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When things are slow, I can count on Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com to help fill the void. So I wasn't surprised to find his piece this morning on Dallas Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins. Todd believes Jenkins is doing himself a disservice by working out on his own this offseason instead of joining in the Cowboys' voluntary offseason workout program:

Is Jenkins, who was the Cowboys' best cornerback last season -- and that is not meant as faint praise -- upset that he does not have a new contract? Is he upset the team signed Brandon Carr to a $50 million deal and Orlando Scandrick to a $27 million deal before he could cash in? Is he upset the Cowboys traded up to get Morris Claiborne in the first round in the draft?

Maybe it's yes to all three, but staying home is not the right answer.

Todd goes on to cite the past cases of Ken Hamlin and Marion Barber as examples of players who made similar decisions that didn't work out too well. But I think the more central and present point here is that the Cowboys are investing a lot of their 2012 hope in this offseason conditioning program they've had strength coach Mike Woicik install. We've heard several Cowboys players rave about it already, and the team believes that if it had been in place last year they could have avoided some of their more serious injury problems. Miles Austin's hamstrings, for example.

Now, it may be that what Jenkins ultimately wants is not something he can get. With Carr signed, Claiborne drafted No. 6 overall and Scandrick signed long-term, there doesn't seem to be much hope of Jenkins getting a long-term deal with the Cowboys. But if he plans to test the free-agent waters next year, the best way for him to succeed is to have as healthy and productive a 2012 season as possible. And if he's not going to go along with the Cowboys' program while others are, he might not end up getting the chance to play as much or be as productive as he can be.

Jenkins showed a lot last year -- toughness while playing hurt and high-level ability when healthy. He could help someone in 2013, even if it's not the Cowboys. But I tend to agree with Todd here that the best way for him to cash in next year is to play the good soldier this year. You never know. Claiborne's a rookie and coming off wrist surgery. Jenkins might get to play a lot more -- especially early in the season -- than people are assuming he will. Best bet is to be as prepared for that chance as possible.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- As the sun rises over the Atlantic Ocean, the NFL's owners, coaches, GMs and almost anyone else with any connection to the league rise to begin their annual meetings at The Breakers. Most everyone checked in Sunday, and much of the lobby chatter was about the salary-cap penalties against the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins. There will be more of that talk today, along with a great deal of other NFL business, and we'll keep you posted on all of it the best we can. Time to get you started, though, with some links.

Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he'd speak with reporters here Monday about the salary-cap penalties against his team and the Redskins. In light of what Giants owner John Mara said Sunday about the situation, I think we're all eager to hear Jerry's thoughts on this.

I enjoyed Calvin Watkins' short appreciation of former Cowboys running back Marion Barber in the wake of Barber's retirement announcement late last week.

New York Giants

Mara was in a bitter mood over several things as he took questions upon his arrival at the meetings Sunday. After he got through excoriating the Cowboys and the Redskins for breaking something that doesn't appear to have been a rule, he was asked what he thought about Tim Tebow signing with the Jets. "I don't know," he said, "but the David Carr press conference is tomorrow, too." The Giants sometimes get a little too fixated on the Jets, you see.

Giants 101 did a mock draft for the Giants and has them taking a pass-rusher, of all things, with the final pick of the first round. It's certainly not a need pick, but it wouldn't be a surprise. The Giants believe in what they believe in, and one of those things is that the draft is for building a deep roster, not for plugging short-term holes.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles tend to come to these meetings with a purpose, and as Jeff McLane wrote Sunday, this year's may be to see what kind of deal they can get for cornerback Asante Samuel. Now, you can argue the merits of trading Samuel versus trading Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or even Nnamdi Asomugha. But for contract reasons and other reasons, it seems Samuel is the guy for whom they'd like to get something, and they should have some idea over the next couple of days what they might be able to get in return. If they can do better than a fourth-round pick, I imagine they'll jump on it.

In the wake of last week's Los Angeles Times report about front-office infighting in Philadelphia, Phil Sheridan ponders where the fault lines might lie.

Washington Redskins

Len Pasquarelli says the Albert Haynesworth deal was largely to blame for the penalties incurred by the Redskins in the salary-cap mess. What I've been given to understand is that this wasn't about just one or two deals, but rather about the Redskins repeatedly restructuring many of their existing deals in such a way as to dump money into the uncapped year. It's apparently something many teams did, but that the Redskins did to an extent that the other owners found odious.

The idea of a Redskins training facility in Washington, D.C., is a complicated one, and this here doesn't make it sound as though it's very far along or close to fruition.

PHILADELPHIA -- The only thing missing from the final two minutes of the first half of the "Monday Night Football" matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles was circus music. A first half that had featured tough defense, ugly injuries and more than a few troubling signs for the home team, degenerated into a penalty-and-fumble-fest that gave each team a free touchdown and the Bears a 17-10 halftime lead.

Things seemed to be turning the Eagles' way in those final two minutes when Bears running back Matt Forte fumbled on third down and Eagles linebacker Brian Rolle ran the ball back 22 yards for a touchdown that tied the game at 10-10. And in spite of consecutive offside penalties that gave the Bears a first down without any time running off the clock, the Eagles managed to force a punt with a little more than a minute left. But DeSean Jackson fumbled the punt, giving the Bears the ball in the red zone. And after the Eagles appeared to force a three-and-out and a field-goal attempt, Jason Babin was flagged for roughing the passer, and the Bears converted their fresh chance with a Marion Barber touchdown.

It was a poor ending for the Eagles to a topsy-turvy half that began with some discouraging reminders of things that went wrong during their four-game losing streak. The Bears' opening drive, on which Forte alone gained 52 of the 79 yards, recalled a couple of early-season games in which the Eagles' run defense looked soft and vulnerable. And once the Eagles had the ball, quarterback Michael Vick looked shaky in his decision-making, throwing one bad interception and nearly throwing another as he seemed to be trying to force the ball into tight spots. Eight days after looking smooth, efficient and responsible in a dominating victory over the Cowboys, the Eagles' offense had a hard time getting anything going against a fired-up and rested Bears front line.

