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Good morning to ya. Special shout-out to the Giants and Cowboys fans, and a promise that I haven't forgotten you and will be doing "Observation Deck" for your teams' Thursday night game at some point today. Problem was, all four NFC East games were on at the same time and I haven't had time to watch them all yet. The posts on the Redskins and the Eagles are up, though, if you feel like doing some scouting.

If not, we have links.

Dallas Cowboys

Jerry Jones said after Thursday's game that undrafted running back Phillip Tanner will be on the team. Tanner looked great all preseason and earned a spot. The question is what this means for the Cowboys at running back. Is there a chance Tashard Choice gets traded, or even cut? Or do they go with four tailbacks -- Felix Jones, DeMarco Murray, Choice and Tanner? Jones' comments made it sound as though they were expecting to carry all four, but he didn't commit to that and some things could still need to be sorted out there.

Really crummy break for receiver Raymond Radway, who broke his leg going up for the ball with three seconds left in the final preseason game. I don't know if Radway would have made the team or not, but he showed some things early in the preseason, and it's a shame to see a guy suffer that level of injury on a play as completely meaningless as that one.

New York Giants

And speaking of crummy breaks, what an awful thing to have happen to Giants linebacker Clint Sintim, who was coming off a torn ACL in his right knee and may have torn it again Thursday night. At the very least, Tom Coughlin said, Sintim has a torn patella tendon and is out for the year. This is just the latest in a string of significant injuries to the Giants' defense this preseason and it obviously hurts their depth at linebacker, where they didn't have a lot to begin with. But mainly, you really feel for Sintim, who was apparently pretty emotional about it in the locker room after the game.

Undrafted linebacker Mark Herzlich picked up a sack and has impressed the Giants' coaching staff this preseason. He's not a sure thing, but he's certainly got a very good chance of making the final roster and could even be helped by the Sintim injury, though his most likely contribution is more likely to be on special teams.

Philadelphia Eagles

Andy Reid continues to express confidence in rookie kicker Alex Henery, who didn't have the greatest night Thursday. I don't imagine the Eagles will go out and look for a veteran kicker at this point, partly because the Cowboys seem to have signed them all anyway, but also because they're kind of all-in with Henery after releasing David Akers to make room for the rookie.

Danny Watkins talked his way into Thursday night's lineup and looked... like a rookie, again, writes Jeff McLane. This is what the Eagles have at starting right guard heading into this season -- a guy who's still learning, getting better and making mistakes along the way.

Washington Redskins

Jason Reid says John Beck has all the votes he needs to be the Redskins' starting quarterback. Basically, Jason says, the only vote that counts is Mike Shanahan's. And Jason has wisely been reading this thing correctly all along. Shanahan wanted Beck to show he wouldn't be a complete mess if he got the job. Surely, in spite of Thursday's downer, Beck has shown that. They like his speed, his athleticism, his quick release and the decision-making ability he's shown. Lots of people watched Thursday and thought Rex Grossman had won the job already. I still think it's Beck, and has been Beck all along.

Oh, and earlier Thursday, the Redskins announced plans for a new indoor practice facility that will keep them from having to scrounge for a college facility or some other place to use when the weather prevents them from practicing outdoors, as it did four times last year. This is a nifty new 20th-century notion for the Skins. I hear they're also planning to put more than one bar on the face masks this year...

OK, back to watching these awful final preseason games. I do this for you guys, you know, because I love you. And for no other reason.

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Readiness factor: The Eagles held a series of player-organized workouts throughout the summer, but quarterback Michael Vick was only there for a couple of days' worth, opting most of the time to work out on his own. They have a new defensive coordinator in Juan Castillo (who was their offensive line coach) and a new defensive line coach in Jim Washburn, so there are likely to be new aspects of the defense they'll have to learn quickly once the coaches can get their hands on them.

Biggest challenge: Constructing that defense. The Eagles need a new cornerback to play alongside Asante Samuel, and they'll probably aim high and try to get Nnamdi Asomugha. It appears as though they're ready to let Quintin Mikell walk, since they appear to think rookie Jaiquawn Jarrett is ready to start right away opposite Nate Allen. But they could add a veteran there to work with the young guys or in case Allen's not fully healthy. They also need to figure out the linebacker situation around potential free agent Stewart Bradley. And Washburn will lobby to add a pass-rushing end and maybe another piece or two along the line. Before the Eagles can set about installing anything new on defense, they'll need to know who the players are who'll be responsible for putting the plans into action.

