap for a team that struggled all offseason to find cap room. It's kind of a miracle Ratliff is still on the roster. One of the reasons the Cowboys decided to switch to a 4-3 defensive alignment was their belief that Ratliff would thrive as one of two defensive tackles in Monte Kiffin's defense, and in order to overcome all of the good reasons they have to get rid of him, Ratliff could stand to look as healthy and dominant as possible this offseason on that defensive line.

New York Giants: RB David Wilson

The Giants let Brandon Jacobs leave as a free agent last offseason and released Ahmad Bradshaw this offseason, which means their running game has been completely overhauled. Wilson, their 2012 first-round draft pick, needs to be a big part of what that running game becomes this year. He showed last season that he has a quick burst and big-play capability, and he became a force on kick returns. Wilson should get the opportunity this offseason to show that he can handle the responsibilities of a No. 1 feature running back. With the Giants, those responsibilities include blitz pickup and pass-protection duties. If Wilson shows advancement in those areas and the ability to handle regular carries, he could keep Andre Brown in a goal-line role and decrease the team's need to find a third-down back with Bradshaw-like blocking ability. If not, the Giants could be tinkering with their run game all year.

Philadelphia Eagles: QB Michael Vick

Vick is the clear favorite to win the Eagles' starting quarterback job. He has considerably more NFL experience and more 2013 upside than any of his challengers. He still has the arm strength, the speed and the athleticism to offer the Eagles something at the quarterback position that no other team in the league has -- the stuff that has made coach after coach dream of what's possible since he was lighting it up at Virginia Tech. However, Vick will turn 33 next month and also has a well-established reputation as an injury-prone, turnover-prone risk-taker who holds the ball way too long and doesn't read defenses effectively. New Eagles coach Chip Kelly has said he needs a quarterback who can make quick decisions and unload the ball in a hurry. Vick will surely get the chance to show he can do that, and it's possible a scaled-down offense that leans more on the run game than Andy Reid's did will help. But if Vick struggles in the preseason with his decision-making and timing, he could lose the job to Nick Foles or Matt Barkley or Dennis Dixon. And if that happens, he could lose his roster spot, too.

Washington Redskins: LB Brian Orakpo

After a second consecutive season ended early due to a pectoral muscle injury, the Redskins' 2009 first-round pick finds himself having to prove something that was never an issue in his first two seasons -- that he can stay healthy. By now, Orakpo was supposed to have established himself as a disruptive pass-rushing force on par with the best in the league. He hasn't been able to do that, in large part because of those injuries. He has one year left on his contract, and there has been talk that he could get an extension prior to the start of the season, which is an appealing idea to the Redskins since they likely could get him at something of a discount due to the injuries. But if he struggles with health or effectiveness in the preseason, that's liable to make the Redskins think twice about a preseason extension, and to turn 2013 into a make-or-break year for Orakpo.

Friday links, in order of when the state in which each team plays its home games was admitted to the union. You call it East Coast bias? I call it patriotism. This is the way Alexander Hamilton would have wanted it.

Philadelphia Eagles

The outside linebacker position is one of the most interesting to watch for the Eagles this offseason. Assuming they plan to institute more 3-4 looks, everybody wants to know how Brandon Graham and Trent Cole will handle the transition from 4-3 defensive ends to stand-up rush linebackers.

Jeremy Maclin says he doesn't know much about whether the Eagles are holding or will hold a starting quarterback competition. But in practices so far, Maclin says, Michael Vick has been running with the first team with Nick Foles "sprinkling in some reps here and there." As we have discussed at length, there are no sure things or guarantees here, but Vick is the current clear and obvious favorite to open the season as the Eagles' starter, based on his experience and his 2013 upside.

New York Giants

What the Giants liked about offensive lineman Justin Pugh, who was their first-round pick in the draft last month, was that he's smart and technically sound enough to grasp their system quickly and that he could play whatever position on the line they need him to play a year from now.

Chad Jones, the 2010 Giants draft pick who was injured in a terrible car accident before he could ever play for the team, has given up his football comeback and will try to pursue a career as a baseball pitcher instead.

Washington Redskins

Redskins owner Dan Snyder had this to say to USA Today on the name-change issue: "We'll never change the name. It's that simple. NEVER — you can use caps." So, you know. At least he's keeping an open mind on a sensitive issue. Good to see.

If there is to be any change on the Redskins' offensive line this year, it's most likely to be at right tackle. Keith McMillan examines the four candidates, including returning starter Tyler Polumbus.

Dallas Cowboys

You know how every single offseason there's a story about how Miles Austin is working harder or doing something different to prevent a recurrence of the hamstring injuries that are always bugging him? Yeah? Well, this is the May 2013 version of that story. I feel confident in saying that Cowboys fans would rather read stories next May about the success Austin had in doing this.

Cut earlier this offseason in a salary cap move, former Cowboys safety Gerald Sensabaugh has decided to retire from the NFL at the age of 29. Good for him. Hopefully he got out before the game took too great a toll on his physical health. I'm rarely surprised when people decide to retire from this game young.