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Junior Seau never played in the NFC East, but if the story of his death Wednesday at the age of 43 didn't shake you up, you're made of stone. Police are investigating the possibility of suicide, and since he died of a gunshot wound to the chest, that possibility recalls former Bears safety Dave Duerson, who shot himself in the chest last year and left messages asking that his brain be studied for evidence that playing football damaged it. We don't know yet of any such message left by Seau. We don't know why he's dead, or if playing football had anything to do with it, and we may never know. A lot of conclusions are being jumped to, and the temptation to make those jumps is understanding, but the fact is that a man is dead, far too young, and the outrage can and should be put on hold while respect is paid.

A few things are clear, though. Seau's story -- the part that came before Wednesday -- indicates a man who struggled with his transition to post-NFL life. Whether that struggle had to do with damage done to him by playing the game remains to be seen and surely debated. But stories such as this one are a major part of the current culture surrounding today's NFL.

The idea that Seau's death might even possibly be fallout from a playing career that took too intense a toll is part of the expanding tapestry of concern that governs the league's actions on such matters as the Saints' bounty scandal. With more than 1,100 former NFL players currently suing the league for allegedly ignoring the long-term effects of head and other injuries suffered during their playing careers, the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell feel required to take a hard line on player safety. Rules will continue to be changed and modified to address the violence inherent in the game. Suspensions for actions the league believes could result in too-serious injury will continue to be harsh, even extreme, to give the league as strong a base as possible from which to claim it did not turn a blind eye if and when any of these suits ever find their way to a judge.

The NFLPA took some heat Wednesday, in the wake of the announcement of the Saints' suspensions, for not negotiating during the last CBA talks a change in the discipline policy that would have allowed players to appeal to someone other than Goodell. What wasn't mentioned during those discussions were the many concessions the players did win in last year's negotiations -- quality-of-life things like improved post-career health care, injury guarantees in contracts, reductions in the demands made on players during the offseason program and drastic cutbacks in the amount of contact permitted in offseason and training-camp practices. Those are the issues the players believed were most important, because those are the issues that affect them and their families long term, as people, once their short careers are over.

Part of the problem with the NFL is that fans tend to see these players as characters that appear on a weekly TV show, not as real human beings who are willingly subjecting themselves to physical punishment for our entertainment. But when something like Seau's death happens, everybody gets reminded of the reality that lurks behind the noise and the excitement and the bright colors of game day. And while fans may not like these reminders, sadly, they're not going away. They're a part of the game in 2012 and in the future, and they're here to change the way the people who watch and run football think about it. Or else.

Thank you for indulging me. Here are your links.

Dallas Cowboys

As the Cowboys look down their roster for a possible new No. 3 wide receiver, it's worth remembering Raymond Radway's turn last summer as a fun breakout possibility. He got hurt, and that ended that, but he says he's feeling better now and would like a chance to compete for the spot. I image he'll get that chance.

One place where the Cowboys still face a big question mark is at punter, with an injured Mat McBriar still unsigned and Chris Jones the only punter currently on their roster. So they're working out new punters to see whether they can upgrade. Hey, it matters. Just ask the Jaguars.

New York Giants

Eli Manning plans to "kind of let loose" when he hosts "Saturday Night Live" this weekend. He also says one of his favorite "SNL" skits of all time was the "Chippendales" bit that Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze did. I was always more partial to Matt Foley, motivational speaker, myself.

While we wait to find out where Manning ranks on this year's player-voted NFL Network top 100, Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks checked in at No. 90 on the list. Still underrated, is Nicks, but he doesn't care.

Philadelphia Eagles

Sheil Kapadia has a nice breakdown of the Eagles' linebacker situation with DeMeco Ryans and rookie Mychal Kendricks in the mix. Number of different ways they can go there, but with Ryans brought in to start in the middle, it sure seems as though they plan on Kendricks starting alongside him at one of the spots.

Ray Didinger discusses the possibility that rookie Vinny Curry could surpass 2010 first-round pick Brandon Graham on the depth chart at defensive end, and how soon that might happen.

Washington Redskins

Robert Griffin III is no ordinary football player. Read Rick Maese's story about the plans Griffin has for the film he's working on to complete his master's thesis. It's something he calls "mixed reality." Different kind of cat, this one. Got some things going for him.