Vick's backup: The Eagles' first order of post-lockout business is expected to be the trade of backup quarterback Kevin Kolb. Assuming they can get the return for Kolb that most people seem to believe they can (a first-rounder plus, or maybe an established cornerback or linebacker), they'll ship him out of town to Arizona or Seattle or whichever team comes with the best offer. But after that, they'll need to find a veteran quarterback to sit behind Vick and step in if and when the starter gets hurt. Vick has never played a full 16-game season, and his style lends itself to potential injury. And while they like Mike Kafka long-term, he's probably not as ready as Kolb would be to step in and win a game if Vick can't go. Look for the Eagles to explore several possibilities for this role, including the Titans' Vince Young, who might be a perfect fit.

Key players without contracts for 2011: K David Akers, LB Stewart Bradley, G Nick Cole, RB Jerome Harrison, CB Ellis Hobbs, LB Akeem Jordan, S Quintin Mikell, P Sav Rocca, LB Ernie Sims

I asked, and the consensus answer was something like, "Sure, why not?" And so we conclude our position-by-position series on potential four-year free agency and the NFC East with a look at kickers and punters. Yeah, even with content hard to come by these days, I couldn't justify splitting them into two posts.

NFC East teams in need

Cowboys: They're set at punter with Mat McBriar, but while they're obviously invested in kicker David Buehler, they brought in veteran Kris Brown to see if they could put some pressure on Buehler to be better. The new kickoff rules could make Buehler's saving grace -- his ability to drill touchbacks on kickoffs -- less valuable than it used to be, which means making field goals is the only way he's going to keep his job. If he flops badly, it's possible Dallas looks at someone on this list since Brown likely isn't the answer either.

Giants: Set at kicker with Lawrence Tynes, and committed to Matt Dodge at punter but you wonder for how long. Following Jeff Feagles was never going to be an easy assignment, but as big as Dodge's leg is, his directional gaffes last year were too much for the Giants and their fans to stomach. Not kicking the ball out of bounds against DeSean Jackson and the Eagles in that Meadowlands game wasn't the first mistake -- just the worst and least forgettable. Dodge is likely to start the season with the job, but the Giants might want to keep their eye on this list in case they need to make a midseason move.

Eagles: Situation very much in flux in Philly, where they drafted kicker Alex Henery, likely signaling the end of the Eagles career of the great David Akers. Punter Sav Rocca, is also a free agent and could decide to retire rather than punt again at the age of 38. Bet on the Eagles going with Henery at kicker and bringing back Rocca on a one-year deal, but if Rocca won't have it, they'll need to go shopping.

Redskins: Well, they have guys at both spots. But Graham Gano is coming off a bad year as the kicker, and they could theoretically look to replace him. They have two punters on the roster -- Josh Bidwell and Sam Paulescu -- so they should be able to come up with something out of that.

Top five potential free-agent kickers

1. Adam Vinatieri, Colts

2. Ryan Longwell, Vikings

3. Akers

4. Matt Bryant, Falcons

5. Shayne Graham, Patriots

Top five potential free-agent punters

1. Adam Podlesh, Jaguars

2. Ben Graham, Cardinals

3. Steve Weatherford, Jets

4. Rocca

5. Michael Koenen, Falcons

Predictions that mean nothing: At least three of these teams will change kickers and/or punters between now and the end of the 2011 season, but I'm not saying which because kickers and punters are totally unpredictable. Akers leaves the division, though, I predict, though Dallas fans might wish their team would snag him.

Our weekly chat was affected but not eliminated by the technical issues that plagued our site Tuesday. We still managed an hour of questions and answers, and some of them came out all right. Here are some highlights.

Mike from Statesboro, Ga. wondered if signing free-agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha would hurt the Eagles' chances of effectively addressing their other defensive needs, including defensive end: "Basically, do you think the Birds are putting all their eggs into Nnamdi's basket?"