But with Bears defensive lineman Julius Peppers off the field for a few plays, Vick was able to move the Eagles down the field and into field goal range just before the two-minute warning. Alex Henery barely made the 47-yard field goal.

After that first drive, the Eagles do seem to have shored some things up on their run defense and have managed to keep Forte more or less bottled up. The question is whether they can start playing smarter football and get back the momentum. Starting safety Nate Allen is out of the game with a concussion, forcing rookie Jaiquawn Jarrett into a larger role in the secondary, and the Bears should be able to take some shots downfield as a result. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler looks excited to have receiver Earl Bennett back from injury, and is looking his way a lot on third down.

The Eagles also lost cornerback Asante Samuel for a time with ... oh, man, it hurts just to type this ... a "groin laceration." But Samuel returned to the game in the first half's final minutes and seems to have recovered. The Eagles' biggest issue Monday nigh is, once again, their own silly mistakes. We'll see if they can cut those down in the second half.

You guys send in questions. Some are very good. Some are just rants directed at me for reasons I can't understand. Got one this week that just said, "Your a moron," which I thought was really funny. But like I said, a lot of the questions are good, and as such I like to take a little time and try and answer them. Thus is born the weekend mailbag.

Mike in Washington, D.C. wants to know where the Cowboys stand with linebacker Keith Brooking, given their obvious willingness this offseason to cut ties with veteran players who cost a lot of money and aren't what they used to be.

Dan Graziano: After Saturday's cuts, the Cowboys are left with only three active inside linebackers -- Brooking, Bradie James and Sean Lee. So a big part of the reason Brooking is still around is clearly because they don't feel they've replaced him yet, the way they did Andre Gurode or Leonard Davis or Marion Barber or I guess Roy Williams with younger guys. Even if Lee is ready to replace Brooking as a starter, they'd still need Brooking on the team as a backup at that position with Bruce Carter still injured. I wouldn't feel super-comfortable right now if I were Brooking, given the current climate, but for now he does not appear to be one of the veterans for which they feel they have an adequate replacement.

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Bill in Gainesville, Fla., tells me I am wrong to think that John Beck is still the favorite to be the Redskins' starting quarterback. Bill thinks that the reason Rex Grossman rested Thursday and Beck played in the final preseason game is because the decision has already been made to go with Grossman, who he says is "more of a pure passer and has a better arm."

DG: Well, we'll see soon enough, won't we? But I don't think Grossman resting and Beck playing Thursday had anything to do with it. Remember, Grossman played and Beck didn't play in the Redskins' first preseason game because Beck had a groin injury, so they could have just been evening out the playing time. As I've said all along, they know what they have in Grossman and believe Beck offers more upside. They wanted to use the preseason to see if Beck could handle the pressure of the opportunity. What they decide about the way he did that will factor into the decision more than anything, and I believe Beck probably showed enough. But like I said, we'll know by this time next week.

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Chris in Staten Island wants to know if the Giants would be smart to trade Osi Umenyiora for disgruntled Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs.

DG: First, I'm going to say I don't think it's something that would interest the Giants. Remember, they don't want to trade Umenyiora just because he's unhappy. They believe he has more value to them as a player on the field this season than as a trade chip. They don't think his contract demand is reasonable, and at no point during the whole thing have they been inclined to solve a problem he created by simply giving him what he wants. They also value great pass-rushing defensive ends over linebackers, as the current construction of their roster indicates. I believe, given that they run a 4-3 defense, they're correct in doing this and that once Umenyiora is back healthy, he'll be of greater use to them than would a linebacker such as Briggs. I believe they're shaky at linebacker, but they kept four rookies as backups and seem determined to see what those guys have. As a result, if a starter goes down this season, they could struggle. But it's clear they don't prioritize the linebacker position, and so I don't think you'll see them make a major move to address it.

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Larry from Philly but living in N.Y. thinks Michael Vick will retain his financial motivation to keep playing well even after getting his new contract, since his bankruptcy issues drop his take-home pay to about 11 percent of his salary. Larry isn't just pulling that figure out of thin air. He read it in a story Darren Rovell did on cnbc.com.

DG: Well, there's also Vick's endorsement money to consider, and I think the figures overall indicate that, if he were inclined to get complacent, he could financially afford to do so. But I'm not saying I expect him to do that. I see Vick as a guy who's been through a lot and understands the ways in which he needs to play and work and conduct himself in order to have success commensurate with his own expectations for himself. The question I have is whether he sees himself as a quarterback dedicated to honing his craft, or if he'll be content to lean on his tremendous athletic ability to carry him in tough spots. He's clearly established himself, in a short time in Philadelphia, as a very good player and leader. But the harder he works at improving as a quarterback, the better he and the Eagles will be in the long term. That, in my opinion, is the big question remaining with Vick -- not whether he retains sufficient financial motivation to play hard.

Keep em coming, folks. Mailbag out.

Observations from the Giants 41-13 preseason victory over the Chicago Bears on "Monday Night Football":

We preach all the time that preseason games don't matter, but so few people really take it to heart. Fans like to hang on every play, to wonder whether or not it matters that Eli Manning doesn't look sharp, or to try and figure out whether or not Brandon Jacobs deserves more carries than Ahmad Bradshaw. But in the end, there are no accurate judgments to be made off of these games and the only thing that actually matters in any of them is that nobody gets seriously hurt.

And that's why, regardless of the final score or the potentially very encouraging way the rest of the team played during the game itself, Monday night's victory over the Bears was a disaster for the New York Giants.

