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The latest team being mentioned as interested in acquiring Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel are the Atlanta Falcons, per Adam Schefter, who also reports that the Denver Broncos have dropped out of the running. It seems fair to say that the Eagles' market for Samuel is not expanding, but they don't really need it to. They just need one team interested enough to offer what they want -- a Day 3 draft pick -- in exchange for Samuel, and they need that team to be interesting enough to Samuel that he's willing to restructure his contract in order to facilitate the trade.

It has been reported in Philadelphia that Samuel would be willing to restructure in order to get a trade done, but to this point that has not happened. The Eagles would obviously like to trade Samuel sometime between now and the end of the draft Saturday (otherwise they obviously won't be able to get a 2012 pick for him), and today being Tuesday, the timetable does start to get a bit compressed.

So, what of Atlanta as a suitor? Surely, this is a team for which a player wouldn't mind playing. They are coming off of two straight playoff appearances and by all appearances should be a contender again this coming season. But with Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson already there, would Samuel be leaving one crowded cornerback situation for another? And if so, would that upset him enough to give them enough of a problem about the contract to scuttle a deal?

It's also worth raising a question here about Atlanta's motivation. The report came out this morning that they were interested in Samuel, and then a few hours later Grimes signed his franchise tender. That could be a coincidence, or it could be that the interest in Samuel was a ploy by the Falcons to get Grimes' situation settled as the offseason program begins?

Much intrigue still swirls around this situation, as it seems to swirl around every situation this time of year. I still think Samuel gets dealt by Saturday night, but I'd only be guessing if I predicted to which team.

There is a report from the Denver Post that the Broncos are interested in Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel but haven't been able to strike a deal. And within Mike Klis' report is a key detail that helps answer the many questions I'm getting that go something like, "Why can't they get more than a fifth-round pick for Samuel?"

Samuel has two years left on his contract — $10 million, counting a $100,000 offseason workout bonus this season, and $11.5 million, counting the $100,000 workout bonus in 2013.

None of that money is guaranteed, so the expectation is Samuel would have to alter his contract for a trade to be done.

And there's the problem. Sure, if Samuel were 25 years old and signed to a reasonable contract, the Eagles could get a lot more for him than a fourth-round pick or a fifth-round pick. But if those things were true, they wouldn't be trying to trade him. The reasons the Eagles are trying to get rid of Samuel are the same reasons teams aren't lining up to trade good players and/or high picks in return.

Samuel is a very good cornerback and likely to help whatever team he's on in 2012. Teams that need cornerback help would happily give up something of value to get a corner of Samuel's ability. But to give up something of value and pay him what he's got left on his contract is a much tougher commitment to make. And that's why the Eagles aren't likely to get much in return when and if they deal Samuel between now and the end of the draft.

That's also what gives Samuel a little bit of leverage over whether he gets dealt or even where he ends up. If he lets it be known that he's willing to restructure his deal, he'll be more attractive to teams. But the trick is to find a way to let an interested team know that without risking a violation of tampering rules by said team. The Eagles could technically go to Samuel said say, "We have a deal to send you to Team X, but they want you to restructure. Will you do it so we can make the trade?" And he could technically tell them to pound sand, in which case they'd have to take less to trade him. But Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported last month that Samuel would be willing to restructure if dealt.

The Eagles can wait. With six days left until the draft and teams obviously interested in the player, they have no reason to jump if they're not getting a deal they consider worth it. In the end, though, I believe they'll end up taking whatever the best deal ends up being, and leaving Samuel's contract as some other team's problem.

Mike Heimerdinger, the former offensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Tennessee Titans, has died of cancer at the age of 58. As Bill Williamson writes on his AFC West blog, Heimerdinger was a critical part of the success that Mike Shanahan and the Denver Broncos had in winning two Super Bowls in the late 1990s. Heimerdinger and Shanahan were also college roommates and remained close friends throughout their coaching careers.

"We lost a very special person and my best friend in Mike Heimerdinger," Shanahan said in a statement released by the Redskins on Saturday. "I know the man upstairs needed a superstar so he took him earlier than we all wanted. His love for his family was unprecedented and I will forever miss him."

A sad day for the NFL and for Shanahan. I did not have the pleasure of knowing Mike Heimerdinger, but it is clear from the reaction to today's news that he touched a great many people and will be missed. All the best to those who knew and loved him.

