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Interesting insight here from Tim McManus on the relationship between the Philadelphia Eagles and agent Drew Rosenhaus and what that means for the prospects of a long-term contract extension for running back LeSean McCoy. The Eagles and Rosenhaus haven't always been the best of friends, and hard feelings persisted for a time from both ends after the Terrell Owens years. But the Rosenhaus-Eagles relationship this offseason has looked as strong as ever, with the long-term deals for DeSean Jackson and Evan Mathis serving as evidence:

"Every relationship needs to be worked on," said Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. "If you don't work on relationships -- especially in high-pressure situations -- they can deteriorate. I think as you go further along and you have more history with someone, you understand different perspectives."

It seems clear that the relationship in question is in a good place from which to arrive at the long-term deal McCoy is seeking. The Eagles obviously have plenty of cap room with which to work. (They already did a month ago, and since then they've unloaded Asante Samuel and his $10.5 million cap number.) And they consider McCoy a vital piece of their offense, especially after he scored 20 touchdowns last season.

But running back deals aren't easy in this day and age, when the position is becoming more undervalued and wear and tear on backs leads to shorter and less productive career primes. So it's not as though the issue is going to be resolved simply or quickly. I believe the Eagles and McCoy will get a deal done eventually. I do not know if it will or can be done before training camp, before the regular season or before next offseason. I don't think McCoy will make a huge issue of things if no deal is done -- i.e., hold out of training camp or skip the first few days as Jackson did last year -- but only McCoy and possibly Rosenhaus know that.

A lot of this stuff is more fragile than fans give it credit for. As Tim points out, McCoy fired Rosenhaus twice last season, so it's always possible the agent-client relationship could surface as an issue before this is resolved. I know Eagles fans won't be comfortable until this is all wrapped up, but in the meantime I guess you can be encouraged by the idea that at least the sides are talking and friendly.

Player trades aren't as common in the NFL as they are in baseball or some other sports, but the Philadelphia Eagles do seem to be a rare exception. As Zach Berman pointed out in this New York Times story from a week and a half ago, since Howie Roseman became GM 27 months ago the Eagles have made more trades involving players (i.e., not just draft picks) than any other team in the league. (They were tied with Seattle at 15 at the time the story was published, and they traded Asante Samuel a few days later).

Now, on the topic of how the Eagles do with these trades, we turn to Sheil Kapadia, who has broken down the return the Eagles have received on two recent high-profile deals -- the ones that sent quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb out of town.

As Sheil shows, the picks the Eagles got back from McNabb have netted them safety Nate Allen and linebackers DeMeco Ryans and Casey Matthews. That's two projected 2012 defensive starters and a guy, in Matthews, who will get at least some playing time. Not a bad haul for a player it's now clear was basically done at the time of the deal. Yes, McNabb did beat the Eagles once while with the Redskins in 2010, but he hasn't made a significant contribution since he left Philadelphia.

The Kolb trade brought back cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and the picks that produced defensive end Vinny Curry and cornerback Brandon Boykin. Rogers-Cromartie is projected to be a starting cornerback for the 2012 Eagles. Boykin could be the nickel corner and a factor in the return game. Curry is likely to factor into the pass-rush rotation. Not a bad return for a quarterback who would have been their backup in 2011 had they kept him.

When you watch the Eagles' defense in 2012, you should get some idea why it's so important to Andy Reid to be deep at the quarterback position. This is why he drafted Nick Foles this year -- in the hopes that he eventually gets something out of him, whether it's actual playing time for the Eagles or something of value in trade. It's about more than just having good backup options behind starter Michael Vick. It's about how much quarterbacks are worth in today's NFL. By trading two of them over the past three offseasons, the Eagles have helped build their 2012 defense.

Good morning, and welcome to May, which for those who can't remember back two years is minicamp month in the NFL. It's also the month that has Mother's Day in it, which means it's time to think about doing some shopping. I didn't even realize how soon that was until I flipped the calendar. Sheesh. Anyway, links.

Dallas Cowboys

Morris Claiborne said on the radio in Dallas that he'd love to be a two-way player in the NFL. Hey, I guess if he can play receiver as well as cornerback, then it turns out he was worth their first two picks in the draft! Ah, but I kid, I kid. In all seriousness, Claiborne was a much better pick than any of the ones the Cowboys made after him.

Josh Ellis thinks the fact that the Cowboys didn't draft pass-rush help until the fourth round might make it more likely that they end up giving Anthony Spencer the long-term deal he's seeking. I guess it's possible. Still think they're going to wait to see how Spencer plays this year before deciding on that, though as Josh points out, if he suddenly comes up with like 11 sacks, that'll mean he's going to cost more.