Shortly before halftime, Giants starting cornerback Terrell Thomas collided with Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and limped off the field. At halftime, Giants coach Tom Coughlin revealed to ESPN's Suzy Kolber than Thomas had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and would miss the entire season.

This is devastating news, first and foremost, for Thomas, one of the very good guys and leaders on the Giants' roster and a player who has one year left before free agency. Thoughts go out to him, and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

But it's also awful news for the Giants, who earlier this preseason lost cornerbacks Prince Amukamara and Bruce Johnson to major injuries (and later in this game saw Brian Witherspoon carted off with a knee injury). Amukamara is out for at least a couple of months, Johnson for the year and now a team that was already struggling for depth at cornerback has lost one of its starters. They've gone from hoping Aaron Ross could be a reliable No. 3 corner and play as their extra defensive back in passing situations to hoping Ross can be a reliable starter and probably using safety Deon Grant in that role as they did last year. The Giants weren't deep to begin with, and they came out of their second preseason game with a major hole on the roster and in the starting lineup.

So that's all that matters from this game, period. But if you want to know what else I saw that might have a chance to matter down the road if by some coincidence regular-season developments jive with preseason performance in specific areas, here you go.

1. On the bright side, Ross looked very good. He knocked down two Jay Cutler passes intended for Roy Williams on third down early in the game. He made another play on a receiver later to prevent a touchdown (though he may have pushed off on that coverage). He made a nice tackle on Marion Barber behind the line of scrimmage in the third quarter. You could do worse than Ross as a fill-in cornerback when one of your starters gets hurt, and it's encouraging that he played well. But again, the Giants were figuring on Ross as their third corner, not one of their top two.

2. Oh, and X-rays on William Beatty's foot were negative. Which is a good thing. Beatty didn't have to take on Julius Peppers all night as we expected, since the Bears moved Peppers over to the other side to terrorize Kareem McKenzie and the Giants' overmatched tight ends. Beatty looked better overall in this game, holding his own and keeping his man off the quarterback, though he still looks a little grabby to me. You don't like to see a left tackle reaching quite as much as Beatty does to try and prevent the edge rush. He's got to do a better job of getting his whole body in front of his guy, or he's going to be a walking holding penalty.

3. Giants' special teams looked better. Devin Thomas is really showing his speed and athleticism on kick returns. Matt Dodge and Steve Weatherford both bombed huge punts all night. There was good kick coverage, including a big tackle by receiver Victor Cruz as he continues to work to try and secure a spot in the receiving corps. Jerrel Jernigan doesn't show much on punt returns, but the Giants had so many problems on special teams last year that if they can get it down to just one, Coughlin is going to be ecstatic.

4. How did those receivers keep getting open between Corey Webster and Kenny Phillips? It happened twice in the first half, and Cutler hit it for a big gain each time. It looked as though the receiver got by Webster and Phillips didn't get over in time to help. There are three possibilities that I can see: 1. Webster let his man go by him without making sure he had the safety help; 2. Phillips was supposed to help but was slow getting over; 3. Phillips went with the tight end up the seam after the tight end got by middle linebacker Jonathan Goff, which would kind of lead back to (1.) though with some blame to be shared by Goff. Either way, I'm certain it'll be discussed in detail in meetings this week. The Giants will obviously need mistake-free play from Webster and Phillips with as vital a piece as Thomas now missing from the secondary.

5. Victor Cruz, preseason wonder. Domenik Hixon had the big touchdown catch, but I really believe the Giants are trying to bring Hixon along slowly as he's coming back from his knee injury. And if that's the case, it opens up opportunities for guys like Cruz to get more reps at wide receiver. Cruz lined up with the starters in the team's three-receiver sets at the start of the game, and he did a lot of good, athletic, impressive things, just like he did last year in the preseason. As long as he keeps contributing on special teams, he's a good bet to make the roster. And if he does and Hixon is still being babied come the regular season, Cruz should get a serious chance to show whether or not his preseason success can carry into the regular season this time.

6. Some notes on the sure things. Manning looked fine, though I wouldn't put him in John Beck's class as a preseason quarterback. (Easy, folks... I kid because I love...) Brandon Jacobs looked especially spry on his touchdown run. And how about Justin Tuck's downfield tackle on Matt Forte? Tuck's a beast, but I couldn't help thinking a linebacker or a safety should have made that unnecessary. Overall, the Giants' defense looked very good, especially when it came time to keep the Bears out of the end zone in goal-line situations. Mark Herzlich's interception on the fourth-down play late in the fourth quarter was the most fun of the stops.

7. Still could use a tight end. Not that this is a Priority No. 1 at this point, but Travis Beckum and Bear Pascoe have been fully underwhelming at a key position for the Giants' passing game. We saw Manning audible at the line a few times and look to check it down, but with Steve Smith in Philadelphia and Kevin Boss in Oakland, he's still looking for reliable options to serve as safety valves. There was a third-down throw on which he and Mario Manningham couldn't connect that made you think he missed Smith. But two more preseason games to go and work still to be done, as is the case with every team.

It's clear by now that this first week or so of post-lockout NFL business is going to be as insane as Eagles fans likely remember Crazy Eddie's prices were. A quick review shows that I did 13 NFC East blog posts and a live chat in a 12-hour stretch Tuesday, and things are just getting revved up. So, because we're doing quick-hit analysis move-by-move and some things are obviously going to slip through the cracks, I'm going to try and do a daily Day-in-Review post that tries to assess what kind of day each team in the division had. I was originally planning to do one per team, but for now we'll try this. Going to try, I said. If it doesn't work... hey, I tried.

So, how was your day...

Dallas Cowboys?

