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The NFL draft is now two weeks away, and the teams in our division continue to do their fine tuning in advance of it. Heck, even the Giants got into the act and started acquiring some guys Wednesday. Crazy, I know. Links.

Dallas Cowboys

Rainer Sabin thinks Jerry Jones' reputation as a stubborn owner is outdated and that Jones deserves credit for a willingness to admit and acknowledge his mistakes. Not a bad point, though Cowboys fans would probably respond by saying they'd simply prefer he stop making so many.

Were you wondering if someone would take a chance on recently released cornerback Terence Newman? No? Nobody? How about you there in the back? Did you raise your hand? Yes? Well, here you go. He's a Bengal.

New York Giants

The Giants capped off a busy Wednesday by signing former Patriots cornerback Antwaun Molden. They hope to have the Keith Rivers trade finalized and announced today, and maybe once that happens we'll get some clarity about their plans for where all of their linebackers are going to play.

The knee injury tight end Jake Ballard suffered in the Super Bowl was more serious than we originally knew. Ballard had microfracture surgery in addition to the surgery to repair his torn ACL. It's going to be a very tough road back for Ballard.

Philadelphia Eagles

The way Demetress Bell's contract is structured allows the Eagles to get out after a year if Jason Peters is back and ready to go, but it also gives them the option of keeping Bell around as a long-term replacement if that's what they end up needing. Reuben Frank has the details.

Former Eagles running back Brian Westbrook wants the team to give current running back LeSean McCoy his long-term contract. As we have discussed at length here, I believe Westbrook and McCoy will get their wish at some point.

Washington Redskins

Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith, who helped Cam Newton flourish as a rookie quarterback in 2011, says the Redskins can have success with a rookie quarterback in 2012 as long as the receivers are open-minded about working with one.

Defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins, who was a star in his first training camp last year before a preseason injury knocked him out for the season, has been cleared to resume playing football. This helps make the defensive line perhaps the deepest position group the Redskins have, and it should be a strength of their team in 2012.

Morning, all. Another week dawns and still no free agency to break down. We'll get there. Of this I am sure. In the meantime, we always have our links.

Dallas Cowboys

Kurt Warner, who took two different teams to the Super Bowl and won one, was asked in an NFL Network interview if he thought this was a "make-or-break" year for Tony Romo in Dallas. Warner answered as though the question was foolish (which it is), asked who else Cowboys fans would rather have in Romo's place and said Romo is "safe in Dallas for a long time to come." That's called perspective, folks.

Calvin Watkins believes the Cowboys will and should keep Roy Williams around at least one more year as "an insurance policy" at wide receiver, especially given Dez Bryant's youth and status as a still-unknown quantity and the cap hit they'd take by cutting Williams. Seems to me he's a pretty good No. 3 receiver, even if the Cowboys obviously paid much more than that to get him.

New York Giants

Albany is upset that the Giants aren't going there for training camp this year, and Mark McGuire wonders if they'll ever come back. He fears "the power of inertia" and correctly points out the advantages the Giants will find in holding training camp at their home facility this year: "Better facilities (three grass fields, a turf field outdoors and a full-sized indoor field), less of a hassle, and certainly fewer logistical concerns that come with moving your base of operations 150 miles north for three or so weeks. In a word, easier." I'd say Mark's fears are well founded.

Giants.com takes a look at James Brewer, the project offensive lineman the Giants drafted in the fourth round. The analysis makes it clear, more than once, that the Giants in no way expect Brewer to play for them this year. They believe he has talent, though, and that he and Will Beatty are the tackle tandem of the Giants' future.

Philadelphia Eagles

Plaxico Burress said in a recent interview that playing for the Eagles "would be a dream come true." He's working it hard, no doubt. He also mentioned the Jets and the Texans in the same interview, but he's been pretty clear since his release that his first choice is Philadelphia. Remains to be seen if the feeling is mutual.

And in case you weren't reading the blog on a Sunday, I did address the DeSean Jackson stuff here. Lots of people commented. Many, it would seem, did so without having actually read what I wrote, which happens. But I wanted to let our regulars know it was there in case you were busy with yard work or whatever Sunday and didn't know about the piece. I still think it's good that Jackson is speaking at schools about bullying, as he did again Saturday in Santa Monica. I just think it's a shame that he chose to so publicly use the same kind of language bullies use against their victims and failed to make the connection.

