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So much focus lately has been on the Washington Redskins' struggling offense, it would be easy to overlook a move on the defensive side of the ball. But the rebuilding process in Washington involves all positions, and a move has been made to get younger in the linebacking corps. For the second week in a row, 23-year-old Perry Riley will start at inside linebacker next to London Fletcher. Riley is taking the place of Rocky McIntosh, who was not performing the way the team expected him to, and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett thinks Riley injects some energy into the proceedings. Per Mike Jones of the Washington Post:

"I think Rocky, his first four games, played really well and his last couple, he didn't," Haslett said. "Rocky's a good football player, we just think Perry's really active, he's fast and can run. It was a good opportunity to give him a chance."

Perry was the Redskins' fourth-round draft pick in 2010, and the move is likely about more than just getting better for this week's game against the Cowboys. On offense, where rookies such as Roy Helu and Leonard Hankerson (before his season-ending injury) have been worked into the mix the past few weeks, the Redskins are trying to get a look at what they have for next year and beyond. They've liked Riley for a while now and are undoubtedly giving him the chance to be a starter in the hopes of finding out whether he can be one for a long time to come. It's a chance for Riley to audition, and to claim that spot next to Fletcher as his own for the foreseeable future. The Cowboys' oustanding rookie running back, DeMarco Murray, will be a tough early test Sunday afternoon.

A few thoughts on the Washington Redskins' Week 4 victory over the Rams in St. Louis:

What it means: The Redskins have a ton of depth at running back, and Mike Shanahan likes to show it off. After not getting a single carry in the first two games while Tim Hightower started and Roy Helu backed him up, Ryan Torain went off in this Week 4 game to the tune of 135 yards on 19 carries. Hightower and Helu combined for 59 yards on 16 carries as the Redskins' offense for most of the game looked like something out of Mike and Kyle Shanahan's dreams. The Redskins are 3-1 for the first time since 2008, when they started 4-1 but fell apart in the second half of the season and finished 8-8.

Rex remains a potential problem: Quarterback Rex Grossman's two late-game interceptions allowed the Rams back into a game the Redskins should have put away. The Redskins' offense relies on the run in part because it's a way to limit Grossman's ability to get them beat with big mistakes. Fortunately for Washington, this year's schedule affords the Redskins more opportunities to play that way.

Kerrakpo: The outside linebacker tandem of Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan combined for 3.5 sacks as the Redskins' defense got plenty of pressure on Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and smothered the Rams' offense all day. Inside linebacker Rocky McIntosh also played an excellent all-around game, and Stephen Bowen and Adam Carriker contributed pressure from the interior of the defensive line.

What's next: The Redskins will take a week off, as Week 5 is their bye week. That will give everyone two weeks to speculate in vain on the running back rotation. Washington returns to action on Oct. 16 with a home game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

We have an occasional feature here called "Inside a Moment in Time" -- a very cool graphic feature that shows a picture from a big game or moment and allows you to click on every player in the picture to get that player's thoughts on what was going through his mind at that moment in time.

Why do I bring this up? Well, we have done one on Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick and the huge game he had against the Washington Redskins on that Monday night last year that we all surely remember well. The link is here, and if you have time I recommend clicking through to hear and read the thoughts of everyone in the photo of Vick running into the end zone for a touchdown in that game. That includes Vick and Eagles offensive linemen Jason Peters, Todd Herremans and Nick Cole, as well as Redskins defensive players DeAngelo Hall, Lorenzo Alexander, Rocky McIntosh and Andre Carter, all of whom were very good sports about the thing.

It was a fun project to work on and, I think, a fun feature to check out if you have a few minutes.

ASHBURN, Va. -- This will be Brian Orakpo's third year in the NFL, but the Washington Redskins linebacker finds himself in an unusual position. There are only 16 players in camp who have been with the Redskins longer than Orakpo has. Only five of those 16 are starters and only three play defense. This puts Orakpo, who turned 25 last week, in the position of having to help a lot of new guys learn the way things work around Redskins Park.

"It's very odd, man," Orakpo said. "I'm only going into my third year and already guys are looking at me as being a veteran on the team. So it's a different era, where we're at right now, but I'm excited for the opportunity."

Last year's plan didn't work. Donovan McNabb flopped as the quarterback. The 4-3 defensive personnel didn't fit into new coach Mike Shanahan's 3-4. And Shanahan decided, one year later, that the best thing would be to bring in new players: Barry Cofield, Stephen Bowen, Josh Wilson, Chris Chester, Tim Hightower and a slew of rookie receivers. A couple of quarterbacks, John Beck and Rex Grossman, who were on the team last year now find themselves competing to be the starter at the most important position.

"The plan, at least the plan in free agency, was to get people who are solid football players but solid people as well, and who are young," Shanahan said. "The second year, you always have a good feel for what type of people fit into your scheme and what type of people you want to have on your football team. If the nucleus of your football team is guys with character who can play, you've got a good chance."