"Efficient." Dallas needed to make some cuts to work on getting under the salary cap, and they trimmed Marion Barber, Leonard Davis, Roy Williams and Kris Brown from their roster. Marc Colombo's status remained up in the air at day's end, and the next order of business was likely the restructuring of some veteran contracts (Romo, Austin, etc.) to keep freeing up room for outside free-agent pursuits. Reports surfaced that they reached out to Abe Elam to talk about one of their openings at safety, and they are talking with guard Kyle Kosier, who along with Doug Free is an important re-sign for them. Knocking $16.6 million off their 2011 payroll represents a good first day for a team that needs to rebuild its defense within the next week.

New York Giants?

"Confusing." When the Giants decided not to make offensive line a priority in the draft, many people assumed it was because they felt they had enough depth at the position. But Tuesday brought news that veterans Shaun O'Hara, Rich Seubert and Shawn Andrews would be cut. Adam Schefter reported that Kevin Boothe would return on a two-year deal, but even if Will Beatty is ready to be the starting left tackle, the Giants will need reinforcements. They also needed to get under the cap, but such a drastic purge at one position suggests a recalibration of free-agent priorities for a team that has work to do to bring back several of its own free agents. Adam also reports that the Giants have been speaking with Plaxico Burress about a reunion, which is confusing in light of what Burress had to say about Tom Coughlin after his release from prison last month. Giants fans tend to trust their team's front office, but if there's a sound plan here, it has yet to reveal itself. The Giants did make a feel-good move in the morning, signing undrafted rookie and cancer survivor Mark Herzlich, who could be part of the solution at linebacker if he can return to the form that made him one of the best defensive players in college football in 2008. Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com reported on Twitter that potential linebacker target Paul Posluszny would sign with the Jaguars, but I still expect the Giants to find another linebacker in free agency. Herzlich has big upside but is no sure thing.

Philadelphia Eagles?

"Unsatisfying." We woke with the idea that the long-expected Kevin Kolb trade could happen as soon as the clock struck 10 am. It did not happen, and in fact the market for Kolb took a hit with the news that the Broncos were trying to trade Kyle Orton (thereby providing the Cardinals with another option) and that the Seahawks were going to sign Tarvaris Jackson (depriving the Eagles of the most viable other trade partner with which they could leverage Arizona). Kolb to Arizona still seems the most likely outcome here, but the longer it goes without the Eagles getting what they need to get in return, the more likely it is that he ends up staying in Philadelphia. Michael Vick hinted that DeSean Jackson could hold out of training camp due to dissatisfaction with his contract situation, which portends trouble on that front. The Philadelphia Inquirer also reported that the Eagles were planning to let go of all of their own free agents, including linebacker Stewart Bradley and backup running back Jerome Harrison -- news that led some (including me) to speculate that they were clearing the financial decks for a big signing such as Nnamdi Asomugha. One of those free agents, safety Quintin Mikell, agreed to a deal with the Rams, according to a report by Schefter. And the team announced the signing of undrafted running back Noel Devine of West Virginia, who could perhaps compete with Dion Lewis for that backup running back spot. Fair amount of business conducted, but none of the big moves we've been expecting from the Eagles ... yet.

Washington Redskins

"Encouraging." There were reports of discussions of a trade of Donovan McNabb to Minnesota, which was a mild surprise. If they can get anything -- even a fifth-round pick -- for McNabb, they'll have to call that a win. Schefter reported that Santana Moss had agreed to return on a three-year, $15 million deal, which is a move each side wanted to make sure happened and will help the Redskins' inexperienced quarterback and receivers. I don't think that move takes them out of the running for Santonio Holmes, but The Star-Ledger reported that the Jets are moving to re-sign Holmes, as was expected. So he remains a long shot, and potential offensive line target Marshal Yanda re-upped with the Ravens, taking him out of Washington's plans. But the re-signing of Moss and the serious McNabb talks have to count as a good first day for a team with a lot to do.

How was my day, you ask? Busy, but lots of fun. Looking forward to another busy/fun one tomorrow. Love that we have actual news to write about, at long last. And I hope you enjoyed your day here on the NFC East blog. Talk to you again in the morning.

The first thing the Dallas Cowboys had to do once the lockout ended was trim their roster so they could get under the salary cap. They appear to have wasted little time in doing so.

ESPNDallas.com reports that the Cowboys have informed running back Marion Barber, guard Leonard Davis and receiver Roy Williams that they will be cut. After a phone conversation I just had with the one and only Calvin Watkins, I believe the total savings toward the 2011 salary cap represented by those three moves comes out to $15.7 millon -- $6 million for Davis, $5 million for Williams and $4.7 million for Barber.

None of the cuts qualifies as a huge surprise, though there was some thought that Williams might represent too big a cap hit. But as Calvin reported Monday, designating Williams as a June 1 cut makes him a $5 million savings this year instead of a $12.9 million hit as we had previously thought. The question, of course, is who replaces Williams, who's been the object of scorn in Dallas because he's underperformed so drastically after they gave up so much to get him? Regardless of his performance, he did appear to be a pretty good No. 3 receiver behind Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, and they may have to fill that spot in free agency now.

Barber appeared to be a goner once the Cowboys drafted running back DeMarco Murray in April. Murray will take Barber's place in the running back rotation with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. And if they're not prepared to start Montrae Holland, they will need a guard to replace Davis. They still need to re-sign left guard Kyle Kosier as well.

We're hearing conflicting reports on Marc Colombo, who'd be a $2.4 million savings, so stay tuned on that. And the Cowboys also cut veteran kicker Kris Brown, whose only projected function was to put training-camp pressure on David Buehler.

The Cowboys had been projected to be about $17 million over the cap, so this brings them close to the number. Still some work to be done (most likely in the form of restructuring deals) to make room for them to sign the free-agent safeties and defensive linemen they need. But they're clearly working on it.