New York Giants

With his buddy Brandon Jacobs gone and the Giants having used their first-round pick on a running back, Ahmad Bradshaw says he's excited to be the veteran among the running backs and plans to make first-rounder David Wilson his "project." That's how they roll over there in East Rutherford. Lots of veterans say they hate it when their team drafts someone who plays their position. Giants players view it as an opportunity to do some teaching.

You may have read or heard, in the wake of the draft Saturday night, the quote where Jerry Reese called fourth-rounder Adrien Robinson "the JPP of tight ends." What he meant by that was that Robinson is very raw and, the Giants believe, has potential to develop into something he hadn't yet been as a college player, much like defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul when the Giants picked him in the first round two years ago. Part of the Giants' reason for hope is their faith in their tight ends coach, Mike Pope, as well as Eli Manning's track record of getting the most out of his receiving targets.

Philadelphia Eagles

Howie Roseman says the Eagles don't plan to add a veteran at safety or running back at this point. It's like I always say about the stuff GMs and coaches say publicly: Sure, he might be telling the truth. But he also might not, and it makes a lot less sense for a GM who has to go play the bargain-bin free-agent market to say, "Yeah, we desperately need to add a veteran to this mix" than it does to say what Roseman said. There's certainly be nothing wrong with adding a cheap, cuttable veteran for camp reps or competition at either of those positions, and the Eagles have several months to decide whether they really want or need to do that.

Jonathan Tamari checked in on special-teams ace Colt Anderson and his recovery from the knee injury that ended his excellent 2011 season prematurely.

Washington Redskins

The issue, such as it is, regarding the Redskins' decision to pick Kirk Cousins in the fourth round after taking Robert Griffin III in the first, is the possibility that Griffin could struggle, Cousins could show promise and a controversy could ensue in which people start to suggest that Cousins would be the better choice at starting quarterback. I could see it, sure. And the Redskins are naive if they think it couldn't happen. But I'm not as exercised about it as a lot of people are, and the main reason is this: That would be true no matter who the backup was, and the fact that the backup in this case would happen to be the fourth-round pick in the draft in which Griffin was the first-round pick only matters to the argument because it just happened. Had Cousins been the Redskins' fourth-round pick last year, I doubt anyone would care about this issue. My only problem with the pick was that I thought Washington could have used it to address a different position at which it had a need. Their counter-argument is that backup quarterback is a need, for every team in general and for them especially, and fair enough.

Have you wondered why the Redskins have taken three SMU players in the last two drafts? It's not entirely a coincidence. Brian Tinsman explains how the connection between Redskins coach Mike Shanahan and SMU coach June Jones had factored into picks such as Aldrick Robinson, Josh LeRibeus and Richard Crawford.

Good morning. It's Tuesday. The draft is the day after tomorrow. Let's link.

Dallas Cowboys

I thought about cornerback Stephon Gilmore with the No. 14 pick in Monday's ESPN blogger mock draft, but as you know I went with defensive lineman Michael Brockers instead. I don't think Dallas would be wrong to pick a corner if that's who they believed was the best defensive player available at 14, and here's a look at some possibilities.

I know how much you guys love it when I link to Tony Romo golf stories, so here you go! He's playing quite well, it appears.

New York Giants

It's been about two and a half years since Marvin Austin played in a football game in which result counted in the standings. He knows this, and is eager to end that drought. The Giants' second-round pick in 2011, Austin would be a big help to the middle of that defensive line if he could get healthy.

Be honest: When you heard the story about the New Jersey State Police officers and the high-speed race down the Garden State Parkway, a little part of you -- maybe not even one you could hear -- wondered whether Brandon Jacobs might have been involved somehow. Yeah. There's a report that he was. Wait. That makes this a 49ers link, right? Where's Sando? Ah, slow day. Which March 30 on the Parkway apparently was not.

Philadelphia Eagles

Rich Hofmann says that the numbers don't do Brian Dawkins' Eagles career justice -- that you had to be there to understand what he meant to the team and to the fan base. Dawkins retired Monday, in case you missed it, and the Eagles are honoring him Sept. 30.

Despite Howie Roseman's new best-player-available pledge, Jeff McLane believes we'll learn what the Eagles think about their young secondary players by whether the team picks any new ones in the first three rounds of the draft Thursday and Friday.