Washington Redskins

Mike Jones looks at the Redskins' running back situation and wonders if what they have is enough or if they need to go get a veteran to add to the mix. I think they will, but I think they'll look for a guy who can serve more as a backup and mentor than a No. 1-type back who'd take carries away from Ryan Torain and Roy Helu. Somebody asked about Brian Westbrook recently, and that might make sense here.

Oh, and according to this recent and hilarious item on Mike Shanahan, he loves Donovan McNabb. Says McNabb is one of the best guys to be around. So that's good to know. What I get out of this is that Shanahan would love to keep McNabb around in Washington to hang out with him and have dinner every now and then, but not to play quarterback for him.

That'll do it for today's edition of "Breakfast links." You know I'll be back with much more later on. See ya.

Dallas Cowboys

Bob Sturm says Igor Olshansky is miscast in his role in the Cowboys' defense.

Gerry Fraley is of the mindset that Dallas will regret not going after safety O.J. Atogwe.

New York Giants

Don't count Giants defensive end Justin Tuck among those who would spend the No. 1 overall draft pick on Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.

Philadelphia Eagles

Former Eagles running back Brian Westbrook isn't ruling out a return to Philadelphia.

Quarterback Kevin Kolb remains in high demand.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins were among a host of teams that attended Baylor's pro day to get a look at defensive tackle Phil Taylor.

PHILADELPHIA -- Here are some quick observations from the Eagles' 27-17 win over the New York Giants:

• LeSean "Shady" McCoy pulled a Brian Westbrook on the Giants last night. He puts so much pressure on a defense with his vision and speed. Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg told me after the game that McCoy sometimes tries to look for the "home run" a little too often. But McCoy set up his blocks beautifully on his 50-yard touchdown. That play is called "39 Crunch" and offensive line coach Juan Castillo should get the credit for designing the play. Left tackle Jason Peters and left guard Todd Herremans delivered devastating blocks and McCoy did the rest.
• McCoy told me after the game that Michael Vick "raised his tone" at several points during the game in an effort to get his teammates' attention. Eagles wide receivers dropped three touchdowns, although DeSean Jackson would've needed to make a scoop. Jason Avant had the worst drop when he tried to cradle the ball in the back of the end zone. He almost always catches the ball with his hands, so everyone on the sideline was shocked to see the ball fall to the ground. "I heard it hit my pads, and I knew it was bad," Avant told me.
• No one knows why Eli Manning didn't slide late in the fourth quarter, including him. "No reason, I have to slide," he said. Sometimes you're just going with the momentum and you're trying to get as much yardage as you can and you're just kind of running and it comes to the point where you don't want to slow down, or maybe it's too late, and you just go down the fastest way you know how to. I just got to not worry about the yardage, we already have the first down and I need to go feet first and move the chains." The Manning brothers both made crucial mistakes in the fourth quarter of their respective games.
• Ahmad Bradshaw's one of the best young running backs in the league, but he has to learn how to secure the football or he will continue to hurt his team. It's almost like he's too elusive for his own good. When he's in space, he makes moves with his entire body. As you saw Sunday night, the ball can pop out even when he doesn't get hit.
• How much longer can Tom Coughlin stick with this rookie punter? I know he hit some boomers, but those 25-yarders can kill you in a game. He's good for at least one shank per game. I'd try someone else out. But then, I've been saying that for weeks.
• I thought the second holding penalty on Giants left tackle Shawn Andrews was bush league.

In case you haven't been following the Beast on Twitter, now's a good time to start. We've been tweeting and blogging throughout cutdown day. We should have some official news start to roll in at 6 p.m. ET, but we've already seen some interesting developments. Here are some nuggets and observations:

• As we reported today, the Eagles sent a seventh-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens for defensive end Antwan Barnes. The Ravens have had a ton of success hitting on players in the fourth round, and Barnes was a nice player for them as an outside linebacker. He'll be a 251-pound defensive end for the Eagles. He'll immediately step into the rotation with Trent Cole and Brandon Graham. The rookie Graham will remain a starter and Barnes will likely be used as a pass-rushing specialist. A league source told me today that Moise Fokou and Daryl Tapp are safe. We'll see if that holds up.