I'm not sure if there are fans out there who care whether or not their teams actually win preseason games. But if you're a Dallas Cowboys fan and you do, then the ending of Thursday night's preseason opener was fun. Stephen McGee's touchdown pass to Dwayne Harris in the final minute, and the two-point conversion play that followed to give the Cowboys a 24-23 exhibition victory over the Denver Broncos, provided decent (if meaningless) theater for fans happy to have football back after so long.

Of course, if you're enough of a fan to care about the final score, you almost certainly care even more about the stuff that was going on hours earlier, when the first-teamers were in the game. Here's what I saw from the Cowboys in their first preseason game:

1. The defense is a work in progress, and appears to know it. They've had just two weeks, since the lockout ended, to learn and adjust to Rob Ryan's new scheme. They are still learning. Especially in the secondary, there were lots of times early on where guys were looking around or at each other after the play as if they were trying to figure out what should have happened. The safeties got caught looking into the backfield at critical times. They did a fine job on the goal line in the first quarter, holding the Broncos to a field goal after Kyle Orton had marched down the field somewhat easily, and they got some nice pressure from defensive ends Marcus Spears and Jason Hatcher. But overall, this looked like a defense that's still learning. And that's fine. No one would have expected them to know Ryan's scheme already. He's keeping things simple, withholding the kinds of complicated blitzes and fake-out looks we'll surely see from him as his players get more comfortable with their assignments. These preseason games will be part of the learning process for a defense that will surely look better one, two and three months hence than it does now, and the Cowboys should not be judged on their inability to stop Orton or Tim Tebow on this particular night.

2. Tyron Smith is talented. The Cowboys' first-round draft pick failed to pick up a safety blitz, and that led to a sack. But overall, he held his own against the Broncos' line. What I liked best may have been the fact that, after almost every play, you could see Smith talking to Kyle Kosier as they walked back to the huddle. Moving the veteran Kosier to the right side to play next to the rookie Smith was a sharp idea, and as Smith also uses these games as learning opportunities, he'll benefit from proximity to the Cowboys' brainy guard.

3. More Victor Butler, please. If they don't think they can snap Anthony Spencer back into his late-2009 form, why not use Butler as a pass-rusher on the side opposite DeMarcus Ware? All reports indicate that he's looked good in practice and has a grasp of the scheme and the playbook. He was everywhere Thursday night when he was in the game. With a new coordinator in town, it makes sense to think guys will have chances to play their way into more playing time and larger roles, and Butler could be such a guy.

4. Felix Jones looks speedy. I mean, real nice bust through the line in his first-quarter action. We didn't see Tashard Choice or DeMarco Murray tonight, and Lonyae Miller failed to impress in what was thought to be his big chance. But Jones looked like a guy who wants to be a full-time starting running back in the league and has the tools to make it happen. Time will tell if this is the year, whether he'll have the opportunity to do so and how much he'll rotate with Choice and Murray. But Jones was fun to watch Thursday.

5. How about Dwayne Harris? There doesn't appear to be an immediate threat on the roster to Kevin Ogletree's hold on the No. 3 receiver spot. But if Ogletree struggles, there are some playmakers further down the depth chart. Harris caught two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and looked tough as he created space and outfought a defender or two for the ball in a couple of spots.

6. Of course David Buehler's field goal was good. Hey, look. As I watched it, I was sure it had missed, too. But the official is standing right there under the upright, and there's pretty much no way to miss that call. It was ugly, but it was good, and it was the only field goal either he or Dan Bailey, his competitor for the kicker job, attempted all night. Buehler made his one extra point attempt and Bailey didn't get a chance at his because of a bungled snap. Bailey handled all the kickoffs, presumably because the Cowboys have no concerns about Buehler's ability to kick the ball through the back of the end zone now that it appears almost everyone can. No blood drawn, it would seem, in the kicker competition Thursday.

7. Stephen McGee. No idea what to make of it, since he was playing with and against backups, but the young man played some very nice football in this game and deserves to be recognized for that. At the very least, he provides potential fodder for the nuts who think Tony Romo should be replaced if the Cowboys don't win the Super Bowl. And that's good. Got to keep the nuts happy.

New this morning from Mike Klis of the Denver Post, who reports that the Broncos are putting Kyle Orton on the trade market. Now, you're wondering why I care, and why you, as a reader of the NFC East blog, should care. Are the Redskins going to go after Orton? Likely not. We've already established that the Redskins' 2011 quarterback plan is to see what John Beck's got while conserving resources in case he's a bust and they need to maneuver to draft their franchise quarterback in April.