Dallas also announced that its preseason game against the Chargers, which had been scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 20, will instead be played Sunday, Aug. 21 at 8 p.m. ET.

Least I can do is read some mail. My letter carrier worked so hard to lug all of those envelopes around in this heat.

Matthew from Summit, N.J., (woo-hoo!) read John Clayton's piece on potential salary cap casualties, noticed the Giants' Shawn Andrews was on there and wondered who else from the Giants might be on the list.

Dan Graziano: I wouldn't feel super-comfy if I were Rocky Bernard, even if Barry Cofield does leave via free agency. The Giants have picked defensive tackles in the second round each of the past two years and are clearly looking toward the future at that position. Brandon Jacobs could be cut if he doesn't agree to re-work his contract, but I think he probably will. I'm interested to see what happens with Shaun O'Hara, who's in the final year of his deal and missed 10 games in 2010. They got by without him, and they could face a tough decision there. What will help is the new CBA provision that gives teams extra money to help them retain veterans. According to the terms the league sent out Thursday night, "All teams will have approximately $3.5 million in what would otherwise be performance-based pay available to fund veteran player salaries," and "Each club may 'borrow' up to $3 million in cap room from a future year, which may be used to support veteran player costs." So the cuts might not be as severe as they have been in some years past.

rd from Idaho was kind enough to take time out of his day to pen this missive: "your gonna look like an idiot when Nnamdi lands elsewhere."

DG: If you say so, Grammar Guy. Hopefully YOU'RE around to remind me.

markus from Washington, D.C., thinks it's "ridiculous" for the Redskins to go with John Beck at quarterback, would rather see Rex Grossman as the starter and believes the Skins should think about signing Vince Young after the Titans release him. Then he asks what I think.

DG: A few people have asked about Young in Washington. I don't see it. Based on the way it bottomed out for him in Tennessee, I don't think Young's next NFL job is as a starter. I think he needs to be out of the spotlight for a while and get some coaching in a backup role. It's why I like Philadelphia for him. I could be wrong, and Mike Shanahan could be looking at Young's talent and record as a starter and thinking he can get the most out of him. But for me, that would qualify as a big surprise move.

Jake from Oceanside, Calif., asks if a trade of Kevin Kolb to Arizona could result in the Eagles getting Karlos Dansby.

DG: Only if it were a three-way deal involving the Dolphins, since that's the team for which Dansby currently plays.

Jarrett from Dallas (who's an Eagles fan) wonders if acquiring Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for Kevin Kolb would take the Eagles out of the Nnamdi Asomugha sweepstakes, or if they'd play Rodgers-Cromartie in the nickel: "Having DRC, Nnamdi, and Asante Samuel would arguably give the Eagles the best secondary in the league, and those three would take major loads off of the young safeties' backs."

DG: Very interesting point, Jarrett. I hadn't thought of that. I guess I'd been assuming that, if they got a starting corner for Kolb, they'd be out on Nnamdi. But you make some sense. The vibe coming out of Philly is that the defense will be more front-four focused in 2011, and that that's one of the reasons they're going young at safety. But we really don't know what Andy Reid has planned, and he has surprised us in the past.

And finally, Travis from Scottsdale is hoping the new cap-exception rules might help keep Marion Barber in Dallas. Travis thinks Barber was slowed more than most people realize by his quad injury and needs a healthy year to remind people how good he is. And he says if they do cut Barber, they'd better make sure the backs who remain can pass protect because -- and I'm quoting Travis here -- "No back in the NFL lays the smack down on a blitzing LB like Marion Barber! Period."

DG: Travis, I agree that Barber was a beast when he was healthy and that it'd be foolish to assume he has nothing left to contribute. But I do believe the Cowboys are ready to move on and go with a rotation of Felix Jones, Tashard Choice and rookie DeMarco Murray. Just because the new rules will help teams keep veterans more easily than they could in the past doesn't mean they have to keep guys they don't want anymore. I'm interested, as I'm sure you are, to see what kind of role Barber fills on his next team, whoever that is.

Stay thirsty, my friends.

It could be a matter of hours, or at worst days, before we know the terms of the NFL's new labor rules. That means hours, or at worst days, before we know the 2011 salary-cap number. But the most interesting cap-related information coming out today indicates that teams like the Cowboys and Giants -- the two NFC East teams projected to be over the $120 million cap number that's been reported -- could be getting some unforeseen help.

Multiple reports have surfaced today that the new deal will protect veteran players from being "cap casualties" the way they have been in past years -- that there will be some procedure in place that allows for a "soft" cap, at least in the early years of the deal, and allows teams to keep veterans who might otherwise have to be cut to help the team get under the cap.

We don't know yet what form this new rule would take, but if it turns out to be the case, I predict it will be quickly labeled the "Jerry Jones Rule" and will strike at the heart of the issue of who are the "winners" and "losers" from this long labor dispute.

I believe that, once this is over, the co-winners will be the big-spending NFL owners (which is to say most of them) and the players. The provision that requires teams to spend a certain percentage of the cap number (94 percent, is what we've heard) is a big win for the players, who have been frustrated in years' past about teams not spending up to the cap. But it's also a win for the big-spending owners, who have been frustrated in years' past that some of their cheaper brethren haven't put as much revenue-sharing money into player payrolls as the bigger spenders believe they should.

All of the NFC East teams and owners stand to benefit from these kinds of new rules in the new deal. The "losers" will be smaller-market owners such as those in Cincinnati and Buffalo, who almost certainly will wish the revenue-sharing adjustments in the new deal would address their concerns about the way the system is structured. But in the end, this dispute was never about owners versus players as much as it was about the big-spending owners versus the lighter-spending owners. Each side on that dispute was dissatisfied with the revenue-sharing model as it had been constructed. All appearances indicate that the new deal will address the concerns of the former group much more effectively than it will the latter. And Jones, who was a key figure in all of this, will be laughing all the way to the bank.