Most of the new additions are in their mid- to late-20s -- players who are already established in the league yet young enough that they can continue to grow as the team does over the next several years. They're men and players, Shanahan says, that he specifically targeted for that reason and for those he listed above. And the feeling around training camp is that this is a group of people looking to build something together.

"Of course, right now we're looking to win, but you want to build something with longevity," said safety O.J. Atogwe, a graybeard among the new additions at the ripe old age of 30. "We want to have something that's sustainable, and I believe that's what Coach Shanahan is doing, getting good character guys in here, younger guys. You're building the nucleus of a team that can be a contender for years and years to come."

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Who's the quarterback? Shanahan surprised a lot of people by not taking a quarterback in the draft. He surprised a lot more people shortly thereafter, when he declared that he believed Beck, who was already on the team, could be the starter. He has since moved to include Grossman as a candidate for that spot, but neither has inspired much confidence outside of the Redskins' offices.

Shanahan and his son, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, insist that they loved Beck when he was coming out of college and was picked 40th in the 2007 draft. They believe he continues to show the same qualities they liked when they watched him then -- athleticism, mobility, quick release, natural leadership ability -- and that the only reason he hasn't had NFL success is because he hasn't had NFL opportunity. They insist they like Grossman, who operated their offense last year at least as well as, if not better than, McNabb did. The sense I got from hanging around the Redskins for a few days is that the coaches are more concerned about the pieces around the quarterback -- the line, the receivers, the backs -- than they are about the quarterback position itself. Speaking of which ...

2. To whom will that quarterback throw? Santana Moss is back, and the team added veteran wideouts to the mix in Jabar Gaffney amd Donte' Stallworth. But in order to be successful, the Redskins' offense must get a jolt from one or more of the inexperienced receivers on the roster. Anthony Armstrong showed something late last year, and he'll be pushed by rookies Leonard Hankerson and Aldrick Robinson, as well as by holdover Malcolm Kelly, a 2008 second-rounder. Running back Hightower can be a weapon in the passing game, and the best receivers on the roster outside of Moss may be tight ends Chris Cooley and Fred Davis. But because of concerns about the offensive line and whether it can come together in short order, those guys may end up doing a lot of blocking.

3. Do they have the defense down yet? Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett said last year that it would take two years for the 3-4 install to work because it takes that long for players to re-train their minds and bodies around it. Adding in players better suited to the 3-4 than the people they had here last year should help, but new players such as Cofield, Bowen and rookie Ryan Kerrigan are experiencing the defense for the first time. The Redskins have a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball and could be good there in short order. But they're still in a learning process, and how good they are on defense this year will depend on the speed with which they learn it.

ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION

The story of last year's Redskins training camp was disgruntled defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and his distaste for what he believed would be his assignment in the new 3-4 defense. Haynesworth's refusal to be open to the switch led to a drawn-out confrontation between him and Mike Shanahan, the conditioning-test mess and a feud that lasted all the way through the season. Trading Haynesworth to New England (and McNabb to Minnesota) was one of the first things the Redskins did when the lockout ended, and the main reason they did it was because they were determined not to let last year's problems infect this year's training camp. It hasn't. Without naming names, London Fletcher laughed when I told him Cofield, who played in a 4-3 in New York, had told me he was excited to make the switch to a 3-4 nose tackle.

"That's good, to hear that he's excited about it," Fletcher said, chuckling. "I want a nose that's excited about playing that position."

EXTRA PREPARATION

Fletcher, Beck and Lorenzo Alexander organized some of the most frequent and best-attended player workouts of any team during the lockout. Fletcher said the three of them divvied up administrative responsibilities such as calling guys to make sure they were coming and reaching out to local schools to see about the use of fields. Fletcher said there was one time he flew in the day before one of the workouts and went over on a whim to check out the high school field on which they were scheduled to practice only to find it unacceptable and have to make a last-minute change.

"We had some great turnout, got some great work in," Fletcher said. "Obviously it's not what we're getting here now, but it was important for us. What upsets me a little bit is when we have something that we did in our player-only camps, and we don't cover it correctly out here. I'll see somebody do something wrong and I want to yell out, 'Man, we worked on that!'"

Maybe, but the coaching staff appreciates that the players took the time to work out together while they weren't permitted to work out with coaches at the team facility. Kyle Shanahan said he notices it with those young wide receivers.

"We weren't able to work with them, so that was one of the positions I was worried the most with," he said. "And I could tell that Rex and John had gotten with these guys and given them some stuff, and I could tell these guys had put in their work before they got here, so we weren't just speaking Chinese to them."