Yes, Redskins fans have fallen head-over-heels in love with their new quarterback, and for what appears to be good reason. Dan Daly writes that Griffin's task is to make sure not to lose that love.

Of the Dallas Cowboys' late-round draft picks, the one that seems to be drawing the most attention right now is Virginia Tech wide receiver Danny Coale. I think it's because people have heard of him and because he plays a position at which the Cowboys have an opening. Laurent Robinson, the out-of-nowhere No. 3 wide receiver who caught 11 touchdown passes for the Cowboys in 2011, has moved on to Jacksonville, and the competition he left behind for that spot is somewhat uninspiring, which is why -- as Calvin Watkins writes -- the team's fifth-round draft pick may have a shot:

As it stands, Coale will battle Kevin Ogletree, Andre Holmes, Dwayne Harris and Raymond Radway for the two open receiver spots. The Cowboys could use five receivers in 2012 if needed. (We don't believe Dez Bryant and Miles Austin are in danger of not making the roster).

What I'm told about Coale by scouts (who like him a great deal) is that he knows how to get open, knows how to find the ball in traffic and has excellent hands. These would all seem to be great assets, but those same scouts caution that Coale is a bit undersized (6-feet, 200 pounds) and may struggle against the bigger, more physical defenders he's going to face as he adjusts to the NFL level. That's why I caution against expecting too much out of Coale too soon. He's a fifth-round pick, after all, and if he does make an impact as a rookie that'd be one heck of a story.

Some people have suggested to me on Twitter that Coale compares to Wes Welker. I think this is a lazy (and somewhat insulting) comparison to make, and I think it's made because Coale is white and not very big. Coale actually lists as three inches taller and 15 pounds heavier than Welker, who by the way is one of the best players in the entire league. If Coale does turn out to be even half as good as Welker, the Cowboys will have grabbed a huge steal in the fifth round. I doubt that even their most optimistic forecasts imagine that.

If we can put both feet on the ground about this for a moment, the odds are that Coale helps on special teams in 2012 and finds his way into the receiver mix here and there as he learns the pro game and adjusts to a new level of difficulty. If he makes good progress, you could be looking at a guy who becomes a reliable receiver for the Cowboys in 2013 or 2014, and that'd be excellent. If you find a starter in Round Five at any position, you've done something really impressive. But look, for example, at Bryant, a former first-r0under who's as skilled and physically dominant as any receiver in the league. He's still developing after two seasons as a starter. It takes time at that position.

My bet is still that the Cowboys add a veteran receiver to this mix before or during camp as the market begins to flood with them. The Redskins released Jabar Gaffney on Tuesday, and a short time later the Texans released Jacoby Jones. I don't know if either of those guys makes sense to or for the Cowboys, but the point is that there will be options, and opportunities to find the next Robinson if he doesn't turn out to currently live on the Cowboys' roster. As for Danny Coale, there's real potential there, but I think the best thing the Cowboys and their fans can do is to be patient and see what comes of it.

The Dallas Cowboys didn't see Laurent Robinson coming last summer, but thanks to Miles Austin's hamstrings and the speed with which he and Tony Romo developed a red zone rapport, Robinson became an important part of Dallas' offense. Now, he's an unrestricted free agent, and the team faces a difficult decision on what to do about him.

In the third installment of their position-by-position look at the Cowboys, ESPNDallas.com tackles the wide receivers. Bryan Broaddus acknowledges Robinson's contribution but "would not be surprised if the front office allows Robinson to walk."

He's made it clear that he wants to return to Valley Ranch and has indicated that the Cowboys wouldn't necessarily have to be the top bidders to keep him. What the Cowboys would be willing to pay for a No. 3 receiver who has proven he can be a quality fill-in starter isn't clear. If the Cowboys don't re-sign Robinson, they'll need to find another third receiver, whether it's in the draft or another free-agency bargain.

I remember No. 3 receiver being a concern for the Cowboys last August in training camp, and I remember talking to Bryan about this issue. At the time, we agreed that it was a small concern, in part because there was always a chance they could find a decent No. 3 wideout on the street (as they did) if they didn't like their internal options, and in part because of tight end Jason Witten's abilities as a receiver.