Roster-wise, what this would mean is that the Cowboys might not have to cut people like Bradie James or Terence Newman or Marion Barber just to get under the cap. It could mean that the Giants can re-sign Ahmad Bradshaw without having to worry about what Brandon Jacobs is making. Again, we wait to find out what the actual rules will be. But if they allow teams to go beyond the cap to retain high-priced veterans, that's only going to help big-market teams like the ones in the NFC East.

UPDATE: These details are from the agreement the owners approved Thursday evening:

2011-2012 TRANSITION RULES

-Special transition rules to protect veteran players in 2011. All teams will have approximately $3.5 million in what would otherwise be performance-based pay available to fund veteran player salaries.

-Each club may "borrow" up to $3 million in cap room from a future year, which may be used to support veteran player costs.

-In 2012, each club may "borrow" up to $1.5 million in cap room from a future year. Both these amounts would be repaid in future years.

Took the chat on location today but it still went off brilliantly, as it always does. If you missed it ... well, I'm not even sure why I'm still trying to help you. But here are some of the highlights anyway.

Willow from Southside is, like a lot of Cowboys fans, worried about this cap number we're hearing and wondering who the Cowboys might cut in order to get under the cap.

Dan Graziano: Yes, Willow. They are going to have to make some cuts, and it'll be interesting to see who they drop. Marion Barber looks like a sure thing to be cut, and I'd imagine they're dropping Leonard Davis and some others. Terrence Newman may not be safe. Roy Williams' cap number could keep them from cutting him. Bradie James would be a cut that could save them money but might hurt the 2011 team too much.

Will Kelland from New York City wondered why Osi Umenyiora isn't getting the same amount of attention Vincent Jackson and Logan Mankins are getting today as a disgruntled plaintiff in the Brady antitrust case.

DG: Based on what's come out today, it sounds as if Osi isn't making the same kind of demands as those guys are. Plus, he wasn't franchised, as they were. So, different scenarios.

John from Philly wondered where Nnamdi Asomugha gets off asking for $18 million a year. Seems John doesn't think he's worth that or will get it.

DG: Well, Revis is making $16.25/year in the first two years of his deal, and I'm sure Nnamdi, being a free agent, is looking for more. I don't think he's better than Revis, but he is a free agent and that's how these things work. He's right to be starting in that ballpark, and I wouldn't be shocked if he gets it. Remember, the new rules will require teams to spend at least a certain percentage of the cap.

Brendan from DC, mindful of Dan Snyder's reckless free-agent history, says he'd rather see the Redskins sit out free agency and continue to build through the draft. Wants them to "do nothing" once the league year opens.

DG: They have too many holes to do nothing. And the new rules will require a certain level of spending. So I think you need to trust Shanahan and Allen to spend wisely and Snyder to stay out of it until we see that it doesn't work.

Lots more in the link, so go read it. You won't be disappointed. I promise. We do it every Tuesday at noon ET and would love to see you there.

There's no Pulitzer for "best online chat about a locked-out sport during its offseason," but if they add that category this year, I think we have a chance. If you missed today's chat, I know it's not your fault. I know you desperately wanted to come by but got caught up at work, stuck in traffic or trapped under something heavy. So I've got you covered with some of the highlights:

Brendan from D.C. asked which would be better for the Redskins, to go with John Beck as the starting QB and have a "75 percent chance of getting Luck, Landry or the USC QB (can't think of his name) or spend money to bring in a washed up QB that will give you hope?"

Dan Graziano: "Guy's name is Matt Barkley. And given where the Redskins are right now, I might well choose the first plan. Next year's draft is stocked with QB talent, as you say. If Shanahan thinks he's more likely to find his long-term QB solution in the 2012 draft than in the 2011 free agent pool, then he's wise to avoid spending assets on a potentially disappointing veteran for a second year in a row."

NS from NYC asked if I thought the Giants would be "on the decline for next couple of years? Their defense struggled last year? O line is getting up there and they don't have a real threat WR after Plax. Their only saving grace is Running game and that is stretching it."

DG: "I believe they would do well to address looming needs on the offensive line before they become real problems. I do, however, disagree with you about their receivers. I believe they have excellent receivers."

biochemskinsfan from St. Louis asked whether we were more likely to see the Michael Vick who dominated the first half of the season or the one whose second-half numbers were more ordinary.

DG: "I think he got tired and wore down in the second half of the season. I think, the way he plays, that's bound to happen. But I also think his stamina will be better in 2011 than it was in 2010, since it had been so long since he's played a full season or anything close to it."

Josh from Louisville believes he has the answer to the Cowboys' running game: "Start Choice, sprinkle in Jones 10-12 plays. Let Barber finish the game. Put him in at the end of the 3rd quarter and all of the 4th in place of Choice."

DG: First, Barber's probably not going to be there. But more importantly, what's wrong with the coaches figuring out the right situations for each guy and rotating them accordingly. Who cares who "starts" and how many plays they get? They should each get the right plays, and that should probably change from game to game. The Cowboys are uniquely suited to operate this way, and I believe doing so is critical to their success.

There's lots more if you click that link up there. And we do this every Tuesday at noon. It's always awesome. Take an hour off next week and join us. You can tell your boss I said it was okay.

Before we get to the division, a quick word on these "secret" talks between the NFL and the NFLPA this week. I covered the labor situation extensively at my last job, and I consider this a major development. The people to whom I've spoken with who are connected with this say they believe it's the most serious both sides have been about doing a deal in the more than two years since the owners decided to opt out of the last CBA.