OBSERVATION DECK

• Alexander is an extremely valuable guy to the Redskins' defense. He has lined up at all four linebacker spots, could start the season on the outside if first-round pick Kerrigan isn't ready and has been lining up inside next to Fletcher, as well. Even with the return of Rocky McIntosh, expect Alexander to find his way onto the field a lot.
• Tim Hightower isn't here just for depth. I believe, after talking to Mike Shanahan, that Hightower is the clear front-runner for the starting running back job as long as his fumble problems don't follow him to Washington from Arizona.
• Ryan Torain, at least before he hurt himself, seemed to be working on his role in pass protection, which was something he didn't do much of last year. He'll have to if he wants to keep up with Hightower, for whom that's a strength.
• Second-round pick Jarvis Jenkins has been one of the eye-openers in camp and should fit nicely into the defensive line rotation. "He's learning so fast," offensive tackle Trent Williams told me, "it's almost scary."
• Beck may look good to the coaches who loved his college tape, but if you were out there watching the first week of practice, you saw a lot of receivers reaching behind themselves to catch his passes and a lot of wobble on the deep downfield throws. He does look good when he scrambles and runs, but as a passer, he looks as if he needs more camp.
• Trent Williams looks slimmed down from last year and has looked good in his win-some, lose-some battles with Orakpo in early drills.

Back, refreshed and headed over to Lehigh to see if I can scrounge up a storyline or two at Eagles camp. But not before I stop for a moment to enjoy some fresh, hot links.

Dallas Cowboys

DeMarcus Ware and Miles Austin have restructured their contracts, according to the Dallas Morning News, creating about $12 million in cap room that will allow the Cowboys to get under the cap by the deadline to do so, which is today. The Cowboys had been over the cap entering Thursday, but they waited until Thursday to do the restructuring because, if they hadn't those players wouldn't have been allowed to practice with the team until the league year opened.

Calvin Watkins says the Cowboys were unprepared for the Terence Newman injury and shouldn't have been, given his history. (Newman's, not Calvin's, that is.) Calvin thinks the team lacks depth at the cornerback position and should have added there in the draft or free agency. Assuming they have created enough room with the restructurings, they could go out and get a guy like Lito Sheppard to add depth in case Newman isn't ready for the season, but there's not much left out there.

New York Giants

The latest on Osi Umenyiora is that he "says he has a sore knee," according to the team, and isn't practicing because of that. Mike Garafolo has a source saying Umenyiora's knee could require surgery, but as Mike points out, saying Umenyiora "says" he has a sore knee, instead of just saying he does, indicates that the team is skeptical. Umenyiora is, of course, unhappy about his contract and has yet to practice with the team. He and his agent spent the week trying, unsuccessfully, to find a trade partner for the Giants to send him to.

Meanwhile, top draft pick Prince Amukamara has signed his four-year contract and should be ready to join the Giants at practice. Ohm Youngmisuk writes that the first three years and more than half of the fourth are guaranteed.

Philadelphia Eagles

Jeffrey Lurie reiterated the Eagles' team policy that it will not negotiate a contract with a player while that player is a holdout, which means DeSean Jackson needs to be in camp before he gets his new contract. My insight into this matter is not extensive, but I have some information, and what I have does not lead me to believe I will see Jackson at Lehigh today or tomorrow. So it lingers, though Jackson will have to be in camp by Tuesday if he doesn't want to risk losing a year's worth of credit toward next year's unrestricted free agency. That notebook also points out that Jackson's fellow receiver, Jeremy Maclin, has yet to practice because of an illness he and the team have yet to discuss publicly.

Les Bowen found a neurosurgeon who was attending Eagles practice and explained some things about Mike Patterson's brain condition. It's scary-sounding stuff, and of course all anyone anywhere near the situation can hope is that Patterson gets whatever treatment he needs and gets healthy, regardless of football.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins brought back Reed Doughty and Rocky McIntosh to add depth to what appears to be a drastically improved defense. Doughty could see a lot of snaps at safety if LaRon Landry's injury lingers, and McIntosh has a chance to be a starting inside linebacker next to London Fletcher, though the team was excited about what it saw out of Perry Riley in the first week of practice.

Rich Campbell writes of rookie Jarvis Jenkins, of whom there's been a lot of chatter in the early part of Redskins camp. Earlier this week when I was at that camp, I asked left tackle Trent Williams about going against Jenkins in practice, and Williams told me, "He's learning so fast, it's kind of scary."

More to come, but right now I'm off to watch Eagles players bump into each other for a couple of hours. Will keep you posted on everything I see, hear and learn.

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

Readiness factor: The Redskins held a ton of player-organized workouts, and they seemed to go very well. Organized by defensive leaders London Fletcher and Lorenzo Alexander and inspired by the camps the Redskins teams of the past ran to great effect during labor stoppages, the Redskins' workouts were well-attended and well-directed. There were days when Fletcher would call plays from a piece of paper he kept in his pocket, trying to help the defense run some of the 3-4 looks that were installed (but not quite mastered) last year. They brought fans out of the stands to run drills with them and generally just had a good old time. It'll be interesting to see if all of that lockout-time bonding pays dividends once the games start to count.