Washington Redskins

We all believe the Redskins' draft focus this year will be on offense -- starting, of course, with quarterback in the first round and continuing with offensive linemen when they can start picking again in the third and fourth. But if they do draft defensive players, Mike Jones writes, expect them to be cornerbacks and safeties. They have quantity, but they still need what Jim Haslett calls "stability" in the secondary.

Burgundy Blog has a nice interview with second-year Redskins receiver Niles Paul, who discusses a few things, including why he thinks the coaches have asked him to work at tight end this offseason and whether he thinks he can make that switch.

Just wrapped up our live ESPN.com blogger mock draft, in which I and the other seven division bloggers made the picks for each of the teams in our respective divisions. It was a blast, and largely because trades were allowed. I am proud to say that I was involved in the very first one, with the Philadelphia Eagles.

I based my decision on the idea that the Eagles had identified Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox as the player they wanted. There had been some recent talk of him going to the St. Louis Rams at No. 6, and I was convinced that he would not get past the Carolina Panthers at No. 9. So, after Mike Sando selected Justin Blackmon for the Rams at 6 and Paul Kuharsky let it be known that the Jaguars were looking to trade down out of No. 7, I offered Kuharsky the Eagles' first-round pick (No. 15 overall) and their third-round pick (No. 88) for the Jags' first-rounder.

Kukarsky countered by offering the No. 7 overall pick and the No. 176 overall pick (sixth round) for the 15, the 88 and the 153. So I'd be getting the No. 7 overall (and with it Cox, the player I wanted) and a high sixth-round pick for a third and a middle-fifth. I believe, if Cox is indeed their guy, that this is a trade to which the Eagles would eagerly say yes. Get their man without giving up either of their two second-round picks. No-brainer. So we did the deal, and I picked Cox at No. 7 for the Eagles.

Cox is a great fit for the Eagles. He can shore up the middle of the defensive line against the run, and he also helps the pass rush from an interior line spot. He's a more polished prospect than fellow first-round defensive tackle Dontari Poe, and the Eagles are in win-now mode. I also could have taken Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly at the No. 7 spot. (That's who Pat Yasinskas ended up giving to the Panthers at No. 9, after assuring me that he would indeed have taken Cox if he'd still been on the board.) But following the DeMeco Ryans trade, Kuechly didn't seem as important a target. If I'd stayed at 15 and he'd lasted that long, sure. But I wasn't trading up for a linebacker.

So let me hear it, Eagles fans. What do you think of my performance in the role of Howie Roseman? Good deal? Worthwhile pick? Or what?

It is Friday. These are links. That makes them the Friday links.

Dallas Cowboys

Calvin Watkins' mailbag at ESPNDallas.com deals with a number of questions, including whether the Cowboys would pursue free agent running back Cedric Benson to help them in short-yardage situations. Giants fans have also asked about Benson, who didn't like being in a platoon role last year in Cincinnati but seems to have resigned himself to the fact that that's the best he can hope for in 2012. The off-field issues Calvin mentions are going to be a problem for a lot of teams.

Looking for a mid-round possibility to help at center? Cowboys.com raises the possibility of Robert Griffin III's guy, Baylor's Phillip Blake, who'll actually turn 27 during the 2012 season.

New York Giants

GM Jerry Reese says contract extensions for Osi Umenyiora and Victor Cruz are "on his plate," but he said it in such a way as to indicate they're somewhere between the beets and the brussels sprouts while he's way over on the other side locked in on the roast beef and the mashed potatoes. Cruz says in the same story that he won't hold out. Umenyiora says nothing because he's not there. I wouldn't hold my breath if I were either one of those guys.

Michael Boley says he hasn't talked to the team about moving to middle linebacker, though he understands he could have to and he's open to the idea.

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles GM Howie Roseman says the team is "all in" with Michael Vick at quarterback, which we already knew for this year and obviously (given that they can basically get out of his contract after this year) isn't a certainty beyond this year no matter what anyone says. I think the point here is what Roseman said about how it's hard to find a franchise quarterback after the first round of the draft. If the Eagles do draft a quarterback this year, it's going to be a developmental guy -- not someone they feel strongly will be Vick's eventual replacement.

That said, there are quite a number of quarterbacks in this year's draft, and it's certainly possible that the Eagles will take a mid-round shot on one they think has some potential. If nothing else, maybe you develop a Kevin Kolb-type guy and end up trading him for something useful.

Washington Redskins

Dave Sheinin caught up with Robert Griffin III at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, where he was getting a crash course in nutrition in advance of the NFL draft and his pro career. If I know Sheinin, he disregarded it all and went out for a steak dinner after. But it was nice of him to file this report on Griffin for us before he did that.