• Our friends at ESPNDallas.com are predicting that rookie center Phil Costa, fullback Chris Gronkowski and safeties Barry Church and Danny McCray will all make the 53-man roster. The Cowboys have released guard Travis Bright, according to Calvin Watkins. They should have no trouble getting Bright onto the practice squad.

• In other Cowboys news, former SMU cornerback Bryan McCann has been informed that he'll be released. The Cowboys hope to sneak him through to the practice squad, but it will be tough. One team from the NFC and another from the AFC have already told me today that they have interest in McCann.

• Update: The Giants just made it official that second-year running back Andre Brown has been released. We'll see if they can get him through to the practice squad. I loved what he was doing during training camp, but he's been banged up in the preseason. Also the workaholic tight end Bear Pascoe has been released.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- In the NFL’s often unforgiving circle of life, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid has been handed a rare second opportunity -- a chance to hit the refresh button on his team and his career.

And there he was on the first day of training camp at Lehigh University, in his usual command position on the practice field, about 50 yards behind the middle linebacker, all alone, looking at his own reincarnation.

Gone was Donovan McNabb -- Reid’s first training camp in his 12-year head coaching career without the quarterback he drafted in the first round in 1999.

Gone was Brian Westbrook -- the veteran running back who provided much of the late-game heroics and pyrotechnics that often bailed out the Eagles and their head coach.

And there were all the new faces, including Kevin Kolb, who will have the fewest career starts -- just two -- of any prospective starting quarterback in the NFC this year. In all, the Eagles jettisoned 14 players from their 2009 roster -- more than any team in the league.

When the veterans arrive on Thursday, there will be 32 new players in camp.

How green are these Eagles? The training camp roster boasts only one non-kicker over the age of 30, the fewest in the NFL.

"There’s a little bit of unknown, which I kind of like," said Reid of his new team, average age 24.1 years old. "I like that."

Now, there is a first. The NFL’s head coaches -- among the planet’s greatest control artists -- rarely embrace the unknown, or at least admit it in public.

Assessing his rebuilt roster, Reid called it "a great challenge." What might be more challenging is convincing his championship-starved fan base that this roster overhaul can work. In Philadelphia, with McNabb now playing for the division-rival Washington Redskins, and so much inexperience wearing midnight green this season, there is little love of the unknown created by Reid.

More like fear.

And that translates into one thing: a whole lot of pressure on Reid. Yes, the head coach was given a three-year contract extension in December. But now failure to bring a Super Bowl title to Philadelphia can no longer be blamed on McNabb’s shortcomings, Westbrook’s injuries or aging veterans such as Brian Dawkins who are long gone.

It’s on Reid now.

"There are some big-name players that have been proven players on this football team that aren’t here," said Reid. "It’s important that the young guys step up and they go."

If they don’t, it will be difficult to try to peddle to Eagles fans that the team was victimized by inexperience. Going young was the franchise decision.

(Read full post)

I know we haven't done a ton of fantasy stuff on the Beast, but I'm willing to change that if you guys are interested. ESPN.com's Matt Berry delivered his voluminous "Guys I Love, Guys I Hate" column on Tuesday and it's packed with helpful information about players from the NFC East.

The players in the "love" category are the ones Berry recommends drafting a round or two early. His "hate" list includes players whom he deems to be overvalued or have boring Twitter accounts. Redskins fans might be pleased to know that Berry's bullish on running back Clinton Portis:

People are gonna say this is me being a Redskins homer for this pick, but seriously, he's been a first- or second-round pick every year of his career and these days he's going in the eighth, writes Berry. People are concerned about the Russian roulette Mike Shanahan is known for playing with running backs, but Portis had his most productive years playing under Shanny.

People are worried about his health, but prior to last year, he had two straight years of playing all 16 games and had missed just 12 games in the seven years prior to '09. People are worried about all the other running backs there, but I'm not sure Willie Parker makes the team and I actually think Larry Johnson being there helps, as it will save a little wear and tear on Portis during the year. In short, I disagree with the people. One last thing and, this will shock you … he's only 29. Oh, it's an old 29. But still. Just 29 and a better-than-average chance to be the lead back on a decent offense. Eighth round. Come on.

In other Skins news, Berry thinks Santana Moss and Devin Thomas will have excellent value in the later rounds. He even makes an interesting comparison between Moss and the Eagles' DeSean Jackson. And it's not a favorable comparison for Jackson.