Witten this past season posted his lowest reception and yardage totals since 2006. I believe part of that was due to the emergence of Robinson, especially as a red zone option. I also think it had something to do with the Cowboys' offensive line struggles, which may have required Witten to spend more time as a pass-protector than a pass-catcher. It's entirely possible that, should the Cowboys let Robinson go, they can replace his production by throwing to Witten as much as they did in prior seasons. And if that's the case, internal options such as Jesse Holley or Raymond Radway might be sufficient replacements. Or they could find next year's Robinson in the free-agent bargain bin again.

The Cowboys need to spend money to upgrade the line and the secondary, and they could stand to spend some on a pass rush. If Austin and Dez Bryant can stay healthy, their concerns at wide receiver are small compared to those in other areas. So if Robinson wants more than No. 3 wide receiver money, or if he wants a long-term commitment, I'm with Bryan in that I wouldn't be surprised to see them let him go.

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

If not, we have links.

Dallas Cowboys

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

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

New York Giants

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

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

Philadelphia Eagles

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

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

Washington Redskins

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

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

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

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys' coaches don't just announce drills during training camp practices, hollering out "9-on-7s!" as the horn blows and players shift from one field to the other. They're calling out situations. Two minutes to go, one timeout left, second-and-6 on your own 35. The players either huddle or hustle between plays, depending on what the called-out situation calls for. While these are drills only, they're intended to simulate game conditions as closely as they possibly can.

"Will we ever be able to completely recreate a game situation? No," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "But we're going to try our best in practice, and I think all these situational periods had been really good for us. Not only have we created initial situations, but stuff comes up that isn't scripted, and I think our team has handled those well also."

What strikes you when you spend a few days in Cowboys camp is how normal things seem, how businesslike. Sure, they were in San Antonio for a while and now are splitting practice time between the steamy outdoor fields at Valley Ranch and the air-conditioned luxury of Cowboys Stadium. But it's nothing like last year, when they spent August bouncing between those places as well as Canton and California, brimming with the highest possible expectations, proclaiming with confidence the goal of being the first team to play a Super Bowl in its home stadium.

A 6-10 record and a new coach can humble you, for sure, after a summer like that, and there's no doubt these Cowboys are humbled by the way things went in 2010. But if the end result is the atmosphere Garrett has created in his first training camp as head coach, there are worse things.

"We certainly want an atmosphere where guys like to coach and play football, but we absolutely want to be organized and prepared," Garrett said after Friday morning's workout at the stadium. "We want it to be businesslike when we're out there doing our work, out there on the field and also in the meeting rooms. We want to create a nice, professional atmosphere where we feel like we can function the best."

Garrett exudes both confidence and competence. He has waited his whole life for this chance, but he doesn't seem over-eager or phony about the way he's putting his long-held ideas about how to be a head coach into practice. He is smart, knowledgeable and self-assured, and it's emanating throughout the building. Around a team that often, throughout its history, has been known for something of a circus atmosphere, the mentality this August is straight lunch pail.

"Everybody here knows, whatever we get, we're going to have to work for it," right guard Kyle Kosier said. "Whether it's your spot on the roster or in the starting lineup or a Week 1 win or a playoff spot, it's about putting in this time right here and working. And that's all that's on anybody's mind right now."

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Can the defense learn Rob Ryan's scheme in time? The Cowboys brought in Ryan to be their new defensive coordinator. And while they signed free-agent safety Abram Elam and free-agent defensive end Kenyon Coleman -- both played under Ryan in Cleveland the past two seasons -- the group they're bringing back on defense is otherwise the same as the one that allowed the second-most points in the league last season. Ryan is charged with fixing that, but of course the lockout denied him the opportunity to use spring minicamps and organized team activities as part of his installation process. The defense is trying to cram a whole offseason's worth of learning into one month, and there's a lot to learn. Ryan's defense is based on multiple and ever-changing looks, and a complexity designed to make things as confusing as possible for opposing offenses. But Garrett said he has faith in the quality of his defensive personnel and the ability of his flamboyant new coordinator to teach.

"It's difficult. There are a lot of looks," Garrett admitted. "But the other part to that, too, is that I think he grew up in a very fundamentally sound system in the NFL -- linebacker coach for New England for four years during their Super Bowl era in the early 2000s. So he has a very good feel for base defensive football, and then he has an ability to evolve in different situations and make it more difficult for opposing offenses. So we feel excited about that, and we're excited to see our players play within this system."