If the Redskins want to use the draft to help add depth at cornerback, they will have options, and John Keim has some names.

So Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman held a pre-draft talk with reporters on Thursday, and the takeaway seems to have been that the Eagles are going to try and draft good players this year instead of reaching to plug roster holes. From Geoff Mosher:

"I think when we go back in our draft, sometimes we have probably drafted based on need, based on some circumstances," Roseman said. "And we're trying to make sure we’re taking the best player available now going forward."

And also...

"If we just stick to our board and take the best player, we'll have good drafts," he said.

The sense here is that Roseman and his staff have spent countless hours this season sizing up past misfires, especially on defense, and examining strategies used by other teams that have historically drafted well.

I think, in general, drafting good players is the way to go. The teams that have the best players are very often the teams that perform the best during actual games. So, if the Eagles have had some sort of epiphany that will lead them to select the best possible player when their pick comes around, well, good for them. This approach works for the Giants, who use the draft not as a means of repairing immediate roster holes, but of building a deep roster that can regenerate itself over time.

Thing is, I think this is all a bunch of noise. I'm sure the Eagles, like pretty much every team, have sometimes drafted for need, and have sometimes drafted for value, taking the best player available. Geoff thinks today's comments indicate that some soul-searching has gone on this offseason in the Eagles' front office, and it's entirely possible. Watching Jason Pierre-Paul eat the league alive while Brandon Graham struggles to get on the field, that's the kind of thing that makes you re-assess.

But I think this is just Roseman saying something that sounds good. The Eagles don't know exactly what they're going to do next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, because almost no team does. They're picking 15th. If there's a guy available at 13 that they had ranked fifth, and they're worried the Cowboys are going to take him at 14, they'll probably try and trade up to get him. The draft is impossible to predict, and the best thing you can do is prepare your board and stay as alert as possible to make sure you maximize the value of your picks. If I had to guess, that's what the Eagles plan to do in this year's draft, and the rest is pretty much just chatter for chatter's sake.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- One more day here by the beach. As you read this, I am at the NFC coaches' breakfast listening to what Andy Reid, Jason Garrett, Tom Coughlin and Mike Shanahan have to say. I shall spend the remainder of the morning and the afternoon working feverishly to communicate back to you the items of NFC East interest from this session before my flight leaves for home this evening. They had links at the AFC coaches' breakfast Tuesday, along with bacon and some kind of cool steak eggs benedict deal. Not sure if today's spread will be the same, but you know you can always count on having links right here, every morning at 8 a.m.

Dallas Cowboys

The only thing you know for sure about the draft this time of year is that everybody's lying. Everything's a smokescreen and no one's telling you what they really think or plan. So take this with a grain of salt, even though I agree with Jerry Jones that it wouldn't be a great idea for him to take an offensive lineman in the first round after drafting three of them last year and signing two more earlier this month.

Yeah, I wish Jones would tell us what he really feels about the salary-cap penalties, too, but he's smart to keep his mouth shut until the arbitrator rules on it, and so this little crack about wanting to settle his dispute with John Mara on the field will have to do for now.

New York Giants

Coughlin's getting a contract extension, obviously. Mara told the New York Post that he expects the deal to be done within four to six weeks, and there's every reason to think the Giants coach, who's won two Super Bowl titles in the past five years, will get paid a salary similar to those of the best coaches in the league -- upward of $7 million per year. I'm thinking it ends up being a three-year deal.

Defensive end Dave Tollefson continues to draw interest on the free-agent market, now scheduled to visit the suddenly free-agent-happy Green Bay Packers. As they are with Jonathan Goff and, to some extent, Brandon Jacobs, the Giants are letting Tollefson test the market while also letting him know they'd like to have him back. If he can't find a better offer than what the Giants are willing to give him, he comes back. If not, they move on and find a replacement. It's how they roll.

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman sure made it sound as though the team believes it can find a trade market for cornerback Asante Samuel between now and the draft. Roseman discussed that issue and several others Tuesday with Jeff McLane. One point further down in the notes: Roseman declined to say where he expected Jamar Chaney to play because the Eagles are "still in the talent acquisition phase" of the offseason. Says to me they're still looking for linebackers, even with DeMeco Ryans in the fold.

Former Andy Reid assistants Pat Shurmur and John Harbaugh, now the head coaches of the Browns and Ravens, respectively, came to the defense of their former boss -- and of defensive coordinator Juan Castillo -- in conversations with Paul Domowitch at the aforementioned AFC coaches' breakfast.