So which NFC East players does Berry "hate?" Well, he thinks some of you will draft Eagles running back LeSean McCoy a little too early. Here's what Berry did with McCoy's stats:

In each of the past three seasons, the Eagles have been in the bottom 10 in rush attempts. Offensive touches for the 2009 Eagles inside an opponent's 10-yard line:
LeSean McCoy 8
Leonard Weaver 8
Brian Westbrook 7
Brent Celek 6
Michael Vick 4
Eldra Buckley 3
Jason Avant 2
Donovan McNabb 2
Reggie Brown, Kevin Kolb, Jeremy Maclin, DeSean Jackson -- 1 each.
Look, I think he'll be good. What I don't think is he's the reincarnation of Brian Westbrook. He's not the run-blocker or pass-catcher that Westbrook was in this offense. They have a lot of guys, including newly acquired Mike Bell, Leonard Weaver and Mike Vick around the goal line not to mention Jackson, Maclin and Celek.

And if you'd like to find out why Berry "hates" Donovan McNabb, read the full column.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys signed a pair of draft picks yesterday: Seventh-round pick Sean Lissemore and sixth-round pick Sam Young.

Continuing his "Proving Ground" series, ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon looks at safety Akwasi Owusu-Ansah.

In an Insider piece for ESPN.com, Football Outsiders' Bill Barnwell names two Cowboys players among the top 10 NFL draft prospects: Running back Tashard Choice (No. 4) and cornerback Orlando Scandrick (No. 6).

The Dallas Morning News' Gerry Fraley takes note of the Cowboys' "trouble-free offseason."

In a chat on the DMN website, writer Rick Gosselin declares that Roy Williams will have his "best season as a Cowboy."

Is Cowboys owner Jerry Jones the next George Steinbrenner?

Cowboys running back Felix Jones feels his likeness was misused to promote a youth football camp.

Quarterback Tony Romo has won an award... for his golfing.

New York Giants

Giants safety Antrel Rolle told Sporting News he "loves playing under the bright lights."

Giants third-year receiver Mario Manningham is looking for more out of 2010.

A former New York Giants scout joins the National Football Post and writes about the supplemental draft.

Clark Judge of CBSSports.com looks at training camp battles in the NFC East including the Giants competition at left guard.

Philadelphia Eagles

Embattled Eagles quarterback Michael Vick has a friend in starter Kevin Kolb. Kolb told the Philadelphia Inquirer: "I just told him that it was unfortunate what he had to go through. I just said, 'If there's anything I can do, whatever it is, I don't care, just holler.' And, of course, he said, 'I appreciate it.'"

Salt Lake City Tribune blogger Jay Drew thinks the Eagles will win the Harvey Unga sweepstakes.

Former Eagles running back Brian Westbrook says, "This season is going to be different."

In its continuing series of "Camp Classics," Philly.com reflects on "When George Hegamin went AWOL."

Washington Redskins

The Redskins are unlikely to make a pick in today's supplemental draft.

Safety LaRon Landry had toe surgery last month, but should be able to join the team for training camp.

Football Outsiders' Bill Barnwell ranks the Redskins dead last in young talent in the NFL. "Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan have inherited a wasteland from Vinny Cerrato, who used his draft picks to acquire 'has-beens' and 'never-weres.' As a result, the Redskins only have four 'young' starters, and two of them (wideout Devin Thomas and safety LaRon Landry) have been professional flops," he writes in the Insider piece. However, Barnwell ranks Redskins cornerback Justin Tyron the fifth best NFL prospect.

The Redskins have launched a new ad campaign with the slogan, "No more looking back."

Yahoo! Sports ranks the Redskins 26th ... for fantasy purposes.

It's been a month since Mike Shanahan made a public plea for Brian Westbrook to sign with the Washington Redskins, but there's apparently been no movement. Perhaps it's because the former Eagles running back has drawn the interest of additional teams, according to NFL.com's Steve Wyche.

We already knew the Rams and Broncos had shown interest this offseason. But Wyche did not reveal the identities of the other additional teams. I'm wondering if the New York Giants might have a little interest in Westbrook. He's pretty much the entire reason they went out and signed linebacker Michael Boley in free agency in '09. Giants coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese have immense respect for Westbrook because he's had so much success against them over the years.