Dan Graziano: "No, but I think they would do better to sign Nnamdi and get a second-line guy for defensive end than to sign the best DE and get a second-line CB. For instance, if you can get Nnamdi and, say, Andre Carter, isn't that better than spending a bunch of money on Jason Babin and having to settle for a cornerback who's not as good as Nnamdi?"

Dan from Harrisburg, Pa. asked if I really believe "Dan Snyder would give Shanahan a whole year to toy around with Grossman and unproven Beck knowing the draft could be good next year or are they actually planning on going after somebody like Hasselbeck?"

DG: "This comes up a lot. I think, if the Redskins don't see a better long-term option than Beck right now, it makes sense to see what he can do knowing there are going to be better long-term options available in next year's draft. Now, some people say that means "tanking" the season for a good draft pick. That's not what I'm advocating, nor is it what I think the Redskins will do. But why commit resources (and maybe years) to Hasselbeck when you know you need a long-term answer and might need those resources to secure it in 2012?"

Ricky Ross from Scottsdale, Ariz. wanted to know if the Cowboys might bring in David Akers to push David Buehler for the kicker job, since he doesn't think Kris Brown is the answer either.

DG: "I think they brought in Brown to push Buehler, motivate him to be better. If that doesn't work, you may be right that they look for a better upgrade than Brown."

Ryne from Peekskill, NY wondered whether recent Giants draft picks Linval Joseph and Marvin Austin, both defensive tackles, will be "rocks in the middle or high round busts?"

DG: "It takes time to develop at that position in the NFL, so it's far too early to know. But I'll say that those guys are in a great position, playing as they do for a team that provides a good environment for growth and development of defensive linemen."

Thanks to all who hung with us through the technical difficulties. We'll be back next week and, as Mike & Mike say, better than ever.

One of the offseason's weirdest moves (back when there was an offseason) was the Eagles' decision to take their offensive line coach, Juan Castillo, and make him their new defensive coordinator. The jobs do not appear to be similar, and there was likely a long line of very qualified, very experienced defensive coaches that had to be turned away. But "coaches coach," as coaches say, and Castillo's an Andy Reid guy who's going to be on Andy Reid's staff somewhere. They decided they'd rather bring in new line coaches than a new coordinator, so Castillo got shuffled over to the other side of the ball and handed a lot more responsibility and pressure.

Because of this, one of our most popular questions here on the blog is how different Castillo's defense will be than that of his predecessor, Sean McDermott. I have no idea, since I was not consulted on the move. But the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane sat down with Castillo recently to try to get some idea for himself.

McLane's biggest conclusion seems to be that Castillo plans to blitz less than "mad scientist" (Jeff's words, not mine) McDermott did. It seems as if Castillo and Reid will be counting on new defensive line coach Jim Washburn, who was known as the best in the business while in Tennessee, to generate a pass rush with the front four. That makes you wonder if the new defense will be as focused on forcing turnovers as McDermott was, or if it'll be more focused on ... you know ... stopping other teams from gaining yards. I personally think it would do well to try the stopping thing, but we'll see. At least I think we will. Right now, Castillo has no players to work with. Fortunately, we're doing better than that, because we have ... links!

More Eagles

David Akers tells CSN Philly that he thinks it's time to get a labor deal done. Akers said he's called NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and told him as much. I can't imagine Smith is enjoying Akers' public rhetoric, since it conflicts with the current litigation strategy that has yet to play out. And the fact that Akers' comments seem clearly rooted in a selfish desire to figure out where he's going to play next year bodes ill for the players' side. If they're going to start demanding a shift in strategy before the court cases are all heard, then they're setting up to give the owners what they want -- a cracked, broken group of players that will take any deal just to get back on the field.

Washington Redskins

Speaking of De Smith, he apparently ducked out of his D.C. office Tuesday and went to watch 41 Redskins players work out together at a Virginia high school. London Fletcher worked out the defensive players. John Beck and Rex Grossman worked out the offensive players. There's a story in here about how Beck called Roy Helu after Helu was drafted. I marvel at the idea that either guy knew who the other was.