Washington Redskins

Yes, the Redskins were seriously interested in Peyton Manning when he was on the market. No, it's not clear how good their chances were of getting him. But Mike Shanahan and Kyle Shanahan met with Manning even after trading for the No. 2 pick in the draft, and it's clear that he was a serious option in their minds if they hadn't been able to move up to the spot from which they now plan to draft their next franchise quarterback.

Former Redskins quarterback Mark Rypien is at the front of the latest lawsuit by former players against the league over head injuries. These suits continue to be filed, and will continue to be filed, and if you don't think they worry the league, then think again about why the punishments against the Saints for the bounty stuff was so severe.

So, here's what we have on this Philadelphia Eagles thing today.

We have a report, from the well respected Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times, that paints coach Andy Reid in a power struggle with ownership and the front office and says that Reid wanted to pursue Peyton Manning when Manning became available:

[+] Enlarge
Jim O'Connor/US PresswireDid Andy Reid want to make a run at Peyton Manning? The Eagles' coach denies it.

Two NFL insiders, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic, said that Philadelphia Coach Andy Reid was ready to walk away from the Eagles if he didn't get more personnel control, and now he has it. We've seen a flurry of decisive moves by the Eagles in recent weeks, including finally cutting a blockbuster deal with receiver DeSean Jackson; extending two good soldiers, defensive end Trent Cole and right tackle Todd Herremans, outbidding the Ravens to keep guard Evan Mathis; and trading for Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans.

Something else about the Eagles: Reid wanted to jump in the Peyton Manning sweepstakes, despite the signing of Michael Vick to a six-year, $100-million contract last season. Talks never got too serious, the insiders say, because Manning didn't like the idea of playing against his brother Eli, quarterback of the New York Giants, at least twice a season.

And we have a statement from Reid, released by the Eagles, that disputes pretty much everything Sam wrote:

"We look into everything, as all teams do. And I have the highest regard for Peyton Manning. But as I said publicly last month, that wasn't the direction we were heading in. Michael is our guy.

"As far as the personnel control, I have had final say on personnel matters for quite some time here and that's never been an issue or a point of contention.

"Our front office works very well together and that's one of our strengths."

So, couple of things on this:

I have no reason to doubt Sam's reporting, or the idea that people in the know told him exactly what he ended up reporting. But I question the conclusion, apparently reached by Sam's sources, that the Eagles' offseason moves reflect an assertion of greater control by Reid. Sure, the Eagles have acted less aggressively on the free-agent market this year than they did last year. But last year was the exception, and Reid has explained it many times by saying the team identified last year's offseason as a unique market with unique opportunities. The way the Eagles have acted this offseason is more in line with what they've done in the past, in a front-office structure that allows Reid final say in personnel decisions but in which he works closely with GM Howie Roseman and team president Joe Banner.

As for Manning, I don't think there's ever a situation in which a quarterback hits the market and Reid doesn't at least consider making a run at him. Remember, Vick didn't seem to make sense for the Eagles either when they got him. Reid believes strongly in the value of quarterbacks, in the importance of depth at the position and in his and his staff's ability to get the best out of any quarterback who enters their system. I'm certain that, once it became apparent that Manning was hitting the market, Reid and the Eagles' brass discussed the idea of pursuing him. I have no way of knowing how far such discussions progressed, but Reid seems intent on making sure everyone knows they never got serious.

The Eagles, like most high-profile professional sports teams these days, prefer to control the flow of information. They're generally pretty friendly about it, but they don't like it when their private plans or other business get aired in public. So while it seems odd to put out a statement denying Sam's report (because now, if they don't rush to deny the next such report, people will jump to the conclusion that it's true), it's in character for Reid and the Eagles to want to be out in front of this or any story about their team.

I'm not inclined to believe everything's hunky-dory between Reid, the front office and ownership in the wake of one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history. And I believe there's a lot of tension and pressure heading into this season, in which the pressure on Reid will be at an all-time high. But I don't believe Reid found himself, this offseason, in a position to demand greater control under threat of quitting. First of all, he already had a ton of control. And second of all, his job security's not at an all-time high to begin with. My sense is that there's a lot of behind-the-scenes chatter right now about the Eagles, who are one of the most intriguing teams and situations to watch in 2012, and that this isn't the last time some details are going to come to light and get shot down by people who'd like us to believe everything's peaceful and happy in Philly.

In "The Manchurian Candidate," everyone who served with Raymond Shaw has been brainwashed so that whenever they're asked about Shaw (who in truth is a pretty loathsome character) they all get a vacant look in their eyes and recite the same answer: "Raymond Shaw is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life."