2. Can they put together an offensive line? There are some new and inexperienced pieces here. Rookie Tyron Smith, the ninth overall pick in this past draft, will start at right tackle. Every day Smith gets an extra tutoring session with offensive line coach Hudson Houck and a series of rotating instructors that has included Kosier, linebacker DeMarcus Ware, left tackle Doug Free and others. Smith is ultra-talented but needs work on his footwork and learning the schemes. And as with the players learning the new defense, he has to cram. The Cowboys moved Kosier from left guard to right so he could work more closely with the rookie, but now they need a left guard. And while that still has a good chance to be Montrae Holland or Phil Costa, later-round rookies David Arkin and Bill Nagy have been getting first-team reps lately and one of them could end up starting Week 1.

3. Who is the No. 3 wide receiver? One of the first things the Cowboys did when the lockout ended and free agency began was cut receiver Roy Williams to help create cap room. That also created a vacancy at the No. 3 wide receiver spot behind Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. Kevin Ogletree appears first in line to grab the opportunity, though Raymond Radway and Dwayne Harris have shown flashes. Some have suggested the Cowboys need to go out and get a veteran to fill the spot, but with tight end Jason Witten a near-lock for 90-plus catches, running backs Felix Jones and DeMarco Murray potential factors in the passing game and depth at both of those positions, the Cowboys feel as though the No. 3 wide receiver might be the No. 5 target for Tony Romo for most of the season.

THE BUTLER CAN DO IT

Third-year linebacker Victor Butler has been an eye-opener in camp, and some have suggested he might be a threat to Anthony Spencer's starting spot on the side opposite Ware. More likely, he's a guy to add to the pass-rush mix and give them depth and the ability to vary those looks even more. If anything, the camp Butler is having could serve to motivate Spencer to return to his 2009 form after a disappointing 2010.

"You can never have too many pass-rushers on one team," Ware said. "When the Giants won against the Patriots, they had several really great pass-rushers. Pressure is what gets things going. So to be able to develop another third-down guy will really help us out a lot."

TURNING UP A CORNER

The Cowboys did not sign free-agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, though they tried, and they'll go with Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman as starting cornerbacks again. The problem is, injuries have kept both Jenkins and Newman sidelined so far in camp, and Newman is out until at least the regular-season opener. This is a spot where the Cowboys struggled mightily in 2010, and they're not going to have their defense the way they want it until they get Jenkins and Newman back on the field. The one positive to come out of this is that backup corner Orlando Scandrick has looked very good in a starter's role so far in camp, so maybe they have some quality depth there that they didn't know they had.

OBSERVATION DECK

• The Cowboys might have more at defensive end than we thought immediately post-free agency. Coleman looks as if he's poised to steal Igor Olshansky's starting spot from him, and Jason Hatcher has looked rejuvenated and been an asset in the pass rush. Letting Stephen Bowen go to the Redskins felt like a loss at first, but re-signing Marcus Spears and Hatcher and bringing in Coleman might have made them deeper than they'd have been if they'd stayed pat.
• The kicking competition looks miserable, with neither David Buehler nor Dan Bailey having seized the opportunity and Kai Forbath unable to get on the field because of injury. Don't rule out the possibility that the kicker the Cowboys go with this season isn't on the roster yet.
• Jones and Romo aren't new or exciting names around here, but they look as good as anyone in camp on offense. When I watched them practice against the Chargers on Thursday, the Cowboys were using Jones around end a lot, and he looks like he has great burst. The offensive linemen I spoke with all hope he gets a chance at full-time carries, because they believe he and Bryant can be "spark plug" guys.
• Elam was a critical signing, as he'll be responsible for the secondary calls and has been vitally important in helping the holdover players understand the language Ryan is speaking. I'm interested to see if the secondary looks more organized Sunday night having had an additional week-plus practicing with Elam.
• The Cowboys are serious about Nagy, who was a seventh-round pick after not playing much in his senior season at Wisconsin. He was seriously hurt in a moped accident as a junior and then was passed on the depth chart by a few other guys, so much of the action he got as a senior was actually at tight end. But the Cowboys love his athleticism and maturity. They could start him at guard early in the season, and there are some who think he could eventually start at center for them down the road.