Biggest challenge: Figuring out the quarterback situation. Donovan McNabb is surely gone as soon as they can move him. They didn't draft a quarterback in April, and shortly after the draft head coach Mike Shanahan said he liked the idea of John Beck as his starter. Whether it's Beck or Rex Grossman, who ran the offense late last year when the McNabb plan blew up, the Redskins will be going with an imperfect solution at the most important position on the field. Will it be a season-long nightmare that forces them to draft a quarterback high in next year's draft? Will it be a revolving door with one guy starting one game and the other the next? Will the defense play well enough to overcome it? Will Beck surprise and play better than everyone (except, apparently, Shanahan) thinks he can? Many questions, still no answers yet. At least soon they can start running drills and see what they actually have back there.

Haslett's second season: Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett came to town with Shanahan last year and converted the Redskins from a 4-3 defensive team to a 3-4. It was not an easy transition, and many of the pieces that were in place didn't fit well into the new scheme. Now, every coach who knows about it says it takes two years, not one, to fully transition to the 3-4. So we should see improvement in the way the Redskins play defense in 2011. They still need to add some pieces on the line, find a cornerback or two, and they may need a linebacker if Rocky McIntosh leaves and Alexander can't be a full-time starter on the inside. But the pre-lockout addition of O.J. Atogwe at safety and the drafting of outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan in the first round were good moves. Along with the year of experience the returning guys got last year, they could help the Redskins put together a respectable defense sooner than you might expect.

Key players without contracts for 2011: OT Jammal Brown, CB Phillip Buchanon, DE Kedric Golston, QB Rex Grossman, LB Rocky McIntosh, WR Santana Moss, C Casey Rabach, CB Carlos Rogers

One more for the week in our continuing series of position-by-position looks at the proposed four-year unrestricted free agency and its potential impact on the NFC East. We turn our attention now to the inside linebacker position, where the Cowboys seem set, but the division's other three teams all could be looking for help depending on other developments.

NFC East teams in need

Giants: They've overlooked the linebacker spot in general for the past couple of years, and as a result there are a few ways they could go. They could stick with Jonathan Goff in the middle and beef up on the outside, or they could sign a good middle linebacker and move Goff outside, where he'd probably be an upgrade over Clint Sintim. There are a lot of potential middle linebacker targets for the Giants, if this is the time they finally decide to get serious about it.

Redskins: Washington could be fine even with Rocky McIntosh leaving, because there's a chance Lorenzo Alexander has to move inside anyway to make room for top draft pick Ryan Kerrigan. But after they address needs on the defensive line, there's a chance they could look to add depth here.

Eagles: Hard to imagine this is a major priority for them, since even if Stewart Bradley leaves they can probably just leave Jamar Chaney in the middle. But if Bradley leaves and they decide Chaney's better on the outside, there will be some interesting options for them on the middle linebacker market.

Top five potential unrestricted free-agent inside linebackers

1. Stephen Tulloch. Likely out in Tennessee because they fear he'll cost too much to keep, the 26-year-old Tulloch is the cream of this particular crop. He's a bit small, but he has great range and has shown the ability to handle the middle linebacker's responsibilities for the Titans. Lots of people expect former Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, now the Lions' head coach, to be Tulloch's most aggressive pursuer as he continues to build a monster defense in Detroit.

2. Barrett Ruud. The question is how much responsibility he bore for the Buccaneers' miserable run defense in 2010. It's possible he was dragged down by those around him and he'll rebound with a big 2011. But his chances at a big free-agent deal certainly took a hit with his step-back 2010 campaign.

3. Paul Posluszny. The Bills will work to keep him, and there's some thought that he's better off as an inside guy in a 3-4 scheme than as the middle man in a 4-3. But we've heard the Giants connected to him a lot, so it's possible he's a name on their list of targets for their middle spot.

4. Kevin Burnett. Had a career season in San Diego, and the Chargers will try everything they can to re-sign him. It's more likely that his teammate, Stephen Cooper, will be free, and while slightly older than Burnett, Cooper could still be a helpful piece for a 3-4 team looking for help on the inside.

5. Bradley. If he still wants to play in the middle, and if he can convince teams he's fully recovered from his knee surgery, Bradley could leave Philadelphia in free agency. Will be interesting to see if the Eagles commit to keeping him in the middle and if that helps convince him to stay.

Predictions that mean nothing: Giants sign Ruud after Tulloch's price goes too high for their liking. Redskins stand pat or move further down this list (Dhani Jones?) as they focus on greater needs in the secondary and along the line. Eagles keep Bradley and play Chaney on the outside to start the season.

Hey, we're not talking about the 1985 Bears here, OK? Only one team in the league gave up more points last year than the Cowboys did. Only one team in the league gave up more yards last year than the Redskins did. (In both cases, it was the Broncos, by the way. You wanna talk about bottoming out?) It's safe to say that both Washington and Dallas had higher defensive expectations in 2010, even though the Redskins were switching to a 3-4 and their highest-paid player didn't want to play.