I mention this because, the other day, Eagles GM Howie Roseman was quoted as saying, "We're excited about the future of DeSean Jackson in Philadelphia." And then today, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg was quoted as saying, "We're excited about the future going forward with DeSean Jackson as a Philadelphia Eagle."

That sure sounds like a couple of guys who got together and decided exactly what they'd say if people started asking them about DeSean Jackson's future in Philadelphia.

Now, it's possible that both of those guys are telling the truth. But since GMs and coaches very rarely tell the truth to the public at this time of the year, you can count me as skeptical. I'm much more intrigued by Adam Schefter's report that the Eagles are open to trade offers for Jackson after they used their franchise player designation on him. I think Adam's report paints a much more realistic picture of the situation than the clearly rehearsed public comments of Roseman and Mornhinweg. But I'm a skeptic, by nature and by trade, so bear that in mind as you digest my opinion on the matter.

There are several possible 2012 resolutions of the Jackson situation:

1. He plays for the Eagles on the one-year franchise tender, which would constitute about a $9 million raise over his 2011 salary. I believe Jackson would be happy and productive in this situation, even though he'd prefer a long-term deal.

2. The Eagles sign Jackson to a long-term deal. I believe this to be unlikely at this point, since Jackson wants to be among the league's highest-paid receivers, and based on the season he just had there's no incentive for the Eagles to make him that.

3. The Eagles trade Jackson after they franchise him, to a team that's in love with his talent and not as familiar as the Eagles are with the warts. I still consider this the most likely scenario, but given the way the free-agent market is likely to be saturated with receivers, I don't think you can rule out No. 1. They won't trade him for nothing.

I link, therefore I am.

New York Giants

Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com is breaking down his postseason Giants grades and expanding on them position-by-position. His first one is on quarterback, and as you may have guessed, Eli Manning gets an extremely good grade.

Big Blue View is also going position-by-position as it looks ahead to free agency. This edition of "strut 'em or cut 'em" is on wide receivers, specifically Mario Manningham, Domenik Hixon and Devin Thomas.

Philadelphia Eagles

Nick Fierro breaks down the DeSean Jackson situation and presses the point that the Eagles never pay anyone a dollar more than they believe him to be worth. This would seem to indicate that, even if they franchise Jackson, they would look to trade him or (less likely) do a new deal that would allow them to pay him less than the franchise number in 2012.

With the NFL scouting combine looming later this week, Jonathan Tamari writes that the Eagles rely much more on a player's college game film than anything they see at the combine. GM Howie Roseman says the most important information the team learns about players in Indy is medical information.

Dallas Cowboys

In light of Jason Hatcher's comments last week about the Cowboys lacking leadership, Calvin Watkins outlines some examples from the past year in which several players on the Cowboys' roster showed plenty of leadership, albeit in ways more quiet than those for which Hatcher's example, Ray Lewis, is known.

The Cowboys had some interest in cornerback Stanford Routt, but not as much as some other teams did, and Routt signed Monday with the Chiefs. What this means, however, is that the Chiefs are likely to let talented 25-year-old cornerback Brandon Carr leave via free agency, and that adds Carr to the mix of available cornerbacks for the Cowboys to target. Carr is better than Routt, but with star wide receiver Dwayne Bowe still to worry about, the Chiefs appear to have decided to go with a cheaper option.

Washington Redskins

Redskins GM Bruce Allen says the team has "a game plan" for what to do about quarterback this offseason, which is good to know. He doesn't say what that game plan is, which is no fun at all, but he clearly indicates that the team is pursuing several different options and is poised to change the plan depending on outside circumstances, what other teams do, etc. This is kind of the point I've been trying to make. For example, say their top choice is to trade up to the No. 2 pick for Robert Griffin III but someone else beats them to it. They need to be exploring options such as Peyton Manning, Kyle Orton, etc. just in case. I know we're all supposed to be dealing in absolutes in sports these days, but intelligent people who run their franchises intelligently can't afford to operate like that.

Mike Jones looks at the decision the Redskins face on whether to franchise tight end Fred Davis or safety LaRon Landry. I don't bet, but if I did, I'd bet heavy on Davis here. Landry's health questions have become too significant to allow the Redskins to invest guaranteed money in him -- even for one more year. The tight end number is low, and they have reason to believe Davis will be on his best behavior in the wake of his drug suspension.

We've talked a great deal about the DeSean Jackson situation, and that is the biggest offseason issue facing the Philadelphia Eagles right now. But there's also the matter of cornerback Asante Samuel and whether he'll be a part of what the Eagles are doing in 2012.