And it's not like the Giants have a sure thing at third running back. Andre Brown's returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon and Danny Ware doesn't exactly inspire a lot of confidence. I think Westbrook would make an excellent third-down back if he's able to put his pride aside and embrace the role.

What do you guys think? Would Giants fan welcome Westy with open arms?

Dallas Cowboys

Todd Archer of The Dallas Morning News shared what he learned during from OTAs and minicamp workouts.

Jean-Jacques Taylor expects Anthony Spencer and Mike Jenkins to help the Cowboys generate more turnovers.

New York Giants

Jonathan Goff has his sights set on being the Giants' starting middle linebacker.

Best known as Peyton Manning's understudy in Indianapolis, Jim Sorgi is now set to back up Eli Manning in New York.

Philadelphia Eagles

Sheil Kapadia offers five thought on the Eagles' defense following the conclusion of OTAs.

How a young Eagles team deals with criticism from the fans will be important, according to former Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Washington Redskins

McNabb was back in the Philadelphia area to host his annual camp.

Running back Brian Westbrook says joining the Redskins remains a possibility.

PHILADELPHIA -- If you were hoping the whole Donovan McNabb trade was simply a bad dream, I have some sobering news. On Tuesday, I witnessed for the first time in person Kevin Kolb breaking the huddle as the full-time starter for the Eagles. And though we've spent hours discussing the implications of one of the most stunning trades in the past 20 years, it's still a little jolting when you see it in action.

Even during a relatively unimportant organized team activities session (just ask DeSean Jackson), you immediately sense the groundbreaking change that has occurred. Two pillars of the organization's success last decade, McNabb and Brian Westbrook, are gone and we're left to figure out where the Eagles are headed. Since he was taken in the second round of the draft in 2007, Kolb has been a quiet reminder that McNabb might someday have a successor. But with his easy-going demeanor and Texas drawl, it's not like Kolb was going around making demands.

When the Eagles made another stunning move in August to sign Michael Vick, Kolb was thrust even further into the background. We were interested in potential protests outside the Linc and how McNabb would handle having the most famous backup in the league. Kolb told me Tuesday that he often wondered if he'd ever get a shot to start with the Eagles.

That was before Andy Reid dropped the bomb at the March owners' meeting in Orlando that he was all ears on offers for McNabb. Certainly a sizable faction of Eagles fans had always dreamed of that day, but even the most ardent McNabb bashers were probably caught off guard by the brazen way the Eagles ended what was, for the most part, a happy marriage. What we probably missed in the whole buildup to the trade was how much trust Reid had developed in the former Stephenville (Texas) High and Houston star, Kolb. That's one reason he didn't seem fazed by the phone call during which Reid informed him that he was the starter.

"It wasn't really surreal for me," Kolb told me Tuesday after a practice session. "It's something I'd prepared for my whole life, so it didn't catch me by surprise."

Kolb almost seems amused that everyone's so curious to find out what's changed in his life. He's had to ask his dad to back off on a growing number of interview requests, joking, "We're giving away the family secrets." But for the most part, he's trying to keep things as normal as possible. In his past couple of seasons with the Eagles, McNabb's weekly news conferences became events. He cut off most media access -- unless you counted sporadic blog entries. So far with Kolb, the Eagles' P.R. staff is treating him like any other player. He'll be at his locker on a daily basis if anyone needs him, which is a completely different approach than, say, the Cowboys take with Tony Romo.

Not that Kolb's naive to the fact that he's playing in a market where every aspect of his game will be analyzed. Recently, the Philadelphia Inquirer observed Kolb's demeanor in practice and produced a story comparing his body language to McNabb's. I don't think Kolb can do anything to truly prepare himself for the scrutiny he's about to face, but he's taking steps in that direction. He has reached out to quarterbacks Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers to set up conversations over the next few weeks.

"With Brees, I want to know about the structure of his week and his overall preparation," said Kolb. "In my first two starts, I wanted to be totally prepared, but I also didn't want to overdo it."

It's pretty obvious what Kolb wants to discuss with Rodgers, the quarterback who replaced the iconic Brett Favre in Green Bay. He's a bit concerned, though, that Rodgers might not be that forthcoming because the Eagles open the regular season with the Packers in September. With Brees, Kolb sees a kindred spirit who also played high school football in Texas. Brees is one of the most accurate passers in the league, and the Eagles believe that's Kolb's best trait.