No, the way the Orton news impacts the NFC East is in relation to the Eagles' efforts to trade Kevin Kolb. We are minutes away from the opening of the trade season, and everybody expects the Eagles to send Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals. But as we've also discussed many times, the Eagles will (and should) only move Kolb if they're getting very good value for him. The Cardinals, of course, will want to get him as cheaply as possible. And if they can convince the Eagles (whether it's true or not) that Orton is on their radar as another viable option, it will help Arizona's leverage in negotiations.

Oddly, I feel like Orton should be an option for Arizona, maybe even before Kolb is. He's had more NFL success than Kolb has, and if the Cardinals feel they're a quarterback away from winning their division in 2011, he's the better answer. But if Arizona's going to give up a first-round draft pick, or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, as part of a package for their starting quarterback, they want someone they think can be their present and their future at the position. And indications are that they think Kolb can be that.

The Eagles, meanwhile, will try and leverage the Cardinals by drumming up the idea that the Seattle Seahawks are interested in Kolb and could snatch him away from Arizona the way they did with Charlie Whitehurst when both were pursuing him last year. As long as Orton is available and Seattle needs a quarterback, each side in the Philadelphia-Arizona talks maintains its leverage. If the Broncos trade Orton to Seattle this morning, the Eagles and Cardinals could be stuck with each other.

And, of course, this could all be outdated real soon, if the Kolb deal goes down at 10:01 a.m. ET as it could. But if that happens, at least you got this 10 minutes or so of incredibly insightful analysis. Yeah, don't all rush to thank me.

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has hired longtime Broncos assistant Bobby Turner to be his associate head coach/running backs, according to the Denver Post. The Broncos initially blocked Turner's exit, according to the report, but relented when Shanahan added the title of "associate head coach."

Turner presided over one of the most successful running games in the league beginning in 1995. The Broncos pretty much introduced the phrase "system running back" with their ability to mine 1,000-yard seasons out of relatively obscure players such as Olandis Gary (fourth round), Mike Anderson (sixth round) and the great Terrell Davis (sixth round). Of course, it's worth pointing out that the Broncos haven't had an 1,000-yard rusher since 2006.

In Washington, Turner will be reunited with Clinton Portis, who surpassed 1,500 yards in each of his first two seasons with the Broncos. I'm sure both Shanahan and Turner will meet with Portis in the coming weeks to measure his desire to return from what was effectively a lost season for him in 2009. Shanahan has already alluded to the fact that a veteran back has to be willing to put in the work in the offseason, something that hasn't been one of Portis' strengths in the past.

We'll see if the presence of a former mentor can have any influence on Portis, a player who chose to criticize his teammates on the radio this past season rather than actually hang around and help them through some tough times.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

I spent a good portion of the morning looking at video that seemed to indicate that Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo thought he had another down left after he threw an incomplete pass in the end zone with 1 second left on the clock in Sunday's 17-10 loss to the Broncos. The video was captured by photographer Larry Rodriguez who shoots for the Fox affiliate in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Here's what ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon said about the play earlier today. After reviewing the footage several times, it looks like Romo must've forgotten about clocking the ball on second-and-goal from the Broncos' 2-yard line. He appeared to be trying to get his teammates to line up and then he was shown holding up three fingers to the officials as if to tell them the previous play had actually been third down.

In watching the video, you can see the moment when Romo appears to realize the mistake he's made and shouts something in frustration as he trudges off the field. On Monday, coach Wade Phillips told reporters that they'd have to ask Romo about what happened. He said everyone on the sideline knew the final pass to Hurd occurred on fourth down.

Romo isn't scheduled to talk to reporters until Wednesday or Thursday. Here's the major issue: If Romo possibly thought he had an extra down, did he unload the ball sooner than he otherwise would have? I have a hard time believing that because it seemed like everyone in the stadium pretty much thought there was only time for one more play -- no matter what down it was.

I should point out that Clarence E. Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram was first to report this story.

The Dallas Morning News' Jean-Jacques Taylor on the Cowboys loss to the Broncos.

	Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE
	Quarterback Tony Romo and the Dallas offense had no answer for the Broncos defense Sunday night.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

DENVER -- If you looked at the schedule in April and chalked up Sunday as a win for the Cowboys, at least you have company. But this team took a 17-10 loss to the Broncos in stride, perhaps because no one in charge expected anything more.