It's also safe to say that both the Cowboys and the Redskins expect to improve -- and improve a lot -- on defense in 2011. The Cowboys hired Rob Ryan as their new defensive coordinator, hoping he could get the defense back to its late-2009 performance levels. The Redskins drafted Ryan Kerrigan in the first round to play outside linebacker opposite Brian Orakpo and hopefully offer one of the most fearsome young pass-rush combinations in the league. Washington also signed free-agent safety O.J. Atogwe prior to the lockout, and the safety duo of Atogwe and LaRon Landry looks as if it will be a strength of the Washington defense.

There's work yet to do in both places. The Cowboys need to address safety (and maybe cornerback), and the Redskins need a nose tackle and likely will have to replace Carlos Rogers at cornerback and Rocky McIntosh at inside linebacker. But my debate question for you this Friday is this:

Which defense will have a better 2011 season? The Cowboys' defense or the Redskins' defense?

It's not as crazy a question as you might think. Washington does need the nose tackle, but as of right now I think they're ahead of Dallas in the secondary. And while the mere presence of DeMarcus Ware on the roster gives the Cowboys the edge at linebacker, I'm not sure how far behind the Redskins are at the position overall. Orakpo is an emerging force and London Fletcher and Lorenzo Alexander are strong, steadying presences. If Anthony Spencer plays the way he did in 2009, this is no contest. But at this point that's a big "if," and the linebacker comparison between these two teams could come down to Kerrigan vs. Spencer. If the rookie has a big year and Spencer disappoints again, we might be sitting here this time next year saying the Redskins have the better linebackers.

Might even be saying the Redskins have the better defense.

I'm going to pick the Cowboys in this debate for now, but I think it's close. I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt to Ryan and his ability to rejuvenate the good veteran personnel they have there, and I'm going to assume they upgrade at safety. I think Bradie James and Keith Brooking still have plenty to offer, and I think Spencer and Mike Jenkins will bounce back.

But if I'm wrong on any of that, I'm not going to be surprised if the Redskins end up with the better defense. The second year is a big one, coaches say, for making strides in the 3-4 defense. The Packers, who just won the Super Bowl in Year Two of Dom Capers' 3-4 scheme, are the best recent example of that. The Redskins don't have as many star-caliber defensive players as Green Bay has (nor do they have a quarterback), so there's no reason for Redskins fans to get their hopes up too high. But I don't think Washington's defense is too far away from challenging for a spot as the best in the NFC East.

We continue to take a position-by-position look at potential four-year unrestricted free agency and the way it could impact the offseason plans of the teams in the NFC East. We did cornerbacks and running backs Wednesday, and today we're taking a look at outside linebackers. The division's 3-4 defenses appear set at those spots with DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer in Dallas and Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan in Washington, so we'll focus on the 4-3 teams along the I-95 corridor. The pool has been diminished as teams have placed franchise designations on top players such as LaMarr Woodley, Chad Greenway and Kamerion Wimbley, but there are still options available for the Eagles and Giants to bolster weak spots.

NFC East teams in need

Giants: Linebacker is a muddy situation for the Giants. If they sign a middle linebacker, they could move Jonathan Goff to the outside and lessen their need there. And assuming they bring back Mathias Kiwanuka, who's been something of a Swiss army knife on the defense, they might be able to get by with Clint Sintim and Michael Boley at the starting outside linebacker spots. But neither Sintim nor Boley is a sure thing, and while the Giants have ignored this position over the past couple of years, they would do well to keep their minds open to the possibility of an upgrade.

Eagles: Either Jamar Chaney or Stewart Bradley will man the middle, with the other (assuming Bradley re-signs) taking one of the outside spots. But that doesn't mean the Eagles couldn't use more depth at this spot. They'll have a chance to get creative, perhaps signing a guy for the middle and using Chaney on the outside. But Chaney showed a lot in that middle linebacker spot last year and they'd do well to think about adding outside pieces around him.

Top five potential unrestricted free-agent outside linebackers:

1. James Anderson. Had a very good year on the strong side for Carolina, which isn't likely to offer him much to stay. If the Giants were to get serious about the position (and if they didn't have so many other free agency issues at other positions), Anderson would be a great fix for their strong side linebacker void. Carolina teammate Thomas Davis is another name who could attract interest, but Davis is coming off an injury and might be more affordable for the Panthers to retain.

2. Manny Lawson. The 49ers could let him walk, and Lawson is a hyper-athletic, multi-purpose linebacker who can play the run and pressure the passer. His sack numbers haven't been great, but he grades out well as a disruptive force in backfields. Could be a great answer for the Eagles on the weak side.

3. Rocky McIntosh. He didn't like or fit into the Redskins' new 3-4 scheme last year, and he's likely better off playing the pass from the weak side in a 4-3. Also would be a helpful guy in Philadelphia, and he might could be had relatively cheap.

4. Stephen Nicholas. The Falcons would like to keep him, but he might have a hard time cracking the starting lineup in Atlanta, so if there's a team out there that could park him on the strong side and use him to solidify their run defense (i.e., the Giants), he could bolt for greener pastures and/or more green.