While there, the Washington Times reports, Smith updated players on the state of the lockout and the significance of the pending court cases.

New York Giants

Big Blue View talked to Brian Witherspoon, who's trying to hang on to the back end of the Giants' roster as a return specialist. Interesting look at the case of a guy just trying to scrape out a living in pro football without anybody really paying much attention.

Former running back Mickey Kobrosky, who played for the Giants in 1937 and scored a touchdown playing against them in an exhibition game while at Trinity College, is being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In other news, for some reason it's been especially tough to find Giants links over the past couple of weeks. I'm taking suggestions.

Dallas Cowboys

Jean-Jacques Taylor offers a "hand clap" for Jerry Jones for his refusal to cut pay of coaches and other employees during the lockout, and rightfully takes other owners to task for doing so at a time when no team has yet lost any money. We've hit this angle a few times here, and the Cowboys aren't the only team doing this. They're just, sadly, part of the minority.

Blogging the Boys is trying to delve into the "Right Kind of Guys" concept Jason Garrett used to explain the team's draft philosophy last month. Having watched last year's Cowboys, I'm thinking "Guys Who Can Tackle" would have been a good way to go, too, but whatever works.

All right, that should get you started. I'm going to go see if I can remember where I put my sunglasses two weeks ago. Be back later, of course.

Dallas Cowboys

Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware received $6.8 million from the Cowboys on March 15, three days after the owners locked out the players, as part of deferred payments owed to him. Ware is the only player to receive a paycheck from the team during the lockout.

In an interview with KESN-FM 103.3, third-round pick DeMarco Murray dismissed the notion that he's injury prone.

New York Giants

Marvin Austin's former coaches insist the Giants' second-round pick is a good person despite making a big mistake that led to his dismissal from the Tar Heels' football program.

Mocking The Draft takes a look back at the Giants' last five first-round picks.

Philadelphia Eagles

Running back LeSean McCoy said he has been working out, mainly in Miami, under the direction of a trainer affiliated with his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

The Times of Trenton's Mark Eckel thinks David Akers' next home could be within NFC East, since "Dallas and Washington are both looking to upgrade their kicking game and the Giants are known to have people in the organization who really like Akers."

Washington Redskins

Rush Limbaugh defended Donovan McNabb in addressing comments boxer Bernard Hopkins made about the quarterback's upbringing. Limbaugh said McNabb "cannot catch a break."

National Football Authority's Bear Heiser delves into why Mike Shanahan supports John Beck, writing "the failed McNabb experiment has [Shanahan's] ego making most of the decisions at this point."

Dallas Cowboys

Pro Football Focus recently ranked the top 101 players in the NFL; Jason Witten was ranked No. 11 and DeMarcus Ware was 16th. Did Witten have the better season in 2010 than Ware? ESPNDallas.com's Calvin Watkins explores.

The team's website takes a look at how linebacker Bradie James fits with the Cowboys' plans in 2011.

New York Giants

Nine players -- including Kevin Boss, Dave Diehl and Mark Clayton -- attended a passing camp organized by Eli Manning Tuesday.

Barry Cofield said he thinks his time with the Giants is probably up. "I want my fair chance to go out there and secure my future," Cofield said.

Philadelphia Eagles

NFL.com's writers predicted where Kevin Kolb will be playing in 2011.

David Akers has failed to come to grips with the expendability of kickers in the NFL, writes Vic Carucci.

If Seattle re-signs Matt Hasselbeck, that leaves Arizona as the most likely trade destination for Kolb.

Washington Redskins

Albert Haynesworth entered a plea of not guilty in his sexual abuse case.

The Skins picking John Beck over retaining Donovan McNabb makes some sense, writes NFL.com's Jason La Canfora.

The Washington Post's Mike Jones analyzes the offensive line and defensive line.

Dallas Cowboys

During the lockout, Tony Romo has made it clear where his priorities are.

Cowboys veterans are stepping up in the leadership department during offseason workouts.

New York Giants

Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com breaks out the Giants players who could be free agents once a new collective bargaining agreement is in place.

Giants.com's John Schmeelk and Michael Eisen look back on New York's draft in Part 1 of this three-part series.