Will it work? Does this mean training camps and the season will start on time? Lots of work to be done yet before we know. But the key thing to understand is that the motivation finally appears to be there on the part of both sides to get one done. The players never viewed their "litigation strategy" as a real solution, only as a defense against the owners' "lockout strategy." They have said all along they were waiting for the owners to get serious about something other than a lockout. If that's the case -- if the owners have decided that the potential for lost revenue if training camp dates and/or preseason games begin to get canceled here in the next few weeks -- then it's the kind of thing that could mean real progress.

Even in spite of their recent success in the 8th Circuit Court, the owners fear what solution the courts might impose on this. And in part because of their recent loss in the 8th Circuit, the players' leverage isn't what it was six weeks ago. They may finally be at a point where each side is willing to give a little. But the key in getting there was that the owners had to be willing to talk about something other than a lockout. The fact that these meetings this week took place without anybody knowing about them ahead of time makes me think they're finally at that point. I'm hopeful for the first time in more than two years that they might actually play all 16 games this year.

Regardless, however, come the links:

Dallas Cowboys

A new defensive coordinator, a lockout and a second-round tender that may or may not be honored depending on the structure of the next labor deal have combined to leave Cowboys DE Stephen Bowen in a very uncomfortable position. He'd like to be back.

Nick Eatman would like fans to hold off on the "good riddance" stuff when Marion Barber gets cut and remember the great things he did for the franchise over the disappointments of the past couple of years. Nick, you're too sensible, man.

New York Giants

The Giants worked out for the second day in a row, honoring the labor talks with their own continued media silence. Shaun O'Hara said they'd talk to reporters Friday, which is nice of them but still weird. They planning some big huge announcement? They know something we don't? Labor deal settled by then? New date for the Rapture? What?

Some stats our research department came up with a couple of days ago show how much the Giants suffered when they lost Plaxico Burress. Particularly striking is the 6-1 record against the Eagles while he was on the team and the 0-5 record against the Eagles without him. I'm not sure these numbers necessarily suggest that the Giants need the guy, since he's much older now and the continued development of Hakeem Nicks answers a lot of these issues, but some of the numbers are eye-popping.

Philadelphia Eagles

We mentioned Andy Reid's non-comments about Plaxico on Wednesday, but far more telling are the comments here from Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, who openly compared the decision on whether to pursue Burress to the team's 2009 signing of Michael Vick. While Eagles coaches and execs worked on building a school playground, Lurie said a lot would go into deciding whether to bring in Burress. "Any player, if there's issues off the field, we have to ascertain ... are they going to represent the Eagles and the community that we serve?" Lurie said to Philly.com. "Are they going to be part of events like this? Michael has shown this. If a player is not willing to be part of the culture we have, then I don't think it's a good fit."

Jonathan Tamari checked in on Nate Allen as he recovers from his knee injury and looks ahead hopefully to 2011.

Washington Redskins

Stephon Heyer, like Bowen in the earlier Cowboys item, would like to know what's going on with his situation. And the Redskins surely would like to know what they're doing at right tackle.

Some speculation has surfaced in Chicago that the Bears could take a run at free-agent receiver Santana Moss. I think we've all kind of been assuming he'd go back with the Redskins, but this is a reminder that that's no sure thing. Losing Moss would leave Washington in some fairly dire straits at WR, no offense to Anthony Armstrong and the gang.

Stay cool out there today, people.

Well, another week in the books and still no end in sight for the lockout. Even Fired-Up Friday was a bit of a dud, though I do wonder where all the Eagles fans who were calling me names last week went all of a sudden... (And by the way. Really? Sixteen percent of you voted for Jason Garrett as the best head coach in the division? Off eight games? I understand being a fan, but sheesh.)

Anyway, without further ado, your queries:

Constantine Okoye from London wonders why the Giants have had such poorly attended player-organized workouts as compared with those of other teams around the league: "I'm not saying we have to go over the top and televise it on ESPN and get sponsors, etc., but even still pretty poor how literally six people turn to work out for a team that's missed the playoffs the last few years."

Dan Graziano: I mentioned this in Friday's breakfast links, and I do find it curious. These player workouts have been organized by, obviously, players. And some teams have been more organized than others. I've heard Justin Tuck say multiple times recently that he and some of the other Giants leaders have been talking about putting together a camp sometime later this month or in early July. But Constantine is right -- what the Giants have done is minimal compared to what the other teams -- even the other teams in the division -- have done. It remains to be seen whether it matters either way once the lockout ends, but it does raise questions -- for me, at least -- about the way the supposed "leaders" on the Giants' roster feel about their leadership responsibilities.

Steve from Alabama wants to know how Plaxico Burress would be worked into the Eagles' offense if they signed him.

DG: I think he'd fit a very specific role for them, and not a huge one. If the Eagles bring in Plaxico, it would be because they feel they lack a big-bodied WR who can dominate with his size -- someone who can go up and out-fight defenders for the ball, especially in the end zone. You can argue that they don't need someone like that, and that their focus should be on defensive upgrades, and I agree with the latter. But I don't think Burress is going to cost much, and if you can get him in there to fill that one specific role for little risk, it's worth it. If you find yourself in a bidding war with, say, the Rams, and they're telling him he'll be their No. 1 WR, then I say you back out.

James Schee from Silsbee, Texas writes: "I wonder if the fact that Marion Barber's jersey is on clearance for $20 at Dallas Cowboy Pro Shop retail stores is a clear indication that Barber's done in Dallas. They did the same thing to TO's jersey just before TO got released."

DG: I'm pretty sure they were planning to move on from Barber all along, James, and especially once they drafted DeMarco Murray. But it's a good question, whether the folks setting prices in the team stores would do so upon consultation with the front office or whether they're just speculating like the rest of us. Best bet: The prices on the Barber jerseys went down because people weren't buying them.

Connor from Chicago wonders whether the Redskins would bring in Vince Young to be their starting quarterback: "I know we've had a bad track record with personality risks from Tennessee, but he should be relatively cheap right now and we could just give him a contract loaded with incentives to keep his head straight. At least the guy has a track record of being a winner, and maybe he could inject some life into the sleepy skins offense."