"I think Drew was in the limelight probably more than he wanted to be," Kolb said. "I want to talk to him about how he stays so focused while balancing so many other responsibilities."

It's interesting to me that one of the criticisms of Ben Roethlisberger has been his unwillingness to listen to advice from former Steelers such as Terry Bradshaw. It seems that Kolb's reaching out to those who have played the position in Philly. He knows Ron Jaworski, and he's called him for advice since being named the starter.

But at the end of the day, Kolb seems to understand that the most important thing is to stick with what got him here. For instance, he knows that Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg prefers that his quarterbacks don't show much emotion. And while he respects that, it hasn't kept him from showing disgust when something goes wrong in practice.

"I just want guys to mentally respond to me when we're in battles," said Kolb. "[Mornhinweg's] big deal is that when things are going wrong during a game, he doesn't want everyone to see you getting frustrated. I don't do that. But when you make a bad play, I think it's OK for the guys to see that I'm upset about it."

Here's Reid's take: "He forgets the last play but he's going to beat himself up over [mistakes]. That's OK, that'll make him good. He's got drive. He is put in a position with great expectations. As long as your expectations are greater than those around you, that's a good thing. He puts pressure on himself and there's nothing wrong with that. You need to be able to do that at that position."

Some folks in the organization scoff at the idea that the Eagles are involved in some sort of rebuilding process, but Kolb almost seems to embrace that line of thinking.

"We're suddenly the underdog," he said. "And who doesn't like being the underdog? With the talent we have, there are so many possibilities. But if folks want to believe otherwise, that's fine."

Knowing that Eagles fans might be a bit concerned that Kolb grew up in Cowboys country, I asked him whether he'd worked up any "hatred" toward Dallas.

"Oh yeah, definitely," he said. "I liked them a little bit growing up, but my first love of an NFL team was the Eagles. I was so involved with my Dad's teams growing up that I was up at the fieldhouse on Sundays, and didn't have a chance to watch a lot of games. So I promise you I bleed green at this point. There should be no concern about my past."

Soothing words to all Eagles fans, I'm sure.

» NFC On the Radar: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A player, coach or issue that should be on your radar as training camp approaches.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm anxious to see how Mike Shanahan divides carries among his stable of former star running backs. Shanahan surrounds himself with running backs the way Jon Gruden used to do with quarterbacks. He believes there's strength in numbers and he's left no stone unturned when it comes to backs whose careers peaked in 2006.

As we discussed on the blog this morning, the Redskins have now made an offer to former Eagles star Brian Westbrook. Shanahan has even lobbied Westbrook's younger brother, Byron, who plays cornerback for the Skins. In my mind, Westbrook would have a highly specialized role in the Redskins' offense. Coming off a year in which he had two concussions in a short period of time, there's no way Westbrook can have more than seven or eight carries per game. He'd be used as a third-down back and the Redskins would try to get him matched up one-on-one with linebackers.

If Westbrook signs with the Redskins, either Larry Johnson or Willie Parker would be the odd man out. It would be silly to keep all four players active. It's not like any of them can help you on special teams. Are you going to ask Parker to run down on kickoffs? From the folks I've talked to at Redskins Park, Parker probably would be the first player to go. He has not looked all that explosive in practice sessions, but obviously we have a long way to go.

Given Shanahan's success in Denver, we've come to believe that any back can have success in his zone-blocking scheme. But that wasn't the case his last couple of seasons with the Broncos. Denver had a ton of injuries and the Mike Andersons and Olandis Garys of the world stopped showing up out of nowhere. Just because the Redskins' running backs have recognizable names doesn't mean they'll automatically put up big numbers in Kyle Shanahan's offense.

Johnson's at his best when running downhill. But Washington's offense will require him to be patient and wait for cutback lanes to develop. He's never seemed like a good fit in this offense to me -- even if he still had his '06 legs.

Quarterback Donovan McNabb is convinced that finally having a consistent running game will allow him to have more success. But I don't see anyone in this backfield who would scare an opponent. Is anyone worried that Clinton Portis or Johnson will take it to the house from midfield?

I'm curious to hear what Redskins fans think of this rotation. You guys think there's room for Westbrook?