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles kicker David Akers on his future with the team: "Right now, I don't think I'm going to be back. It's pretty much that when you see a kicker drafted high. The writing's on the wall."

Washington Redskins

Mike Jones' roster analysis continues with a breakdown of Washington's linebackers.

A look at how the Redskins are getting younger, particularly on offense.

Dallas Cowboys

About 40 players got together on Tuesday for the first team workouts since the lockout began.

Quarterback Tony Romo was pleased with the turnout for the workouts. Romo: "I think as we continue to do this going forward, it will help us improve tremendously this offseason. Any competitive advantage we will be able to obtain, that's why we're out there doing the things we're doing."

New York Giants

Quarterback Eli Manning was part of a small group of players working out together Tuesday at a New Jersey high school.

Philadelphia Eagles

General manager Howie Roseman said the Eagles had their eye on Baylor offensive lineman Danny Watkins for a long time.

Coach Andy Reid touched on a variety of topics in a radio interview on Tuesday, including the future of quarterback Kevin Kolb and kicker David Akers.

Washington Redskins

Wide receiver Leonard Hankerson, drafted in the third round of last week's draft, comes with a lofty opinion of himself.

By drafting a pair of running backs, the Redskins created some intrigue in their offensive backfield.

Dallas Cowboys

Coach Jason Garrett on the players the Cowboys picked in the draft: "You want guys who love to play football and show you they do each and every day. Passion, enthusiasm, emotion -- all of those things come into that. It's one thing to talk that, but you need to see that. I think if you look at these eight guys that we chose in this draft in the last three days, each of these guys have those traits."

Jerry Jones said the Cowboys had a chance to trade their first-round draft pick.

New York Giants

ESPNNewYork.com's Ohm Youngmisuk offers his grades on the Giants' draft class.

Because of the lockout, the Giants' plans for filling their remaining holes are on hold.

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles offensive line coach Howard Mudd is excited about the opportunity to work with Danny Watkins.

By drafting Nebraska's Alex Henery, the Eagles more or less signaled the end to the David Akers era in Philadelphia.

Washington Redskins

Is the Redskins' 2011 starting quarterback already on the roster?

Dan Daly of The Washington Times: "Wheeling and dealing from the opening bell, Mike Shanahan turned eight picks into 12 and infused an aging club with youth -- assuming, that is, some of these kids can play."

Dallas Cowboys

ESPNDallas.com continues its Draft Watch series by taking a look at Wisconsin offensive tackle Gabe Carimi.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett believes the Cowboys should have an open competition at quarterback between Tony Romo and Jon Kitna.

The Dallas Morning News' Jean-Jacques Taylor believes Cowboys coach Jason Garrett will get at least three years to prove himself to Jerry Jones.

New York Giants

Giants CEO John Mara's request to be taken off a jury for a hearing on a drug trial was denied. He will be a fourth alternate.

Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com takes a look at the Giants draft needs, focusing on wide receiver.

Zach Berman of The Star-Ledger writes the Giants backfield is one of the many remaining questions for New York.

Giants guard Rich Seubert isn't too worried with this lockout business for now, reports Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

Philadelphia Eagles

Now responsible for his own health insurance payments, Eagles kicker David Akers is paying a steep $2,400 a month, reports Philly.com's Ashley Fox.

Philly.com's Jeff McLane wonders: Is the Eagles' defense too small?

Washington Redskins

Eric Rivera Jr., who is accused of shooting and killing former Redskins star Sean Taylor, wants the media barred from a key hearing.

It's "business as usual" for Redskins season ticket holders if they want to keep their seats. They have until May 1 to pay up.

A fence in front of Donovan McNabb's Washington-area home was destroyed by a hit-and-run driver on Saturday night, reports USA Today's Sean Leahy.

Dallas Cowboys

Jean-Jacques Taylor of The Dallas Morning News shares his thoughts on why Alabama running back Mark Ingram won't end up with the Cowboys.

Cowboys coaches met with players on Wednesday in an effort to get on the same page in advance of the looming lockout.

New York Giants

Domenik Hixon has reached an agreement on a new deal with the Giants.

Wide receiver Steve Smith is hopeful he'll be rewarded with a new contract.