DG: I guess, but I'm not seeing it. It wouldn't make sense for Shanahan to be seeking out drama right now, as you mention with your Haynesworth reference. And in general, I don't get the sense that Young's next stop is going to be as someone's starter. I believe Young will get a deal to be some team's backup, from a coaching staff that believes it can coach the best out of him while he's in a low-pressure role and not getting much attention. I know it sounds silly because we keep mentioning them everywhere, but I think he makes a LOT of sense as Michael Vick's backup if the Eagles trade Kevin Kolb.

And finally, Dan Monkeyboy Backen from Minneapolis writes: "Hiaku! 'Dan to Dan,' I just gotta say, Man, I like your great writing. You just make my day. Thanks and keep up the good work."

DG: No, thank you, Monkeyboy, for making mine. And if you find yourself at Ike's on 6th Street, tell Bill Morris I said hi.

Enjoy the weekend, everybody.

So Tony Romo got married last weekend, which means there's at least one person in this world who'd prefer to see him hand the ball off as much as possible. Whether coach Jason Garrett agrees with the new Mrs. Romo could determine a lot about the Dallas Cowboys' 2011 season (assuming there is one).

The Cowboys had decent success under Garrett once he became head coach at the midway point of the 2010 season. They went 5-3 to help Garrett keep the job full time. They did it all without Romo, who got hurt in Week 7, but their second-half success had less to do with the job Jon Kitna did in Romo's place than with a rather dramatic philosophical shift in the offensive game plan.

In the first eight games of the 2010 season, with Wade Phillips as their head coach, the Cowboys ran the ball 169 times and threw 326 passes. In Garrett's eight games as head coach, the Cowboys had 259 rush attempts and 250 pass attempts. Because Romo wasn't there? Sure, maybe. But it worked. They were 4-0 in games in which they had more run plays than pass plays (all four under Garrett). You don't need me to do the math to tell you that means they were 2-10 when they passed more than they ran.

If Garrett was paying attention (which I must assume he was), the Romo injury may have shown him the way back to consistent offensive success. Just because Romo returns in 2011 doesn't mean they should put the ball in his hands and let him air it out to Miles Austin and Dez Bryant anytime he wants. Romo's talent has been a toxic temptation for Dallas in recent years. When he's on, it's easy for the Cowboys to forget that their strength is in their running game, and that they're at their best when they commit to keeping it on the ground.

The question, you say, then becomes one of specifics. Who from the Cowboys' stable of talented running backs should get the ball the most? Who's the "starter?" Who's the "lead running back?" It's a popular question that results either from long-held formulaic preconceptions, fantasy roster concerns or both. But if I were Garrett, my very easy answer would be: "Who cares?"

Felix Jones got most of the carries over the final eight games of 2010, but there were only two games in which he got more than 15. Tashard Choice had his moments, and there were times when Marion Barber looked healthy and useful again as well. The point, as it has been for the past couple of seasons with the Cowboys, is that all of the backs are good. Each brings a different skill set to the position and the offense functions best when Garrett and the coaching staff are rotating them in and out of situations where they fit best.

The bell cow running back is an endangered species. Only seven NFL running backs averaged 20 carries per game in 2010, and only six in each of the previous two seasons. None of the backs on the Cowboys' roster is Adrian Peterson or Steven Jackson or Michael Turner. None is going to hold up physically under that kind of workload, and frankly none will attain peak effectiveness if worked too hard.

So if you're Garrett, whenever you're allowed to talk to your players again, you sit down with Jones, Choice, DeMarco Murray and Barber (if he's still on the roster), and you tell them how it's going to be. You tell them they're all going to play, but none is going to play as much as Chris Johnson plays. You tell them to trust you -- that you believe in each of them, and that you're determined to make sure each gets his time in the spotlight.

You get them to buy into the idea that this is the way the NFL works now -- that running back is becoming a more specialized position, where different backs with different skills make different kinds of plays depending on the situation. You sell them on the idea that this is a way to make their careers last longer. You tell them the Cowboys are a running team now, but that there's no lead back and they're all in this together, as teammates and equals. Heck, you make up T-shirts if you like, with a catchy slogan they can use as a rallying cry.

And then, if you're Garrett, you go out and make it work. You take the opportunity to set the tone for the way the ball is run in the new NFL. You take that creative offensive mind we've all been hearing about for so many years and design creative ways to utilize the varied talents of your running backs. Romo and Austin and Bryant will still make their highlight-reel plays, but if the plan works, and the Cowboys are winning games, the midseason stories will all be about the run game and the way the coaches are making it happen.

It happened two years ago in New Orleans, remember? Drew Brees got the headlines, but the Super Bowl-winning Saints had the sixth-most rushing yards in the league without a single back reaching 800. That team could be Garrett's model, but he doesn't even need to look back that far. The offense he ran for the final eight games of the 2010 season will work just fine. And that offense ran the ball more than it threw it.

Dallas Cowboys

Quarterback Tony Romo is making plans with his teammates to organize workouts during the lockout.

Are Marion Barber's days as a member of the Cowboys numbered?

New York Giants

Alfred F. Kelly Jr., the former president of American Express, will lead the committee organizing the New York-area Super Bowl in 2014.

Giants vice president of medical services Ronnie Barnes says the league's medical staffs have been accepting of the NFL's standards regarding concussions.

Philadelphia Eagles

Moving the Chains examines the state of the Eagles at running back heading into the draft.

How Stewart Bradley's concussion was handled helped change NFL rules regarding head injuries.

Washington Redskins

The Donovan McNabb trade rumors continue to circulate, with the Vikings as an interested suitor.

Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones paid a visit to Redskins Park.