Maybe it's time we forget about the immense potential that the '07 team displayed and realize that the current Cowboys were fortunate to even stay on the field with the 4-0 Broncos. That's right, Josh McDaniels has put his team in the playoff conversation the old-fashioned way: by alienating and then trading his bonus-baby quarterback for a bus-driver with a prominent neckbeard.

Week 4 Coverage • Walker: Mendenhall mends fences in victory • Mosley: Cowboys adjust expectations • Williamson: Putting the 'D' in Denver • Graham: Brady is back • Kuharsky: Garcon, Collie producing • Seifert: Bears build swagger • Sando: Rams looking for answers • Wojciechowski: Bears give Chicago a break • Reiss: Patriots-Ravens game a classic • Watkins: Cowboys offense sputters • Clayton: Colts running away with division • Pasquarelli: Embattled Zorn adjusts • NFL Nation: Reactions | Wrap-ups | Live • MNF: Packers, Favre can bury the hatchet

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, a man who naively believed that his players would perform to the level of a $1.2 billion stadium, went completely soft after the game. To listen to him, you'd think the Cowboys ran into John Elway and the Orange Crush circa 1984.

"There's a reason they're 4-0," Jones kept repeating as he sucked on an orange. "The Broncos are better than what anybody would have thought."

Jones didn't seem one bit surprised the Cowboys would surrender a fourth-quarter lead and lose to a team from the AFC West. Judging by his reaction, the Cowboys would've uncorked champagne at Invesco Field had they been able to escape with a win. As it stands, the Cowboys are a 2-2 team in search of an identity.

In their previous two games, the Cowboys appeared to have one of the most dominant running games in the league. And on Sunday, they fed off the energy of Marion Barber, who was returning from a left quad injury. He delivered blows to Broncos defenders in the first half and then did forward rolls in celebration. Barber had 10 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown in the first half, helping the Cowboys take a 10-7 lead and wearing down the Broncos' front seven.

Then in one half, the Cowboys' offense pretended it was December (it was brisk) and pretty much fell all over itself. After touching the ball 12 times in the first half, Barber only had one carry the rest of the way. Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett indicated that Barber's injury was a concern, but the head coach and owner acted as if that was news to them.

The Cowboys only ran the ball seven times in the second half, with limited success. Through 14 quarters, Garrett had been remarkably balanced with his play calling, then for no apparent reason he abandoned the running game. It wasn't as if the Broncos were putting eight players in the box to stop the run. They brought their fair share of blitzes, but they also stayed back in coverage for most of the game in an effort to take away the deep ball.

The Broncos sacked Romo five times, but at least three of those were coverage sacks. He was 14-of-18 for 134 yards in the first half because he was simply dumping off the ball to his running backs. He made a good throw to Roy Williams on the sideline to set up the Cowboys' only touchdown, but that was the longest throw he made.

For no apparent reason, Garrett basically put the game in Romo's hands in the second half. And despite a brilliant throw to Sam Hurd for a 53-yard gain on fourth-and-3 with 1:16 left, it should've never come to that. The Cowboys had the ball at the Broncos' 17-yard line early in the second half when Romo threw a pass to the sideline that was picked off by Champ Bailey. Several people in the locker room told me that Miles Austin turned the wrong direction on the route and that it wasn't Romo's fault, but it was still a huge play.

Romo was 11-of-24 in the second half and he kept hanging his receivers out to dry. Just ask Roy Williams, who took what he called the hardest hit of his life from Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams. He returned to make a clutch catch on the Cowboys' final drive, but he was on the sideline when Romo fired two passes into the end zone from the 2-yard line. Williams would've been a nice option on a fade route. Instead, Romo threw two passes to Hurd, who was blanketed by Bailey.

The Cowboys are obviously more explosive with Felix Jones (left knee) in the lineup, but I'm not convinced Garrett would've had him in the game. We somehow deluded ourselves into thinking that the Cowboys have a lot of weapons on offense. They appear to have three talented running backs and an excellent pair of tight ends. But there's no one at wide receiver who poses a consistent threat. Nothing against Hurd, but is he really the best option on consecutive plays from the 2-yard line?

The Cowboys' defense performed admirably for most of the afternoon, but it cratered at the worst possible moment. And if you're pinning your playoff hopes on the defense holding the opponent to seven points each week, you're dreaming. After putting 31 points on the board against the Giants, the Cowboys' offense has managed a combined 24 points against the Panthers and Broncos. It was a pitiful game plan in the second half -- and the execution wasn't any better.