Let's take a quick look around the division this morning:

Cowboys

• Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com has the latest on the Patrick Crayton saga.

• Jan Hubbard of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram discusses Jerry Jones' "no comment" on Patrick Crayton.

• Jones said that Tony Romo's "light years" ahead of where he was at this time two years ago.

• Todd Archer thinks we should hold off on Dez Bryant's Ring of Honor induction until at least the next minicamp.

Eagles

• Former Eagles player Todd Pinkston knows what Marlin Jackson's going through.

• Reuben Frank has more on the Dawkins Curse.

• Stewart Bradley tweaked his calf in practice Wednesday.

Giants

• The Great Dayne is going through a rough time right now.

• I promise to never call it the "New York Super Bowl" -- if you guys will stop writing these columns.

Redskins

• Slowly but surely, players are catching on to the Shanahan way.

• Rick Maese and Barry Svrluga have the latest on Brian Westbrook's recruitment in Washington.

Dallas Cowboys

Wide receiver Roy Williams says he's determined to turn around his career in Dallas. The Cowboys would like Williams to "play a little lower" this season.

Undersized free safety Alan Ball could be a liability against the run on most defenses, but the strength of Dallas' front seven makes that less of a concern.

New York Giants

Defensive end Justin Tuck said his shoulder is "improving just about every day" and that he expects to be ready to go for training camp.

A bid to bring the Super Bowl to New Meadowlands Stadium in 2014 is among the front-runners along with Tampa and Miami. NFL owners will decide the venue on May 25.

Philadelphia Eagles

Rookie Nate Allen has a chance at winning the starting free safety position.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said the Eagles can't make the playoffs this season and that he'd root for the Donovan McNabb-led Redskins if they make the playoffs.

Washington Redskins

According to a report in the Washington Post, receiver Santana Moss received human growth hormone from Anthony Galea, the Canadian doctor who is charged with providing illegal drugs to professional players.

Mike Shanahan said the team is still considering signing former Eagles running back Brian Westbrook.

Let's take a quick look at what's going on around the division.

Cowboys

• Tony Romo shot at 72 on the golf course and then shared his thoughts on Doug Free.
• Romo's looking forward to playing with Dez Bryant, writes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News.
• So what did the Chicago Bears make of Jerry Jones' draft-board photo?
• How are the luxury townhouses around Cowboys Stadium doing? Jeff Mosier of the Dallas Morning News has the latest.
• Nick Eatman of Dallascowboys.com has the latest on the safety situation.
• Alex Barron will make $2.73 million next season, according to DallasNews.com general columnist Todd Archer.

Eagles

• Paul Domowitch says that yards after catch (YAC) will be a big deal with Kevin Kolb at quarterback. Take a peek at what Jeremy Maclin says about YAC.
• Les Bowen takes a look at the Cowboys' draft board from an Eagles perspective.
• John Gonzalez of the Inquirer says Donovan McNabb's response to DeSean Jackson reminded him of an Otis Redding song, "Mr. Pitiful."
• DeSean Jackson tells ESPN that he doesn't have a problem with McNabb.

Giants

• Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News talks about Danny Clark and C.C. Brown finding new homes.
• The Giants' 2014 Super Bowl bid becomes official today.
• Very interesting story from Mike Garafolo on a Barry Cofield trade that nearly happened with the Saints.

Redskins

• Rick Maese and Jason Reid from the Post discuss Brian Westbrook's visit to Redskins Park.
• Barry Svrluga of the Post reports that Adam Carriker is hoping for a fresh start.
• Lindsay Czarniak from NBC 4 in DC sits down with Skins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett to discuss the 3-4.

"Just the unknown of where you’re coming from, who’s blitzing, who’s not blitzing," Haslett said of the 3-4. "You can just do so many things out of it that you can’t do out of a four-man line. Now, if you got great four-man line people, then you play that. There’s no reason you can’t go 3-4, 4-3. I’ve played in both, coached in both, been successful in both. I think its just the type of players you have. I think the cornerstone of the team on defense is Brian Orakpo. He had 11 sacks last year, rushed 200 some times. In this defense, we’ll rush 600-700 times."

And there's your quote of the day. Thanks to the excellent Redskins blogger Matt Terl for tipping us off to Czarniak's post.