Samuel played the best of any Eagles cornerback in 2011, which considering the play of the secondary isn't saying much. And he's under contract through 2013. But there are a number of factors that could drive the Eagles to trade Samuel this offseason. His scheduled base salary for this year is $9.4 million (and then $11.4 million in 2013), and last summer the Eagle signed free-agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and traded for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Trading Samuel would give the Eagles some more salary cap room with which to work over the next two offseasons, and it appears to be a move they could weather, since Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie are both capable starters and Joselio Hanson is a good nickel corner.

Eagles GM Howie Roseman was asked about the Samuel situation recently and was non-c0mmital, per Zach Berman of the Philly Daily News:

Roseman declined to discuss whether cornerback Asante Samuel will return to the Eagles, providing the stock answer that the phone always rings when a team has a surplus at a position. But Roseman believes that the trio of Pro Bowl cornerbacks can still work in the Eagles' secondary.

“"Last year was a unique situation in terms of practice time and preparation time," Roseman said. "So I think that it gives us an opportunity with this offseason, with a normal offseason to kind of gel together and you saw that towards the end of the year, the team was gelling and so that's what we look forward to in 2012."

The Eagles talked all last offseason and during the season about being okay with having the three cornerbacks. But the fact was that they couldn't really get Rodgers-Cromartie on the field except when Asomugha was injured, and they have needs at linebacker, defensive tackle, safety and maybe wide receiver that must be addressed. If Samuel can bring back a nice draft pick or two, it's something the Eagles must and almost certainly will consider. It's a shame for our Cowboys fans that they play in the same division, since he'd be a great answer to Dallas' biggest problem.

Friday links require no introduction.

New York Giants

The one drawback to winning the Super Bowl is that you have to wait a month longer than everyone else does to have your postseason surgeries. But David Diehl said his hand will be fine, and he enjoyed taking part in a Wrestlemania news conference Thursday at MetLife Stadium.

Victor Cruz continued his star turn with a stint at Fashion Week as a guest of Tommy Hilfiger. Really, that's all I've got. I looked and looked and looked for a second Giants link. My guess is that everyone who writes about the Giants is still sleeping off the Super Bowl.

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles GM Howie Roseman has nothing but good things to say, publicly, about DeSean Jackson and wanting him on the team. This is no surprise. What will be a surprise is if the Eagles don't exercise their right to make Jackson their franchise player at some point in the next couple of weeks, then look into trading him.

Other than Jackson, the Eagles have the looming free agency of players like Evan Mathis and Antonio Dixon to consider. Mathis in particular was a major contributor at left guard in 2011, and the Eagles likely will have interest in keeping him off the open market by doing a new deal as soon as possible.

Dallas Cowboys

ESPNDallas.com's position-by-position series took a look at outside linebacker and the decision on whether or not to franchise Anthony Spencer. Tim MacMahon believes that the $8.8 million franchise number is too much to pay a "non-impact player," and that a long-term deal for Spencer would have the effect of "rewarding mediocrity." I guess my question is whether they can upgrade the position. Spencer may not be the impact player Cowboys fans want him to be, but he's hardly the worst outside linebacker in the league. Unless they can find someone better, or get a guy like Courtney Upshaw in the draft, it may be wise to keep Spencer around until a better solution presents itself.

Clarence Hill says the Cowboys are likely to end up with more than the $12.667 million in cap room they're already projected to have, once they cut Terence Newman and restructure some deals, and that they plan to be aggressive in free agency and use it. Which is good. Teams should use their cap room, I think.

Washington Redskins

Rich Campbell takes a look at the reasons Peyton Manning would be a fit with Mike Shanahan in Washington, and the possible enticements a pairing with Shanahan would offer for Manning.

Todd McShay's draft conference call Thursday was big news in Washington. He spoke about the potential of Ryan Tannehill creeping up into the top half of the first round and said, off the top of his head, that he thought it would take a first-round pick, a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick to trade up to No. 2 overall and get Robert Griffin III. Based on the draft value chart teams use to evaluate the worth of draft picks against each other, it looks as though Todd is underestimating the cost, especially if more than one team is interested in the deal. I think, if the Redskins could get the No. 2 pick for that price, they should do it. But I think it'll cost more.

Good morning to you all. It is Wednesday of the dead week between the conference title games and the Super Bowl hype. But we have much of which to talk here in the NFC East, including a postponed chat scheduled for later today and a number of other matters, including and beginning with your piping-hot links.