DALLAS -- Flight was good, thanks for asking. Would have fired up a blog post or two when I got in, but I got sidetracked by the Blue Goose Cantina. Figured there'd be plenty with which to fill up the blog today. And there is! Starting, of course, with the links.

Dallas Cowboys

Miles Austin has a hamstring injury and looks as though he'll miss Thursday's scrimmage (and possibly Sunday's game) against the Chargers. While it does not sound as if the injury is serious enough to threaten Austin's availability for the season, his absence should offer plenty of opportunities for people like Kevin Ogletree, Dwayne Harris, Raymond Radway and the like to show what they can do as the Cowboys continue to hunt for a No. 3 receiver. They'd like to find that on their roster rather than have to go out on the market to get one.

Charean Williams raises the possibility of the Cowboys trading Igor Olshansky -- maybe to Houston, where Wade Phillips is the defensive coordinator -- if they're not going to use him. Olshansky, she says (yeah, try saying that 10 times fast), has slipped behind Kenyon Coleman in the rotation at defensive end. And while Olshansky is saying all the right things about learning the new defense from Coleman, who played for Rob Ryan in Cleveland, Charean think he may be a better fit with Phillips than with Ryan.

New York Giants

Mike Tanier takes a detailed look at the Giants' running-back tandem of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Most interesting part for me was the Football Outsiders numbers that show that Bradshaw has a higher per-carry rushing average (by a full yard) when running between the tackles than he does when running to the outside and that Jacobs last year had one of the best per-carry averages in the league when running to the outside. Yeah, you'd think it'd be the opposite, given Jacobs' size. Point is, they're both really good and should be relied on heavily in a number of different ways this year.

Giants safety Antrel Rolle was one of the few University of Miami alumni now in the NFL who spoke Wednesday about the damning Yahoo! Sports report that exposed a massive extra-benefits scandal at the school. Rolle was defiant, sidestepped questions about his own involvement and seemed interested in doing what he could to impugn Nevin Shapiro, the jailed former booster whose information is behind the report. Those Miami guys think of themselves as an exclusive kind of club. They'll close ranks on this thing. Rolle won't be the last one you read saying this same stuff.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles' training staff says it believes Jeremy Maclin will be ready for the season opener Sept. 11 in St. Louis, now that his tests have come back clean and all that remains is his recovery from the surgery he had last week to remove lymph nodes so they could be checked for cancer. The plan is for Maclin to start rehabbing this weekend, following the Eagles' game tonight in Pittsburgh, and to begin practicing within a week to 10 days. It's not as though he has to learn a new offense or get used to a new quarterback, so at this point it's all about making sure Maclin is at full strength.

Somewhat short, super-fast former CFL star Phillip Hunt is trying to earn a spot on the roster amid the crowd of quality defensive linemen the Eagles have. He thinks his speed and quickness give him a chance in Jim Washburn's scheme, which emphasizes an ability to get into the backfield in a hurry.

Washington Redskins

Mike Shanahan said he doesn't think Rex Grossman's experience running the Redskins' offense gives him a significant edge over John Beck in the starting quarterback competition. Just remember who was giving you the straight dope on this stuff even while Grossman was getting everybody all fired up last Friday night. Just remember who's looking out for you. Beck would have to get injured or look completely incompetent over the next three weeks to not be the starter Sept. 11 against the Giants.

Tim Hightower was impressed by the Redskins offensive line he ran behind last week. "I didn't know those guys could move like that," he told Rich Campbell. The Redskins' zone-blocking scheme emphasizes quickness, movement and athleticism by the offensive linemen and, when Shanahan used it in Denver, made stars out of running backs. Hightower liked the way they moved Friday, which is good, because the back has to be able to work in relation to that movement. I personally was impressed by the lack of penalties for which the line got called in that game.

So yeah, it's off to Valley Ranch to see the Cowboys (and, apparently, the Chargers) this morning. Will keep you posted best I can. Not sure how much of the scrimmage we'll get to see. And of course, I'll be watching the Eagles game this evening and tweeting like a madman. In between? Who knows what awaits us on another day in the NFC East? It's only 85 degrees here now, but it's only 7 am. They say it's going to get a little warmer...