"We had limited opportunities [in the second half]," Garrett told me after the game. "But you have to take advantage of those opportunities."

It did look like Garrett was ready to commit to the running game early in the fourth quarter, but a holding penalty on Martellus Bennett wiped out a 17-yard run by Choice. The Cowboys would've had the ball first-and-10 at the Broncos' 44. Instead, they were forced to punt and the Broncos tied the score on their next possession.

As he loaded up on Vitamin C, Jones kept repeating the Broncos' record as if that should explain everything. I guess we should've known that the Broncos' wins over the Bengals, Browns and Raiders had placed them among the NFL's elite. Jones even attempted to attribute the loss to the Cowboys' change in philosophy.

"That's part of the plan," he said. "There's more running and less depending on the pass."

And how's that working out for you, Jerry?

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

DENVER -- The Cowboys just got the benefit of a huge pass interference penalty on Broncos cornerback Andre' Goodman. But of course they followed that up with an awful holding penalty on Martellus Bennett. The Cowboys only have six penalties, but it seems like all of them have come at horrible times. Bennett's penalty wiped out what would've been a big gain by Tashard Choice.

And if Tony Romo keeps hanging out his wide receivers, the Cowboys aren't going to have anyone left to throw to. Roy Williams barely made it off the field after taking a huge hit from D.J. Williams.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

DENVER -- You get the feeling that the Cowboys could take this game over on the ground, but they keep shooting themselves in the foot with penalties. They would've had a first down midway through the second quarter on the inside handoff to Tashard Choice but Tony Romo was called for delay of game. He was trying to call an audible and took too long.

Right now, Cowboys outside linebacker Anthony Spencer is getting exposed by the Broncos. Josh McDaniels is doing a really nice job of creating mismatches. If Kyle Orton was even decent right now, the Broncos might be in the lead. He's been wildly inaccurate -- even when he has plenty of time. And as I say that, he's starting to get in a little rhythm.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

DENVER -- If you're watching this game on TV, you can see that the Broncos are trying to move their linebackers around quite a bit before the snap. The Cowboys have been using their two-tight end offense, "12," quite a bit in this game, and it looks like the Broncos are leaving Martellus Bennett open.

And finally, a catch by a Cowboys wide receiver not named Sam Hurd. Roy Williams made a nice catch at the 2-yard line, and unlike last week, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett called two consecutive running plays near the goal line. So far, Marion Barber looks pretty strong. The Cowboys are pretty much splitting carries between Tashard Choice and Barber.

It looks like Barber's left quad is holding up pretty well. I'm watching him stretch it right now on the sideline. If Kyle Orton can't start hitting moving targets, the Broncos are in for a long afternoon.

Josh McDaniels can't panic and abandon the run. He's not running the ball on first down -- and that's really hurting this offense.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

DENVER -- The Cowboys attempted to establish the running game on their first possession -- with limited success. Marion Barber had a tough run for a first down, but that was the only thing the Cowboys accomplished. Tony Romo was blown up on the play the Broncos were called for defensive holding.

Then Elvis Dumervil got Romo for his seventh sack of the season. Early on, Dumervil's sort of free-lancing. Keep your eye on Broncos linebacker Robert Ayers. He made Flozell Adams look really, really bad on an inside move. Adams didn't even have time to get his foot out to trip Ayers.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

DENVER -- Cowboys coaches and athletic trainers were gathered around running back Marion Barber (left quad) as he worked out a couple hours before the game. The Beast reported last night that Tashard Choice would get the majority of the carries. And unless Barber made some incredible progress, I expect that to hold up.

Here are the inactives for both teams:

Cowboys: QB Stephen McGee (emer.), RB Felix Jones, S Mike Hamlin, G Montrae Holland, C Duke Preston, T Pat McQuistan, WR Kevin Ogletree LB Curtis Johnson

Broncos: QB Tom Brandstater (emer.), CB Alphonso Smith, ILB/FB Spencer Larsen, G/C Ben Hamilton, DL Chris Baker, T Brandon Gorin, WR Brandon Lloyd, OLB/DE Jarvis Moss

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

DENVER -- The folks at ESPNDallas.com will be conducting a live chat throughout Sunday's Cowboys-Broncos game. In fact, they've already started the pregame portion of their chat. Here's the link.

I will file at least five or six updates on the Beast and you can also find me on NFL Nation Live. Lots of ways to have an interactive experience today. In other news, the Redskins have trimmed the Bucs' lead to 10-9. And yes, they had the extra point attempt blocked!