5. Clint Session. Played only five games for the Colts last year because of injury. Session is quick and small but replaceable in Indianapolis, so he's likely to be on the market for teams looking for depth and versatility in the linebacking corps.

Predictions that mean nothing: Eagles sign McIntosh. Giants continue to overlook the position, maybe pursue a middle linebacker such as Paul Posluszny so they can move either him or Jonathan Goff to the outside, depending on how things look in training camp.

Morning. Tuesday sure was an optimistic day on the NFL labor front. Personally, I don't think there's any chance this many details of the proposed deal would be emerging if the proposal weren't pretty close to a sure thing. So the time could be drawing near when we can start talking about free agency and the start of training camps.

Adam Schefter reported that the new deal would shift the threshold for unrestricted free agency back to four years' service time, and if that happens, every team's offseason plan would be affected. Today's breakfast links will address some of the key players on whom the NFC East teams might have to make key decisions.

Dallas Cowboys

The news alters Doug Free's situation quite a bit, and could conceivably impact the Cowboys' ability to pursue other big-money free agents depending on the amount of outside interest Free draws as an unrestricted free agent. As the Cowboys have made clear, Free is a must-sign. But Jason Hatcher and Stephen Bowen would become issues under those guidelines as well.

DeMarcus Ware spoke to NFL.com's Steve Wyche and had lots of good things to say about Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, the Cowboys' offseason workouts and the change the team made at head coach midway through the 2010 season: "You go from Wade Phillips, which is a guy, he's more tailored to the older guys and developing younger guys," Ware said. "Then you have a younger coach come in, which is Jason Garrett, he's more of the Bill Parcells-type guy. He likes putting the pads on. He likes doing a whole bunch of the fundamental stuff and just focusing on that, doing the right things and just little things like that." Garrett's players clearly bought in last year, and if that continues and the defense gets solidified, Ware's and others' prediction of a Cowboys rebound are totally reasonable.

New York Giants

The Giants could potentially be the hardest-hit team in the division by a rule that makes 4+ guys into UFAs. Ahmad Bradshaw, Kevin Boss, Barry Cofield, Steve Smith and Mathias Kiwanuka are among the players on the New York roster in line to make bigger money than they would have under last year's rules. Of those, Bradshaw and Kiwanuka are likely the highest-priority guys, along with Smith, though Smith's knee injury hurts his potential market value and should help the Giants keep him. Boss and Cofield are key contributors but could have to be sacrificed to the open market if Bradshaw's price goes through the roof.

Jemele Hill writes that David Tyree has the right to his surprisingly strong stance against gay marriage. (He says he'd trade his Super Bowl helmet catch and title to prevent it.) Technically, she's right, of course. But just because he has the right to spout intolerance doesn't necessarily mean he should.

Philadelphia Eagles

Middle linebacker Stewart Bradley is probably the most significant Eagles name that would be affected by the four-year UFA threshold. My guess is, if Bradley's price were to spike, the Eagles would move on with other free-agent plans and just keep Jamar Chaney at middle linebacker. But I wonder if Bradley, who's had injury problems, will generate much open-market interest on a market this crowded.

He's about to be an Eagles rookie, but Jaiquawn Jarrett is still a New York City kid at heart, and he showed support for the community from which he came.

Washington Redskins

Have to think inside linebacker Rocky McIntosh and right tackle Stephon Heyer are the two most significant Redskins in the UFA zone, but the potential move of Lorenzo Alexander to the inside to make room for first-round pick Ryan Kerrigan could help the team's leverage if McIntosh wants more than they want to pay him. And whether Heyer comes back or not, the Redskins will still need to find a starting right tackle. Jamaal Brown is a six-year guy who was going to be a UFA no matter what.

Because of the Redskins' ties to the state of Maryland (not to mention those of the Baltimore Ravens), the state is saying it could lose more than $40 million in tax revenue during an NFL lockout. This was a key part of the NFLPA's argument against the lockout in court -- the idea that people far beyond the playing field would be affected. Fortunately, it now seems as if there's little about which to worry.

Happy to talk more free agency as the day unfolds. Let me know what you think.

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson examines the linebackers of each NFC East team. Today: Washington Redskins.

The Redskins moved to a 3-4 scheme last season, but London Fletcher wasn’t fazed by the scheme change and just kept up his steady pace. He is a true professional and one of the most consistent linebackers of this generation. The Redskins could lose Rocky McIntosh in free agency. McIntosh started next to Fletcher on the inside, and a change of scenery and scheme could do him well, as I think he fits a 4-3 front better than Washington’s 3-4.

On the outside, Brian Orakpo again showed why he can become one of the better pass-rushers in the league, but he wasn’t the same player during the second half of the season. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the problems that Orakpo had versus the run this year. There was little to get excited about opposite Orakpo, and adding another outside linebacker who can get after the quarterback might free Orakpo up to really wreak some havoc. This is a major need.