New York Giants

It's an interesting time in the life of Chris Mara, who wanted to be Giants GM five years ago only to lose the job to Jerry Reese. Mara now finds himself living and dying with his Super Bowl-bound football team, and Tuesday he spent the morning sweating out the Academy Award nominations until his daughter Rooney was announced as a nominee in the Best Actress category for her role in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Ian O'Connor has the story.

It was odd to hear Giants special-teamers Devin Thomas and Jacquian Williams say after Sunday's game that they knew 49ers return man Kyle Williams had a concussion history and might be susceptible to big hits as a result. But the Giants said Tuesday that such things were not discussed in the meeting room and there was no intent to injure Kyle Williams or give him a concussion. The NFL also said the Giants would not face discipline for the comments, since they made no illegal hits to the head.

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles GM Howie Roseman discussed a number of issues with a pair of Philadelphia reporters Tuesday at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Among those was the Eagles' decision to draft Brandon Graham over Jason Pierre-Paul in the 2010 draft. That Pierre-Paul has become a superstar for the Giants in a short period of time makes that decision look foolish, of course. But Graham has been injured and at the time Pierre-Paul was viewed as a long-term project. As we've said here many times, it's not automatic that Pierre-Paul would have come this quickly if he hadn't been in the Giants' system.

Phil Sheridan remains stuck on a number of things Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in his postseason news conference a couple of weeks back, and he wonders which Eagles team Lurie has been watching.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are poking around the Senior Bowl, like all the other teams, as they begin their draft evaluation process. One of the first players they met with this week, according to Brandon George, was Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw, who may be the best pass-rusher in the draft. He'd fit a need at outside linebacker, especially if the team is parting ways with Anthony Spencer.

After talking with Jerry Jones this week, Calvin Watkins is convinced the Cowboys are ready to move on from cornerback Terence Newman. Calvin offers some other thoughts on Jones' comments and the issue of how much change is needed to the Cowboys' roster.

Washington Redskins

Thom Loverro takes up the issue of why the Redskins have been so good in recent years at beating the NFC's top teams in the regular season. They beat the Packers last year and this year they beat the Giants twice.

Rich Campbell looks at Raheem Morris, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach who's now the Redskins' secondary coach, and the energy he brings to the job.

Sal Paolantonio has a column up that asks a very good question: "Why has the Philadelphia Eagles' front office -- general manager Howie Roseman, team president Joe Banner and team owner Jeff Lurie -- been silent in the face of such overwhelming public disenchantment with head coach Andy Reid?" Been wondering this a bit myself, and I agree with Sal's conclusion that it means one of two things:

1. Either they don't feel it's necessary to show Reid support because they've offered it privately and/or don't feel the need to legitimize the hysterical fan reaction to a season in which they're all surely at least as disappointed as the fans are.

2. They haven't decided yet what they're going to do.

All along, I have believed that it was the first thing. And it still may be. Reid has two years left on his contract, an outstanding record prior to this year and deserves a chance to come back in 2012 and try to right the 2011 wrongs. Look at the way a similar situation was handled last year a little further up I-95. Moments after the New York Giants' season ended last year, team owner John Mara told reporters that of course coach Tom Coughlin would be back. He'd told Coughlin the same thing weeks earlier, but nobody knew. Most times, these teams would rather we didn't know everything they're up to.

But as Sal writes, in Reid's case:

The level of public vitriol begs for response. Any business entity can't be happy when the public agenda is being dictated by outsiders with a constant drumbeat of anger and disapproval. It's PR 101: Don't let somebody else drive the message. Any politician will tell you that. Define yourself, or you will be defined.

Which is why option No. 2 can't be completely discounted. One-quarter of the season remains, and if the Eagles embarrass themselves four straight times the way they did in their most recent game, 10 days ago in Seattle, even a front office inclined to keep Reid might find itself re-thinking matters. Sal wonders what would happen if they did:

Would Reid find another head-coaching job elsewhere? Perhaps San Diego, if Norv Turner is dismissed as expected. Reid has a home in Los Angeles. His agent, Bob LaMonte, is based in the Bay Area and knows the California football market as well as anybody.

Would Reid move into the Eagles' front office and hire one of LaMonte's clients -- Jon Gruden -- to become the new head coach?

It's all speculation at this point, because the Eagles haven't told anybody anything. Either they think all of this anger directed at the winningest coach in their history is foolish and unworthy of a response, or they're listening and thinking about what to do. Either way, this is the dominant storyline of the remainder of this Eagles' season, which continues this afternoon in Miami.