Philadelphia Eagles

Michael Vick's creditors could be among the big winners as a result of the quarterback signing the franchise tender, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter.

David Akers' agent says the kicker has no plans on signing the transition tender that was placed on him last month.

Washington Redskins

Even at the age of 70, former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs is showing no signs of slowing down.

Love him or loathe him, there's no denying that recently released running back Clinton Portis left a mark on the team.

We all knew the Philadelphia Eagles intended to place their franchise tag on quarterback Michael Vick, but using their transition tag on kicker David Akers came as a surprise. And not the pleasant kind, if your last name is Akers.

His agent, Jerrold Colton, told the Daily News' Les Bowen that receiving the tag came as "a surprise and a disappointment." Some of you might be wondering what a "transition tag" is, and I don't blame you. The Eagles haven't used one since 1998. As I noted this morning, the Eagles have the first right of refusal if another team makes Akers an offer. He'll receive the average salary of the top 10 players at his position, or 120 percent of his 2010 salary. Akers will receive the greater of those two options, which Bowen estimates to be about $3 million.

Colton indicated that Akers and the Eagles were far apart when they talked about a contract extension this past season. Sheil Kapadia from the Moving the Chains blog (Philly.com) has some numbers that suggest that Akers is actually getting better with age (36).

The transition tag won't preclude the Eagles and Akers from agreeing to a contract extension, but I don't sense that Reid and Howie Roseman will be rushing to get that done.

New York Giants deep snapper Zak DeOssie has been added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster by Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith. DeOssie is the fifth Giants player to make the roster, although center Shaun O'Hara won't play after undergoing foot surgery this week.

"Through my experience from the last time I went, I understand that this is the time where they choose the long snappers,” DeOssie said Thursday. “In the back of my mind, I had a one-in-16 chance at the worst. So, I figured maybe I could be getting a call, maybe not. I don’t know how it works and who it’s up to ultimately, but apparently somebody down in Atlanta saw something that they like and they extended an invitation to me, which I’m very fortunate about."

The NFC East will now have Cowboys punter Mat McBriar, Eagles kicker David Akers and DeOssie in next Sunday's game. This has to be some type of record for specialists from one division, but the Beast blog has always stayed away from Pro Bowl research projects.

PHILADELPHIA -- A few thoughts on the Eagles slinking into the offseason following a weak effort and 21-16 loss to the the Green Bay Packers:

What it means: What once looked like a special season ended with a thud against a Packers team that owned the line of scrimmage. We spent all that time wondering if the Eagles could slow down Aaron Rodgers and the passing game, but the Packers gashed them with the run. A rookie by the name of James Starks out of Buffalo embarrassed the Eagles' defense by surpassing 100 yards. That's the last thing the Eagles were worried about happening Sunday -- and it showed. There's no good spin to put on this loss for the Eagles. They went belly-up against the Minnesota Vikings two weeks ago, and they repeated the effort against the Packers.

Vick continues to struggle: The Eagles needed Michael Vick to play like he did during the first 10 weeks of the season, but that didn't happen. His final stats may look decent, but he held the ball too long at times and actually used his amazing spin move to help Clay Matthews make a sack in the first half. The Packers did a really nice job of keeping track of Vick in the open field. Safety Nick Collins made one of the most memorable plays when it appeared that Vick might escape for a first down in the third quarter. Collins closed quickly and tackled Vick short of the marker. With four minutes left in the game, Vick had trouble walking off the field. He appeared to injure his left leg again. He made a valiant effort at the end, but ended the game by throwing an interception in the end zone to Tramon Williams.

Jackson was a non factor -- until that final drive: Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson injured his left leg in the first quarter and had to go to the locker room. He returned to the game in the second half, but didn't look the same. On a fly pattern, you could tell that Jackson was having trouble getting any separation. But he did have a 28-yard catch on the Eagles' final possession.

Akers has a terrible day: If Eagles kicker David Akers has had a worse day in his career, it's not coming to mind. At least not on this type of stage. He hooked a 41-yard attempt in the first quarter and then he did the same thing on a 34-yarder in the fourth quarter. The Eagles could've been lining up a game-winning field goal at the end had Akers done his job.