For the second time in his career, Andre Carter showed that he is not a fit in an odd front. He could be playing elsewhere next season, and for the most part, was replaced by Lorenzo Alexander. A liability as a pass-rusher and in coverage, Alexander is best suited as a backup on the outside and as a core special-teamer rather than in a starting role.

Others worth mentioning are Perry Riley and H.B. Blades on the inside and Chris Wilson and Rob Jackson on the outside. The undersized Blades is an extremely poor-man’s version of Fletcher and had a solid 2009 campaign. Wilson is a pretty good special-teams player and shows promise as a pass-rusher. Jackson could get a chance at more snaps going forward.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

LANDOVER, Md. -- I'm mostly chatting this evening, but I'll occasionally post something on the Beast. Redskins tight end Fred Davis has been in hiding much of the season, but he broke free down the sideline on what appeared to be busted coverage by the Philadelphia Eagles.

That play set up Darrel Young's touchdown catch and the Skins pulled to within 35-7. Could someone explain to me how Jim Haslett gets an extra week to prepare for Andy Reid's offense -- and this is what happens? Michael Vick has thoroughly embarrassed this defense.

Michael Vick was destroyed on a play early in the second quarter when he was looking in Brent Celek's direction. Should linebackers flex their muscles when their team is trailing by 28 points in the first half?

Just wondering. That's what Rocky McIntosh just did.

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Five nuggets of knowledge about the Week 8 games.

Can the Washington Redskins avenge last season's embarrassing 19-14 loss to the Detroit Lions? Redskins Pro Bowl outside linebacker Brian Orakpo told the NFC East blog on Thursday that Washington's loss to the Lions, which ended a 19-game losing streak, has been on his mind every day since. There's no way Mike Shanahan will let his team take the Lions lightly. Early in this game, the Skins' front seven must do a good job on Lions rookie running back Jahvid Best, who is capable of home run plays on the ground and in the passing game. Linebacker Rocky McIntosh is playing at a high level and that must continue. I'm eager to see if defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is able to put back-to-back solid performances together. He's facing his old defensive coordinator from Tennessee in Jim Schwartz, so you may see him bring a little something extra.

The Redskins will attempt to hold down Megatron on this game. Calvin Johnson is one of the best two or three receivers in the league, and we all remember what Andre Johnson did to the Skins. But this is DeAngelo Hall's defense, as he has pointed out, and he should be able to pad his interception count against the Lions. I'm ready to see if Jim Haslett does anything special against Johnson. My gut tells me that he won't.

It's time to unleash Jon Kitna on the NFL again. I really think Kitna will play well against the Jaguars. Aaron Kampman's really the only Jags pass-rusher who can get home against the Cowboys, so Kitna should have plenty of time. He told me recently that he fought through elbow tendinitis in his throwing arm for a five-year stretch (2003-08), so I'm eager to see how he holds up with a lot more attempts than he's used to. The Jags' best cover man is Rashean Mathis, so look for Jason Garrett to stay away from his side when possible.

Let's see if Wade Phillips' defense can actually contribute to a win. With the Cowboys leading the Giants 20-7, the defense pulled a disappearing act. Phillips had the gall to blame it on Kitna's three-and-out-based offense, but we all know the score. The Jaguars allegedly have inferior talent to the Cowboys, so this is a game DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer should resemble Pro Bowlers again. If David Garrard's not under siege in this game, something's gone horribly wrong.

It's time to show the world that Dez Bryant will someday be an elite wide receiver in this league. And that day is coming soon. I don't think the Jags have enough firepower to keep up with Miles Austin, Roy Williams and Bryant. It will be interesting to see if Bryant's given a bigger role in the offense this week. If he is, it will be a sign that he's showing more dedication in the classroom at Valley Ranch. Have a wonderful bye weekend, Eagles and Giants fans. I'm sure you'll be backing your NFC East cohorts. Oh wait ...

ARLINGTON, Texas -- As we prepare for tonight's "Monday Night Football" showdown between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, here are a few observations about the two teams that played Sunday. The Redskins and Eagles have identical records (4-3), but they don't have the same mindset today:

Philadelphia Eagles

• There's no excuse for giving up 27 fourth-quarter points to the Tennessee Titans -- even when the great Kenny Britt's involved. Eagles coach Andy Reid took up for defensive coordinator Sean McDermott during his news conference earlier today. Reid said he thought McDermott had a "heck of a game plan, doggone it." Unfortunately, that game plan didn't include any answers for Britt, the former Rutgers star who was bouncing back from a bar fight Friday. Reid said he understood why McDermott couldn't simply put his best cornerback, Asante Samuel, on Britt to stop the bleeding. But the explanation didn't really hold water. Nate Allen and Ellis Hobbs had no chance against the speedy Britt, so McDermott should've tried something different. McDermott's a talented young coach, but he deserves all the heat he's taking in Philly today.
• A lot of us picked Brandon Graham to be the rookie defensive player of the year, but he's not showing up a lot on film. Graham appeared on the injury list with an illness and ankle problem. Maybe that explains why he was only on the field for 18 snaps. This is way too early in the season for Graham to be hitting some type of rookie wall, so this is a situation that bears watching. The Eagles need Graham to be more consistent.
• Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon had the best game of his career. You wondered if there would be some fall off when Brodrick Bunkley suffered an elbow surgery, but Dixon continues to raise his level of play. He was on the field for much of the game Sunday and he responded with seven tackles, a sack and two tackles for a loss. Dixon was a big reason the Eagles did a nice job against Chris Johnson. He's too quick for some of the enormous guards in this league. I don't see his playing time going down a bit once Bunkley returns.
• You hate to single out center Mike McGlynn, but he sort of made it easy. McGlynn was man enough to claim responsibility for that fumble on the Titans' 3-yard line that turned the game around. Jason Jones was apparently his man on the play. Sometimes a defense can do things to confuse an offensive lineman, but there's really no excuse for not accounting for Jones. He didn't do anything that tricky -- other than basically taking a handoff from Kevin Kolb. Just an awful mental mistake at the most crucial point in Sunday's game.

Washington Redskins

• If I'm Mike Shanahan, film of that loss to the Lions from '09 is playing on a continuous loop at Redskins Park. This is the ultimate trap game with the bye week followed by a rematch with the Eagles. The Skins had a letdown against the Rams earlier this season. The Lions are a similar team to the Rams. If you allow them to hang around for a little while, there's a decent chance you'll take the loss. This is no time for the Skins to feel all that great about themselves. Yes, the four wins are impressive when you take last season into consideration. But a loss to the Lions on Sunday would be pretty difficult to overcome.
• Make Ryan Torain carry a football around campus all week. Torain has emerged as a dynamic player for an offense that's short on playmakers. But he can't fumble the ball in the red zone -- or anywhere else for that matter. I remember hearing about former Rams and 49ers running back Wendell Tyler being presented with a football that had a handle on it. That's the kind of gag gift that might grab Torain's attention this week. But if Torain will secure the football, he has a chance to have a big-time season. Like I told you during training camp, Torain and Arian Foster are going to be huge. Wait, did I forget to actually put that in print?
• It's time to cue the Rocky music in Ashburn, Va. If Rocky McIntosh plays like that on a regular basis, the Redskins will have a formidable defense. McIntosh looked so much more comfortable in Jim Haslett's defense Sunday, and I think he's ready to do that on a consistent basis. I'm trying not to overreact to all these standout performances on defense because of the Jay Cutler factor, but it's tough.
• Speaking of standout performances... Albert Haynesworth was brilliant in Sunday's game. The play he made to stand up Cutler at the goal line turned the game around for the Skins. When Haynesworth's at his best, he's unblockable. Haslett has done a nice job of making Haynesworth feel like he's in the Titans' defense. If not for the play of DeAngelo Hall, Haynesworth would've been the defensive MVP. By the way, can we go ahead and give the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award to DeAngelo Hall?

A quick look at the Redskins’ loss to the Colts:

What it means: Mike Shanahan has changed the culture of this organization. No one was pleased to simply hang around this traditional power. The Redskins had a legitimate chance to win the game. I think the Skins have plenty of confidence going into Chicago. Quarterback Donovan McNabb had his moments while going 29-of-45 for 246 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. I think McNabb has brought strong leadership, but he needed to be better late in this game. Why does a McNabb two-minute drill seem so infuriating this many years into his career?

Where was the run D? The Colts are not supposed to be a great running team, but Joseph Addai had 17 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown. The Skins were missing starting linebacker Rocky McIntosh and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. I think both of those players could've made a big difference. But there's no reason Addai should be allowed all of those cutback lanes.

Injuries: Tight end Chris Cooley suffered a concussion and that could be a setback. McNabb and Cooley have already developed a nice chemistry and he was missed in the fourth quarter. There's a good chance McIntosh and Haynesworth both make it back next week. Fred Davis had three catches in this game. McNabb has to throw the ball to him more.

Grand Torain: Ryan Torain had the best game of his young career against the Colts with 100 yards rushing and two touchdowns. He bounced off defenders and helped give this offense an identity. That game has to be a huge confidence booster for Torain. He was patient in setting up his blocks and he just exploded through the hole.

Catch the ball: Carlos Rogers may have the worst hands for a cornerback in the league. He had a couple of opportunities that he let slip away Sunday. Rogers is getting in good position, but he has to finish off some of these plays. It's like giving a great hitter an extra strike. Peyton Manning will make a team pay.

What next: Washington will walk into Chicago and win that game. I still think the Bears are a fraudulent team. The Skins should batter Jay Cutler. This is the type of game where Brian Orakpo could have six sacks. He had a sack and a forced fumble Sunday. He's already, hands down, the best player on defense.